143rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. War Diary August 1943
1 August 1943 NEWMILNS
Wet. Church Parade.
2 August 1943
Survey Party complete to Larkhill for 3 weeks. ADMS visited area.
3 August 1943
Nothing of importance.
4 August 1943
SP Courses. Regiment seems depleted by numbers attending.
5 August 1943
Draft to REAGH returned from leave and reported to Depot. Captain C W Fisher, Battery Sergeant Major Harlow, 1 Sergeant and 8 Other Ranks – a great pity to have to lose these.
6 August 1943
C.O. returns.
7 August 1943
Divisional Commander Conference 12:00 hours – preparing for Contact II.
8 August 1943
RHQ moved out on CONTACT II.
9 August 1943
CONTACT III received.
10 August 1943
CONTACT III.
11 August 1943
CONTACT III. Very cold. Royal Artillery Motor Transport Circus from Rhyl.
12 August 1943
CONTACT III ended.
13 August 1943
Major Hunter RASC lectured – ADMIN. in the Field.
14 August 1943
12 S.P.s arrived (? Self propelled guns?). Captain Wood of 69 Field Regiment to hand them over.
15 August 1943
Practised M and U Targets.
16 August 1943
Divisional Artillery practised for M and U Targets.
17 August 1943
Major Weston started to organise a Tank School at TROON to instruct in driving and maintenance. (See Appendix below).
18 – 31 August 1943
Unfortunately the photograph taken of this page of the War Diary was poorly shot and as a result is very blurred and therefore unreadable – this is regretted.
Appendices attached to August 1943 War Diary
143 Field Regiment – Tank School, TROON – dated 17th August 1943.
The School – located on the Old Golf Course, Troon, started on Saturday 21st August 1943, with four serials on Self-propelled Guns, Driving and Maintenance lasting just over a week each and beginning on 22nd August, 2nd September, 13th September and 24th September.
Three more serials on the Crusader and Covenanter Tanks began on 22nd August, 5th September and 19th September.
All Courses were accommodated under canvas.
Instructors on the Self-propelled Courses were:-
Captain R F G Roberts RA Sgt Barrow Sgt Croft Sgt Branfield Sgt World Sgt Chard.
Instructors on the Crusader and Covenanter were:-
Captain P H Williams RA Captain D P Front RA Staff Sergeant Fitter MV Spaull Sgt Bushell Bombardier Yates-Smith Lance Bombardier Smith C Lance Bombardier Newington Gunner Kemp Gunner Humphreys Gunner Lawrence Gunner Hapgood Lance Bombardier Heren
Each Battery was to send one Officer, one Sergeant and one Gunner per Troop on each Course – with Other Ranks making up numbers if Officers were not available.
Arrangements were made for Pay and Rations, as well as Stationery. All students would take their full kit including palliasses and blankets, goggles and two suits of denim. All men would take their small arms and ammunition to normal scale. Daily medical session would be made available. Each Battery would take a turn at providing guards for the Camp. Batteries were detailed to provide specific support personnel such as cooks and sanitary men, together with appropriate stores.
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