143rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. War Diary January 1944
1 January 1944 NEWMILNS.
Nothing of importance. Dates of move fixed with M.C.L.O.
2 January 1944
Nothing of importance. Very wet.
3 January 1944
C.O. to ROTHESAY for Exercise 4th. Wet.
4 January 1944
3 Sergeants and 19 Other Ranks arrived as reinforcements.
5 January 1944
Nothing of importance.
6 January 1944
C.O. returned from ROTHESAY. Nothing of importance.
Officers returned from ROTHESAY. Accident at HURLFORD. 3-tonner knocked down a woman who was fatally injured.
7 January 1944
Nothing of importance. Wet.
8 January 1944
Very heavy rain – fine later. C.O. went for recce of new area.
9 January 1944
Nothing of importance.
10 January 1944
Nothing of importance. Very cold, frosty.
11 January 1944
C.O. to ROTHESAY for Exercise – cold.
12 January 1944
Nothing of importance. Wet.
13 January 1944
7 Field Regiment party arrived to take over 8 self-propelled guns. 147 Field Regiment to take over 4 self-propelled guns.
14 January 1944
Hand over completed, both Regiments satisfied with state and cleanliness.
15 January 1944
Remaining guns left for ROTHESAY for CLYDE shooting.
3-tonner taken from 507 Battery Vehicle Park by Gunner Yuill and involved in an accident at MOTHERWELL in which a civilian was killed. Yuill held in custody by the Police.
16 January 1944
Nothing of importance.
17 January 1944
Nothing of importance.
18 January 1944
Nothing of importance.
19 January 1944
Gunner Yuill brought up at Sheriff Court at HAMILTON and remanded in custody.
20 January 1944
Day shoot on CLYDE not very successful.
21 January 1944
Dawn shoot very successful.
22 January 1944
Nothing of importance. C.O. returned from ROTHESAY.
23 January 1944
Church Parade. Remainder of Regiment returned from ROTHESAY; arrangements got in a terrible muddle but eventually were righted and Major Bowring got everyone home by 17:00 hours except for one tank.
24 January 1944
Nothing of importance. Authority for Regiment to mobilise with 1st reinforcements.
Advance Party left for HEMSBY staging Carlisle and Doncaster.
25 January 1944
C.O. proceeded on leave.
26 January 1944
Nothing of importance.
27 January 1944
Train moves become difficult. Five trains in all. Wet.
28 January 1944
Nothing of importance.
29 January 1944
Nothing of importance. Telephone Exchange at NEWMILNS out of order.
30 January 1944
Nothing of importance.
31 January 1944
Regiment’s wheeled vehicles moved from NEWMILNS en route for HEMSBY.
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