143rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. War Diary June 1941
1 June 1941 Alafoss, Iceland. Nothing of importance. Weather dull and cool.
2 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather dull and cool, improving later.
3 June 1941
Brigade Major Royal Artillery returned from AKUREYRI. Weather dull, improving later. “E” Leave Party arrived from Borganes.
4 June 1941
386 Battery firing at SANSKEID with 507 Battery Officers as Observation Post. Weather dull and cloudy.
5 June 1941
Authority received for drawing extra tents for new Battery. Weather fine, cloudy, bright intervals. F Troop 507 Battery in night exercise with 11th DLI. C.O. as Umpire. Weather fine and bright.
6 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather fine.
7 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Gunner Sargeant from 388 Battery for ? ? Course. Weather fine, cool. C.R.A. returned from North.
8 June 1941
366 Battery 140 Field Regiment arrived on SS Pulaski 22:00 hours, consisting of 10 Officers and 200 Other Ranks. Offloaded during night of 8/9 June and accommodated Battery HQ and 1 Troop at GUIVATN CAMP and 1 Troop at REDESDALE. Brigade Major Royal Artillery goes into hospital. Weather fine, cloudy, warm. Captain Watson 388 Battery assumes appointment of DAPM (Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal?).
9 June 1941
366 Battery engaged in settling in in their Camps. Leave Party “E” left for UK. Weather fine and warm.
10 June 1941
C.O. lectures at Force Tactical School. 366 Battery engaged in settling in. Rehearsal for King’s Birthday Parade. Weather fine and warm.
11 June 1941
Lieutenant A R Fielder from Intelligence Officer HQ to C.S.O. 386 Battery. Weather fine, cooler.
12 June 1941
King’s Birthday Parade on Stadium Ground, Reykjavik. 1 Officer and 24 Other Ranks from Regiment take part. Weather fine and warm. Half holiday for troops in the afternoon.
13 June 1941
C.O. taking Officer Commanding 366 Battery on visit to area covered by Regiment. Captain Akers-Douglas ? put up before C.R.A. on an adverse report. Weather very wet all day.
14 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather fine and warm.
15 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather wet and cool all day.
16 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather wet and cool all day.
17 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather wet and cool all day. Leave Party F from 388 Battery arrived.
18 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather wet and cool all day.
19 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather wet and cool all day.
20 June 1941
SS TIBA with guns and vehicles of 366 Battery docked at Reykjavik. Weather fine, cloudy. Major Buxton leaves Reykerskoli for Alafoss.
21 June 1941
366 battery unloading G1098 stores and vehicles from SS TIBA. Weather wet, very windy.
22 June 1941
366 battery unloading G1098 stores and vehicles from SS TIBA. Weather dull no rain slight wind.
23 June 1941
366 battery unloading G1098 stores and vehicles from SS TIBA. D Leave Party returned to Camp, no absentees. Weather fine, dull.
24 June 1941
F Leave Party leaves for UK and Lieutenant (QM) Heal and 10 Other Ranks from RHQ. 366 Battery still unloading vehicles. Weather wet.
25 June 1941
Major S Buxton RA reaches RHQ after journey across country from Reykerskoli. 366 Battery unloading stores from SS TIBA. Weather wet. Major Weston from 388 Battery for Course. Sgt Davis from 388 Battery to RHQ as Duty Sergeant.
26 June 1941
17:45 hours. Guns of 366 Battery in action. Weather fine and sunny.
27 June 1941
A Troop 386 Battery moved out of GUIVATN to Brautarholt. Guns in action 15:45 hours. Weather fine.
28 June 1941
Force Cross Country Run. 2/Lt Young 1st, Lt Airy 2nd, Gunner Smith 5th, Regiment 4th in Team Championship. Weather very wet all day.
29 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather fine and warm.
30 June 1941
Nothing of importance. Weather showery. RSM Burn notified in evening of award of M.B.E.
To contact the author by e-mail with any queries, or to send information - click here.
