143rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. War Diary November 1943
1 – 16 November 1943
Yet again, this page of War Diary is virtually unintelligible, being a 2nd or 3rd carbon copy of the original, blurred as a result, and inadequately photographed. This is regretted.
16 November 1943
Officers from Tank Transporter Company arrived. Although orders given for move of self-propelled guns by Transporter it looks as though they will not be available for return trip. Snowed during afternoon of 16th.
17 November 1943
Nothing of importance.
18 November 1943
Nothing of importance. Adjutant attended lecture on 2nd Echelon at Hamilton. 21st Army Group to go on to 2nd Echelon on 1st January for mobilised units.
19 November 1943
Nothing of importance.
20 November 1943
Information that no Transporters available to bring self-propelled guns from INVERARAY; will have to remain there until they can be fetched.
21 November 1943
Regiment less 190 Battery and two Troops of 388 Battery return from INVERARAY.
22 November 1943
Nothing of importance. I.G. Major Bryant arrived.
23 November 1943
Nothing of importance. Weather very wet.
24 November 1943
Nothing of importance. Rained.
25 November 1943
C.O. proceeded on leave. Major E H N Rees Webb commanding. Very cold.
26 November 1943
Camouflage demonstration at 185 Field Regiment. Very heavy frost.
27 November 1943
Nothing of importance. Damp.
28 November 1943
Nothing of importance. Lt Wallace up before C.R.A. Wet.
29 November 1943
Showery. Nothing of importance. 388 Battery staff drill order. Wet.
30 November 1943
Major W D Blacker joined being posted in excess of War Establishment.
Appendices attached to the November 1943 War Diary.
Appendix A – Exercise BLAST III – Operation Order No. 1.
The Exercise required the Regiment – less two Batteries – to deploy in two specified areas and be in action by 18:00 hours on 9th November.
The document described the groups into which the Regiment would be organised and the march order and timings to be followed. The route was to be from Strathaven to Kirkmuirhill via Abington and Lockerbie.
Details of the five targets to be registered were given with an order to have that completed by 17:30 hours on the 9th. Instructions were given as to the source and scale of the ammunition to be drawn. Ration arrangements were described. Men were to wear Battle Order with filled water bottles. There was the possibility that the tanks might travel by rail – should this me the case, the crews were to accompany them.
Exercise BLAST III – Amendment dated 4th November 1943.
Some detailed changes in timing were set out on this sheet. Changes in the targets to be registered were also given. Troops of the 102nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment were to be allocated to support each Field Regiment.
To contact the author by e-mail with any queries, or to send information - click here.
