143rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. War Diary October 1943
1 October 1943 NEWMILNS.
Preparation for Exercise BRIDGEHEAD. Captain Burton posted away.
2 October 1943
Exercise BRIDGEHEAD. Bivouaced DUNDONALD. Very wet.
3 October 1943
Very heavy rain – moved into action GAILES.
4 October 1943
Exercise commenced – Regiment moved area DUNDONALD – accident en route and Regimental Sergeant Major Benson of 144 RAC received fatal injuries. Very bad weather.
5 October 1943
Exercise ended. Heavy rain again. Return to NEWMILNS 14:00 hours.
Captain Smithers posted to 388 Battery, also 2/Lt Rose and 2/Lt Richardson. 2/Lt Povey to RHQ. Captain Buxton posted to Depot – a great pity to sever his long connection with the Regiment.
6 October 1943
A team of three Officers and four Sergeants to test Regiment P.S.O.
7 October 1943
Regiment shooting Auderside Hill Range.
8 October 1943
Course shooting Auderside Hall Range. Calibration of 13 guns.
9 October 1943
7 more Self-propelled guns arrived – now only one short.
10 October 1943
RAC Tank Circus arrived.
11 October 1943
Nothing of importance. 5 Other Ranks arrived.
12 October 1943
507 Battery firing with Air Observation Post. Fine weather.
13 October 1943
Programme for Inveraray changed. Nothing of importance. Fine. 12 Other Ranks posted to No. 9 Infantry Training Centre.
14 October 1943
Three Other Ranks arrive not D.O.’s
15 October 1943
C.O. visits demonstration Assault and Firing from Landing Craft Tank. Vehicle inspection.
16 October 1943
Vehicle inspection and wireless set inspection – RAC Circus – I.G. P S Officers. Never have so many things been going on at the same time. One Battery at Assault School – Practice Group on the 20th – Inverary on 31st – another Battery at Assault School on 29th.
All these have made it impossible to arrange any one thing properly and one fears that the terrific tempo of events at the moment will have a telling effect on the whole training of the Regiment.
17 October 1943
Nothing of importance. 2/Lt White returned from Depot. Advance Party to Langholm.
18 October 1943
GE arranging for extra hut for Officers’ Mess – it was asked for on 1st August and Q have just got something arranged.
19 October 1943
Nothing of importance.
20 October 1943
Regiment moved to PRACTICE at LANGHOLM RANGE – terribly wet day.
21 October 1943
Course shooting weather improved during day but conditions for Batteries pretty foul – gun drill not satisfactory.
22 October 1943
More course shooting – two rounds not where they were meant.
23 October 1943
Course shooting.
24 October 1943
CCRA (Manners Smith) and CRA visited Camp. Visibility bad and no shooting.
25 October 1943
Course shooting continued.
26 October 1943
Regiment returned to NEWMILNS less 388 Battery. Very windy.
27 October 1943
Nothing of importance.
28 October 1943
Nothing of importance.
29 October 1943
Preparation for INVERARAY.
30 October 1943
Tank ? a problem for move.
31 October 1943
Move to INVERARAY – wet.
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