1st Tyneside Scottish May 1941
8th May 1941
B Company (Captain Chudleigh) were moved to the Craven Camp area.
A Company (Major McGregor) became the Reserve Company at Skipton Camp.
10th May 1941
The Pioneer Sergeant and 6 men from the Platoon gave a fire-fighting demonstration to the civilian population in the context of Air Raid Precautions, and were highly commended by the G.o.C.
13th May 1941
A Platoon from R Company, under the command of Lt Scott, were posted from Craven Camp to Buller Camp, at map reference 207069, to take over manning the Medium Machine Guns there.
VATNSMYRI Aerodrome was used for the first time by a Fulmar aircraft.
14th May 1941
The First leave party returned and the second, of 1 Officer and 24 men departed for 21 days in the UK.
Lt Col Oxley resumed command of the Battalion on his return from leave.
16th – 17th May 1941
The survivors of the Armed Merchant Cruiser SALOPIAN (Captain Sir J Allayne, Commander Church and Lieutenant Commander Peake) were billeted with the unit. (The Armed Merchant Cruiser SALOPIAN, 10,549 tons, built in 1926 and serving as an armed merchant cruiser since October 1939 was sunk by a torpedo from a U-Boat on 13th May 1941 in the North Atlantic).
16th May 1941
A Company, as the Reserve Company, carried out an exercise in the area of Tower Hill, Red Roof Hill and Howitzer Hill with the Carrier and Mortar Platoons under command. The Officer commanding was directed to counter attack Howitzer Hill.
17th – 23rd May 1941
The Battalion continued to supply working parties for VATNSMYRI Aerodrome from 05:30 to 13:00 hours.
21st May 1941
An Operational Instruction was received regarding the Reconnaissance Platoon – a copy was filed with the War Diary as Appendix 1 – for details see below.
22nd May 1941
A mounted Icelander (thought to have been under the influence of alcohol) attempted to ride down a B Company sentry who was coming on guard – the Sentry “made a point” and killed the horse with his bayonet.
24th – 30th May 1941
Aerodrome working parties were provided each day – 4 Officers and 220 Other Ranks from 05:30 to 13:00 hours. A number of aircraft used the runway during the week.
26th May 1941
The Third leave party of 2 Officers and 36 Other Ranks left for 21 days in the UK.
Operation Instruction No 12 regarding the deployment and use of Medium Machine Guns was issued and a copy attached to the War Diary as Appendix 2 – for details see below.
27th May 1941
The Battalion provided a Guard of Honour of 2 Officers and 50 Other ranks, together with the Pipe Band, for the arrival in Iceland of Vice-Admiral Sir H Binnie, Commander, Western Approaches.
Appendices attached to 1st Tyneside Scottish War Diary – May 1941.
Appendix 1 – The Reconnaissance Platoon – issued 21st May 1941.
This Operational Instruction redesignated the Battalion’s Ski Platoon (commanded by Lt Ross) as the Reconnaissance Platoon, but retained the intention of working with skis and horses as necessary.
The Platoon Commander was to be 2/Lt W H F Armstrong.
He, one NCO and 3 Other Ranks as runners formed Platoon HQ.
There were to be three Sections;
An NCO plus 4 men as Snipers equipped with sniper rifles and binoculars.
An NCO plus 4 men as “Raiders” with 2 Thompson Sub-machine Guns, 3 rifles and 12 grenades.
One NCO and 4 men as a Support Section with a Light Machine Gun and 4 rifles.
Each Section was to be capable of acting independently for at least 48 hours and be self-contained.
Their Operational role required them to move in Motor Transport, with saddlery, to a designated assembly area, meet up with the horses (14 in total – 12 pack and 2 riding - to be requisitioned and hired as necessary) and work as a horse or ski unit as circumstances required.
The Platoon's Dress would be ski suits or Battle Dress.
They would use skeleton webbing equipment, minus Bren pouches. All would be equipped with skis, and they would have 4 Arctic tents and 4 one-man sledges.
The Platoon would carry 50 small-arms rounds per man plus 20 bandoliers in reserve. Reserve Light Machine Gun and Sub-Machine Gun ammunition would be carried as agreed – this was to be tested before a decision was made on the quantity to be carried, bearing in mind the weight implications, and the nature of the reconnaissance role.
The maximum fees payable for the hire of the Icelandic horses was also set out in the document.
The aim was to maximise the opportunities for outdoor training. When the Platoon was not out, they were to be accommodated at Craven Camp and attached to the Company in that camp for rations and accommodation.
The Platoon Commander would be responsible direct to Battalion HQ.
The attached Appendix of ration scales were the same as the original Ski Platoon Operational Instruction.
Appendix 2 – Operational Instruction No 12 – Medium Machine Guns
This appendix sets out the arrangements for dealing with the increase in the Battalion’s armament of six Medium Machine Guns in their role as defenders of the Reykjavik Sub-Sector.
The guns were expected to be mounted in various posts at stand-to at night and dismounted at stand-down the following morning.
The locations of the positions were as follows:–
Two for the “Harbour” Company – one in the Propellor Post on SKULAGATA and one in the Farmyard Post in same place. The guns were kept at Company HQ in GARGAND Camp when they were not mounted.
Two for the South Beach Company at map references 207069 and 207068. The former to be kept in position during the day with a look-out on duty, the second to be held at Platoon HQ at BULLER Camp during the day.
Two for the RED HOUSE HILL/HOWITZER HILL Company – to be mounted on receipt of the Code Word – “Stand by for Julius” – at Posts map reference 236049, otherwise they were kept in a Guard Room as FOSSVOGUR Camp.
Details of firing arcs were set out for each gun position.
The primary task for the guns was ground defence, with provision for Anti-Aircraft mountings at adjacent posts.
The ammunition provision was set at 8000 rounds per gun, plus two belts per gun loaded for Anti-Aircraft action with one round in five being tracer.
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