2nd Battalion, Princess Louise's Kensington Regiment War Diary - April 1943
2 April 1943 Llantwit Major, S Wales.
An Officers’ and Sergeants’ dance was held today to celebrate the Anniversary of the Battalion.
4 April 1943
A number of Officers and senior NCO’s from all Companies attended a mine-lifting demonstration given by RE’s of 49 Division.
7 April 1943
A Mobile Dental Unit was attached to the Battalion for a period of 7 days. In this time the entire Battalion was examined and a large number of men treated.
Command – Lieut Col D V G Brock resumes command of the Battalion on return from privilege leave.
8 April 1943
The Commanding Officer, Adjutant, Group Commanders and RSM attended a farewell inspection by Lieut-General E B A Schrieber C.B., D.S.O. G.o.C. in C. Western Command. On the departure of 49 Division to Scottish Command on or about 15 April.
9 April 1943
Administrative Instruction for Exercise Soudley (the move of 49 Division) were received today from 49 Division. The Battalion is to move to DOUNE, Perthshire, Scotland on 15 April.
10 April 1943
2 Kensingtons Advance Party Instructions for Exercise Soudley were issued today and attached to the War Diary as Appendix A (for details see below).
11 April 1943
2 Kensingtons Administrative Instructions for Exercise Soudley were issued today and attached to the War Diary as Appendix B (for details see below).
The Commanding Officer attended a farewell luncheon given by Major-General H O Curtis who relinquishes his command of 49th Division.
12 April 1943
Advance Parties under the command of Captain and Quartermaster W A Blakely left today for Doune. The Party is to take 3 days over the journey, staging at Wellington and Carlisle.
13 April 1943
2 Kensingtons Move Order No 2 for Exercise Soudley was issued today and a copy attached to the War Diary as Appendix C – (for details see below).
Instructions for Rail Parties were also issued and attached to the War Diary as Appendix D (for details see below).
15 April 1943
The Battalion moved by road today for Doune and staged the night at Wellington Staging Camp.
Posting – Officers –
2/Lieut King posted from 163 OCTU to duty with H Company.
2/Lieut Mowbray posted from 163 OCTU to duty with E Company.
16 April 1943
Second day of move, from Wellington to Preston, staged the night at Preston.
17 April 1943
Third day of move from Preston to Carlisle, staged the night at Carlisle.
18 April 1943
Last day of move, arrived Doune at about 17:45 hours, having had a most successful move from Wales.
The Battalion is accommodated in very good requisitioned buildings. F, G and H Companies in the village of Doune and E Company about 8 miles away in Callander.
The local inhabitants extremely pleasant and the Battalion was well received.
19 April 1943
The Commanding Officer held a Conference this morning to discuss training etc in the new area.
Day spent tidying up very dirty billets.
20 April 1943
Still cleaning billets.
21 April 1943
The Commanding Officer carried out an inspection of E Company billets.
A Conference was held in the afternoon by AA and QMG 49th Division – it was provisionally decided that E Company would have to move from Callander to leave room for the Divisional Battle School.
The first rail party left Llantwit Major for Doune.
22 April 1943
The Commanding Officer inspected F and H Company billets.
The first rail party arrived at Doune.
The second rail party left Llantwit Major for Doune.
23 April 1943
The Commanding Officer inspected G Company billets.
The second rail party arrived at Doune.
24 April 1943
A draft was sent from this Battalion to the 1st Kensingtons and 2/7th Middlesex. Included in the draft were CSM Robertson, CSM Smith and Sgt Waymark.
Sgt Wakeford H Company and Sgt Rosen G Company were promoted to CSM, filling the 2 vacancies.
25 April 1943
An open-air Church Parade was held today. Rained hard throughout the entire service.
26 April 1943
Fifteen new Carriers Universal arrived for the Battalion.
27 April 1943
Brevet Colonel Brown – Colonel of the Middlesex Regiment arrived this evening to visit the Battalion.
28 April 1943
The Colonel of the Regiment visited all Companies today and inspected their training.
The Adjutant attended a Conference at HQ 49th Division in the afternoon. The Conference was about a sudden rush move of the Division back to South Wales.
The Battalion is to move back to St Donats, Llantwit Major on 30th April. Advance Party to leave tomorrow. Move to be known as Exercise Shylock.
29 April 1943
Movement Instructions for Exercise Shylock were issued today and attached to the War Diary as Appendix E (for details see below).
Advance Party under the command of Major A L Lovibond left today for Llantwit Major, staging one night only at Preston. Exercise Shylock is to be treated as an Operational Move.
2 Kensingtons Operation Order No 1 was issued today for Exercise Shylock and a copy attached to the War Diary as Appendix F (for details see below).
30 April 1943
The Battalion moved for Llantwit Major staging the night at Carlisle.
Appendices attached to the April 1943 War Diary of the 2nd Battalion Princess Louise’s Kensington Regiment.
Appendix A – Exercise Soudley – Advance Parties – issued 10th April 1943.
The detailed instructions specified the make-up of the Advance Parties from Battalion HQ and each of the Companies.
Battalion HQ Party was to include Captain and QM Blakely as overall Officer Commanding supported by Lt S R Pinks and would be made up of:-
1 Orderly Room Clerk
1 QM’s Clerk.
1 QM’s Storeman
1 Signaller (Sgt Sutherland of F Company).
1 Pioneer Sergeant.
1 Pioneer.
2 Batmen.
2 Drivers.
Each Company was expected to supply:-
1 Officer.
1 CQMS.
1 Despatch Rider.
8 Other Ranks (including one Batman). For G Company this would be 4 Other Ranks, 1 Batman and 1 NCO.
1 Cook.
2 Drivers.
In total there were expected to be 8 15-cwt trucks, 2 3-ton trucks and four motorcycles.
The Party was expected to move independently on 12th April to the Staging Camp at Wellington – to arrive between 16:00 and 18:00 hours and then to move on, on 13th April, in convoy with the rest of the 49th Division Advance Parties to the Staging Camp at Carlisle, and then move independently on 14th April to Doune.
Details were specified of; the route, arrangements for rations, fuel and the locations of the Camps.
Appendix B – this was not included in the file.
Appendix C – this was not included in the file.
Appendix D – this was not included in the file.
Appendix E – Exercise Shylock – Movement Instructions – issued 29th April 1943.
This document set out the arrangements for the “rush move” of the Battalion back to South Wales and it may be the fact this this took place which caused the earlier Appendices not to be saved, as this move reversed what had taken place a few days earlier.
As usual details are set out of the make-up of the Advance and Rear Parties and the move of the Main Body by rail. Staging points are as specified on the journey North, but of course in reverse order.
The rail move included provision for the Battalion’s Carriers. Guards were to be arranged for the baggage.
Appendix F – 2 Kensingtons Operation Order No. 1 – issued 29 April 1943.
This document dealt with the treatment of Exercise Shylock as an operational move, although the Movement Table was apparently not filed with the War Diary. In this context the instructions were concerned with issues such as vehicle camouflage at halts and arrangements for anti-aircraft defence – all LMGs being mounted at halts for both AA and ground defence.
Men were forbidden from entering shops in any places en route and were to be dressed and equipped in fighting order – including steel helmets. Personnel were not to be permitted to leave the bivouac area for any reason.
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