49th Division Provost Company War Diary - October 1941
6 October 1941 Iceland, Reykjavik.
Company Part I Orders Nos. 266 – 280 issued and filed with the War Diary as Appendix A (document did not apparently survive in the original file).
06:00 hours. Force Exercise No. 11 commenced in Kaldadarnes ? Area. 33 NCOs of the M.P. engaged as Despatch Riders, Umpires' Orderlies, Traffic Control etc.
7 October 1941
Force Exercise 11 continued until 22:00 hours.
14 October 1941
13:00 hours. Force Exercise No. 12. First Section of M.P. left headquarters to contact Control Centre and remaining Sections detailed for 147th Infantry Brigade and 70th Infantry Brigade left at intervals up to 03:00 hours on 15th. Each Section complete with G1098 equipment and 15cwt truck. 45 NCOs detailed for Exercise.
15 October 1941
16:00 hours. Exercise cancelled after 16 hours continuous rain and sleet. Work commenced to build up roads with wire netting and stones in order to get bogged vehicles (including Bren Gun Carriers) away from area of operations. Majority of M.P. remained in Exercise area assisting in removing vehicles and for traffic control.
17 October 1941
03:00 hours. Last party of NCOs (6) returned to headquarters 35 hours after cancellation of Exercise. 3 NCOs admitted to hospital, two with leg injuries and one with Fibrositis.
10:00 hours. Party of NCOs with trucks left Headquarters for mountain area round Thingvellir Lake to recover Norton Solo Motorcycles which were bogged in foot and a half liquid mud and overflowing mountain streams. The riders of these machines returned to Headquarters on foot for approximately 10 miles until being able to contact moving lorries and Carriers. All in a distressing state through rain and intense cold.
10:00 hours. Company Part I Orders Nos. 281 to 295 issued and included with Appendix A to the War Diary.
19 October 1941
10:00 hours. Out of 41 solo motorcycles taking part in the Exercise, 17 had to be recovered after cancellation of the operations and at the time of reporting this note, two motorcycles had still to be recovered. These figures were asked for by “Q” Branch Iceland Force Headquarters.
21 October 1941
10:00 hours. Company Part I Orders Nos. 296 to 298 issued and included with Appendix A to the War Diary.
25 October 1941
10:00 hours. Company Part I Orders Nos. 299 to 308 issued and included with Appendix A to the War Diary.
30 October 1941
10:00 hours. RSM Hilsden arrived from UK to take the place of RSM Styles.
31 October 1941
10:00 hours. RSM Styles returned to the UK.
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