70th Brigade Workshop Company - March 1943

It would appear, for the purposes of Exercise SPARTAN, that the Workshops Unit completed a fuller level of documentation, including Manpower Field Returns, Messages and Daily Repair States, which had not previously been observed, and which ceased once the Exercise was over.

1 March 1943 – Berkhamsted.

Unit arrived BERKHAMSTED for Exercise SPARTAN.

2 March 1943

Workshop located STATION ROAD GARAGE, BERKHAMSTED.

3 March 1943

14:25 hours. Message from CREME – A.W.D. to report Crossroads 338151 at 15:00 hours. See Appendix 1 attached to War Diary.

16:30 hours. A.W.D. (Advanced Workshop Detachment) despatched to report as per Appendix 1. No explanation given as to why this force was late being despatched.

19:30 hours. Air raid warning (ACTUAL).

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 2 attached to War Diary.

20:15 hours. All Clear (ACTUAL).

4 March 1943

00:01 hours. “Z” hour “D” Day. Exercise SPARTAN commences.

05:00 hours. Air raid warning (ACTUAL).

05:30 hours All Clear (ACTUAL).

14:30 hours. Division Admin. Group Move Order No. 1 received.

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 3 attached to War Diary.

22:25 hours. Convoy left for new location.

5 March 1943 – Little Gaddesden.

00:30 hours. Unit convoy arrived new location.

11:30 hours. Divisional Admin. Group message – representatives to RV FLITWICK railway station to recce new area 12:00 hours today. See Appendix 4 attached to War Diary.

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 5 attached to War Diary.

6 March 1943

11:30 hours. Divisional Admin. Group message – recce groups RV. See Appendix attached to War Diary.

12:30 hours. Field Returns - Officers and Other Ranks. See Appendices 6 to 8 attached to War Diary.

14:30 hours. Divisional Admin. Group message - Warning Order Admin. Group to move 19:00 hours. See Appendix 9 attached to War Diary.

20:00 hours. Unit convoy left for new location.

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 10 attached to War Diary.

7 March 1943 – Little Gransden.

04:00 hours. Unit convoy arrived new location.

16:00 hours. Received Order “STAND TO”. See Appendix 11 attached to War Diary.

18:30 hours. Received Order “STAND DOWN”. See Appendix 12 attached to War Diary.

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 13 attached to War Diary.

8 March 1943

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 14 attached to War Diary.

9 March 1943

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 15 attached to War Diary.

10 March 1943

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 16 attached to War Diary.

11 March 1943

09:15 hours. Air raid (Exercise). Exercise casualties personnel - X NIL and 16, Y – NIL and 5. Vehicles Y – 3. 1 Plane was shot down. (It is understood that X referred to deaths and Y to wounded, or damaged in the case of vehicles).

18:20 hours. Received Order ACTION STATIONS. See Appendix 17 attached to War Diary.

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 18 attached to War Diary.

22:00 hours. A.W.D. rejoined Unit, having been ordered back from forward area by CREME owing to tactical situation.

12 March 1943

11:10 hours. Received Order SPARTAN CEASE FIRE – see Appendix 19 attached to War Diary.

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 20 attached to War Diary.

13 March 1943

20:00 hours. Daily repair state. See Appendix 21 attached to War Diary.

16 March 1943 – Pembroke Dock.

19:30 hours. Unit returned to location ex SPARTAN.

18 March 1943

New personnel joined Unit to complete to new War Establishment II/339/1 (modified). ADOS conference on Mobilisation procedure.

20 March 1943

Lt Clarke RAOC joined. WOUM 112/REME/1(AG21) dated 9 March 1943, List No. 185. Unit reorganised and redesignated 70 Infantry Brigade Workshop REME, Authority WOUM 20/REME/1/102 (AG21) dated 23 February 1943.

22 March 1943

Orders to mobilise received WOUM 79/Mob/5774/43 (AG5 Mob) dated 16 March 1943, “D” Day 15 April 1943. AFB 2609 and AFB 2609A despatched.

23 March 1943

Medical inspection all ranks.

Lt Clarke posted to serial 36414. Authority WOUM 112/REME/1 (AG21) dated 24 March 1943. 43 List No. 199 and TPM 112/REME/1 (AG21) dated 23 March 1943.

2/Lt Mash E.L. REME posted to this Unit WOUM 112/REME/1 (AG21) dated 10 March 1943. 43 List No. 187.

24 March 1943

Deficiency list for AFG 1098 submitted to ADOS.

AFB 2609A and AFB 2609 submitted.

Warning Order for Divisional move to SOUDLEY.

Captain Bowers J. REME joined. Authority 112/REME/1 (AG21) dated 18 March 1943. List No. 194.

26 March 1943

ADOS Conference at Brigade HQ (Mobilisation).

27 March 1943

Notified that “Z” type machinery lorry issue authorised.

Inoculation as required by Other Ranks.

30 March 1943

Supplementary deficiency lists to ADOS 49 Division.

31 March 1943

Letter arrived from ADOS for standardisation of vehicles in Division and allotment to this Unit.

Appendices attached to the March 1943 War Diary for the 70th Infantry Brigade Workshop REME.

Appendix 1 – this is the hard copy of the message of 3 March 1943 from CREME ordering the Workshop Units to report to particular map references at certain times. It was sent at 13:30 hours but not received until 14:25 hours – perhaps explaining some of the time delay in arrival at the relevant crossroads.

Appendix 2 – this is the Repair State for 3 March 1943. Three vehicles had been repaired in the last 24 hours – two 15cwt trucks and one motorcycle – four others were being worked on and, dependent on receipt of spares, three of these were expected to be completed in the next 24 hours. Vehicles were from 11 DLI, 89 LAA Regiment, 49 Divisional Signals, 49 Recce Regiment and 49 Division Section Corps OFP and were each identified by their military numbers.

Appendix 3 – this is the Repair State for 4th March. Progress was being made on the outstanding vehicles, two had been returned to their units and a 6 X 4 Coles Crane was in the Unit lines awaiting repair.

Appendix 4 – this is the hard copy of the Admin. message ordering a rendezvous at FLITWICK at 12:00. While despatched at 10:00 hours, it was not received at the Workshops until 11:30 hours.

Appendix 5 – this is the Repair State for 5 March. The crane was still awaiting repair while work was in hand on six vehicles, while a Humber 8cwt from 204 Battery, 109 Field Regiment required evacuation – perhaps to a better-equipped Workshop.

Appendix 6 - 6th March – Field Return of Officers. This form shows an establishment of only three Officers, with a deficiency of one Lieutenant (Workshops Officer).

Appendix 7 - 6th March – Field Return of Officers. The Officers are identified as T/Major J D Noble and T/Captain R F Davidson, with 2/Lt Mash attached as Wireless Officer.

Appendix 8 - 6th March – Field Return of Other Ranks. This form showed a War Establishment of 125, including 106 REME and 19 RAOC attached ranks. In addition 4 REME Craftsmen (Motor Vehicle Fitters) and 8 REME Craftsmen (Instrument mechanics) were shown as attached in addition to establishment. In total the Unit was I Sergeant short and 1 Staff Sergeant and I Private in excess of establishment.

Appendix 9 – this is the message from Admin. Group with the movement Warning Order of 6 March.

Appendix 10 – this is the Repair State for 6 March. The crane had been moved to the Workshop and was being repaired along with three other vehicles, although it was expected to have to be evacuated. Two vehicles had been returned to their Units and two evacuated. A Chevrolet 8cwt from 756 Field Company, Royal Engineers, was awaiting repair.

Appendix 11 – this is the “STAND TO “ Message warning of a threat from the direction of ROYSTON.

Appendices 12 and 13 – these do not appear to have survived in the file.

Appendix 14 – the Repair State for 8th March shows three motorcycles and a Humber Utility returned to their Units- having been repaired by the Advanced Workshop - and eight other vehicles being repaired. These included a Willys “Jeep” belonging to 10 DLI.

Appendix 15 – the Repair State for 9 March shows two motorcycles returned to their Units and repairs in hand on nine vehicles – including 10 DLI’s Jeep.

Appendix 16 – the Repair State for 10 March shows a Bedford 3-tonner returned to its unit with work ongoing on 11 vehicles.

Appendix 17 – this is the message notifying ACTION STATIONS and specifying that any vehicles returned to Units after repair would not return to take part in Exercise SPARTAN.

Appendix 18 – the Repair State for 11 March shows one Bedford 15cwt returned to 49 Recce Regiment with 11 other vehicles still being repaired – of which one 3-ton Ford had been completed.

Appendix 19 – this does not appear to have survived.

Appendix 20 – the Repair State for 12 March shows the Jeep as finally being repaired along with a 4 X 4 Ford 3-tonner and work ongoing on nine other vehicles.

Appendix 21 – the final Repair State shows five vehicles returned to their units with one other completed and three in hand – all of which were taken to Command Sub-Workshops on the instructions of CREME.

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