70th Infantry Brigade War Diary February 1942.
February was a particularly busy month. Administrative problems were the main cause, but arrangements for training in Pack Transport by all units and a Home Forces Signal Exercise varied the usual programme of moves.
At the beginning of the month, work progressed more rapidly in YSTRAD CAMP, CARMARTHEN when a more industrious Company of Pioneer Corps (mainly composed of Germans and other foreign nationals) was brought in to build further huts. It was hoped that this Camp would soon have sufficient accommodation for one Battalion.
At RHYDYGORS, adjoining Brigade HQ Officers’ Mess, Brigade HQ personnel erected wholly, or in part, 7 Nissen Huts out of 12 allotted by South Wales District.
However, alterations in the policy for Pack Training altered the future accommodation situation, as will be seen later.
Early in this month 70th Infantry Brigade was put under G.H.Q. Home Forces for training, as opposed to being under D.M.T. as previously.
The first few days of the month were spent by the Brigade Commander in visiting units in connection with training in Mountain Warfare, including the use of Pack transport.
6th February 1942
A message was received from Western Command that to accelerate Mountain Warfare Training of 70th Infantry Brigade, two Battalions should train with Pack Transport at the same time – one at PONTYPOOL and one at CRICKHOWELL and a Battery of 1 Mountain Regiment, Royal Artillery, would train at the latter place at the same time. On completion of this training the Brigade would train with the complete Mountain Regiment at WEST MERIONETH (North West Wales).
Brigade HQ and 187 Field Ambulance were expected to complete Pack Training at the same time as 1st TS and 10th DLI. This involved a move for everyone in about ten days’ time, just when it seemed possible that we would be allowed to settle down to training and operational commitments for a few weeks.
These commitments, one static Company and one Mobile Column at Pembroke Dock, and two static Companies and a Mobile Column at LLANELLY might require some modification, as only one Battalion, 11th DLI, who would have finished Pack Training, would be available from the Brigade.
8th February 1942
The Brigade Commander and his staff attended a lecture at the Drill Hall, LLANELLY to Officers and NCOs of 1st TS, given by Major Griffiths, A.I.F. on Mountain Warfare in SYRIA. Major Griffiths described the progress of operations against the French forces in SYRIA, and from his experiences gave useful information of conditions, performance of weapons, and tactics in this type of Mountain Warfare. He had been sent to lecture to this Brigade from D.M.T. Branch, War Office, and full advantage was taken of the opportunity to get first-hand information of this recent campaign. Officers of 10th DLI also attended this lecture at LLANELLY, and Major Griffiths had also visited PONTYPOOL the previous day to speak to 11th DLI on the same subject.
Later in the day, the Brigade Commander, Brigade Major and the C.O. of 1st TS left for ONIBURY, Shropshire, to attend a Western Command Exercise.
9th February 1942
The Brigade Commander, Brigade Major and Lt Col Oxley, the C.O. of 1st TS attended the 4th Command Exercise on Army Air Support (A.A.S.); others attending included the Commander of 53rd Division and his Brigade Commanders, and all District Commanders in Western Command.
The exercise consisted of two lectures before lunch (on the progress of A.A.S.) and one after lunch (on A.A.S. in the recent Libyan Campaign) by Brigadier Woodall, Brigadier – General Staff of the Army Air Co-operation Staff. Following the lectures a T.E.W.T. was conducted. The exercise ended at 17:00 hours and the 70th Infantry Brigade personnel returned to ABERGAVENNY by car.
At Brigade HQ the following message was received from Western Command:
Pack Training of 70th Infantry Brigade may be continued and will be completed by 1st May 1942. Dependent on the arrival of the remaining Brigades, the date for completing the training of the whole Division was provisionally set for 1st June 1942.
10th February 1942
35 waggons consigned to 70th Infantry Brigade arrived at CARMARTHEN Railway Station from Ordnance Depots at BRANSTON and DIDCOT. They contained Arctic equipment that was to be issued to the Brigades of 49 Mountain Division.
A request had been made a few weeks earlier for an issue of a certain amount of this special clothing and equipment, but in view of concentration on Pack Training and the several moves ordered by G.H.Q. Home Forces, it was impossible to cope with this vast quantity of equipment, and by a telephone conversation with the War Office, it was decided to return it to the Depots.
The Brigade Commander visited District HQ and the HQ of the Indian Contingent to make further enquiries with regard to Pack Training for the Brigade.
The Brigade Commander reconnoitred CRICKHOWELL as a site for Brigade HQ and Lt Col Oxley visited 1/5 Welch at GLANUSK PARK, CRICKHOWELL, to which place his Battalion was to move on 20th February.
11th February 1942
The Brigade Commander left at 07:30 hours for PONTYPOOL to direct an exercise for 11th DLI – particulars of which were attached to the War Diary as Appendix A (see below for details). Pack Transport had been used but particular attention was paid to the tactics of Mountain Warfare rather than the problems connected with the use of animals.
12th February 1942
A message was received from Western Command that initial Pack Training of units of the Brigade would begin as follows:-
Brigade HQ CRICKHOWELL and One Battalion GLANUSK PARK, CRICKHOWELL with 25 Mule Company R.I.A.S.C.
One Battalion PONTYPOOL with 32 Mule Company R.I.A.S.C.
187 Field Ambulance SKENFRITH with I Pack Transport Company R.I.A.S.C.
One Field Company, Royal Engineers, might be located near PONTYPOOL for training with 32 Mule Company, but the Mountain Battery referred to in the message of 6th February would not now move to CRICKHOWELL. It was found later that it would be impossible to accommodate 187 Field Ambulance at SKENFRITH, so it was decided to leave this unit at VELINDRE for the present.
13th February 1942
10th DLI relieved 11th DLI at PONTYPOOL, and began PACK TRAINING with 32 Mule Company, R.I.A.S.C.
11th DLI returned to their original HQ at LLANION BARRACKS, Pembroke Dock, but later had two Companies detached for training.
One Company at a time moved to LLANELLY for a week’s firing on the MACHYNNYS Range. The Companies also had weekly spells at TREGLOG Camp, near LLANSAWEL (15 miles North East of CARMARTHEN), as training facilities were very limited near Pembroke Dock.
15th February 1942
At 00:01 hours a Home Forces Signal Exercise known as “VICTOR TWO” commenced, the preliminary Code Word having been issued the day before. Messages written to Battalions were not actually sent, as troops below Brigade and Sub-Area HQs were not taking part.
During the first 48 hours Brigade HQ was not kept very busy with the exercise as no enemy landing was reported in Carmarthen Sub-Area.
By the early hours of 17th February an enemy convoy was reported to be very near MILFORD HAVEN and at 08:45 hours Brigade HQ moved to SODSTON Manor near Narberth, nine miles due East of HAVERFORDWEST. From here, the Brigade Commander was to defeat landings made in the South West Peninsula of Wales. 6th Royal Irish Fusiliers at HAVERFORDWEST were placed under his command.
Three hours later the District Commander decided that a new threat from enemy landings at PENDINE was a greater one than that from MILFORD HAVEN and HAVERFORDWEST and the Brigade, less 11th DLI, was ordered to deal with it. Brigade HQ therefore moved to PEN-Y-COED near St CLEARS.
On the evening of 17th February, 2 Liaison HQ, representing the Belgian Contingent, arrived at CARMARTHEN, and 70th Infantry Brigade was put under command of the Belgian G.O.C. The Brigade Commander left Brigade HQ at 20:30 hours for a conference at YSTRAD CAMP, CARMARTHEN with the Belgian G.O.C.
An attack was successfully put in by the Belgian troops and by 70th Infantry Brigade at 10:00 hours on the morning of 18th February, and as it was considered that the Belgians could deal effectively with the remaining enemy at PENDINE and LAUGHARNE, 70th Infantry Brigade was moved Westwards to hold a line running South of CANASTON BRIDGE. The Brigade Commander also took over command of a small composite force known as RUSSFORCE, but the spreading of two Battalions over a large front was not sufficient to hold up the two German Divisions that were supposed to be advancing from HAVERFORD WEST and MILFORD HAVEN.
For the purpose of the exercise, 70th Infantry Brigade was therefore considered to be annihilated except for a small force collected from stragglers by the Brigade Major.
This force, known as ROPERFORCE, was withdrawn to CARMARTHEN, but was not subsequently used.
20th February 1942
Moves took place as follows:-
Brigade HQ from YSTRAD CAMP, CARMARTHEN to CRICKHOWELL.
1st TS from LLANELLY to GLANUSK PARK, CRICKHOWELL.
The Brigade Commander decided that 187 Field Ambulance would relieve 10th DLI at PONTYPOOL on 13th March, and train with Pack Transport there. It was anticipated that a Field Company, Royal Engineers, which was joining 49 Mountain Division, would go to PONTYPOOL at the same time.
Brigade HQ was accommodated in a large house known as PORTHMAWR, various empty shops in the village, and a Camp previously occupied by 135 Company, Pioneer Corps.
1st TS relieved 1/5 Welch at GLANUSK PARK, and were concentrated in one Camp for the first time since the Brigade returned from France in May 1940.
Captain D.P. Rennick reported from Iceland Force Signals to take over the duties of O.C. Brigade Signals Section from Captain P.M. Bowen, who had been posted to Iceland Fortress Signals.
24th February 1942
70th Infantry Brigade Operation Instruction No 1 was issued, a copy of which is attached to the War Diary as Appendix B (see below for details).
Lt Col C.P. Jones M.C., GSO1 (Training) from the War Office arrived at CRICKHOWELL and had a conference with the Brigade Commander and Col R.W. Hills, Commanding the Indian Contingent, on the progress of Pack training. GSO1 South Wales District also attended. Lt Col Jones agreed to get certain points clarified concerning establishments, attachments to the Brigade of Officers experienced in Mountain Warfare, supply of weapons and transport, in which units were deficient.
26th February 1942
The Brigade Commander, accompanied by the Staff Captain, and Lt HEXLEY, Adjutant of the Indian Contingent, visited North Wales for two days to make a reconnaissance of proposed new sites for 70th Infantry Brigade Group in the area North of PORTMADOC. He met there Col Stephenson, Col. i/c Administration, North Wales District, also the Staff Captain (Quartering) and S.A.Q.C. Sites were provisionally allotted and arrangements made for the necessary Royal Engineer services to be made available.
It was intended that the whole Brigade Group would be in tents in this area from 1st April. It was arranged that the Staff Captain, 70th Brigade, should make a further visit on 3rd March for more detailed arrangements.
28th February 1942
Major A.J.C. Prickett, Royal Norfolk Regiment, was posted to 70th Infantry Brigade as Brigade Major in relief of Major K.T. Roper, who was appointed second-in-command, 10th DLI with effect from today, but who continued to stay at Brigade HQ until 4th March to assist the Brigade Commander in the Direction of a two-day T.E.W.T.
Further administrative noted for February were as follows:-
Moves
The principal administrative features of the month were concerned with the details of moving units to new localities, namely:-
10th DLI From LLANION BARRACKS to PONTYPOOL for Pack Transport training. This move was completed by rail, including the Carrier Platoon, on February 13th.
11th DLI From PONTYPOOL to Pembroke Dock by rail, including the Carrier Platoon on February 13th.
1st Tyneside Scottish From LLANELLY to GLANUSK PARK. Personnel by rail to ABERGAVENNY and thence by march route. Carried out on February 20th.
Brigade HQ From CARMARTHEN to CRICKHOWELL. Stores and personnel conveyed in Motor Transport on February 20th.
Accommodation
Generally satisfactory except for PONTYPOOL where there was over-crowding in certain billets. O.C. 10th DLI and Staff Captain with S.A.Q.C. inspected these on February 25th and additional accommodation was agreed to by S.A.Q.C. in the Church Hall.
Arms
On February 22nd 10th DLI received a full scale issue of Thompson Machine Carbines. These were the only deficiencies made up during the month.
Clothing
In the middle of the month 60 new pattern peaked caps were sent by the War Office to the Brigade for testing out with a view to replacement of the existing type.
Medical
Units have now practically disposed of all men under the category of A1.
Appendix A Mountain Warfare Exercise for 11th DLI
This is a two-page document which sets out, firstly, the location and umpiring arrangements for the exercise, the communications arrangements (including a bugler at HQ), the uniform and equipment to be worn to identify “enemy” forces, and the timings.
The second page sets out the exercise scenario which involves 11th DLI playing the role of an invading force charged with securing some high ground features, supported by Pack Transport, under some time pressure before local forces arrive, and with the expectation of being attacked from the air. Umpires were warned to look out for; congestion or lack of preparation against air attack, the use of suitable communications, reconnaissances and preliminary troop movements being carried out simultaneously to speed up responses to situations, correct use and co-ordination of fire support and positioning of reserves far enough back to secure the depth of the advance and avoid premature commitment.
Appendix B. Brigade Operational Instruction No 1 – Mobile Columns and Local Defences.
This document confirmed that all units were responsible for their own local defence, manning guards, checking for unauthorised entry and for destroying or capturing any enemy troops which might land in the vicinity.
In some stations and Camps, the provision of Mobile Columns was an integral part of the operational plan of Sub-Area Commanders – arrangements had already been made to do this. The Columns were at 30 minutes’ notice to move from midnight until an hour after dawn – the period of notice to be reduced to 15 minutes on receipt of the Code Word ARRAS.
The Mobile Columns were at the call of the Sub-Area Commanders, but unit commanders had the discretion to despatch them if they had confirmation of enemy landings within ten miles of their location. Each Column was expected to include Carriers and two or more motorcyclists, with the balance of the transport required being found from the unit. Equipment and stores was to be carefully monitored so as to keep it to essential requirements.
The Officers likely to command such a Column were to brief themselves thoroughly on the areas in which they were to operate, including prior liaison with other forces and establishments in the vicinity (including Anti-Aircraft units, Home Guard and Police).
Periodic rehearsals were to be carried out to avoid confusion if movement was required at night – maximum benefit to be extracted from such rehearsals to the benefit of training generally.
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