War Diary - AQ Branch - May 1941
1 May 1941 – Artun – Reykjavik.
Icelandic National Holiday. No civilian labour. All troops kept off streets of Reykjavik after 21:15 hours.
Lt Col J W N Haugh, 1/7 Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, appointed to command 145 Infantry Brigade.
4 May 1941
Major W M M Bratby, Lancashire Fusiliers, appointed G.S.O.2 (I).
10 May 1941
Major L E Bishop, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, appointed to command 1/7 DWR.
11 May 1941
Captain R C Thomson, York and Lancaster Regiment, appointed Brigade Major 146 Infantry Brigade, vice Major R E J C Coates, Coldstream Guards, proceeding to UK.
13 May 1941
Arrival of Royal Ulsterman and Pulaski.
14 May 1941
“C” Leave Party sailed.
T/Lt Col B F Walker G.S.O.1 Western Command, appointed to command 1/4 King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
15 May 1941
Sgt Starkey of 1st Tyneside Scottish killed in accident.
17 May 1941
Norwegian National Celebration. Church Parade.
22 May 1941
Brigadier G Lammie, 147 Infantry Brigade, appointed D.A. & Q.M.G. Scottish Command.
25 May 1941
Colonel McCullum of Directorate of Welfare arrived to visit Iceland.
26 May 1941
Visit by Vice-Admiral Sir T. Hugh Binney.
“D” Leave trip sailed.
Lt.Col. K A T McLennan, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, appointed Brigadier, 147 Infantry Brigade.
27 May 1941
Message of thanks received from Her Majesty Queen Mary for birthday greetings.
30 May 1941
250 Faroese labourers landed at Reykjavik for work on aerodrome.
GENERAL (i) COURTS MARTIAL SUMMARY.
Reykjavik – 13 convictions
Seydisfjordur – 3 convictions.
(ii) Routine Orders for May.
The routine orders dated 1st May 1941 included:-
Details of a Field General Court Martial to assemble at Fossvogur Camp on 5th May to try 13046141 Private Hunt W H of 89 Company, Pioneer Corps for offences under Sections 40 and 8 (2) of the Army Act. The President was to be Major H C Catcheside, supported by a Captain and a Subaltern.
The convening of an Interview Board, chaired by Brigadier Philip Kirkup, to consider applicants for a place at an Officer Cadet Training Unit with the aim of being awarded a Commission. Detailed arrangements were to be in the hands of 70th Infantry Brigade HQ.
An Act of Gallantry, brought to the notice of the General Officer Commanding, in which 6086359. Pte J B O’Connor of 10th Field Hygiene Section, Royal Army Medical Corps, who was awaiting his discharge from the Hospital Ship LEINSTER – surrounded by ice – became aware that a small child had fallen through a hole in the ice, near the ship. He immediately lowered himself over the ship’s side with a rope and in spite of the intense cold and regardless of personal safety jumped into the water and succeeded in bringing the child to safety. The G.O.C. commanded that the details of the act of gallantry be entered into Private O’Connor’s documents.
A clarification of the arrangements for giving statements to the Civil Authorities by soldiers in that the presence of an Officer was not essential before such statements were giving and insisting on this point was slowing down the administration of justice.
Details were required of those men who had made application for trade training.
The remainder of the Orders document was not, unfortunately, photographed at the National Archives.
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