WO 171/1255 - 4 Grenadier Guards - January 1944

Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. and the Staff Manual respectively Title pages will be prepared in manuscript.	WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY	Army Form C.2118
	WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY	Unit: 4th Tk Bn Grenadier Guards
Month and Year: January 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. H.R.H. Davies

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
WELBECK	1	1530	Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for interior economy.
	2	1530	Sunday. All church services to-day were voluntary.
	3	1700	Personnel from the Bn attended a demonstration on petrol supply systems by the petrol supply demonstration unit at Eckington. A Bn wireless course commenced to-day. There was also a motor mechanics trade test. No. 3 Sqn carried out firing on Totley Ranges. 2nd Lieut. M.R.V. Eliot and 2nd Lieut. R.J. Macallum are posted to the Bn to date 16 Dec 43. Captain R.G.C. Rasch is appointed 2nd in Comd H.Q. Sqn. to date 1 Jan 44.
	4	1500	A further party attended the petrol supply demonstration to-day. Sqns at the disposal of Sqn. Leaders.
	4		T/Capt. R.H. Heywood-Lonsdale and T/Capt. J.C. Gascoigne are promoted paid acting Major to date 4 Dec 43. 2/Lieut D.J.T. Leng is promoted WS/Lieut. There was a lecture to the Sqns on aircraft recognition. Heywood-Lonsdale, Robert Henry
	5	1530	Drill parade under the Adjutant to-day. Respirators were worn for half an hour during the course of the morning. Another party attended the petrol supply demonstration. There was a Commanding Officer’s conference to-day. Otherwise Sqns at disposal of Sqn Leaders.
	6	1530	Sqns carried out normal training and maintenance. There was a court of inquiry under Capt. B.T.A. Lowe.
	7	1530	A Class I gunnery board assembled to-day. Also a vehicle mechanics Trade Test. There was a Bde exercise, “Turncoat”, which was attended by the Adjt, Technical Adjt, and E.M.E. The security Sergeant has been giving frequent lectures to the Bn.
	8	1230	Sqns carried out interior economy. The Commanding Officer inspected rota trailers followed by a tour of barracks. There was a rugby football match against Nottingham which the Bn lost 19-6.
	9	1530	Sunday. The Bn paraded for church.
	10	1600	A Bn driver mechanics course began to-day. Also a Bn gunner mechanics course. Part one of Exercise “Open” took place to-day. This was to point out some possible tasks of a Tk Bn. There was a court of inquiry under Capt. P.A. Walker. The Commanding Officer held a conference in the Orderly Room. 2610382 D/Sgt A.J. Spratley has been awarded the Commander in Chief’s Certificate. The Regt Band of H.M. Scots Guards gave a concert to the Bn.
	11	1530	Sqns at disposal of Sqn Leaders. Two OP parties from 150 (SNH) Fd Regt. RA. Arrived to-day. The Corps camouflage officer began a series of lectures to-day.
	12	1530	Bn paraded for drill under the Adjutant. Respirators were worn for half an hour during the course of the morning.
	13	1600	There was a vehicle mechanics trade Test to-day. The Commanding Officer held a conference in the Orderly Room.
	14	1500	There was a rehearsal to the Bn concentration of tanks this morning. There was an operators trade Test and No 1 Sqn carried out firing on Totley ranges.
	14		Part II of Exercise “Open” took place at Bde to-day. This dealt with the admin side during the advance.
	15	1530	Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders today for interior economy. Class I gunnery Trade Test. The Bn played an airborne unit at rugby football and won 19-3.
	16	1430	All Church Services were voluntary.
	17	1700	Sqns carried out Inf-Tk co-operation to-day with a bn of the Seaforth Highlanders. The Bn gave a demonstration to the Infantry in the morning. An N.C.Os. Tk Comdr course began to-day. Also a Bn scout car course. The Adjutant and Capt. P.A. Walker took part in Exercise “Tally-ho”. The Bn audit board sat to-day.
	18		Sqns. carried out Inf/Tk. co-operation to-day.
	18		H.Q. Sqn carried out firing at Totley Ranges.
	19		Sqns. carried out Inf/Tk. co-operation to-day.
	19		No. 2 and HQ Sqns. fired at Totley Range.
	19		The ‘B’ vehicles of No. 3 Sqn. carried out wading at Thoresby.
	20		Sqns. carried out Inf/Tk. co-operation to-day.
	20	0915	Personnel as detailed carried out a demonstration on Anti-Malarial Training.
	20	1645	There was a Padre’s Half Hour for Roman Catholics.
	21		There was Inf/Tk co-operation carried out to-day.
	22	1030	Squadrons at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for interior economy.
	22		No. 2 Sqn. “B” vehicles carried out wading at Thoresby.
	23	0945	Divine Service at Cuckney Church.
	24	0830	First Parade followed by Tk/Inf co-operation.
	24		There will be wireless silence between 24 Jan and 27 Jan incl. During this period only Dummy Aerials may be used. Detuning the P.A. will not be sufficient and this will not be done.
	25		Sqns. carried out Tk/Inf co-operation to-day.
	25		An “A” and “B” Echelon drive took place to-day.
	25		A Wireless Course for beginners and also a refresher course commenced.
	25		Commencing to-day the Guard will mount at 1730 hrs.
	25		Work will finish at 1700 hrs daily and teas will be at 1715 hrs.
	26		Sqns. carried out Tk/Inf. co-operation with the 5th Bn Black Watch to-day.
	26	1400	Exercise “Monty” was carried out in the Intelligence Officer. The following officers took part:-
	26		Capt. A.M. Hedley, Capt. Wilson, Capt. P.A. Walker, Lt. J.A.J. Murray, Lt. G.A.G. Selby-Lowndes.
	26		Wireless silence may be broken on 26 and 27 Jan between 0800 and 1800 hrs.
	27		The Bn. will carry out Tk/Inf co-operation to-day.
	28		The Bn. carried out an Exercise with the 5th Bn Black Watch to-day.
	28		2/Lieut. A.S.K. Edmundson is posted to the Bn with effect from 7 Jan 44.
	28	0900	A Gunner-Mech’s Trade Test took place to-day.
	29		Sqns. at the disposal of Sqn. Ldr’s for maintenance and interior economy.
	29		No. 2 Sqn. carried out wading of “B” vehicles at Thoresby.
	29		Major J.P.T. Boscawen attended a discussion on “A” and “B” vehicles at H.Q. 8 Corps.
	29		The following Officers attended lectures and demonstrations of Operational Feeding at Eckington.
	29		Capt. J.A. Cannan, Capt. P.A. Walker, Lieut. R.R. Etherton, Lieut. M.G.R. Harvey, Lieut. H.W. Wollaston, Lieut. G.F. Rocke, Lieut. J.G. Marshall-Cornwall, 2/Lieut. R.J. McCallum, Lieut. and Q.M. E.R. Randall. Marshall-Cornwall, James Gerald
	29	1100	The Commanding Officer saw all Sqn Ldr’s, the T.A., S.O. and M.O. in the Orderly Room.
	30		All Divine Services were voluntary to-day.
	31		First Pde. to-day was at 0830 hrs. followed by Tank/Infantry co-operation with the 1st Bn. Black Watch.
	31		Commencing to-day duties will mount at 1745 hrs daily.

next month

Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com, transcribing: Hans Houterman.

Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. Locations are calculated, so might not be in the correct place. For historical research, always check the originals.

Domains

More information

Contact