| 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 |
| Unit: First Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment | ||
| Month and Year: September 1944 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | The day brought the supreme example of order, counter-order, and almost disorder. The Bn was first of all at one hour's notice to move from 0900 hrs. This was then changed to 2 hrs notice to move from 1100 hrs. This was changed later to 3 hrs notice. When the head of the Bn was preparing to move off, we received the message “All moves delayed 2 hrs”. Routes were changed continually until finally nobody believed anything about anything. The Bn finally got on the move at 1340 hrs setting off on a journey of some 65 miles. There ensued halts of anything up to an hour or more. 3 hrs were spent in covering half a mile of road. In one place the road was found to be cratered, and heavy rain which fell in the evening and night made it impossible to go round this obstacle. The route lay through FLEURY LA FORET, GAILLE FONTAINE 5935, ABANCOURT 7039, CAMPS, crossing R. SOMME, LONGPRE 8974, and finishing at DOMQUER 9484. Before the SOMME was crossed, however, the route was changed first of all to go through POIX 8646 and then cross the river PICQUIGNY. At POIX, heavy damage to a bombed airfield was observed and a few horse-drawn pieces of artillery were seen. Before the R. SOMME was crossed the destination was altered to DOMART 9979. The Bn again made many diversions due to the correct route being blocked by traffic, and finally arrived at 0700 hrs to harbour there. It was found that the harbour party under Capt. H. Carter had suffered one casualty, Pte Edwards, who was sniped. As a result of a search, two prisoners were taken. |
Source: Joris Nieuwint, The Battlefield Explorer, 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.
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