WO 171/870 - 11 Royal Tank Regiment - November 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: 11th Bn Royal Tank Regt.
Month and Year: November 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. R. Dixon

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
SLUISKIL	1	0730	Loading of tptrs & preparation for move.	Appendix 1
	1	1800	Loading and preparation in accordance with Appendix 1 reported complete.
	2	0730	“B” Echelon left in accordance with Appendix 1.
	2	0900	Tptr coln on move harbouring night on way.
WAALRE	2	2110	All personnel less tptrs as details in Appendix 1 now at Sheet 4 1/100,000 WAALRE E417127. Personnel billeted in houses and warehouses. Under comd 31 Tk Bde.
	3	0830	LO sent to visit 1 Aslt Bde.
	3	1030	Adjutant & QM to 31 Tk Bde reference returns, stores, baths & entertainments.
	3	1330	CO to XII Corps and was given instructions to see 51 Highland Division who required 12 LVT Mk IV for ferrying on operation “Guy Fawkes”.
	3	2130	On return instructions given “B” Sqn. Tp leaders left for 51 H Div.	Appendix 2
	4	1200	Submission of AF W3008 & W3009 less A Sqn upto 041200A.	Appendix 3
	4	1500	Comd 79 Armd Div & Comd 30 Armd Bde visited CO to see how unit had settled in.
	4	1510	CO left to watch Operation “Guy Fawkes”. See Appendix 2.
	5	1200	Letter received from Comd 1 Asslt Bde RE reference to “Vitality”.	Appendix 4
	5	1330	CO left to see 51 Highland Division for return “B” Sqn party on “Guy Fawkes”.
	5	1950	Tptr brought “B” Sqn party back from “Guy Fawkes”.
	6	1645	CO visited 31 Tk Bde to see Bde Comd on his return.
	7	0900	CO conference Sqn Comds reference general maintenance, stowage and preparation of vehicles.
	7	0945	CO departed to visit A Sqn at BRESKENS D0919 and then to Czech Indep Bde at H303673. Will consult with G.1 Ops 21 Army Group on the 8th Nov. Major S.G. March T.D. assumes Comd of Bn during absence of Lt/Col R. Dixon on duty.
	8	1400	Visit of Div catering adviser. To B, C, HQ Sqns. Nothing to report.
	8	1430	Visit of B.M. 31 Tank Bde on routine matters.
	8	1500	Distribution of correspondence amendment.	Appendix 5
	9	0400	Despatch of 16 × 3 ton lorries to BRESKENS D0919 to fetch crews of “Infatuate” and take to 264 Spec Del Sqn.
	9	0900	A.F. W3008 & W3009 received from A Sqn upto 041200A.	Appendix 6
	9	1030	Adjutant to see DAQMG Division. All A & B Sqn craft used on Op “Infatuate” to be handed to 5 ARRE. A Sqn to be re-equipped with fresh LVT. B Sqn to take over 6 LVT from A Sqn here and 5 from 269 Fwd Del Sqn.
	9	1730	C.O. returned from trip to Czech Independent Bde.
	9	1830	C.O. to Div reference re-equipment.
	10	1500	G.O.C. 79 Armd Div visited unit with regard to billets and general matters of administration.
	10	1830	Bde Comd of 30 Armd Bde visited C.O. with possible operation with XII Corps.
	10	2000	B Sqn party for “Infatuate II” returned. Casualties 2 killed, 1 missing – 1 officer & 2 O.Rs. wounded. 5 Buffaloes lost through enemy action. A Squadron party for “Infatuate I” concentrated at WETTEREN J2974. Casualties 3 killed, 1 missing, 7 wounded. 6 Buffaloes lost through enemy action.
	11	1200	Submission of A.F. W3008 & W3009 less A Sqn detached upto 111200A.	Appendix 7
	11	2359	Bn less A Sqn passes under comd 30 Armd Bde for ops. B Sqn allotted less 1 Tp to 51 H Division. C Sqn allotted to 53 Div.
	12	0900	Adjutant and Quartermaster to 30 Armd Bde reference returns.
	12	1500	G.1 Tech Div visited unit reference to fitting of smoke dischargers.
	12	1500	2 Buffaloes from B Sqn despatched to 51 (H) Division and 2 Buffaloes from C Sqn despatched to 53 Division.
	12	1800	Details of local admin instr issued to Sqns B & C.	Appendix 8
	13	0900	Tptrs. arrived for loading of B & C Sqns.
	13	0930	Two Buffaloes returned with Capt Stewart from demonstration and loading trials with 8 Corps. C Sqn now complete.
	13	1600	Tac HQ left for location CAULILLE E452096. Party of CO & IO.
	13	1615	Tptr colns left.
	13	1630	AF W3008 & W3009 received from A Sqn upto 111200A.	Appendix 9
	14	0800	6 lorries left taking excess stores 867 Tp Tps W/Shop at SAS-VAN-GENT J2699.
	15	0830	Capt A.S.C. Francis left to visit Tac HQ.
	15	0845	Major S.G. March left for 21 A. Group at BRUSSELS to discuss use of Buffaloes in future ops.
	15	1400	Report received that Lt/Col. R. Dixon wounded and evacuated to CCS.
	15	1400	Major T.R. Newton-Dunn visited unit and then to Div to report on “Infatuate”.
	15	2015	Return of 6 lorries sent to SAS-VAN-GENT.
	16	0830	Major S.G. March left for 30 Armd Bde also visited Sqns.
	16	1800	O.C. B Sqn left for 31 Tk Bde with a view to ops with 8 Corps.
	16	1830	B Sqn arrived back from “Mallard”. Casualties 1 OR killed. Lieut W. Coates and five wounded. 2 Buffaloes lost by enemy action. Coates
	17	0945	Major S.G. March left for Tac HQ also Capt C.D. Burnett.
	17	1000	Major Nicholson reported G1. 15 (S) Div and arranged for Tp Officers to carry out a recce.
	17	2000	Major S.G. March returned.
	17	2030	Report received from OC A Sqn on op “Infatuate”.	Appendix 10
	18	0900	Major S.G. March left for HQ 31 Tk Bde. At conference attended by O.C. “B’ Sqn it was decided that proposed use of Buffaloes with 15 (S) Div not feasible due to construction of banks of DEURNE canal in area K7204 to K7108.
	18	1500	Information received by signal that C Sqn pass in sp of 53 (S) Division.
	18	1600	Submission of AF W3008 & W3009 less A Sqn upto 181200A.	Appendix 11
	18	1700	Submission of reprt by O.C. B Squadron of Op. “Mallard”.	Appendix 12
	19	0900	Major S.G. March to Div ref any future activities for C Sqn who concentrated at E604092 – Sheet 4 – 1/100000.
	20	1000	AF W3008 & W3009 received from A Sqn upto 181200A.	Appendix 13
	20	1420	G.O.C. addressed 300 all ranks of this unit on Cambrai day. This was followed by a special film show.
	21	1100	Lt/Col S.I. Howard-Jones arrived to take over command unit.
	22	0830	CO and Adjutant left for 31 Tk Bde.
	22	0900	Six LVT IV of B Sqn despatched on instruction from 79 Armd Div to Drewforce to operate under 43 Inf Div under 30 Corps. Required for the ferrying of stores.
	22	0915	C.O. and Adjutant to C Sqn where CRE 53 Div was consulted reference loading of 17 pdr. A craft has been allotted to CRE 49 Div by 30 Armd Bde.
	22	1100	C.O. and Adjutant to 30 Armd Bde reference 17 pdr experiment.
	23	0900	C.O. – 2IC – Adjt visited A Sqn.
	23	1700	B Sqn despatched 6 Buffaloes Mk IV to support 8 Corps.
	24	1100	Bde Comd visited C.O. reference general matters.
	24	1130	A.D.M.S. visited unit to discuss general sanitation.
	25	1000	C.O. visited ‘C’ Sqn.
	25	1200	Submission AF W3008 & W3009 upto 251200A.	Appendix 14
	26	0900	C.O. visited 30 Armd Bde. ‘C’ Sqn to return.
	26	1400	Conference reference to establishment. Proposals agreed and will be submitted shortly.
	27	1600	Tp of ‘B’ Sqn despatched to 30 Corps under Drewforce returned.
	28	1100	AF W3008 & W3009 upto 251200A received.	Appendix 15
	28	1600	Report submitted for work done by No. 2 Tp B Sqn whilst under comd 30 Corps.	Appendix 16
	29	1700	G.1 Tech 79 Armd Div visited unit and stated that 5 LVT II would be made available for trng.
	29	2030	Warning Order received for move after visit of C.O. to Division.	Appendix 17
	30	1400	Major S.G. March recced area MOLL K1792 for billets.

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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.

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