WO 171/634 - 31 Tank Brigade - September 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: 31 Tk Bde
Month and Year: September 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Brig. G.S. Knight

Place	Date	Summary
CORNEVILLE	1	9 R. Tks moved to 970983.
	4	Fmn came under comd 79 Armd Div w.e.f. 1200 hrs. Tps in fmn 141 RAC and 1 FF Yeo both equipped with Crocodile Flamethrowers, the latter unit not yet in theatre of ops.
	4	Bde HQ moved to 927077 (Sheet 8E).
PRESQUEVILLE	6	Tac HQ est Sheet 9D 535604.
	7	Main HQ moved to 535004.
	7	Planning Notes No. 10 issued.
VIEUX ROUEN	9	Main HQ moved to Sheet 9F 683545.
LICQUES	13	Main HQ moved to G912586.
	14	Tac HQ moved to 2 Cdn Corps G923605.
	14	1 Lothians & 6 Assault Regt RE placed under comd for ops.
	14	Bde Op Instr No. 7 issued.
	15	Bde Op Instr No. 8 issued.
	15	Adm Planning Notes No. 1 issued.
	15	Bde Int Summary No. 23 issued.
	16	Bde Adm Order No. 25 issued.
LA CAPELLE	17	Tac HQ moved to 750535 Sheet 49. 1 Sqn 6 Assault Regt RE placed under comd each 8 and 9 Cdn Inf Bdes. Three colns of special devices each consisting of 1 Tp AVRE, 2 Tps Crocodiles, 2 Tps Flails with one Inf pl formed for street fighting in BOULOGNE. Colns were commanded by OCs 1 Lothians, 141 RAC and 6 Assault Regt RE.
	17	Bde Op Instr No. 9 issued.
COLOMBERT	18	Tac HQ moved to 824526 Sheet 49. Op Wellhit continued.
	18	Trace issued in conjunction with Bde Op Instr No. 9.
	18	Bde Op Instr No. 10 issued.
	18	Op ‘Undergo’ postponed 24 hrs.
	19	Op Wellhit continued.
	19	Bde Op Instr No. 11 issued.
	19	Bde Adm Instr No. 2 issued.
	19	Additional allocation of Tps for Op Undergo.
	20	C Sqn 22 Dgns placed under comd for Ops.
	20	Bde Adm Order No. 28 issued.
	20	Bde Op Instr No. 12 issued.
	20	Bde Int Summary No. 24 issued.
	21	Initial detailed planning commenced with 7 Cdn Inf Bde for Op Undergo, which was attack on CALAIS.
	21	Bde Int Summary No. 25 issued.
	22	Bde Int Summary No. 26 issued.
LOUCHES	22	Main HQ moved to LOUCHES 968635. Tac HQ remains same locn.
LA VERTU D’ALEMBON	23	Main HQ moved to 868618 Sheet 38 and Tac HQ moved to 875605 Sheet 38.
	23	Bde Op Instr No. 13 issued.
	23	Allotment of tps for Op Undergo in sp of:-
	23	(a) R Winnipeg Rifles (7 Cdn Inf Bde)
	23	B Sqn 1 Lothians
	23	Half Sqn 141 RAC
	23	1 Tp 81 Assault Regt RE
	23	(b) Regina Rifle Regt (7 Cdn Inf Bde)
	23	C Sqn 22 Dgns
	23	Half Sqn 141 RAC
	23	1 Tp 81 Assault Regt RE
	23	(c) N Short Regt (8 Cdn Inf Bde)
	23	C Sqn 1 Lothians
	23	1 Tp A Sqn 1 Lothians
	23	C Sqn 141 RAC
	23	1 Tp 284 Assault Sqn RE
	23	7 Cdn Inf Bde res. 1 Tp 81 Assault Sqn RE.
	24	Bde Int Summary No. 27 issued.
	25	D Day for Op Undergo. 79 Armd Div Tps under comd this fmn were in sp of 3 Cdn Inf Div. Cas on first day's ops:- Flails 5: Crocodiles 4: AVRES 3. Personnel:- 1 OR wounded.
	26	Bde Int Summary No. 28 issued.
	26	Ops continued. Only 1 Tp Sqn A Sqn 1 Lothians used in to-day's ops.
	26	Preliminary planning for op on CAP GRIS-NEZ with 9 Cdn Inf Bde took place. Lt.Col. H. Waddell 141 RAC to be Special Devices Advisor to 9 Bde HQ.
	27	Op Undergo continued. Further initial planning for op to capture CAPE GRIS-NEZ. Allotment of tps for CAPE GRIS-NEZ in sp of 9 Cdn Inf Bde:- B & C Sqns 1 Lothians: C Sqn 141 RAC: 284 Assault Sqn RE. Advisor to Comd 9 Bde - Lt.Col. H. Waddell.
	28	Bde Adm Order No. 27 issued.
	28	Bde Int Summary No. 29 issued.
	28	Op Undergo continued. One tp each of Flails, Crocodiles and AVRES in sp of R Cdn Scottish Regt.
	28	1 Tp C Sqn 22 Dgns allotted as additional sp for Op CAPE GRIS-NEZ in sp 9 Cdn Inf Bde.
	29	Op CAPE GRIS-NEZ commenced at 0700 hrs and was completed same day. All CAPE GRIS-NEZ cross channel guns captured.
	29	Armistice at CALAIS for 24 hrs commencing 1200 hrs.
	30	Op Undergo continued at 1200 hrs with attack on town.
	30	Tac HQ moved to 788635.

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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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