WO 171/2380 - 96 Company - August 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: 96 Company, RASC (Troop Carrying)
Month and Year: August 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Major A.W. Holmes, RASC

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
ESQUAV SUR SEULLES M.R. 645510	1	2200	99 TCV's transport to D.D.S.T. 1 Corps for CRASC 3 Br Inf. Div. from area Banville 0574 harboured overnight at Periers- sur-le-Dan and moved at 0600 to Bn. location. Moved to area Caumont 7059
	2		All vehicles returned to location 2045 hrs.
	3	1850	60 TCV's required to move 9 Inf. Bde. (3 Brit. Inf. Div.) from 765668 to area 6450 Harboured overnight in Bn. Location.
	4		Bde. party moved off 0715-0745 and debussed 1000 to 1045. A very forward area for TCV's having been securely cleared. O.C. effected liaison with H.Q. 9 Inf. Bde. and also Main H.Q. 3 (Br) Inf. Div. Three forties of 20 TCV's each involved.
	5	2200	Report centre with Capt. Locke and W. Jones Established at Map Ref 645510 to which vehicles report after details and rations are sent from this H.Q. Jones, W. Locke, T.
	6		Report Centre moved to South of Wood 642427 at 1700 hrs. 'C' Pl. driving ops troop lift of South Lancs. Bn. 8 Bde. at 1745 hrs. Area very dusty indeed weather fairly hot, traffic very congested. O.C. visiting for the day, reported to A.A. & D.M.G. Main 3 Div. at 1645 and 1930 hrs. also CRASC 3 Div. Lt. Col. YAPP. Future supplies and POL laid on.
	7		No 2 Sect. of W/S and Cooks and equipment including unit cooks lorry sent down to Report Centre at 0830 hrs. One POL lorry and 4 Spare TCV's sent off at 1400 hrs. Report Centre moved to 660429 at 1630 hours.
	9		O.C. visited Report Centre at 660429 (M.R.) and pls located nearby. Domestic arrangements for Advanced H.Q. Report Centre found satisfactory under difficult conditions.
	10		1 Sergt. sent to Report Centre with one Cpl. clerk for transport duties. E.F.I. goods and sports gear sent forward. At Rear Coy H.Q. all available TCV's (28) employed on moving troop between RAV's and CRC's
	11		O.C. left our Report Centre at 14:35 hours. The Sergt. Cook ACC posted in rank of Cpl. to CRÈME Army Troop.
	12		O.C. moved report centre to M.R. 641389 at 1800 hrs. 2 more vehicles attached for maintenance from No1 M.F.S.S. 12 Bedford engines and 1 Ford engine obtained from 17 A.O.D.
	13	2100	O.C. returned to H.Q. location. Unit transferred to carry 15 (S) Div.
	14	1300	Section of W/S and certain H.Q. personnel returned. Tpt. Pls. returned during evening.
	15		Unit placed under command for operations of 12 Corps. No 2 sect. W/S, report centre and 3 Tpt. Pls. moved from location 1800 hrs for area Thury-Harcourt area at Map Ref 9045
THURY-HARCOURT M.R. 898458	16		Coy H.Q. closed Esquav 1415 hrs and reopened at Map Ref 898458 at 1700 hrs. 1 Pte. V.M. S.O.S. as surplus to W.E.
	17		No 1 Sect. W/S left Esquav at 1030 hours and moved Coy H.Q. 1300 hrs. Sergt. Biss, ACC reported.
MARTIGNY M.R. 081370	18	1730	Coy H.Q. and No 1 Sect. W/S moved out of location to 081370 to join Pls. Lt. Ware posted to 372 Coy RASC and Lt. Lane reported in his place 1640 hrs. Location changed by two fields 1930 hours U/C 53 Div. Lane Ware
	18	2000	4 shells burst in Coy location. No damage.
	19	0200	Parachute flare landed on a ‘C’ Pl TCV Slight damage to tyre etc. A Cpl. cook ACC wounded with burns due to hot fat.
	20		Coy H.Q. and W/S moved at 0900 to M.R. 006516 arrived 1035 hrs. and again at 1935 to 114430 arriving 2030 hrs. Coy placed u/c 59 Div. from 53 Div. 1000 hrs. again transferred to 15 (S) Div. at 2200 hrs.
USSY (VILLERS CANIVET) M.R. 114430	21		Fairly heavy air raid on location with 18 parachute flares 0025 hours. About 20 bombs in and around location of Coy. 2 TCV damaged, 1 badly but not for evacuation.
	21	0900	A very large D/A bomb exploded in edge of location. So large a crater it appears to have been one of 4000 lbs. A very wet day. CRASC 15(S) Div. visited unit.
	22		Quiet day profitably spent in interiors economy. Operational Diary by Pls. is attached at Appendices (See Appendices 'A', 'B' & 'C' attached.)
	23		15 vehs. from each Platoon leave Coy location to lift Battalions of 15(S) Div. as follows: - ‘A’ Pl. Vehs - 9th Cameronians - 'B' Pl. 2nd Glasgow Highlanders - 'C' Pl. Balance of vehicles formed into a pl; and take reinforcements to units.
	24		Recce party sent out but move of unit postponed.
	25		Coy H.Q. & W/S move at 1055 to location Vimoutiers 513635 arriving 1900 hrs. Platoons still with Battalions.
VIMOUTIERS M.R. 513635	26		Come under Command of 53 Inf. Div. Pls. split in half = 6 lots of 14 and attached 160 Bde. and 71 Bde. who are in areas 5751 and 6055 respec. Forward report centre established at 603551 (See Appendices 'D'. 'E' and 'F' for period 19 to 31 Aug 44)
	28		Coy H.Q. and W/S left location at 0915 hrs. and arrived location Glos-la-Ferriere 829567 at 1330 hrs.
GLOS-LA-FERRIERE (ST JUST) M.R. 829567	30		Coy H.Q. and W/S left location at 0915 hrs. and arrived location 211774 AT 1200 hrs. (Emalleville)
EMALLEVILLE M.R. 211774	31		Left location at 1730 hours (12 hours on the road) and arrived 452021 Lisors at 0330 1 Sept 44. Crossed River Seine at 2200 hrs.

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Source: Paul Bulmer.

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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