WO 171/6190 - 96 Company - March 1945

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: March 1945	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Major A.W. Holmes, RASC

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
EINDHOVEN E403183	1		Recce carried out of future location at MILL and Pls. in surrounding area. Accom. will be very tight.
MILL E6445	2		Pls. carried out a supply detail and returned to new location at Mill. H.Q. & 1 sect. W/S moved to Mill at 1100 hrs.
	3		Adv. H.Q. 27 Tpt. Coln. located in Mill plus parties in varying strengths attached this unit for messing & accom.
	4		Various Troop lifts being carried out as per ops. diary attd.
	5		Further troop lifts.
	5		O.C. visited 'A' Pl. attd. Gds. Armoured Div. (2 Bn. Scots Gds.) in location at HOMMERSUM
	6		Ops. truck sent out to form adv. H.Q. with Capt. Combes.
	7		A large proportion of outstanding small jobs on vehicles being done by W/S by turning round vehicles with Pls.
	8		O.C. visited H.Q. CRASC 27 Tpt. Colm. in EINDHOVEN. There is a possibility of a move back to that area.
	9		Ops. truck and Pls. out with 51,52 & 53 Divs. Returned to location 0300 hrs.
	9		Now only 20 vehicles out, that party with Gds. Armoured Div.
	9		H.Q. 27 Coln. & Coys u/c transferred for all proposed to comd. 30 Corps and Second Br. Army today.
	10		O.C. visited H.Q. 27 Coln. and received instructions that this unit will pass to comd. CRASC 30 Corps Tps. at 0800 hrs 11 Mar 45.
	10		It appears that there is not to be a Troop carrying Coln. after all & we start on our travels again. It is a great pity as such a permanent Coln. is most highly desirable.
	11		O.C. visited CRASC 30 Corps Tps. regarding Admin & Ops. and also S.T. 30 Corps Rear.
	12		Signal received stating that this unit (together with 13 & 20 Coys RASC (Troop Carrying) pass to command Second Army direct from 30 Corps.
	12		2i/c visited S&T. Army & unit placed u/c 46 Tpt. Coln. once again in conjunction with 13 & 20 Coys RASC (Tp. Carrying).
	12		69 vehicles are lifting 130 & 185 Inf. Bdes. of 53 Div. out to rest in area of BRUSSELS.
	13		Above troop lifts in progress see attd. Appendices.
	14		O.C. visited Rear H.Q. 53 Div. near Assche, w of Brussels. TCV's loaded compo rations for return load.
	15		Return load arranged by S.T. 21 Army Group of compo rations delivered to Kevelaer, and all vehicles returned to location by 1650 hrs. Meanwhile another lift of 115 Inf.Bde. from Beersel, S of Brussels to area Venray Is taking place.
	16		All pls. in location doing rest & maintenance. The first time this has happened for several weeks.
	17	1500	Warning order received that we shall have to move out of MILL area as RAF want it. Recce of AARLE carried out by Rear Army will not release. Will probably have to move to Gemert, near H.Q. 46 Tpt. Coln.
	18	1000	Order received to move to GEMERT only accom. in a large school and a double loft for W/S. In general, this is the worst location ever. Main body of Coy moved 1500 hrs. leaving only one section of W/S to follow tomorrow.
GEMERT E5830	19		Pls. in location, clearing up accm. which is filthy. Preparatory conference attended by O.C. for lifts of 3 Divs. back from rest areas
	20	1300	60 TCV's left location to R.V. with guides to lift 46 Bde. of 15(S) Div. out of rest area forward.
	20		O.C. & 2i/c contacted Rear 15 Div., & H.Q. 46 Bde.
	21	1330	20 TCV's left location to R.V. with guides at Diest to lift 44 Bde. of 15 Div. as above.
	22		Maj. A.W. Holmes admitted to 79 Gen. Hosp. with a view to being granted sick leave. Holmes, A.W.
	23		Capt. T. Locke RASC assumes comd. of unit. Locke, T.
	23		O.C. visits CRASC 43 Div. under whose op. comd. unit comes.
	23		Pls. R.V. with reps. of Bde.
	23		O.C. briefed with info on RHINE crossing.
GOCH M.R. 899421	24		Pls. ferrying Tps. to marshalling area for crossing.
	24		Coy H.Q. & w/shops move to GOCH M.R. 899421 in location 1800 hrs. Unit remains under 46 Tpt. Coln. for adm.
	24		Capt. M.A. Martyn joins unit on posting. Martyn, M.A.
	25		Under authy. SA/162/A/ST246 dated 24 Mar 45 Capt. M.A. Martyn posted to H.Q. RASC 52 Div. for duty as Adjutant. A pity as his qualifications would have been very useful to this unit. Would also appear an error in Postings had been made initially dispatching him to this unit. Martyn, M.A.
	25	1530	Notification received that after 30 Corps task will revert to Comd. 45 Tpt. Coln.
	26	0930	O.C. visits 43 Div. & 21C 43 Div. RASC instructs that 45 Tpt. Coln. be visited. 45 Tpt. Coln. have little idea of future movements & ask for Tpt sitrep? only, adm to continue with 46 Coln.
	26	1600	214 Bde. lift in progress.
	26	1945	Vehs. Back in location after lift of 214 Bde.
	27	0200	Message received from 45 Tpt. Coln. that still under op. comd. of 30 Corps.
	27	0215	Message received from H.Q. 43 Div. that Rep to report to D.A.D.T. 30 Corps at 0900 hrs.
	27	0900	O.C. reports D.A.D.T. Coy placed at 6 hrs notice for Tp. lift - no details available yet as lift depends on progress over RHINE and availability of us.
	27	2200	Rep sent to D.A.D.T. to obtain further information if available but still at 6 hrs. notice.
	28		Still at 6 hours notice - recreation al tvq.
	29	0110	Message from 30 Corps for one Pl. to load POL then proceed to 169 F.M.C. via WEEZE – UDEM – LONDON br. Then comes under comd. 3 Br. Div.
	29	1100	O.C. visits 30 Corps & proceeds from there to CRASC 3 Br. Div. Also instructions issued for other two pls. to load POL & proceed to 169 F.M.C.
	29	1300	O.C. proceeds over river & contacts O.C. B 1 bn at 20 Report Centre, arranges harbour area on REES – ISSLBURG. Rd. O.C. 1 Bn. to att. DR to A/Q 3 Div.
	29	1700	O.C. returns location & sends rep. to 30 Corps.
	29	1730	Rep returns from 30 Corps with instructions that other two pls. after offloading come under comd. 43 Div.
	29	1850	Message from 30 Corps places Coy H.Q. & W/Shop under op. comd. of 43 Div. CRASC. 43 Div. to be contacted.
	29	2000	After visiting Adm H.Q. 43 Div. to obtain location of CRASC 43 Div. Capt. Miller-Jones sent to contact him. Located East of R. RHINE. Coy H.Q. & W/Shop at 2 hours notice to move. Miller-Jones, W.
	30	0145	Rep. returns from CRASC 43 Div. - no move until orders received.
	30	0930	Instructed to filter one Sec. of W/Shop over.
	30	1200	See W/Shop starts moving.
	30	1500	Sect. of shops return unable to get to br. as rd. frozen for move of Gds. Armd. Div.
	31	1000	O.C. attends Coy comds. conference 43 Div. RASC.
	31	1200	O.C. visits 30 Corps ST and is informed that unit comes under comd. of 31 Tpt. Coln. w.e.f 312359A.
	31	1500	Posting order received for Lt. K.E. WILSON RASC to report this unit with A1 rank of Captain. His arrival will ease officer posn. considerably & the sooner he arrives the better. Wilson, K.E.
	31		For Pls. activities during month see att. diaries of events. Everyone now very confident of early finish to hostilities.

previous month | next month

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.

Domains

More information

Contact