WO 171/481 - 43 Infantry Division - October 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: General Staff, Headquarters, The 43rd Division
Month and Year: October 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Major-General G.I. Thomas, CB, DSO, MC

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
Headquarters, the 43rd Division British Liberation Army	1		Weather - Fair after rainy periods in morning The 43rd Division continues to hold secure the East flank of 30 Corps between rivers Waal and Neder Rijn against repeated enemy counter attacks
	1	0955	amendment to 43 Div Location Statement issued	I/1
	1	1030	details regarding traffic circuits issued	D/1
	1	1150	43 Div ISUM up to o11120 issued	F/1
	1	1350	orders issued for relief of 69 Inf Bde Gp 2 Oct	D/2
	1	1550	Situation Report as at 2300 hrs issued	K/1
	2		Weather – Fair
	2	0205	43 Div Intelligence Summary No 50 Issued	F/2
	2	1050	Warning order issued for relief of 214 Inf Bde by 506 RCT 101 US Div	D/3
	2	2000	43 Div Operation Instruction No 4 issued	D/4
	2	2145	Situation Report as at 2230 hrs issued	K/9
	3		Weather - Dull and cloudy turning to rain after 0900 hrs clearing at mid-day but showery in evening
	3	0230	43 Div Intelligence Summary No 51 issued	F/5
	3		43 Div Order of Battle issued	J/1
	3	1030	Warning Order issued for relief 130 Inf Bde 4 Oct	D/5
	3	1715	Confirmatory Warning Order issued for relief of 130 Inf Bde 4 Oct	D/6
	3		Movement Table for move of 130 Inf Bde to new Conc Area night 4/5 oct	D/7
	3	2200	Situation Report as at 2100 hrs issued	K/3
	3		43 Div Summary of Ops No 51 issued	K/4
	3		Movement Table for move of 214 Inf Bde to new Conc Area night 6/7 Oct	D/8
	4		Weather – fine
	4		Orders issued for relief of 43 Div by 101 US Div	D/9
	4	1510	43 Div ISUM issued	F/4
	4		43 Div Summary of Ops issued	K/5
	4	2315	Situation Report as at 2300 hrs issued	K/6
	4		ISUM up to 032359A issued	F/5
Headquarters, the 43rd Division British Liberation Army	5		Weather – Fair
	5		orders issued for movement and relief of 43 Div units on the "Island" 5 and 6 Oct	D/10
	5		43 Div Summary of Ops No 53 issued	K/7
	5	2300	Situation Report as at 052200A issued	K/8
	6		Weather – Fair
	6		43 Div Summary of Ops 53 issued	K/9
	6	2300	Situation Report as at 062300A issued	K/10
	6		53 Div Topographical File No 8 issued	F/6
	6		43 Div Intelligence Summary No 52 issued	F/7
	7		Weather Fair.
	7		43 Div Summary of Ops No 54 issued	K/11
	7		Details of Traffic Circuits in present Div Conc Area issued	D/11
	7	1240	Orders issued for deployment of RA 43 Div in sp of 101 US Airborne Div	D/12
	7	2105	Warning Order for relief of 8 Bde (3 British Div) by 129 Inf Bde, and Div "O" Gp issued	D/13
	7	2300	Situation Report as at 2230 hrs issued	K/12
	7	2345	43 Div ISUM as at 2330 hrs Issued	F/8
	7		43 Div Summary of Ops issued	K/13
Headquarters, the 43rd Division British Liberation Army	8		Weather - dull and misty
	8	1400	Comd 43 Div held an "O" Gp at Div HQ at Which orders were given out for relief of 3 British Div and subsequent ops
	8		Copy of verbal orders given out at "O" Gp	D/14
	8		Trace issued in conjunction with Comd's Verbal Orders 8 Oct	J/2
	8		43 Div Movement Table for 9 Oct issued	D/15
	8		Copy of 30 Corps Op Instrs No 26 received:-
	8		30 Corps to take over responsibility for Second Army front between R Waal and R Maas, facing East.
	8		Phase I. 43 Div will relieve 8 Br Bde (3 Br Div) in its present area with 129 Bde Gp which came under comd 3 Br Div on arrival.
	8		Phase II. HQ 43 Div will take over 9 Oct from 3 Br Div responsibility for the Sector between R Maas and R Waal at present held by 3 Br Div and at this time responsibility will also pass from 8 Corps to 30 Corps. 43 Div will relieve remainder of 3 Br Div tps (incl 4 Tk Coldm Gds) North of R Maas as far as possible during daylight.
	8		Phase III. 43 Div will relieve 505 RCT (82 US airborne Div) with 130 Inf Bde to be completed by first light at 11 Oct.
	8		On completion of above reliefs, disposn of 43 Div will be on Right of 30 Corps front with under comd 8 Armd Bde less one regt. 43 Div responsible for 30 Corps front from R Maas to bndy with 82 US Airborne Div. Operational Policy - very active patrolling on whole front.
	8		Amendment issued to 43 Div Standing Op Instrs	L/1
	8	2215	Situation Report as at 2200 hrs issued.	K/14
	9		Weather - dully and showery
	9		43 Div Summary of Ops No 56 issued	K/15
	9	2300	Situation Report as at 2230 hrs issued	K/16
	10		Weather - rain all day
	10		orders issued for responsibility and close defence of pontoon br at MOOK 7152 by 129 Inf Bde and 43 Div RE responsible for maintenance	D 16
	10	2240	Situation Report as at 2200 hrs	K 17
	10	2359	43 Div Intelligence Summary No 53 issued	F 9
	10		43 Div Summary of Ops No 58 issued	K 18
	11		Weather - rain in the morning, clearing to fine.
	11		43 Div Summary of Ops No 59 issued	K 19
	11		43 Div Situation Report as at 2200 hrs issued	K 20
	12		Weather – fine
	12	0030	43 Div Intelligence Summary, No 54 issued	F 10
	12		Details issued for an address to be given by the Commander 30 Corps to all Offrs, WOs, and Sjts of the 43rd Division	D 17
	12		Amendments issued to Defence Topographical Overprints	F 11
	12	2210	43 Div Situation Report as at 2130 hrs issued	K 21
	12		43 Div Intelligence Report No 55 issued	F 12
	12		43 Div Location Statement as at 0600 hrs 13 Oct issued	I 2
	12		43 Div policy on patrolling within the Division	L 3
	13		Weather – fine
	13	2115	43 Div Situation Report as at 2100 hrs issued	K 22
	13		43 Div Summary of Ops No 60 issued	K 23
	13		43 Div Intelligence Summary No 56 issued	F 13
	14		Weather - dull and showery
	15		Weather - rain all day
	15	0005	43 Div Intelligence Summary No 57 issued	F 14
	15		43 Div Summary of Ops No 61 issued	K 24
	15		43 Div Summary of Ops No 62 issued	K 25
	15		The 43rd Division during the past week, having relieved 3 Br Div, has been firmly established facing the border defences of Germany. Active patrolling has been carried out daily and except for sporadic arty fire the whole front has been relatively quiet.
	16	0050	Weather - dull with rain settling in in evening
	16		43 Div Intelligence Summary No 58 issued	F 15
	16		43 Div policy for erecting rd blocks on rds passing through their FDLs	L 2
	16		Details regarding 8 Armd Bde coming under comd Gds Armd Div issued	D 18
	16	2315	43 Div ISUM up to 2300 hrs issued	f 16
	17		Weather - rain all day
	17	1000	Tasks of 30 Corps and 43 Div and details of reliefs issued	D 19
	17		43 Div Summary of Ops No 63 issued	K 26
	17	2315	43 Div ISUM up to 2315 hrs issued	F 17
	17		43 Div Summary of Ops No 64 issued	K 27
	18		Weather - dull with showers
	18		Situation Report as at 1900 hrs issued	K 28
	18		43 Div Summary of Ops No 65 issued	K 29
	18		Amendment to 43 Div Standing Op Instrs issued	L 4
	18		43 Div Intelligence Summary No 59 issued	F 18
	19		Weather - dull and rainy periods
	19		further details of Corps Comd's address issued	D 20
	19	2100	43 Div Opsum issued	K 30
	19		43 Div Loacation Statement issued	I 3
	19		43 Div Intelligence Summary, No 60 issued	F 19
	20		Weather - dull to fine
	20		43 Div Summary of Ops No 66 issued	K 31
	20		Detailed Instructions regarding 43 Div Battle School issued	M 1
	21		Weather – fine
	21		routes over the MOOK and GRAVE brs instrs issued	D 21
	21		instructions regarding Security Controls for the passage of civilians over the R Maas and Maas-Waal Canal	D 22
	21		Trace and Appendices issued showing own minefields in 43 Div and 82 US Div Sectors	D 23
	21		43 Div Summary of Ops No 67 issued	K 32
	21		location of 43 Div Battle School	M 2
	21		Course Syllabus issued for 43 Div Battle School	M 3
	21		Details issued for a demonstration of various types of amphibians on 23 and 24 Oct	M 4
	21		43 Div Intelligence Summary, No 61 issued	F 20
Headquarters, the 43rd Division British Liberation Army	21		Details submitted to 30 Corps of special supporting arms required by 43 Div for Operation "Wyvern"	"Z 1"
	21		Tps required by 43 Div for very heavy harassing "Pepperpot Plan" for Operation "Wyvern"	"Z 2"
	21		Requirements of Amn for Operation "Wyvern"	"Z 3"
	22		Weather – fine
	22		43 Div Location Statement issued	I 4
	22		43 Div Summary of Ops No 67 issued	K 33
	22		43 Div policy regarding collection of infm regarding Enemy Dispositions	L 5
	22		Instruction regarding Recce and Planning for "Wyvern Pepperpot"	"Z 4"
	23		Weather – fine
	23		Situation Report as at 2100 hrs issued	K 34
	23		43 Div Summary of Ops No 68 issued	K 35
	24		Weather – fine
	24		43 Div Intelligence Summary No 62 issued	F 21
	24		amendment issued to Minefield Records	D 24
	24		Instructions regarding infm of Enemy Dispositions	L 6
	24		43 Div Summary of Ops No 69	K 36
	24		Notice of change of name for forthcoming operation.	"Z 5"
	24		Traces and Instructions for MMG Tasks for "Wyvern Pepperpot"	"Z 6"
	25		Weather - dull and showery
	25		43 Div Intelligence Summary No 63	F 22
	25		43 Div Summary of Ops No 70	K 37
	25		Details of one way traffic circuit issued	D25
	26		Weather – dull
	26		43 Div Summary of Ops No 71 issued	K 38
	26		43 Div Intelligence Summay No 64 issued	F 23
	27		Weather – fine
	27	2015	43 Div OPSUM issued	K 39
	27		43 Div Intelligence Summary No 65 issued	F 24
	27		Trace showing Assembly Areas and Routes Forward for Operation "Wyvern"	"Z 7"
	28		Weather – fine
	28		43 Div Summary of Ops 72 issued	K 40
	29		Weather – fine
	29		43 Div Location Statement as at 0800 hrs issued	I 5
	29		43 Div Intelligence Summary No 66 issued	F 25
	29		43 Div Summary Of Ops No 73 issued	K 41
	29		Orders regarding control of recces issued	D 26
	30		Weather – fine
	30		43 Div Summary of Ops No 74 issued	K 42
	30		Orders issued regarding role of Bn from the Reserve Bde to be located in CUIJK 7149	D27
	31		Weather - dull with rain at times
	31		43 Div Policy for Operational Security to be maintained on entering the REICH	L 7
	31		43 Div Intelligence Summary No 67 issued	F 2
	31		43 Div Summary of Ops No 75 issued	K 43
	31		Amendments issued to 43 Div Minefield Record	D 28
	31		Total PW captured by the 43rd Division during the month of October - 357
	31		LIST OF OFFICERS, GENERAL STAFF, THE 43RD DIVISION. GS01 - Lt-Col J.A. Grant-Peterkin, Camerons. GS02 - Major R.S.Williams-Thomas, DSO. RA. GS03(O) - Capt A.M.W. Caine, DLCI. GS03(I) - Capt G.L1. Morgan, RA GS03(L) - Capt T.F. Knott, Hamps GS03(CW) - Capt C.G. Leigh, Worc R IO - Capt G. Matthews, Wilts JLOs - Lieut E.C. Cherry, Recce Corps, Lieut D. Macmillan. Recce Corps

Source: Jeroen Niels, TracesOfWar.com, transcribing: Mia Litjens.

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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