WO 171/2401 - 171 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: 171 Company RASC
Month and Year: August 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Major Everingham, RASC

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
FRANCE	1	1305	Coy received orders to move location, and prepare to move immediately.
	1	1800	Head of column moved behind 173 Coy RASC (Armd Div Tps). Capt AA Davey column commander. After long journey cross country arrived at new location map reference 613491 at 2330 hrs. Unit of U.S. Army still in locn when coy arrived. Davey, A.A.
	2		Replenishment Point opened at 1030 hrs. Closed at 1145 hrs. Burial party detailed to inter deceased German – aftermath of the battle. Orders to move received and recce party under OC left for proposed new locn.
	3	1000	Replenishment Point opened. Coy moved to new location at 1030 hrs – Map Reference 630469. Whole coy in location at 1230 hrs.
FRANCE	4	0930	Replenishment Point opened, and closed at 1015 hrs. AP personnel ordered to be prepared to move under Capt. Gainsford. 36x3-ton vehicles despatched to 52 FMC to collect POL and hold in coy location. Workshops officer reported great deal of mechanical trouble from MACK 6-ton vehicles – which have proved entirely unsatisfactory both as load carriers and for cross-country work. Gainsford, Alan Peter
	5	0915	AP established LE BENY BOCAGE (Map reference 664429). Replenishment Point opened in coy location at 0930 hrs. OC visited AP and inspected lay-out and general condition there.
	6	0930	Replenishment Point in coy location. 1x3-ton vehicle detached for POW duties to 11 Armd Div Provost. 1x3-ton vehicle detached to 179 Hy Fd Amb.
	7	0930	Replenishment Point in coy location. Closed at 1045 hrs. 8x13-ton vehs sent to 13 Fd Sqn RE. for road repairs at the Div. Water Point.
FRANCE	8	0630	1x3-ton vehicle ordered to report to major Hudson, 213 Civil Affairs Detachment. Replenishment Point opened at 0930 hrs and closed at 1100 hrs. Refill of sups from 52 FMC completed at 1530 hrs.
	9	0930	Replenishment Point opened. 18x3-ton vehs despatched to 12 BAD. ST GABRIEL to collect 25-pdr amn and deliver to 53 FMC LE BENY BOCAGE. AP moved location from LE BENY BOCAGE to to BEAULIEU 692392. 25pdr vehicles reported back to location loaded at 2345 hrs, having been turned away from 53 FMC which was then subjected to enemy arty fire.
	10	0930	Replenishment Point opened 18x25 pdr vehicles left to unload at 53 FMC. Replenishment Point closed at 1100 hrs 25-pdr vehs returned empty at 1205 hrs. OC visited AP in new location. 2x3-ton vehicles detached to 13 RHA – A Echelon.
FRANCE	11	0900	Lieut. Mackeller & Lieut. Milne interviewed by DDST 8 Corps for promotion. Replenishment Point opened at 1000 hrs and closed at 1115 hrs. Refill sups made from 53 FMC at LE BENY BOCAGE for the first time. 1x3-ton vehicle despatched to Rear HQ 11 Armd Div to convey concert-party to BAYEUX. T/14548244 Dvr Champan A and T/262325 Dvr Edwards JR posted to 7 FDS and 18 LFA respecitvely as replacements. Champan, A. Edwards, J.R. Mackeller Milne
	12	0930	Replenishment Point opened at closed at 1045 hrs. Instructions received from S Sup O that in view of the fact that compo rations in short supply, certain units of division will switch to F.S.R. Welcome new after over two months of compo packs, the contenst of which are not entirely satisfactory – chief objection being too much meat and the curious habit of mixing tea sugar & powdered milk together. 30x3-ton vehicles despatched to 52 FMC to transport amn to 53 FMC
FRANCE	12		AFW 3008 and 3009 rendered to GHQ 2nd Echelon.
	13	0900	Replenishment Point opened in coy location. Vehicles return loads from 53 FMC to 52 FMC. AP ammanced change of location. CRASC calls for coy reps and recce parties to meet him and recce area for new locn. OC recces new area.
	14	0930	Replenishment Point opened. OC conducts officers around proposed new coy locn. Vehicle despatched to Rear Div to collect Amn Salvage. Coy receives orders to move at 1630 hrs. Coy in new locn (MR 664478) at 1745 hrs. OC visited AP. Outlying platoon connected to HQ by telephone.
	15		Replenishment Point opened 1000 hrs. OC attended CRASC conference when arrangements for forthcoming operation were made. All officers conference held in coy location on return.
FRANCE	16	0900	Replenishment Point opened Coy Location 0900 hrs. Morning admin staff engaged in splitting up coy into 'MAIN' & 'RESIDUE' parties for forthcoming ops. Coy to be split down to bare necessities for rest few days. Coy Commanders conference at Rear HQ RASC.
	17	0830	Capt Basgallop (O i/c Residue) opens up Admin Report Centre at LE MEZNIL AZOUF (740468). Capt Browne marshals remainder of Residue personnel and vehicles prior to move. Coy moves to new location (782368) at 1500 hrs. Residue move to there location immediately afterwards. AP moves three times during the day and finishes up at 938238. OC visited AP and Residues location. Enemy air activity during the night. Flares but no bombs were dropped. Basgallop Browne
	18	0930	Replenishment Point opened coy location. Forward Petrol Point established at 29AP under Lieut Long. Twelve vehicles (POL) sent to 159 AP. Orders to move location received and coy moves at 2030 hrs via VASSY and FLERS (captured the previous morning) to MR 920195. AP moves forward to MR 002240. Long
	19	1100	Replenishment Point opens in coy locn. Refill made from 152 FMC. OC visits AP. AFW 3008 and 3009 rendered to GHQ 2nd Echelon. Orders received at 2359 hrs for replenishment point on following day to be out of coy location.
	20	0815	Capt George proceeds to recce replenishment point & establishes at 092176. Replenishment point opens at 1100 hrs & closes at 1215. Refill made for first time form 30 Corps McBile FMC. Orders to move received 1830 hrs. OC with recce party rendesvous with CRASC at ÉCOUCHE. Coy prepares to move. Residues rejoin company. AP moves to location 145230. George, D.R.
	21	0430	Replenishment column left coy location and opened at MR 278193. Coy moved to location ÉCOUCHE 185164 at 0730 hrs. Refill made from mobile FMC. AP moved to location 492458. Replenishment vehicles marshalled under Capt Basgallop and moved to harbour area overnight. Basgallop
FRANCE	22		Replenishment point opened 1000 hrs. AP moved twice during day, finished up at 572398. Refill completed & following days replenishment column moved off under Capt Melville and harboured overnight. Mail delayed owing to adverse flying conditions presumably. Melville, K.
	23		Rep. point opened 1000 hrs. OC recce's new location for coy. Coy receives warning order to move from 1900 hrs to area SW of LAIGLE. Announced on radio fall of PARIS – general feeling of jubilation and impending victory. Coy moves at 2000 hrs and arrives locn at 641384.
FRANCE	24		Replenishment Point 1100 hrs in location. AP under Capt Gainsford rejoins coy. Division NTR. Gainsford, Alan Peter
	25		Replenishment at 1100 hrs in location. 240 men proceeded to ENSA concert at 1400 hrs. Cinema-show in evening. Lt. Dickenson i/c detail of 20 vehicles sent to BAYEUX to collect carrier tracks for 159 Inf. Bde. Dickenson
	26		AFW 3008 and 3009 rendered to GHQ 2nd Echelon. Lt. Sweeting i/c detail of 25 vehs (2nd line 15/19 Hussars) reported CRASC 43 Div. Lt. Dickenson reported back from detail to BAYEUX. Dickenson Sweeting
	27		Replenishment 1100 hrs. and again at 1800 hrs for Sups & POL. Instrs received for recce parties for forthcomming movement. Admin Instr. received for move. Coy visited by G.O.C.
FRANCE	28		Capt. Davey member of FGCM. Capt Basgallop reports to CRASC 0330 hrs as recce officer. 6 vehicles detached to 147 Fd Pk. Sqn RE. 2030 hrs coy moved to new location (Div concentration area) Basgallop Davey, A.A.
	29	0430	Arrived new locn CHAMPENARD 3467. No replenishment. Orders to move again received. Capt. Basgallop recce officer. Coy moved 2100 hrs. Basgallop
	30	0600	Arrived new location CORBIE 4981 having crossed R Seine and passed through VERNON bridgehead. Rep pt opened 1300 hrs. In view of rapid div'l advance, orders to move received at 1430 hrs. OC proceeded on recce. Coy moved at 1845 hrs. Arrived new locn ETREPAGNY 5497 2315 hrs.
	31	1200	Rept. pt. opened (out of locn) at 6913 closed at 1430 hrs. Petrol vehicles (57) sent to AP. Five 6-ton loads of prisoners returned to location. Orders for rep-pt tomorrow (near AMIENS) received.

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Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com.

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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