| 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 |
| Unit: 96 Company, RASC (Troop Carrying) | ||
| Month and Year: June 1944 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Major A.W. Holmes, RASC |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PURBROOK, Hants | 1 | CRASC visited unit and talked to the men. | ||
| 2 | Commander Second Army talked to men in Ambassadors Cinema, Cosham, covering impending operations. | |||
| 3 | O.C. at Conference at which outline of impending operation was explained. | |||
| 6 | 0800 | BBC announced that German radio stated that Allied troops landed in France. | ||
| 6 | 0920 | BBC announced ‘D’ day. Various pamphlets, letters from Gen Eisenhower and Montgomery, unit briefs etc. distributed. Operation proceeding very favourably. 1 O.R. and 1 x 3 ton Q4 Bedford lorry lands today with Tac. H.Q. Second Army. | ||
| 8 | D + 2. One officer, Capt. A.R. McInnes and 19 O.R.’s due to land today. | |||
| 9 | D + 3 One officer and 72 O.R.’s due to land today but party held up for about 24 hours. It was stated that this was due to phasing in of other units, tanks in particular though the sea was rough with high winds in gusts. | |||
| 13 | D + 7 No officers and 23 O.R.’s due to land. Party was delayed about 3 days however. Sergt. King i/c Party. | |||
| 14 | D + 8. Capt. R.C. Beare, Lt. A.M. Hazlerigg & Lt. H.S. Godber with 102 O.R.’s due to land today but delayed by over 2 days by weather and seas. | |||
| 20 | D + 14 Maj. A.W. Holmes, Capt. T. Locke, Capt. W. Miller-James and Lt. Ware with 113 O.R.’s (including 1 absentee) due to land. Party delayed by about 3 1/2 days. | |||
| 20 | O.C. went to Feltham Ord Depot for some last minute spares and for a supply of books from Service Books Depot. Last part of Coy including H.Q. moved out of site into “Standby Area”. Unit H.Q. closed at 1200 hrs. today. | |||
| 21 | Unit in “Standby Area”. Weather improved towards evening. Unit on 6 hours notice. | |||
| 22 | Unit placed on 2 hours notice. | |||
| 23 | Six hours notice substituted for 2 hours. | |||
| 28 | Capt. Eva of CRASC H.Q. visited unit, Still in Standby Area, Fort Purbrook. O.C. to travel in advance as arranged now by Buco West | |||
| 29 | 0730 | Whole remainder of unit moved at short notice with commander of H,Q. Second Army to Camp C1 of ‘C’ Marshalling Area. | ||
| 30 | Coy H.Q. and Domestic vehicles moved to Hard S1 under orders of Movt. Camp C1 & embarked H.M. L.S.T.401. Maj. Holmes O.C. Troops & sailed at midnight. |
Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.
