WO 171/2401 - 171 Company - September 1944

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
FRANCE	1	0630	Rep Pt moves forward to MR 036488. Owing to heavy traffic arrives 1 hour late and opens at 1230 hrs. Coy receives orders to move – recce party to RV at rep pt locn. Coy in new location MR 036488 at 1630 hrs. After quick meal, rep pt moves off to harbour area south of ARRAS, arrives 0730 hrs.
	2	0730	Loads dumped & replenishment vehicles returned to 158 FMC to refile. Point opened 0900 hrs. Coy rejouns Rep Pt where quick meal was eaten before Coy started on liberating advance through Belgium with ANTWERP as divisional objective. 2030 hrs coy route under enemy arty fire. Vehs dispersed – no casualties. Sitrep sent by R/T. AFW 3008 and 3009 to GHQ 2nd Echelon.
	3	1130	Coy still en route, message from CRASC at MR 340563. Rep Pt. vehs leave column and open up. Coy moves past and takes up location at MR 498659. Pt. closes at 1730 hrs & rejoins company in location. Incredible scenes of jubilation on the part of the populace experienced on all roads.
BELGIUM	4		Point opens in coy location at 1300 hrs. Vehs refilling patrol at 159 FMC, DOUAI. Three refill columns sent down to FMC during the day. Insufficient relief drivers to take over from exhausted drivers. Some of the 6-ton drivers have not been to bed for four nights.
	5		Points opens 0900 hrs. Petrol still high priority commodity in view of rapid advance. Rumours of approaching enemy tanks investigated & found to be unfounded. Petrol refill convoy leaves for 159 FMC at 1900 hrs.
	6		Point opens 0900 hrs. Orders to move received at 1045 hrs. Coy moves to location MR 600688 at 1515 hrs. Loads left in old location ferried to new location.
	7		Point opens 0900 hrs in location. Refill vehs leave for 160 FMC which opened today at BRUSSELS.
BELGIUM	8		Rep Pt in coy location. Lt. Long's convoy returned from Pet. refill at 160 FMC suffered one m/cyclist casualty (L/Cpl. Jordan) admitted to hospital after detonating mine with m/cycle.
	9		Rep Pt opened at 1230 hrs at MR 9967. Closed at 1345 hrs. Coy receives orders to move. Capt. Basgallop recce officer. Coy moves 1630 hrs arrives new location complete 2200 hrs. Location now 9163. AFW3008 and 3009 rendered to GHQ 2nd Echelon.
	10		Two DR's (Bristowand Easton) missing, overdue reported missing. Rep Pt opens coy location 1030 hrs.
	11		Replenishment Point out of location at 182725 at 1100 hrs. CRASC visited point. Petrol refill made from mobile 3rd line petrol platoon at 173 Coy. Balance from No 6 Army Road Head.
	12		Replenishment Point at same time and place as previous day. Point again visited by CRASC.
BELGIUM	13		OC proceeds to rendezvous with CRASC to recce area of new location. Coy moves at 1630 hrs and arrives location HEUSDEN 280734 having crossed the ALBERT canal.
	14		Replenishment Point opens in coy location. POL refill made from No. 6 Army Road Head.
	15		Replenishment Point in coy location.MO carries out health inspection of coy in location. POL refill leaves immidiatily after replenishment and does not return until 0730 hrs 16, owing to heavy traffic en route.
	16		Normal replenishment in coy location. Men allowed to walk out for two hours during evening. Welcome relocation. AFW 3008 and 3009 rendered to GHQ 2nd Echelon.
	17		Normal replenishment arrangements. Refill made from 6ARH – BRUSSELS. Detachment sent as 2nd line to 15/19 Hussars.
BELGIUM	18		Normal replenishment AM. PM Coy visited by Brigadier Roscoe Harvey, Comd 29 Armd Bde. who, in his address thanked the coy for their fine work during the advance “without which the advance would have been impossible.” Afterwards he was enlistened to tea in the Officers Mess. Cinema show given in the evening in the village hall.
	19		Message received from Capt Basgallop (O i/c/ 15/19 Hussars detachment) asking for replacement spares for vehs damaged enemy action. Spars sent but found unnecessary when later attack completely destroyed vehs concerned and several others.
	20		Normal replenishment in location. OC proceeds to recce new area for coy location near PEER (ex-location 29 Amn Pt.)
	21		Coy moves out (last in Divisional RASC Orders of march) & arrives location MR 401859 at approx 1030 hrs. Replenishment Point in new location at 1400 hrs. ENSA concert arranged.
BELGIUM	22		Replenishment in coy location. Detachment 15/19 Hussars returns to location. ENSA concert in PEER.
	23		Normal replenishment point. Four vehicles detached to Main HQ 11th Armd Div for PW duties. AFW 3008 & 3009 to GHQ 2nd Echelon.
	24		Replenishment Point in location. POL refill made from No 6ARH back in BRUSSELS.
	25		Normal replenishment. Orders to send out recce party received. Capt. Basgallop sent. Coy prepares to move at one hour notice finally receives orders to move after replenishment columns the following day. Replenishment columns marshalled for early move.
	26		Replenishment columns moves at 0710 hrs. Coy moves 0830 hrs. Replenishment Point opens 1200 hrs. Coy in location 1050 hrs. MR 525109, having entered HOLLAND.
	27		Replenishment Point 1100 hrs in locn. 2 vehs sent to RHV at BOURG-LEOPOLD and DIEST for reinforcements.
HOLLAND	28	1100	Replenishment Point opened coy location. Refill POL from Rail Head at DIEST.
	29		OC attends CRASC conference when details of special 3rd line transport duties discussed: Coy to provide three full platoons to act at 3rd line 8 Corps for several days.
	30		3 Platoons (incl 1x6-ton) leave at hourly intervals – first role ferrying 100,000 gallons POL from 55 FMC to 56 FMC. 2 vehicles return from P.W. duties at Main HQ 11 Armd Div. AFW 3008 and 3009 rendered to GHQ 2nd Echelon.

Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.