November

PLACEDATESUMMARY OF EVENTS AND INFORMATION
BULFORD,
Wilts.,
England		1 Nov 43Today was cloudy with some rain in the morning. Last night all personnel returned from their 10 day leave and everyone appears to have had a real good time. In the afternoon 'C' Coy took the 10 mile forced march, the remainder of the Bn completing various adm jobs and starting into a regular trg program.
2 Nov 43Rain in the morning caused considerable delay on the ranges where HQ Coy were firing and this work did not get completed until the afternoon. 'B' Coy took the 15 mile run for those who had not taken this physical test before their leave. So many subalterns are absent on courses that WO's have been made available for Orderly Offr's duties. 1 Offr and 24 OR's left for course at the Airborne Forces Depot and School at Hardwick.
3 Nov 43The Rear Party left today for their 10 day leave. All coys completed battle drill trg and HQ Coy personnel who had not qualified on the rifle spent the day on the ranges.
4 Nov 43Weather at BULFORD is cold these days. It rains almost every day and as a rule is very foggy in the mornings. Operation Order No 1 for the coming scheme "SCHEMOZZLE" was issued and all offrs were absent on a TEWT, save those few who were required on duty in Camp. No 2 Mortar Pl (MMG) did elementary Vickers trg. Lt B B Hart, the former IO of this unit, has left to become Bde IO at 3 Para Bde and is SOS on transfer to 'Q' List, Acton. With this appointment goes the rank of A/Capt. Lt D S MacLean is the new Bn IO. Both of these offrs completed the War Intelligence Course at Matlock in Oct.
5 Nov 43Bn HQ and HQ Coy fired Bren practices on the ranges today. The weather was very cold in the morning though warmer in the afternoon. Mortars and MMG and other specialist pls carried out regular trg, as did the rifle coys. 'B' and 'C' Coys had night exercises.
6 Nov 43Coys trg as per syllabi. Briefing arrangements for the coming scheme were well in hand, the 'I' Sec having prepared a large cloth model of the proposed scheme. 15 OR's left for the hardening course at Hardwick.
7 Nov 43Clear and cold all day. The Adjutant, Capt D W Wascall, took Bn HQ 'A' Party out to the 9th Bn area to show them the posns that would be taken up by this group on consolidation after a night attack. This was in preparation for Scheme "SCHEMOZZLE". In the afternoon, Lt-Col Bradbrooke, the CO, briefed the entire Bn in the upper gym, this being a procedure which in the future will be common to all exercises and ops.
8 Nov 43Slight rain during the day. Fd rations were issued and the final preparations for the scheme took place. At 1930 hrs the Bn embussed and proceeded to the cone area from where the "A" and "B" Parties of the Bn split up and proceeded independently to their respective DZ's. At 2359 hrs flares illuminated the country-side and Exercise "SCHEMOZZLE" began, the actual parachute descent not taking place. Umpires took one pl from "B" Coy and one 3" Mortar pl off into the darkness and "dropped" them by themselves as though they had missed the DZ completely.
9 Nov 43Exercise "SCHEMOZZLE": 0030 hrs: the Bn had successfully gathered in the RV's and was preparing to move off on compass bearings to the FUP. At this time the direction finding group of both parties moved off and located the Fup without opposition. Both "A" and "B" Parties came together at the FUP at approximately 0300 hrs and the Bn reorganised here. 0330 hrs: fwd elements of the Bn crossed the SL and advanced towards the objective on DAMERHAM KNOLL. No enemy were encountered during the attack due entirely to the fact that they had been completely fooled by the great number of flares that lit up the country-side at the time of the drop. 0605 hrs: "C" Coy took a small patrol of enemy anti-parachutist tps prisoner. 0630 hrs: success signal and Bn consolidating and preparing for the counter-attack. Digging was extensive. "I" personnel manned an OP and a quiet morning was spent by all coys. Patrols reported no enemy to be seen. At 1335 hrs an a/c laid a thick smoke screen across our left flank and completely blinded "C" Coy posn. Shortly afterwards a heretofore unseen enemy launched an attack with light tk support on posns of the 9th Para Bn. A fierce battle was fought until 1430 hrs when the OP reported enemy approaching 1 Cdn Para Bn posns. This attack did not develop as the Exercise ended at 1500 hrs. 3 Para Bde embussed for Bulford. The weather had been very cold before the hrs of light, being warmer during the day.
10 Nov 43Today "A" and "C" Coys left for three days Fd Firing at the Cranbourne Chase ranges. Lt J HANSON, 2 IC "C" Coy, to be A/Capt wef 16 Oct 43. Our Padre, H/Capt Harris has completed his para trg and qualified for his wings on 26 Oct 43. Lt MW Holman tos this unit wef 10 Nov 43. A movie was shown in the evening by the YMCA Supervisor who has set up a reading room and made available several other facilities for the tps.
11 Nov 43Clear weather all day today. One Mortar pl had some experimental firing of the American 60 mm mortar which proves to be a very accurate weapon. It has many advantages over the heavier 3" Mortar. Bn 'I' Sec visited the 'I' Sec of the 9 Para Bn and Sigs spent most of the day on their lamps. Rear party personnel returned from their 10 day leave. Part of BN HQ was innoculated. HQ Coy NCO's had an evening lecture on the Vickers MMG.
12 Nov 43Forty OR's came to this unit today as refts from No 1 CGRU. Trg was normal with 'B' Coy on the ranges. Pay parade was held for 'B' and HQ Coys in the evening.
13 Nov 43Twenty-four OR's and one Offr returned from Hardwick and Ringway trg schools. Weekend passes were granted to 'B' and HQ Coys. Lt R E Harrison was tos this unit wef 13 Nov 43 from No 2 CGRU. Trg as per syllabi.
14 Nov 43Slight rain during the day. A church parade was held for Protestant personnel and in the evening the usual well-attended movie was shown. Small numbers of reinforcements are continually coming in to the Bn from various Cdn Army units in the Field.
15 Nov 43This morning at 0900 hrs Lt-Col Bradbrooke reviewed Exercise "SCHEMOZZLE" for the Bn in the gym and many mistakes in procedure was brought out. The individual soldier is being thoroughly "put into the picture" before and after each exercise so as to make most certain of his being able to act independently should the situation arise. Mistakes in tactics, concealment, movement by night and many other phases of trg can only be brought out by continually reviewing them in this manner. Nine OR's of this unit are attending a Sniper's Course under Capt Hanson at Bisley. Movie in the evening.
16 Nov 43The new men of 'A' Coy took the 15 mile run today in PT kit. Lts J GREGOR and L H ADAMS were tos this unit today. Trg as per syllabi by coys.
17 Nov 43Cold and clear all day today. The A/Tk pl went out on the 10 mile forced march in Battle Order and finished in one hr and forty minutes. 'I' Sec trg included TOET's in weapons. In the evening a movie was shown in the gym.
18 Nov 43Clear and cold all day. Trg as per syllabi by coys and preparation for the 50 mile march for those who had not already done this before the leave. Movie in the evening.
19 Nov 43First issue of the new form "Offr State" to be published weekly was made. At 0420 the party on the 50 mile march moved off with Lt-Col Bradbrooke in command. This march was completed at 2335 hrs when all but a few stragglers arrived back at Camp. About 150 all ranks finished this march, very few being unable to complete it entirely. Lt J S Couper and L J Hachey att fap from No 5 CIRU to assist the MMG Pl in instruction.
20 Nov 43There was no weekend leave this weekend and personnel who took the 50 mile march yesterday were allowed the day free. 'A' and 'C' Coys had a dance in the gym in the evening and this was a great success. Local towns provided the partners and a sufficiency of extra refreshments was available.
21 Nov 43A Protestant Church Parade was held in the morning. The A/Tk Pl gave a demonstration of the PIAT and the Mortars were out on the ranges in the afternoon. Movie in the evening.
22 Nov 43A/Tk Pl took the 10 mile forced march today. A British Army Show was hel in the gym in the evening under arrangements by Mr Plewman, the YMCA Supervisor. Good entertainment.
23 Nov 43Maj Nicklin is the A/OC in Col Bradbrooke's absence on course. The mortars made us of the cloth model in the Briefing Room for ranging practice. Cold and cloudy all day.
24 Nov 43Due to inclement weather, a proposed container drop by 'B' Coy was cancelled. Albamarie a/c with the rear aperture exit were to be used. Movie in the evening.
25 Nov 43The first fatality in the unit since its arrival overseas occurred today. Pte A J Williams (D-132204) of 'C' Coy was killed at 0915 hrs in a road accident while 'C' Coy was proceeding to Stoney Cross airfield to jump. Two other men were injured. Due to this unfortunate accident, the jump was cancelled. Capt Mascall, the Adjutant, left on a course on the German Army at Cambridge and Lt J A Rossiter is A/Adj in his place. Today has been a very good day as far as jumping weather goes.
26 Nov 43Lt-Col Bradbrooke returned today and took over command from Maj Nicklin. The Mortar Pl and the 'I' Sec went on the 10 mile run in the afternoon. The unit barber shop opened and HQ Coy and BN HQ were paid in the evening. There was a movie. A slight fire occurred in the Offrs Quarters but no damage was done.
27 Nov 43Pay parade for 'A', 'B' and 'C' Coys in the morning and then all personnel were granted weekend passes. Lt R M (Bob) Baxter, one of the old original officers of this unit from the first Ringway class, returned to No 1 CASCRU to serve with the Army Service Corps. Twenty-one OR's went to Hardwick.
28 Nov 43This morning there was a voluntary church parade for those who did not take advantage of the weekend pass. The Nominal Roll of this Bn as of this day was issued.
29 Nov 43'A' Coy left for a two day spell at Cranbourne Chase Fd Firing Area. Rifle coys and specialist pls trg as per syllabi. The 'I' Sec is preparing a cloth model for a coming exercise early in December.
30 Nov 43Today was normal with the usual trg taking place in the coys. Part of HQ Coy was out on the ranges. There was a moving in the evening.
Next page: December
Previous page: October
Next article in the series '1st Canadian Parachute Battalion': 1st Canadian Parachute Bn (1944)