April

PLACEDATEHOURSUMMARY OF INFORMATIONREMARKS
Deal1 Apr 420550Major.Houghton, Lt.Huntington-Whitely, Lt.Ephraums, Lt.Stiebel and 72 O.R's Advance party more to H.M.S. DORLIN.
2 Apr 421030Lt.Col.Phillipps moves to H.M.S.Dorlin. Snipers fire range course.
Deal3 Apr 42Final arrangements completed for move of Main Body.
Deal4 Apr 42a.m.Stores loaded. Capt.Hellings, D.S.C. to C.C.C. office on duty by road and return. 1 Sgt arr. from H.M.S. King George V and 8 O.R's from Portsmouth Division. 3 O.R's from Beach Bn.
Deal5 Apr 420715Main Body parades, all stores turned over to Barrackmaster.Camp Q.M.S. left s rear party.
0805Main Body leaves Deal. Easter Sunday.
After six weeks at Deal unit is at full strength. About 10 to 15% however medically unfit and a further 3% totally unsuited. Period at Deal has been invaluable owing to amenities available. Chief difficulties still Administrative. Lack of training in such duties of both Officers and N.C.O's apparent.
Edinburgh6 Apr 420230Train splits. A. Coy to Oban remainder to Glenfinnan.
Dorlin Area6 Apr 421030Main Body less A. Coy arrive Glenfinnan detrain thence by water and road to billets.
1800A. Coy arrive from Oban
Commando split into 4 areas, distance between extreme areas is 15 miles. Time about 1½ hours by M.T.
Dorlin Area7 Apr 42a.m.Adm. Work and settling in.
1400All Officers and N.C.O's attend lecture and practice boat work in R. Boats.
Dorlin Area8 Apr 42a.m.All Coy Unit Trg. 2 Pl. start short Demolition course under Q.M.S.I. Royal Engineers
H.Q. exercise by day and night.

Dorlin Area
9 Apr 42a.m.All Coys unit trg incl. Boatwork, Seamanship and Assault
a.m.H.Q. exercise

Dorlin Area
10 Apr 42a.m.All Coy unit trg and Rehearse night landings
p.m.Lt.Col.E.Brockman A.A. & Q.M.G. visits unit from R.M.Office. 2 Officers Sgt 3 Cpls 18 Mnes required to be detached to Special Service.

Dorlin Area
11 Apr 42a.m.All Coy unit trg. H.Q. exercise

Dorlin Area
p.m.B. Coy Night landing exercise.
Dorlin Area12 Apr 42a.m.Officer and N.C.O's less C.S.M's & C.Q.M.S's recce opposed Landing Exercise. Remainder clean billets.
Dorlin Area13 Apr 42Unit trg. H.Q.Exercise
Dorlin Area14 Apr 420930X. Coy opposed landing. Individual trg weak. Sec Comdrs. moderate only.Lt.D.E.M.B.Tod promoted Acting Capt.
Dorlin Area15 Apr 42Unit trg. H.Q.Exercise. Lt.Col.Phillipps inspects B Coy. Lack of Administrative experience and knowledge of procedure revealed.
Dorlin Area16 Apr 420930A. Coy opposed landing. Weaknesses same as X. Coy.
2359B and X. Coys with CL.Sp. and Demolition Pl start 36 hr exercise on MULL.
Dorlin Area17 Apr 42all dayExercise continues in very warm weather. Three stragglers only.
1600Sgt.Frost arrives from Deal to take over duties of R.Q.M.S.
Mortars complete difficult journey but exhausted.
1800A. and H.Q.Coy employed fighting large fire.
Dorlin Area18 Apr 420600B. Coy achieve object mainly due to the faulty dispositions of X. Coy.
1600X.Coy return and continue fire fighting. Coys although tired after long exercise do well.
Capt.Tod returns from London with details of Detached Special Unit.
Dorlin Area19 Apr 420900B. Coy continue fire fighting.
Dorlin Area20 Apr 420900B. Coy opposed landing. Same weaknesses as shown by A & X. Coys. More individual trg appears necessary.
1400Lt.Col.Phillipps inspects H.Q. Coy.
Dorlin Area21 Apr 420001A.Coy start 36 hr exercise. Approach march by night 16 miles.
0800R.M.Commando less A. Coy continue 36 hr ex. against A. Coy.
Dorlin Area22 Apr 42060036 hr exercise ends.
23 Apr 420845Capt. D.E.M.B.Tod. Lieut.H.F.Grant-Dalton and 36 O.R's designated as T Coy R.M.Commando and detached for Special trg at ACHNACARRY.This leaves a shortage of 2 officers with a possibility of a 3rd if Major.Houghton is appointed to R.M.Division.
Dorlin Area24 Apr 421200R.M.Commando opposed landing ex. As the first full Commando landing this is satisfactory. PO/X. 2098. Mne.A.C.Gent. awarded 28 days detention.
5 O.R's from 5.R.M.Bn. 1 O.R. from 2 R.M. Bn.
Dorlin Area25 Apr 421000Lt.Col.Phillipps to London on Duty to visit C.C.C. and R.M.Office with reference to future moves of R.M.Commando, and to discuss personal problems with the A.G.R.M. due to ranks unfit and unsuitable and also losses due to creation of T Coy.
Dorlin Area26 Apr 42Adm. News received that Major R.D.Houghton will not be appointed to R.M.Division.
Dorlin Area27 Apr 42Unit trg continues. 2 S.N.C.O's, 1 J.N.C.O. and 27 O.R's returned to units as being unsuitable or unfit.
Lieut.(Qr-Mr) A.M.Beffiff appointed as Qr-Mr R.M.Commando to date 5 May.
Dorlin Area28 Apr 4224 hr Exercise for all ranks to exercise bivouacs and Mountain cooking carried out.
2 O.R's from 12 R.M. Bn.
Dorlin Area29 Apr 42Adm. Large fire requiring B. Coy to be employed after 24 hr exercise.
Dorlin Area30 Apr 42Final arrangements for 4 Day Exercise completed.See Appdx B for Operation Order No,3. for 4 Day.
Commanding Officer Lieut. Colonel. J.P.Phillipps.
Major.R.D.Houghton commanded from 25 - 29 April.
Capt.J.C.Manners commanded from 2 - 6 April.
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