April
PLACE | DATE | HOUR | SUMMARY OF INFORMATION | REMARKS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Deal | 1 Apr 42 | 0550 | Major.Houghton, Lt.Huntington-Whitely, Lt.Ephraums, Lt.Stiebel and 72 O.R's Advance party more to H.M.S. DORLIN. | |
2 Apr 42 | 1030 | Lt.Col.Phillipps moves to H.M.S.Dorlin. Snipers fire range course. | ||
Deal | 3 Apr 42 | Final arrangements completed for move of Main Body. | ||
Deal | 4 Apr 42 | a.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. | |
Deal | 5 Apr 42 | 0715 | Main Body parades, all stores turned over to Barrackmaster.Camp Q.M.S. left s rear party. | |
0805 | Main 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. | |||
Edinburgh | 6 Apr 42 | 0230 | Train splits. A. Coy to Oban remainder to Glenfinnan. | |
Dorlin Area | 6 Apr 42 | 1030 | Main Body less A. Coy arrive Glenfinnan detrain thence by water and road to billets. | |
1800 | A. Coy arrive from Oban Commando split into 4 areas, distance between extreme areas is 15 miles. Time about 1½ hours by M.T. | |||
Dorlin Area | 7 Apr 42 | a.m. | Adm. Work and settling in. | |
1400 | All Officers and N.C.O's attend lecture and practice boat work in R. Boats. | |||
Dorlin Area | 8 Apr 42 | a.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 42 | a.m. | All Coys unit trg incl. Boatwork, Seamanship and Assault | |
a.m. | H.Q. exercise | |||
Dorlin Area | 10 Apr 42 | a.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 42 | a.m. | All Coy unit trg. H.Q. exercise | |
Dorlin Area | p.m. | B. Coy Night landing exercise. | ||
Dorlin Area | 12 Apr 42 | a.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 Area | 13 Apr 42 | Unit trg. H.Q.Exercise | ||
Dorlin Area | 14 Apr 42 | 0930 | X. Coy opposed landing. Individual trg weak. Sec Comdrs. moderate only. | Lt.D.E.M.B.Tod promoted Acting Capt. |
Dorlin Area | 15 Apr 42 | Unit trg. H.Q.Exercise. Lt.Col.Phillipps inspects B Coy. Lack of Administrative experience and knowledge of procedure revealed. | ||
Dorlin Area | 16 Apr 42 | 0930 | A. Coy opposed landing. Weaknesses same as X. Coy. | |
2359 | B and X. Coys with CL.Sp. and Demolition Pl start 36 hr exercise on MULL. | |||
Dorlin Area | 17 Apr 42 | all day | Exercise continues in very warm weather. | |
1600 | Sgt.Frost arrives from Deal to take over duties of R.Q.M.S. | |||
1800 | A. and H.Q.Coy employed fighting large fire. | |||
Dorlin Area | 18 Apr 42 | 0600 | B. Coy achieve object mainly due to the faulty dispositions of X. Coy. | |
1600 | X.Coy return and continue fire fighting. Capt.Tod returns from London with details of Detached Special Unit. | |||
Dorlin Area | 19 Apr 42 | 0900 | B. Coy continue fire fighting. | |
Dorlin Area | 20 Apr 42 | 0900 | B. Coy opposed landing. Same weaknesses as shown by A & X. Coys. More individual trg appears necessary. | |
1400 | Lt.Col.Phillipps inspects H.Q. Coy. | |||
Dorlin Area | 21 Apr 42 | 0001 | A.Coy start 36 hr exercise. Approach march by night 16 miles. | |
0800 | R.M.Commando less A. Coy continue 36 hr ex. against A. Coy. | |||
Dorlin Area | 22 Apr 42 | 0600 | 36 hr exercise ends. | |
23 Apr 42 | 0845 | Capt. 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 Area | 24 Apr 42 | 1200 | R.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 Area | 25 Apr 42 | 1000 | Lt.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 Area | 26 Apr 42 | Adm. News received that Major R.D.Houghton will not be appointed to R.M.Division. | ||
Dorlin Area | 27 Apr 42 | Unit 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 Area | 28 Apr 42 | 24 hr Exercise for all ranks to exercise bivouacs and Mountain cooking carried out. 2 O.R's from 12 R.M. Bn. | ||
Dorlin Area | 29 Apr 42 | Adm. Large fire requiring B. Coy to be employed after 24 hr exercise. | ||
Dorlin Area | 30 Apr 42 | Final arrangements for 4 Day Exercise completed. | See Appdx B for Operation Order No,3. for 4 Day. |
Major.R.D.Houghton commanded from 25 - 29 April.
Capt.J.C.Manners commanded from 2 - 6 April.