Thanks to The Airborne Soldier for this diary.

 

Abbreviations

DDOS

Divn

MT

OFP

OO

Reps

Trps

Deputy Director Ordnance Services

Division

Motor Transport

Ordnance Field Park

Ordnance Officer

Representatives

Troops

 

 

Month and year: September 1944

Commanding Officer : Capt W. Gratwrix

 

13th September 1944

Place: Louvain

 

Unit moved to new location and ready to operate within 1 hour of arriving, the drill for supply being as follows:- All Unit Indents for M.T. Spares marked "White Hot" and delivered daily to 30 Corps H.Q. O.F.P., stores for previous indents being collected at the same time.  Indents which could not be met by 30 Corps O.F.P. were forwarded by them to base, the stores being collected by Railhead by 30 Corps S.C.U. and delivered to this Unit.  Move postponed until 15th.  Message received by O.O. to receive D.D.O.S. Airborne Troops at Brussels Airfield at 10.00 hours 14th.

 

14th September 1944

Place: Louvain

 

This unit to arrange transport for the forward movement of 58 Panniers of Airborne Stores being flown in to Brussels Airfield by D.D.O.S. Airborne Troops some time in near future.  Reps. for Div Trps. to go forward at 15.00 hours today to recce locations for forward move.  Transport reloaded in readiness for move 15th.

 

15th September 1944

Place: Louvain

 

08.30 hours set off in convoy to forward area.  Arrived Li Lo 14.00 hours.  Set up Camp in Orchard.

 

16th September 1944

Place: LiLo

 

No move today.  Indents sent back to Mossengbam near Brussels to 30 Corps O.F.P.

 

17th September 1944

Place: LiLo

 

Airborne operation on.  Parachutists and Glider Troops land in Holland.  No forward move until 14.00 hours 18th, but most probably be 20th.

 

18th September 1944

Place: LiLo

 

No move until 20th.  Supplies of Oxygen O.K. but Acetylene seems scarce.

 

19th September 1944

Place: LiLo

 

Section work proceeding as normal.

 

20th September 1944

Place: LiLo

 

Move postponed for today.

 

21st September 1944

Place: LiLo

 

Received instructions to move forward 07.00 hours 22nd.

 

22nd September 1944

Place: On Road

 

07.00 hours moved forward in convoy.  At 10.30 hours pulled in to side road as main road ahead was not entirely clear of the enemy.  Remained night on side road.

 

23rd September 1944

Place: On Road

 

No move today.  Urgent M.T. Spares sent up the line to column "A" by D.R.

 

24th September 1944

Place: On Road

 

13.00 hours moved forward but spent the night in Eindhoven as the enemy had broken out and cut the Corridor about 4 miles up the road.

 

25th September 1944

Place: Eindhoven, Holland

 

No forward move today.  "Corridor" still out.

 

26th September 1944

Place: On Road

 

15.30 hours moved forward up "Corridor".

 

27th September 1944

Place: Nijmegen

 

03.00 hours arrived Nijmegen.  Received news that a portion of the Divn had escaped from Arnem across the river.  Three personnel of this Unit only reported in.  No news received of remainder.

 

28th September 1944

Place: Nijmegen

 

Intimation received that Division would return immediately to U.K.  08.30 hours moved off in convoy on return journey.  Convoy shelled whilst driving through "Corridor" but no casualties.

 

Place: Belgium

 

Staged the night at Louvain (Belgium).

 

29th September 1944

Place: Louvain

 

Advance party of the three survivors and three key personnel of the Unit proceeded to Brussels Airfield to emplane for U.K.  The three key personnel emplaned at 16.45 hours and landed at Barkston Heath Nr Grantham at 19.15 hours.

 

30th September 1944

Place: Louvain

 

No move yet for Seaborne Element.  The three survivors emplaned for U.K. at Brussels.

 

31st September 1944

Place: Louvain

 

Nothing to report.