National Archives catalogue reference WO 171/402, 403
Abbreviations
|
ADOS DDOS Divn Fwd LCI L of C LST MT OFP OO REME Reps Trps |
Assistant Director Ordnance Services Advanced Ordnance Depot Deputy Director Ordnance Services Division Despatch Rider Forward Landing Craft Infantry Line of Communication Landing Ship Tank Motor Transport Ordnance Field Park Ordnance Officer Other Ranks Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Representatives Troops |
Month and year: August 1944
Commanding Officer : Capt W. Gratrix
13th August 1944
Place: Grantham
Seaborne Party consisting of 1 W.O. and 38 O.Rs. together with 1 W.O. and 10 O.Rs., attached from A.D.O.S. Staff moved off at 07.00 hours to Transit Camp under Command of A.D.O.S.' O.O. taking with them the following vehicles:- 10 x 3 ton Binned lorries, 4 x 3 ton G.S. Lorries, 1 x 3 ton Battery Charger, 1 x 3 ton Battery Storage, 2 x 15 cwt G.S., 1 x 15 cwt Water truck, 2 Cars 4 Str, 13 Cars 5 cwt 4 x 4, 10 Binned Trailers and 6 G.S. Trailers.
Place: London
Arrived Transit Camp 19.00 hours. O.O. and C.C. attended conference. Shipping allocated for the next day and arrangements made to commence loading at the Docks at 09.00. Remainder of Jerrycans required by Division were delivered to the Transit Camps by the O.F.P. Rear Section and distribution was made.
14th August 1944
Place: London
Loading of Transport on to Ships completed. Personnel returned from Docks and spent night in Transit Camp. At approx 16.00 hours a 3 ton Binned Lorry loaded with W/S spares dropped during loading on to edge of hatchway and bent the prop. shaft. The lorry was then hauled up and left on deck so that repairs could be carried out. Bicester Depot was contacted by 'phone and arrangements made for new prop. shaft to be sent down to the Docks by special courier, as there was a chance the ship would sail that night. The Special Courier arrived at 24.00 hours with the wrong spares. The Depot was contacted again and another Courier sent.
15th August 1944
Place: London
07.00 hours prop. shaft for vehicle arrived and repairs were carried out on deck immediately. Personnel embarked 09.30 hours and sailed 10.30 hours.
16th August 1944
Place: France
Ship dropped anchor in Juno Bay at 20.00 hours and it was decided that unloading should not commence until the next morning. Slight enemy Air action took place. No damage sustained by ships.
17th August 1944
Place: Juno Beach
Transport offloaded onto L.C.Is. and on beaching were driven straight up to Goldsmith Assembly area and there segregated into Units.
Place: La Mine
At 16.00 hours Transport and Personnel already in assembly area moved up in convoy to Div Location at La Mine, S.W. of Bayeaux. Location allocated by Divn. was not suitable so a Unit Recce was made. A nearby Orchard proved ideal for the layout of a Field Park so the Unit moved in forthwith. At 22.00 hours the remainder of Unit Transport 8 x 3 ton lorries, who were last off the ships arrived at location.
18th August 1944
Place: La Mine
The O.O. and the 2 W.Os. visited the area L. of C. H.Q. and made contact with 17 A.O.D. for Vote 7 and 8 Stores and the 14 Fwd. Trailer Section for Vote 9. Remainder of Personnel set up Camp and laid out Field Park.
19th August 1944
Place: La Mine
It was decided that the O.F.P. stocks would remain frozen and any urgent spares required obtained from 14 Fwd. Trailer Section.
20th August 1944
Place: La Mine
Tentage received and erected. Indents received from Units passed to 14 F.T.S. and satisfied within 24 hours. Requirements which cannot be met by 14 F.T.S. are placed on 17 A.O.D. (ST/SD) under "Red Hot" Priority for immediate issue.
21st August 1944
Place: La Mine
Unit operating as normal. The attached A.D.O.S. Staff compiled a Bulk demand of Unit's requirements for Vote 7 and 8 and collected immediately from 17 A.O.D.
22nd August 1944
Place: La Mine
Section Work proceeding normally.
23rd August 1944
Place: La Mine
Intimation received of a pending move. Likely to be within a few days.
24th August 1944
Place: La Mine
All Bulk Items and Q.M. Stores etc. reloaded onto transport in preparation for move.
25th August 1944
Place: La Mine
Loading of transport with all items not immediately required completed. Complete maintenance carried out on all vehicles.
26th August 1944
Place: La Mine
R.E.M.E. inspection carried out on all Unit's vehicles, to ascertain whether Units were correctly maintaining vehicles, thereby keeping down to a minimum requirements of M.T. Spares. Receipt of M.T. Indents diminishing daily.
27th August 1944
Place: La Mine
Intimation received move postponed until Sept 1st. Bulk again off loaded from Binned lorries to ease road springs and enable checking of stocks to take place.
28th to 31st August 1944
Place: La Mine
Nothing to report.
Items passed to A.O.D. for issue.- No 1 Section. 369 items. No 2 Section. 10 items.
Month and year: September 1944
Commanding Officer : Capt W. Gratrix
1st September 1944
Place: France. La Mine.
Received instructions to move forward at 07.00 hours 2nd Sept. 44. All Transport loaded in readiness.
2nd September 1944
Place: On Road
Departed La Mine in Convoy 07.00 hours and stayed the night at Montagny-en-Vixen.
3rd September 1944
Place: On Road
Proceeded in Convoy to Creveceour. Stayed the night in wood outside the Town.
4th September 1944
Place: On Road
Received intimation operation cancelled. Moved into Sanatorium in Town which was until 3 days previous occupied by Germans as Hospital. The place was in a filthy condition, but this was soon remedied.
5th September 1944
Place: Creveceour
Contact was made with 30 Corps H.Q., O.F.P., and Units Indents for M.T. Spares was satisfied by them.
6th September 1944
Place: On Road
Received instructions to move forward at 13.45 hours. Convoy stopped night at Bouzincourt.
7th September 1944
Place: On Road. Belgium.
Proceeded in Convoy. Stayed the night at Halle in Belgium.
8th September 1944
Place: On Road
Continued in convoy to Heverlee, Louvain. Staged for the night in Field.
9th September 1944
Place: Louvain
No Move today. Opportunity taken by R.E.M.E. W/Shops to repair all vehicles suffering casualties on convoy. No avenue of supply being available for M.T. spares, urgent issues had to be made from O.F.P. stocks, and endeavour made to replace same from 30 Corps.
10th September 1944
Place: Louvain
Move postponed until 12th. 30 Corps H.Q. O.F.P. contacted and as Unit was now directly under 30 Corps, agreement was reached to replace all O.F.P. stocks issued.
11th September 1944
Place: Louvain
Move postponed until 13th.
12th September 1944
Place: Louvain
As move seemed indefinite (Now postponed until 14th) suitable location was found in Town of Louvain, thus assuring hard standing for vehicles and billets for personnel.
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 from 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 is 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: Holland. Eindhoven
No forward move today. "Corridor" still cut.
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.
Month and year: October 1944
Commanding Officer : Capt W. Gratrix
2nd October 1944
Place: Louvain
Received instructions to move on 3rd.
3rd October 1944
Place: Louvain
08.15 hours proceeded to move off in Convoy. Arrived De-Haan 18.00 hours and stayed the night.
4th October 1944
Place: De-Haan
Moved off in convoy at 09.00 hours and arrived at Ostend 11.00. Embarked 18.00 hours on L.S.T. 302.
5th October 1944
Place: Ostend
Moved out to Sea at 14.00 hours.
6th October 1944
Place: London
Docked at 17.30 hours at Tilbury. Disembarked at 18.00 hours. Stayed Night at Staging Camp S.4.
7th October 1944
Place: London
Moved off in convoy at 09.30 hours. Arrived Grantham 16.30 hours.
