Abbreviation

A/C Adv Airfd Airtps Amn Att Bks Comd Comp Coy CRASC DID Div DZ FGCM Fm GHQ Hosp MT Offr Ops OR Pl RASC RE Rfts RHU SAS SOS TOS Tp Tpt Trg Veh Wksps

Aircraft Advance Airfield Airborne Troops Ammunition Attached Barracks Command Composite Company Commander Royal Army Service Corps Detail Issue Depot Division Drop Zone Field General Court Martial Farm General Headquarters Hospital Motor Transport Officer Operations Other Ranks Platoon Royal Army Service Corps Royal Engineers Reinforcements Reinforcement Holding Unit Special Air Service Struck off Strength Taken on Strength Troop Transport Training Vehicle Workshops

Month and year : June 1944

Commanding Officer : Major D.J. Bradley RASC

1st June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

All ranks confined to camp.  Air Despatch Crews ordered to 'stand by'.

3rd June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

AFW 3008 & 3009F despatched to GHQ 2 Echelon.

4th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 Offr and 10 ORs RE ceased to be attached.  1 Offr & 10 ORs RE att this unit.

5th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Orders received from DDST for 30 aircraft loads to be pre-pared for re-supply mission.  Airfield, Blakehill Farm.

6th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

D Day announced.  Orders received for further 20 aircraft loads to be prepared to go with the 30.  Airfields - 10 at Down Ampney, 10 at Broadwell.  The three parties reported to the airfields and planes were loaded by 1800 hrs.  All aircraft set out at 2230 hrs.  Objective attained, aircraft back by 0220 hrs on 7 June.  1 OR Tos from hospital.

7th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

3 aircraft & crews reported missing from Blakehill Farm Airfield.  2 aircraft & crews reported missing from Broadwell Airfield.  1 OR So att Strength to hosp.

8th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

20 ORs 1st Rfts Tos from 398 Coy & 716 Coy RASC.  1 OR Sos to hospital.

9th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

10 Ors Tos from 117 Para Trg Bn.  1 OR Sos to hospital.

9th to 10th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

2 loads loaded on to Stirling aircraft for re-supply mission.  RAF supplied despatch crews, mission successful, Airfield - Keevil.

10th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

AFW 3008 & 3009F despatched to GHQ 2 Echelon.

10th to 11th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

3 loads loaded on to Stirling aircraft for re-supply mission.  Airfield Keevil, we supplied the air despatchers.  Mission successful but 21 containers out of a total of 72 brought back owing to faulty bomb racks.

11th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Large quantity (24 x 3 ton loads) amn collected from CAD Kineton, Warws.

14th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Tos from hosp.  1 OR Sos to hosp.  Mission of 5 Stirlings each containing 4 panniers & 24 containers from Fairford to DZ in Normandy.  Mission successful.  All aircraft returned.

15th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Sos to hospital.

17th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

AFW 3008 & 3009F rendered to GHQ 2 Echelon.

18th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Lt Plumridge took 30 x 3 tonners to Kidderminster to collect stores for packing for SAS.

21st June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Tos from Corsham Hospital.

22nd June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Dvr. Mason sentenced to two years detention for desertion by F.G.C.M.

23rd June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Tos from Corsham Hospital.  1 OR Sos to Corsham Hospital.

24th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

AFW 3008 & 3009F rendered to GHQ 2 Echelon.

26th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Sos and 1 OR Tos from hospital.

27th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

New training programme brought into operation.

29th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Warning order received for re-supply mission on night 30 June.

30th June 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Sos to hospital.  Re-supply mission to 6 Airborne Div 21 Stirling aircraft allotted at Keevil airfield.  Loads 24 containers & 4 panniers each.  Stores carried were Ordnance & RE.  Aircraft took off at 1900 hrs, mission very successful.  Owing to bad weather aircraft returned as follows - 9 to Harwell airfield, 11 to Ford airfield, 1 to Keevil airfield.  All crews returned safely, no casualties.

Month and year : July 1944

Commanding Officer : Major D.J. Bradley RASC

1st July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

All Air Despatch Crews reported back from KEEVIL, FORD and HARWELL Airfds.  AF.Ws 3008 & 3009F despatched to GHQ 2nd. Echelon.

4th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Sos to C.R.S. CORSHAM.

5th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Sos to Hospital, WESTBURY.

8th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

AFs.W3008 and 3009F despatched to GHQ 2nd. Echelon.  1 OR Sos after 22 days absence.

10th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Sos after 22 days absence.  1 OR Tos from C.R.S. CORSHAM.  5 Offrs and 180 ORs proceeded on 4 days leave.  1 Sjt detached to HQ 49 Air Despatch for duty.  New Training Programme brought into operation.

12th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Major D.J. Bradley proceeded on 4 days leave.  Capt. C.R. Woolley assumed comd of the Coy.

14th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

CRASC 6 Airborne Div Exercise 'Rascal' - 1 Offr & 20 ORs from this Coy acted as enemy - 1 Offr and 13 ORs from this Coy performed a Para jump.

15th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Lt. D.G.W. Ballard posted to 716 Coy RASC (Airborne Light Comp).  AFs.W3008 & 3009F despatched to GHQ 2nd. Echelon.

17th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Major D.J. Bradley returned and assumed comd of the Coy.  4 Offrs and 200 ORs proceeded on 4 days leave.

21st July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

'B' pl under comd Lt. C.A. Knief proceeded on detachment to FIGSBURY BKS.

22nd July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

AFs.W3008 & 3009F despatched to GHQ 2nd. Echelon.  2 ORs Sos to hospital.  'C' pl under comd Lt. A. Tunnicliffe proceeded on detachment to FIGSBURY BKS.

23rd July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Wksps pl less 1 section, under comd Capt. E.A. Hodgkinson proceeded on detachment to FIGSBURY BKS.  An adv Coy HQ under comd Capt. C.R. Woolley proceeded to FIGSBURY BKS to take comd of Coy detachment.

24th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Lt. H.J. Plumridge and 1 OR went to TARRANT RUSHTON Airfd for 1 weeks att.

26th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

3 ORs Sos to hospital.

28th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Detachment of 1 offr and 10 ORs RE left this Coy.

29th July 1944

Place: Red Lodge

AFs.W3007 & 3009F despatch to GHQ 2nd. Echelon.

Month and year : August 1944

Commanding Officer : Major D.J. Bradley RASC

1st August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

9 despatch crews provided for SAS Supply Mission - Airfd FAIRFORD - Aircraft Stirlings - all crews returned safely - 3 did not drop their loads owing to non-identification of DZ.  DZ in area BREST.  5 ORs Tos from 51 RHU.

5th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

2 despatch crews provided for SAS Supply Mission - Airfd KEEVIL - Aircraft Stirlings - both crews returned safely.  One aircraft despatched 2 miles from the DZ owing to a premature signal.  AFsW 3008 & 3009F despatched to GHQ 2nd Echelon.

7th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

40 men of the Coy entered Sports Meeting at CIRENCESTER including 2 tug-o-war teams, both of which reached the final.  2 ORs Sos to HQ RASC 6 Airborne Div.  6 ORs Sos to 398 Coy RASC, both as rfts for NORMANDY.

8th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Detachment returned from FIGSBURG Bks.

9th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

2 despatch crews provided for SAS re-supply mission, Airfd KEEVIL - Aircraft STIRLINGS - all crews returned safely - all loads despatched - one aircraft experienced heavy flak.

11th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 despatch crew provided for SAS re-supply mission - Airfd KEEVIL - Aircraft Stirling - crews returned safely - all load despatched.  78 vehs and tpt details to-day including 53 for tp carrying for 52 Div.  1 OR Tos from hospital.

12th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

81 vehs on tpt details.  7 despatch crews provided for SAS re-supply mission Airfd KEEVIL - Aircraft Stirling - all crews returned - all load despatched.  2 aircraft diverted to TARRANT RUSHTON owing to failure of electric supply at KEEVIL.  AFsW. 3008 & 3009F despatched to GHQ 2nd Echelon.

13th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

64 vehicles on tpt details.

14th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

2 ORs Tos from hospital.  103 vehs on details - 72 for 1 Airborne Div.

15th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Tos from hospital.  65 vehs on details.

16th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

80 vehs on details.  24 hrs leave stopped owing to impending ops.  2Lt. J.C. Taylor att from 716 Coy RASC.

17th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Sos to hospital.  2 ORs Tos from hospital.

18th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Sos to hospital.

19th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Lt. A.N. Cole Tos from HQ Airtps.  AFsW.3008 & 3009F to GHQ 2nd Echelon.

22nd August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

2 ORs Tos from hospital.

23rd August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

All personnel of Coy being granted 48 hrs leave to be completed by 27 Aug.

26th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR posted to Home Details.  AFsW.3008 & 3009F to GHQ 2nd Echelon.

27th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

50 vehs left camp at 0230 hrs to lift rations from 168 DID BULFORD to various airfds for the relief of PARIS.  75 vehs left camp at intervals from 1830 hrs for the same purpose.  At midnight all vehs in the Coy were on detail.

28th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

75 vehs again out on "food for PARIS" detail, all remaining vehs being out on other details.  1 OR Tos from hospital.

29th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

75 vehs on "food for PARIS" detail.

30th August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

22 ORs Tos from 51 RHU.  97 vehs on various details.

31st August 1944

Place: Red Lodge

88 vehs on various details.

Month and year : September 1944

Commanding Officer : Major D.J. Bradley RASC

1st September 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Warning Order of impending ops received from 49 Air Despatch.  50 despatch crews returned from this Coy.  All tpt being recalled.  1 OR Tos from 51 RHU.

2nd September 1944

Place: Red Lodge

1 OR Tos from hospital.  AF.W30008 & 3009F despatched to GHQ 2nd Echelon.

3rd September 1944

Place: Red Lodge

Op cancelled.  1 Airborne Div standing by at 36 hrs notice.  Lt-Col F.A. Lovegrove CRASC 6 Airborne Div returned from NORMANDY and visited this Coy.

AIRFIELD CONTROL - Blakehill Fm.    Tues/Wed... 6/7 June '44

LOG OF EVENTS

1115 - Airfield Control Pt opened Blakehill Fm.

1130 - Arrival of 30 - 63 Coy., R.A.S.C., lorries with aircrews and panniers.

1210 - All lorries dispersed to specific Dispersal Bays and commenced unloading onto A/C, as under:-

1445 - Loading of A/C completed.

1500 - Checking of A/C loads commenced.

1720 - Checking of A/C loads suspended.  Marshalling of A/C commenced.

1730 - Marshalling of A/C completed.  Crews transported to M.T. Park for supper.

1840 - Crews returned to A/C.  Checking of A/C loads re-commenced.

1600/1800 - Parachutes, harnesses, monkey straps issued to all crews.

1930 - Checking of A/C completed.

2015 - A/C No. 257 damaged by R.A.F. tractor, and load transferred to spare A/C.

2045 - Above load transferred and checked.

2100 - Supper for air crews.

2115 - Briefing for air crews by Capt. Sutherland-Waite, and benzadrine tablets issued to crew commanders.

2220/2230 - Take-off of all 30 A/C.

0120 - First A/C returned to base.

0225 - Last A/C returned to base.

0230 - Crews taken to M.T. Park for hot tea.

0250 - Interrogation of air crew commanders commenced.

0430 - Interrogation of air crew commanders completed.  Following A/C missing:-

                A/C 251. Cpl. Owen (seen shot down).

                A/C 253. Cpl. Stannard (-ditto-).

                A/C 275. L/C. Wilson (no information).

                A/C 280. L/C. Wilkinson (subsequently returned on a.m., 7 June).

0500 - Airfield Control Pt. disestablished.

DEBRIEFING - BROADWELL, 6/7th June., 1944.