National Archives catalogue number WO 169/10352.
Abbreviations
|
Bde Bn Comdr Coy Div Pt R Sussex R |
Brigade Battalion Commander Company Divisional Part Royal Sussex Regiment |
Month and year: July 1943
Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. K.B.I. Smyth
1st July 1943
Place: Kairouan
156 Para Bn exercise. Bn HQ & Coy HQs take part.
4th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Bn night attack exercise - General idea & operation order No.1 issued.
5th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Bde issues instructions & orders for exercise BELVOIR on 6/7 July.
6th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Administrative instruction exercise BELVOIR issued. Operation orders exercise BELVOIR issued.
7th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Bn holds all positions as ordered in Operation Order. Bn returns to camp on close of exercise.
8th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
General Sir B.L. Montgomery visits the division. Bn provides a party of 200 who line the road outside Div HQ. The general addresses the men of the Bde.
10th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Message received from Bde that Bn will be prepared on 48 hours notice from reveille 11 July to assume state of readiness for operations.
11th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Bn prepares to assume a state of readiness. Message from 8 Army Comdr & Div Comdr are received.
15th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Demonstration is given to the whole Battalion of the firing of foreign weapons.
16th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
20 men of B Coy demonstration to the Bn how all weapons can be carried on the man when jumping & using no containers. The jump was a great success. Warning order is received from Bde for Bn & Bde exercise JERBOA, in four parts, taking place the following week. Instructions on Exercise JERBOA are issued to coys.
19th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Exercise JERBOA I involving 156 Bn dropping. Bn HQ, only, takes part in exercise, acting as rear link on wireless.
21st July 1943
Place: Kairouan
0945 - The Div. Comdr. Major General G.F. HOPKINSON OBE. MC. visits and inspects the Battalion. After the inspection he gave a short talk on recent airborne operations by the division in SICILY. Briefing for exercise JERBOA II which is taking place 22/23 July.
22nd July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Operation Order for exercise JERBOA II issued. Whole Battalion, jumping strength 488 all ranks, prepares for night jump.
23rd July 1943
Place: Kairouan
0230 - First half of Bn drops. Only a few minor casualties. Exercise is successful - percentage at the first objective about 78% which includes injured & those dropped widely.
1200 - Exercise closes.
25th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
Conference for all officers on Exercise JERBOA II at Bde. The Bde comdr discusses the type of operation that the Bde may be required to carry out.
26th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
D Coy go out on 3 day exercise. Lt. HENRY. R. SUSSEX R. is posted to the Bn.
27th July 1943
Place: Kairouan
0200 - One platoon of D Coy is attacked by Arabs & shots are fired. 5496326 Cpl. VICKERS. J. is accidentally killed & two others wounded. Exercise JERBOA Pt III & Pt IV is cancelled.
