Abbreviations

914665 A.A. Adm Adv Amn Armd Arty A.Tk Bde BM Bn Br CCS CO Comd Comns Coy Div DLI DZ FOO FUP Gp HM Hy Inf Infm I Incl Inf IO IPT J Junc LCT MDS Med MG MT OC Offr OO OR Pdr Pl Posn PW Pz Grens Rd RV SA Sec Sigs S.P. Tk Trg Tp

Map Reference Anti-Aircraft Administration Advance Ammunition Armoured Artillery Anti-Tank Brigade Brigade Major Battalion Bridge Casualty Clearing Station Commanding Officer Commander Communications Company Division / Divisional Durham Light Infantry Drop Zone Forward Observation Officer Forming Up Point Group His Majesty's Heavy Infantry Information Intelligence Including Infantry Intelligence Officer Independent Physical Training? "Johnny" Junction Landing Craft Tank Main Dressing Station Medical Machine Gun Motor Transport Officer Commanding Officer Operation Order Other Ranks Pounder Platoon Position Prisoners of War Panzer Grenadiers Road Rendezvous Small Arms Section Signals Self-Propelled Tanks Training Troop

Month and year: July 1943

Commanding Officer : Brigadier G.W. Lathbury

1st July 1943

Place: Sousse

Trg areas recced.  Coy Comds briefed for "FUSTIAN".

2nd July 1943

Place: Sousse

I.O. visits Force 141 at CARTHAGE for infm.  1 Para Bde O.O. Husky No.14 produced.  1 Para Bde Adm Instr for O.O. No.14.

3rd July 1943

Place: Sousse

Two American offrs visit Bde from local equivalent of M.I.9 to lecture on "Escape".

4th July 1943

Place: Sousse

Rear party from MASCARA under Capt Elliot arrive.

5th July 1943

Place: Sousse

Rd party under Capt Morton arrive.

6th July 1943

Place: Sousse

Div amn dump caught fire and burned out.

7th July 1943

Place: Sousse

Course on use of Codes at Div.

8th July 1943

Place: Sousse

1200 - General Montgomery addressed Bde.

2000 - Signal Exercise "Preface".

9th July 1943

Place: Sousse

0800 - Exercise "Preface" ends.

2000 - Airlanding Bde leave for SICILY.

10th July 1943

Place: Sousse

1400 - Briefing of Bde Sigs.

1800 - Publication of consolidated Para G/4s.

1930 - Briefing Bde HQ.

11th July 1943

Place: Sousse

0700 - Inspection of all ranks in full G.1098 by B.M.  Life Belts issued.

1100 - Practice firing.  Containers loaded and stacked.

1830 - Parade under I.P.T.  Issue and fitting of personnel and containers' chutes.  Containers checked.

2200 - Lights out.  Compulsory rest.

12th July 1943

Place: Sousse

0730 - Reveille.

0830 - Breakfast.

0930 - Final briefing with R.A.F.

1130 - Parade by sticks.  Loading containers into M.T.

1300 - Dinner

1430 - Parade by sticks in G.1098.  Issue of rations.  Completion of Para/G/7s.  All ranks searched.

1545 - Moved by M.T. to airfield.

1645 - Arrive at Airfield.  Informed operation postponed 24 hrs.

1700 - Bde returns to camp.  Chutes etc left on M.T. for tomorrow.

13th July 1943

Place: Sousse

0700 - I.O. visits 51 Wing.  Situation "MARSTON" probably required.

1545 - Bde moves to airfields.  "MARSTON" TONIGHT.  I.O. goes to 51 Wing for latest Situation Report.

1800 - I.O. returns with latest infm.

1830 - Bde Comd, B.M., and I.O. move to airfield.

1900 - Infmn passed to airfields that 50 Div will attack North towards CATANIA and should meet us at first light.  No.3 Commando are due to land North of AUGUSTA and join up with us during night.  All available ships of H.M. Navy to shell CATANIA defences.

1920 - 1 Para Bde take-off starts.

2130 - Leading planes over MALTA.

2140 - Flak from convoy travelling to SICILY.

Place: Sicily

2214 - Leading planes running in through considerable flak.  C.O. and part of Bn HQ 2 Para Bn dropped on correct D.Z. (No.3).

2230 - Leading party of 1st Bn dropped.

2240 - C.O. of 2 Para Bn moves off to Bn R.V. at track junc 914665 and was joined by about 50 men of "A" Coy 2 Para Bn.  Arriving at R.V., party was met by Sig Sec less their No.22 set.  Med Sec and part of Support Coy joined R.V.

2305 - Part of 3 Para Bn, consisting of 1 offr and 9 O.Rs, dropped on wrong D.Z.

2325 - Party of 3 Para Bn moved off to arranged Bn HQ.

2332 - Bde Comd dropped on J.3 objective and set out for Bde R.V.

2400 - 3rd Bn party arrived at Bn HQ and contacted "Special" who was waiting to guide the gliders with lights - no sign of remainder of 3rd Bn.  C.O. 3rd Bn and "I" Sjt go out in search of Bn.

14th July 1943

Place: Sicily

0100 - 3 Bn HQ party contacted party of 1st Bn and few of their own.  Party of 1st Bn made off towards the bridge.

0130 - 3rd Bn party arrive in bridge area and again meet up with 1st Bn.

0200 - 2/Lt Lazenby, 1 Para Bn, ordered to send patrol of 7 men to recce bridge.  "I" Sjt 3rd Bn sent to contact Bde HQ.

0215 - About 7% of 1st Bn under Capt Rann and 2/Lt Lazenby attack and reach bridge.  Party of 2nd Bn moved off towards Forming Up Point 935665.

0315 - Bde HQ party arrive at South end of bridge and prepare to attack.  Bde Comd found bridge in our hands but was wounded by grenade thrown by stray Italian.

0330 - About 50 P.W. rounded up in bridge area were put in buildings North of bridge.  Meanwhile 3 sticks "A" Coy 2 Para Bn plus 12 men "B" Coy arrived at Bn Forming Up Point.  They organised themselves into one Pl of 3 sections, each under an offr, and proceeded to attack J.1 objective.  Strength of force was about 45 men.  They met little opposition and after an exchange of grenades and S.A. fire, captured the objective and about 100 prisoners.

0400 - Main party of 2nd Bn arrived at F.U.P. and found pillbox unoccupied.  Bridge consolidated by 120 men from 1st Bn and 2 Pl from 3rd Bn.  Force HQ established at bridge.  No wireless sets had yet arrived.

0430 - Patrol of about 50 men of 2nd Bn sent to recce J.1. objective, they contacted the composite pl already in possession, and Maj Lonsdale took control of combined parties.

0500 - J.1. consolidated and Bn HQ of 2nd Bn established.  Force approx 120 men incl 20 signallers and some medicals.

0530 - Force at bridge consisted of 120 men of 1st Bn with two 3" mortars, one vickers M.G., and three PIATs - one No.22 W/T set.  2 Pls of 3rd Bn with no support weapons - no W/T.  Force at J.1 objective 120 men - no support weapons and no W/T.

0615 - Bde HQ established on South bank of river - no wireless sets were usable.

0630 - Enemy posns improved for our own use at the bridge.  Four 6-pr. A.Tk guns brought by glider were sited (10 guns set out from North Africa).  One enemy A.Tk gun put in position.  Counter attack developing on J.1. supported by M.Gs and mortars.  No comns working within Bde.

0700 - M.D.S. established in area 939664.  Operating theatre set up under Col Wheatley.  Italians waving white flags emerge from funk holes round bridge area.  F.O.O. arrives at 2 Bn area with W/T comn to cruiser lying off.

0900 - Enemy patrol approaching bridge from CATANIA direction.  Situation at J.1. difficult owing to lack of support weapons.  Enemy encircling posn out of range of Bren guns.  2nd Bn suffering casualties owing to difficulty in digging in.

0915 - Enemy patrol to bridge driven back by mortar fire.

0920 - B.M. visits 2nd Bn and reports objective consolidated.  1st Bn No.22 W/T set tries to pick up Adv Div - no reply.

0930 - W/T contact made with 8th Army - unit unidentified.  Success signal "MARSTON ONE" passed - unit receives message, but say they cannot yet get through to relieve us.  (Unit eventually proved to be 4th Armd Bde).  Identity of P.Ws - 15 Pz Grens and mixed Italian tps.  Bridge was held by Engineers.

1000 - 4 Armd Bde report "MARSTON ONE" passed back to higher formation.  W/T contact lost and never regained.  2 enemy fighters strafe bridge area.  Naval F.O.O. with 2nd Bn brought fire to bear from cruiser on enemy closing on J.1.  Enemy forced to withdraw.  Continuous long range m.g. and mortar fire brought to bear on 2nd Para Bn.  Enemy howitzers found on J.1. were brought into action against enemy posns North of bridge.

1210 - Shelling of bridge area began by enemy.  Considerable proportion of "air burst" brought to bear on bridge.

1300 - Shelling of bridge ceased.  Counter-attack expected.

1310 - Counter attack on bridge.  Enemy advancing down both sides of rd under cover of smoke.  Strength of 3rd Bn 5 offrs and 35 men.

1320 - 3rd Bn report situation under control.

1340 - "S" Coy 1st Bn report attack developing on left flank.

1350 - Four enemy fighters assist the attack by low level attacks on bridge area.

1400 - Heavy enemy counter attack from North.  No sign or sound of relieving force.

1500 - Enemy attack held.  Br force closing in around br (North end).  Enemy reinforced by two lorry loads of inf.  Heavy shelling of bridge starts again - Enemy using S.P. guns - inf support guns - shrapnel and A.A. against bridge.

1530 - Enemy begin closing in on North end of bridge.

1600 - Shelling concentrated on South end of bridge and Southern river banks - hy attack launched on bridge.

1700 - Enemy pressure increasing on flanks.

1705 - Bridge forced withdraws across bridge under fire and takes up posns in pill boxes and along southern river banks.  Not much cover except roads.

1800 - Enemy attack stopped as they cannot cross bridge.  Heavy s.a. fire poured across at us.  Our return fire limited owing to decreasing amn.  Captured enemy M.Gs used to good effect.

1830 - Enemy crossing river 400 yds East of bridge.  S.A. fire increasing and heavy shelling.  A.Tk guns used by enemy against pillboxes.  Rushes and cornfields set on fire round our posns.  Bde HQ moves to bridge area.

1845 - S.A. fire and M.Gs firing into bridge force from hills to South.  Rd South covered by enemy fire.  No word from 2nd Bn.  Bridge force amn running out.  No sign of 8th Army.

1900 - Enemy infiltration increasing round right flank.

1915 - Order given to bridge force to withdraw southwards in small parties.  Bde Comd did not know posn of 2nd Bn.  Actually they were still holding out.

1945 - 1st tks of 8th Army arrived at 2nd Bn area and left one tp to support the Bn.  They reported 8th Army inf moving up fast to relieve us.

2400 - Tanks and leading inf arrive.  2 Bns D.L.I. pass through to bridge area.  1 Bn of D.L.I. take over 2nd Bn posns.

15th July 1943

Place: Sicily

0600 - Bde Comd contacts O.C. 2nd Bn and 4 Armd Bde.

0800 - Bridge area heavily shelled and machine gunned by tanks and S.P. guns with 50 Div.  Attack put in on bridge by D.L.I. failed.  D.L.I. suffered heavy casualties.

0915 - Bde Comd admitted to M.D.S. for operation.

1200 - Arty duels in progress.

1400 - M.D.S. evacuated.

16th July 1943

Place: Sicily

0100 - Attack by D.L.I. in progress supported by arty and machine guns.

0600 - Bridge taken by D.L.I.

0700 - 1st Para Bde taken by M.T. to SYRACUSE.

1000 - I.O. visits Bde Comd in 16 C.C.S. SYRACUSE.

1600 - Bde embarked in L.C.T.

2100 - Heavy raid on SYRACUSE harbour.  No damage done.

17th July 1943

Place: Sicily

0600 - L.C.T. weighs anchor.

2200 - L.C.T. arrives off MALTA.

18th July 1943

0600 - L.C.T. leaves MALTA.

19th July 1943

0700 - L.C.T. arrives SOUSSE.

0730 - Bde disembarks and lifted by M.T. to camp area.

20th July 1943

0830 - Bde addressed by Divisional Comd.

1400 - Bde HQ visited 38 Wing to meet pilots.

21st July 1943

Stick Comds reports taken.

22nd July 1943

Bde reorganisation.

23rd July 1943

B.M. left for TRIPOLI to visit Brigadier.

24th July 1943

Further examination of stick comds.

25th July 1943

B.M. returned from TRIPOLI.

26th July 1943

Conference with air crews concerning "HUSKY".

27th July 1943

Intelligence conference at Div.

28th July 1943

Rest Camp open in TUNIS.

29th July 1943

Notes on operation "HUSKY/FUSTIAN".

30th July 1943

Bde Gp at Rest Camp.

31st July 1943

Bde Gp at Rest Camp.