National Archives catalogue number WO 169/8840.
Abbreviations
|
A/C Adv Airfd AL Bde BM Bn Br Comd Coy Dep Div Eqpt Ex Gp I Infm MT OO Rd SC Sigs TC Trg |
Aircraft Advance Airfield Airlanding Brigade Brigade Major Battalion Bridge Commander Company Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General Deputy Division / Divisional Equipment Exercise Group Intelligence Information Motor Transport Operation Order Road Staff Captain Signals Troop Carrier Troop Training |
Month and year: July 1943
Commanding Officer : Brig E.E. Down C.B.E.
1st July 1943
Place: M'Saken
Coy Comds briefed for operation "GLUTTON".
2nd July 1943
Bde O.Os issued to units
3rd July 1943
Para/G/5s for "GLUTTON" completed and sent into 51 TC Wing USAAC. Final a/c arrangements made.
4th to 6th July 1943
Final G1098 & eqpt check throughout Bde.
7th July 1943
Briefing of all tps for operation "GLUTTON" commenced.
8th July 1943
Gen. Montgomery visited Bde and addressed all tps. Tps briefing continued.
9th July 1943
Briefing of all tps and final issue of G1098 eqpt. 1 AL Bde took off and landed SOUTH of SYRACUSE in adv of 8th Army.
10th July 1943
Bde moved to airfds at 1000 hrs by road. No news from 8th Army. Arrived airfd, loaded containers and rested in bivouac areas till 1800 hrs. Returned to a/c at 1800 hrs but code word "SNOWBOOTS TONIGHT" denoting that operation would take place, had not been received. At 1830 hrs tps were dismissed with the infm that operation postponed 24 hrs. Bde returned to camp.
11th July 1943
Bde moved down to airfds by rd, leaving camp at 1430 hrs. Arrived at airfds and proceeded to a/c to receive news operation cancelled. Containers unloaded and Bde returned to camp.
12th July 1943
Bde Comd addressed Bde Gp about cancellation of operation, warning all ranks not to be disheartened, and that their turn would not be long in coming. Bde Comd decided to move Bde Gp to training camp near sea for a short period. Site near MAHDIA chosen.
13th July 1943
1 Para Bde dropped on CATANIA plain to secure br over R. GORMALUNGA. 2 Para Bde moved by march and MT route to MAHDIA for period of intense night trg to prevent decline in tps morale after cancellation of operation.
15th July 1943
Bde Comd returned from visit to MALTA & SICILY, during which he watched drop of 1 Para Bde on CATANIA PLAIN from a Beaufighter.
18th July 1943
Bde Gp returned from MAHDIA by rd to M'SAKEN camp. Large number of watercarts withdrawn from Div to be sent to SICILY.
19th July 1943
Div Comd addressed Bde Gp at 0900 hrs. He narrated the exploits of airborne forces in SICILY and hoped that 2 Para Bde would have better luck next time. Bde Comd decided to move Bde HQ camp to new area. Site recced by DAA & QMG & SC. Maj. Urquhart of Airborne Forces HQ att to Bde HQ.
20th July 1943
Maj Deane-Drummond posted to Div HQ. Area for 6 Para Bn Ex "DIM" recced by BM.
22nd July 1943
Bde Comd & Dep Bde Comd recced area Ex "DIM".
23rd July 1943
Bde "I" conference.
24th July 1943
Bde HQ adv party moved to new camp site.
25th July 1943
Bde HQ moved to new camp site.
26th July 1943
Bde Comd promised a/c to go to SICILY for purpose of examining operation "GLUTTON" on the ground.
27th July 1943
Div "I" conference. Bde HQ recce Ex "BUZZ".
28th July 1943
Bde HQ sigs Ex "BUZZ".
30th July 1943
6 Para Bn briefing for Ex "DIM".
31st July 1943
Umpires' conference Ex "DIM".
