National Archives catalogue number WO 169/8672.

Abbreviations

BOD CO OFP OR RAOC

Base Ordnance Depot Commanding Officer Ordnance Field Park Other Ranks Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Month and year: July 1943

Commanding Officer: Lieut R.G. Barnett

1st July 1943

Place: Affreville

The rear party under Lt. R.G. Barnett left Affreville staging area.  At a point 23 k/m past Bleda, Bedford 3 ton Lorry W.D.No. L.4883871 driven by 10588500 Pte. Dent burst into flames and was totally destroyed together with all stores.  1724706 Sgt. Clare overturned Bedford OY W.D.No. L.2160544 at Chateaudon and received a fracture of the skull which caused his evacuation to the 95th General Hospital, preparatory to being sent to United Kingdom.

2nd July 1943

Place: Ain M'Leila

The Rear Party under Lt. R.G. Barnett reached Ain M'Leila staging area.

3rd July 1943

Place: S'Beitla

The Rear Party reached S'Beitla staging area and

4th July 1943

Place: M'Saken

arrived at the Camp at M'Saken, joining the Advance Party.

7th July 1943

O.F.P's. vehicles left for No.3 B.O.D., Bone, to collect stores on urgent outstanding demands, all other methods of collection having proved too slow.

8th July 1943

This Unit, together with others in the Division, was inspected by General Montgomery.

8th and 9th July 1943

The final issue of technical stores were made to Units preparatory to Invasion Exercise.

14th July 1943

O.F.P's. vehicles left for No.3 B.O.D., Bone, to collect stores on urgent outstanding demands, all other methods of collection having proved too slow.

20th July 1943

Great difficulty was experienced in replacing stocks of Bedford and Willys engines.

21st July 1943

O.F.P. vehicles again left for No.3 B.O.D., Bone to collect stores on urgent outstanding demands.

23rd July 1943

The task of marrying up the stores carried by the Advance and Rear Parties was completed.  Also, the Unit's operational trailers were binned to scale as far as stocks allowed.  The deficiencies were demanded from No.3 B.O.D., Bone.

25th July 1943

Thirteen Matchless 350 c.c. Motorcycles were received.  Three for this Unit to complete the establishment and ten to hold as divisional pool.

28th July 1943

As No.5 S.O.D. was having difficulties in meeting demands for welding gases for Airborne Division, this latter had to arrange collection from places as far apart as Bone, Tunis and Sfax in order to keep Workshops and L.A.Ds. supplied.  O.F.P. vehicles again left for No.3 B.O.D., Bone, to collect stores on urgent outstanding demands.

31st July 1943

The C.O., Capt. C.C. Chidgey, departed with 3 O.Rs. for Sicily to salvage important was materials lost by Airborne troops during the campaign, and in his absence command of the Unit was taken over by Lieut. R.G. Barnett.