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Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. and the Staff Manual respectively Title pages will be prepared in manuscript.

WAR DIARY
or
INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY
Army Form C.2118
Unit: 11th Bn Royal Tank Regt.
Month and Year: November 1944 (Erase heading not required). Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. R. Dixon
Place Date Hour Summary Reference
SLUISKIL 1 0730 Loading of tptrs & preparation for move. Appendix 1
1 1800 Loading and preparation in accordance with Appendix 1 reported complete.
2 0730 “B” Echelon left in accordance with Appendix 1.
2 0900 Tptr coln on move harbouring night on way.
WAALRE 2 2110 All personnel less tptrs as details in Appendix 1 now at Sheet 4 1/100,000 WAALRE E417127. Personnel billeted in houses and warehouses. Under comd 31 Tk Bde.
3 0830 LO sent to visit 1 Aslt Bde.
3 1030 Adjutant & QM to 31 Tk Bde reference returns, stores, baths & entertainments.
3 1330 CO to XII Corps and was given instructions to see 51 Highland Division who required 12 LVT Mk IV for ferrying on operation “Guy Fawkes”.
3 2130 On return instructions given “B” Sqn. Tp leaders left for 51 H Div. Appendix 2
4 1200 Submission of AF W3008 & W3009 less A Sqn upto 041200A. Appendix 3
4 1500 Comd 79 Armd Div & Comd 30 Armd Bde visited CO to see how unit had settled in.
4 1510 CO left to watch Operation “Guy Fawkes”. See Appendix 2.
5 1200 Letter received from Comd 1 Asslt Bde RE reference to “Vitality”. Appendix 4
5 1330 CO left to see 51 Highland Division for return “B” Sqn party on “Guy Fawkes”.
5 1950 Tptr brought “B” Sqn party back from “Guy Fawkes”.
6 1645 CO visited 31 Tk Bde to see Bde Comd on his return.
7 0900 CO conference Sqn Comds reference general maintenance, stowage and preparation of vehicles.
7 0945 CO departed to visit A Sqn at BRESKENS D0919 and then to Czech Indep Bde at H303673. Will consult with G.1 Ops 21 Army Group on the 8th Nov. Major S.G. March T.D. assumes Comd of Bn during absence of Lt/Col R. Dixon on duty.
8 1400 Visit of Div catering adviser. To B, C, HQ Sqns. Nothing to report.
8 1430 Visit of B.M. 31 Tank Bde on routine matters.
8 1500 Distribution of correspondence amendment. Appendix 5
9 0400 Despatch of 16 × 3 ton lorries to BRESKENS D0919 to fetch crews of “Infatuate” and take to 264 Spec Del Sqn.
9 0900 A.F. W3008 & W3009 received from A Sqn upto 041200A. Appendix 6
9 1030 Adjutant to see DAQMG Division. All A & B Sqn craft used on Op “Infatuate” to be handed to 5 ARRE. A Sqn to be re-equipped with fresh LVT. B Sqn to take over 6 LVT from A Sqn here and 5 from 269 Fwd Del Sqn.
9 1730 C.O. returned from trip to Czech Independent Bde.
9 1830 C.O. to Div reference re-equipment.
10 1500 G.O.C. 79 Armd Div visited unit with regard to billets and general matters of administration.
10 1830 Bde Comd of 30 Armd Bde visited C.O. with possible operation with XII Corps.
10 2000 B Sqn party for “Infatuate II” returned. Casualties 2 killed, 1 missing – 1 officer & 2 O.Rs. wounded. 5 Buffaloes lost through enemy action. A Squadron party for “Infatuate I” concentrated at WETTEREN J2974. Casualties 3 killed, 1 missing, 7 wounded. 6 Buffaloes lost through enemy action.
11 1200 Submission of A.F. W3008 & W3009 less A Sqn detached upto 111200A. Appendix 7
11 2359 Bn less A Sqn passes under comd 30 Armd Bde for ops. B Sqn allotted less 1 Tp to 51 H Division. C Sqn allotted to 53 Div.
12 0900 Adjutant and Quartermaster to 30 Armd Bde reference returns.
12 1500 G.1 Tech Div visited unit reference to fitting of smoke dischargers.
12 1500 2 Buffaloes from B Sqn despatched to 51 (H) Division and 2 Buffaloes from C Sqn despatched to 53 Division.
12 1800 Details of local admin instr issued to Sqns B & C. Appendix 8
13 0900 Tptrs. arrived for loading of B & C Sqns.
13 0930 Two Buffaloes returned with Capt Stewart from demonstration and loading trials with 8 Corps. C Sqn now complete.
13 1600 Tac HQ left for location CAULILLE E452096. Party of CO & IO.
13 1615 Tptr colns left.
13 1630 AF W3008 & W3009 received from A Sqn upto 111200A. Appendix 9
14 0800 6 lorries left taking excess stores 867 Tp Tps W/Shop at SAS-VAN-GENT J2699.
15 0830 Capt A.S.C. Francis left to visit Tac HQ.
15 0845 Major S.G. March left for 21 A. Group at BRUSSELS to discuss use of Buffaloes in future ops.
15 1400 Report received that Lt/Col. R. Dixon wounded and evacuated to CCS.
15 1400 Major T.R. Newton-Dunn visited unit and then to Div to report on “Infatuate”.
15 2015 Return of 6 lorries sent to SAS-VAN-GENT.
16 0830 Major S.G. March left for 30 Armd Bde also visited Sqns.
16 1800 O.C. B Sqn left for 31 Tk Bde with a view to ops with 8 Corps.
16 1830 B Sqn arrived back from “Mallard”. Casualties 1 OR killed. Lieut W. Coates and five wounded. 2 Buffaloes lost by enemy action.
17 0945 Major S.G. March left for Tac HQ also Capt C.D. Burnett.
17 1000 Major Nicholson reported G1. 15 (S) Div and arranged for Tp Officers to carry out a recce.
17 2000 Major S.G. March returned.
17 2030 Report received from OC A Sqn on op “Infatuate”. Appendix 10
18 0900 Major S.G. March left for HQ 31 Tk Bde. At conference attended by O.C. “B’ Sqn it was decided that proposed use of Buffaloes with 15 (S) Div not feasible due to construction of banks of DEURNE canal in area K7204 to K7108.
18 1500 Information received by signal that C Sqn pass in sp of 53 (S) Division.
18 1600 Submission of AF W3008 & W3009 less A Sqn upto 181200A. Appendix 11
18 1700 Submission of reprt by O.C. B Squadron of Op. “Mallard”. Appendix 12
19 0900 Major S.G. March to Div ref any future activities for C Sqn who concentrated at E604092 – Sheet 4 – 1/100000.
20 1000 AF W3008 & W3009 received from A Sqn upto 181200A. Appendix 13
20 1420 G.O.C. addressed 300 all ranks of this unit on Cambrai day. This was followed by a special film show.
21 1100 Lt/Col S.I. Howard-Jones arrived to take over command unit.
22 0830 CO and Adjutant left for 31 Tk Bde.
22 0900 Six LVT IV of B Sqn despatched on instruction from 79 Armd Div to Drewforce to operate under 43 Inf Div under 30 Corps. Required for the ferrying of stores.
22 0915 C.O. and Adjutant to C Sqn where CRE 53 Div was consulted reference loading of 17 pdr. A craft has been allotted to CRE 49 Div by 30 Armd Bde.
22 1100 C.O. and Adjutant to 30 Armd Bde reference 17 pdr experiment.
23 0900 C.O. – 2IC – Adjt visited A Sqn.
23 1700 B Sqn despatched 6 Buffaloes Mk IV to support 8 Corps.
24 1100 Bde Comd visited C.O. reference general matters.
24 1130 A.D.M.S. visited unit to discuss general sanitation.
25 1000 C.O. visited ‘C’ Sqn.
25 1200 Submission AF W3008 & W3009 upto 251200A. Appendix 14
26 0900 C.O. visited 30 Armd Bde. ‘C’ Sqn to return.
26 1400 Conference reference to establishment. Proposals agreed and will be submitted shortly.
27 1600 Tp of ‘B’ Sqn despatched to 30 Corps under Drewforce returned.
28 1100 AF W3008 & W3009 upto 251200A received. Appendix 15
28 1600 Report submitted for work done by No. 2 Tp B Sqn whilst under comd 30 Corps. Appendix 16
29 1700 G.1 Tech 79 Armd Div visited unit and stated that 5 LVT II would be made available for trng.
29 2030 Warning Order received for move after visit of C.O. to Division. Appendix 17
30 1400 Major S.G. March recced area MOLL K1792 for billets.

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Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com, transcribing: Hans Houterman.

Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. Locations are calculated, so might not be in the correct place. For historical research, always check the originals.