WO 171/7822 - 110 Provost Company - May 1945

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
	WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY	Unit: 110 Provost Coy CMP
Month and Year: May 1945	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Capt. D. Murphy

Place	Date	Summary
BULLENDORF	1	Operational convoys continued to move up steadily over the ELBE bridges. Bank control and crossing control, as organized for the assault, closed down. The Cl 9 bridge was attacked by aircraft and one driver in panic drove his truck into the river, wrecking the centre pontoon and putting the bridge out of action for three hours. Persistent shelling of the roads leading N. from the Cl 40 bridge set a petrol lorry and some ammunition on fire, blocking the main up route. A diversion was laid on, and traffic continued to flow smoothly.
	2	The Cl 9 bridge was closed twice during the day for maintenance. Traffic over the Cl 40 really went fast, for the first time, averaging 300 vehicles per hour. Droves of returning prisoners began to create a traffic problem.
BREITENFELDE	3	Ever-increasing numbers of unescorted prisoners on the roads. Cl 9 bridge was switched to down traffic only, Cl 40 became controlled two-way. Square route was signed up to LÜBECK.
LÜBECK	4	8 Corps G0767 of 042200B received. Message ran as follows:- Germans surrendered unconditionally 1820 hours 4 May 45. Hostilities on all 2nd Army fronts will cease at 0800 hrs 5 May. No rpt No advance beyond present front line without orders this HQ. all infm.
	5	All roads cluttered with hordes of surrendering Germans.
	6	Nothing to report.
	7	Victory celebrations commence. A great deal of ammunition expended into the air. No serious incidents.
KIEL	8	Roads still well encumbered, in all sectors, by displaced personnel and prisoners.
	9	Nothing to report.
	10	Nothing to report.
	11	General increase in the number of reports from civilians of looting and rape.
	12	Nothing to report.
	13	Almost all German Army concentrated in temporary camps. Movement of displaced personnel diminishing.
	14	Nothing to report.
	15	Major tasks: collecting German PW stragglers, checks of suspected persons, curfew check, escorting German Liaison Office. No 8 Section took over special duties with SHAEF at FLENSBURG.
	16	As for the 15th.
	17	SS Oberführer Belbe (a personal friend of Himmler) and his wife were picked up. One rape case reported, and investigations commenced. Belbe, Max Himmler, Heinrich Luitpold
	18	Beginning of evacuation of all German PW to concentration areas in NE Schleswig Holstein, over special routes signed by this Coy. At NEUMÜNSTER, where a wine-store was supposed to be guarded, it was found unguarded, and the guard-commander drunk.
	19	In conjunction with FSP, a search was carried out of houses in NEUMÜNSTER during the night 19/20. The search was for arms, wireless transmitting sets, German troops, deserters and evaders.
	20	Two Marine Commandos were arrested in OLDENBURG for causing a disturbance. KIEL Sections were obliged to investigate a number of petty complaints.
	21	Commencement of destruction of U-Boat bunkers at KIEL. Streets cleared in vicinity of demolitions.
	22	KIEL Sections very busy. Arrests included 5 Russians, 1 Belgian and 2 German soldiers.
	23	Two allegations that Germans had been high Nazi officials were found to be false.
	24	Nothing to report.
	25	Nothing to report.
	26	On instructions received through APM from G(SD) Generals Koehler and Guederin and Colonel Mauff were arrested and sent to the internment camp at NEUMÜNSTER. Guderian, Heinz Wilhelm Koehler, Carl-Erik Mauff
	27	The chief of KIEL Fire Brigade had his car stolen by Poles – this was recovered by CMP patrols and the thieves placed in custody.
	28	Two charges for fraternization in KIEL preferred against British soldiers.
	29-30	Nothing to report.
	31	A German naval petty officer was arrested for being at large in civilian clothes without having been properly discharged. A German Army HQ near HAMBURG was broken up and Provost Officers conducted two separate German columns to two separate internment camps.

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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.

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