WO 171/854 - Inns of Court Regiment - June 1944

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: Inns of Court Regt, RAC
Month and Year: June 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. R.A.G. Bingley

Date	Hour	Summary
1-10		Rgt: Regiment commanded by Major J.A. Greig (less C Sqn) in area East Grinstead - Dormans Park. Modifications to vehicles completed. On 6, 7, 8th June Major Greig listened to C Sqn rear and forward net and intercepted many messages passed during the operation. Clear reception was obtained using a 19 set with 234 feet directional ground aerial from high ground 10 miles South of E. Grinstead.
4		C Sqn: C Sqn plus special force of R.E. personnel (5 Offrs & 35 ORs) embarked Portsmouth June 4th 1944 in two LCT Mk IVs as follows Load I: Major G.H.P. Strakosch, Lt. E.B. Young, Lt. A.C Hunt, Lt. R. Wigram, Lt. L.T. Yodaiken, Lt. O.J. Sinnatt, Lt. P.H.D. Shaw, Lt. W.I.M. Gwynne-Jones, Lt. D.W. Lofts (R.E.), Lt. J. Symm (R.E.), plus 59 ORs; Load II: Lt.-Col R.A.G. Bingley, Capt. W.L. Warren, Revd. J. du B. Lance, C.F., Lt. K. Black, Lt. P.E. Reeve, Lt. A.T. Corke, Lt. P.S. Wall, Lts. J.D. Petworth (R.E.), R. Bridgett (R.E.), P.M. Taylor (R.E.), plus 65 ORs. Capt. S.H. Gill travelled with R. Winnipeg Rifles in another craft. Lt. Kaye travelled with 50 Div.
6		C Sqn: Both craft touched down at 0830 hrs on beach at COMSEULLES, Normandy. Casualties by a mine under water on Load II were: Humber S/Car (Padre), 2 White ½-tracks, 1 Daimler S/Car, 1 Sgt wounded.
6	1030	C Sqn: Daimler A/Car hit by A/Tank Weapon at 954857. Lt. Shaw killed and driver. Operator wounded.
6	1200	C Sqn: Daimler S/Car blown up on mine leaving beach. No personnel injured.
6	1500	C Sqn: 2a, 4a, 1, 5 Tps crossed R. SEULLES. 6 Tp later.
6	1600	C Sqn: 4a, Daimler A/Car knocked out at LA RIVIERS by A.T. rifle. Lt. O.J. Sinnatt killed and operator. Lt. Sinnatt was trying to eliminate German defence post. S.H.Q. harboured for night area VIENNE EN BESSIN 8579.
7		C Sqn: 1a crossed SEULLES 8474, 2 & 6a at 8471.
7		C Sqn: Thunderbolts bombed 4, 5a Tps at 8773 - casualties.: Lt. Gwynne Jones killed, Lt. Lofts R.E. killed, Lt. Reeve wounded and 5 ORs killed and 5 wounded.
7		C Sqn: 1 & 5 reached railway area BRONAY, 2a – NORREY-EN-BESSIN, […] & 6 ST MARGUERITE. Enemy tanks at BRONAY reported by 6.
7		C Sqn: Tps functioning 1 & 5 SEQUEVILLE, 2a NOREEY, 1a ST MARGUERITE, 6 ST LEGER, 2 & 6a CHRISTOT. Tank battle SEQUEVILLE reported by 1 & 5.
8		C Sqn: 2 & 6a captured 3 German officers, inc Colonel and 3. On way back with these were ambushed and lost all vehicles. Lt. Yodaiken. Lt. Wigram killed, 2 ORs missing; 4 ORs led by by Cpl Fowler made way back on foot by compass. Information on persons passed by R/T.
9		C Sqn: 1, 1a, 2a, 5, 6 return to ESQNAY-SUR-SEULLES to harbour.
10		C Sqn: Officers and Sgts act as Phantom L.Os as follows:- Lt. Hunt - 1 Corps, Lt. Corke - 30 Corps, Lt. Black - 7 Armd Div, Lt. Young - 3 Cdn Div, Lt. Wall - 4 Armd Bde. Sgt Wright - 7 Cdn Inf Bde, Sgt Godsil - 9 Cdn Inf Bde, Sgt McQuistan - 9 Br Inf Bde, L/Sgt Harris - 185 Br Inf Bde, Sgt Greenaway - area CAIRON. Battle area covered and all sets on same net for information to the various formations.
11		Rgt: No orders having been received, Major Greig ordered Waterproofing Stage A/1 to be carried out. Completed by 19th June. Information received that the Regiment would be liable to sail on D-21 (27th June) instead of D-17 as originally ordered.
11		C Sqn: Lt. Corke moves from 30 Corps to 51 Div. Lt. Young from 3 Cdn Div to 2 Cdn Armd Bde. SHQ at REVIERS.
12		C Sqn: Lt. Young moves to 51 Div. Lt. Corke to 50 Div. Lt. Kaye to 3 Cdn Div.
13-15		C Sqn: No change.
16		C Sqn: Lt Wall goes to 49 Div.
17		C Sqn: SHQ moves to ST GABRIEL 8979.
18		C Sqn: SHQ moves to FONTAINE HENRY.
19-26		Rgt: Regiment at 6 hours notice to move. Three movement orders were received but later cancelled.
19		C Sqn: No change.
20		C Sqn: Lt. Corke moves to 11 Armd Div 923783
20		C Sqn: Lt. Kaye ,, ,, 15 (S) Div 877793.
21		C Sqn: No change.
22		C Sqn: Lt. Black moves to 8 Corps.
23-25		C Sqn: No change.
26		Rgt: Orders finally received to move to Marshalling Area T.
26-30		C Sqn: No change in L.O. locations. 8 Corps attack reported to all sets via Lt. Black.
27		Rgt: Regt moved 0430 hrs and going under Metropolitan Police supervision through centre of London arrived Staging Camp T at approx 0730 hrs.
27		Rgt: Final stages of waterproofing completed once whole of Regt into the camp.
27		Rgt: Orders received at 2200 hrs to move vehicles at first light to docks.
28		Rgt: Loading proceeded all day. Remainder of Regt moved down to docks at 1730 hrs and all were aboard MT ships “Ocean Vengeance” and “Sampep” by 1900 hrs.
28		Rgt: Loading was done by derricks, and each ship held about 450 men and 120 vehicles.
28		Rgt: There appeared to be a lack of liaison between Marshalling Area camp and Embarkation Staff. Orders as to which vehicles were to go to docks and in which order were continually changed all apparently to no purpose as vehicles were loaded in any order.
28		Rgt: Ships piloted down river from Queen Victoria Docks and stood off Southend during the night.
29		Rgt: Convoy sailed 2000 hrs from Southend. Passed through Straights without incident.
30		Rgt: Anchored off beachhead (JUNO BEACH) at 2000 hrs.

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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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