WO 171/1255 - 4 Grenadier Guards - 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: 4th Tk Bn Grenadier Guards
Month and Year: June 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. H.R.H. Davies

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
OTTERDEN	1	1500	No 2 Sqn carried out training in the STONE STREET area to-day and there was a Battalion netting practise in the morning. Otherwise Sqns were at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for normal training and maintenance.
	2	1730	All Majors, Captains and available subaltern officers attended a lecture at Bde HQ. Sqns were otherwise at the disposal of Sqn Leaders, there was a court of inquiry.
	3	1500	Drill parade to-day, and the Commanding Officer held a conference this afternoon. There was a lecture by the Medical Officer on “diseases abroad”. Normal Sqn training continued.
	4	1700	HQ and No 2 and 3 Sqns carried out firing all Bren guns at LOWER HALSTOWE Range to-day. Also a Battalion netting practise.
	5	1500	Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders to-day for normal training and maintenance.
	6	1900	Wireless silence. Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders as normally to-day, the first day of the invasion of the continent.
	7	1500	Drill parade to-day. Normal Sqn training and maintenance.
	8	1500	The Commanding Officer held a conference to-day, normal training continued.
	9	1500	Usual training and maintenance. The[re] was a Court of Inquiry to inquire into damage to a Churchill tank No 172971 of No 3 Sqn, which sustained damage to one […] while on troop training.
	10	1500	Sqns were at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for training.
	11	1500	Bn paraded for church under the Adjutant. The service being held at EASTLING Church.
	12	1500	Normal Sqn training and maintenance at the discretion of Sqn Leaders.
	13	1500	Normal Squadron routine. The Bn began weighing its B vehicles to-day. A Field General Court Martial was held at SHORNCLIFFE to try No 2617664 Gdsm. Hill. Capt. Colville, Capt J.B. Currie, and Lieut. H.W. Wollaston attended.
	14	1500	The Bn carried out loading trials to-day. The Bde Commander inspected vehicles in the afternoon. The Commander-in-Chief 21 Army Group has approved the award of his Certificate of good service to No 2612943 MQMS Oldfield J.
	15	1500	Sqns were at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for training and maintenance to-day.
	16	1500	Bn netting practise with de-tuned aerials this morning. Otherwise usual Sqn training continued. The Commanding Officer held a conference this afternoon.
	17	1630	The Bn paraded for drill under the Adjutant to-day. There was a netting practise. Kit bags were sent home by train. Otherwise normal routine.
	18	1500	Bn paraded for church at EASTLING and OTTERDEN place church. Recreational sports in the afternoon.
	19	1500	Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for normal training and maintenance.
	20	1500	Normal routine maintenance parades. Recreational sports & swimming.
	21	1500	Normal Sqn training. Mobile gas chamber arrived. 1st half of the Bn has been through to-day, remainder tomorrow.
	22	1630	Remainder of Bn been through gas chamber, otherwise Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for training and maintenance.
	23	1500	Normal Sqn training. The Commanding Offier held a conference this afternoon. Leave not to exceed 25 miles from Battalion HQ. Reconnaissances of new area.
	24	1500	Drill pde. The Commanding Officer inspected the billets. Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders.
	25	1500	Sunday. Sqns paraded for church at EASTLING Church. Recreational sports in the afternoon.
	26	1500	Sqns at Sqn Leaders disposal for normal training and maintenance, some time being devoted to practise loading both the vehicles themselves inside, and actually loading the vehicles on “dummy” landing craft.
	27	1500	HQ Sqn fired at CONYER ranges to-day. Other Sqns normal training. The Bn audit board assembled to-day. President Major C.M.F. Deakin.
	28	1500	Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders. Major C.O.M. Farrell 3rd Bn Scots Guards, lectured to all officers on his experiences with units and formations of the Second Army in NORMANDY. Personnel can now travel only 10 miles from Bn HQ. when proceeding on leave.
	29	1500	Sqns at disposal of Sqn Leaders for interior economy.
	30	1500	Sqns at disposal of Sqn Leaders, for normal training and maintenance parades.

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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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