War Diary: 3rd Battalion IRISH GUARDS, Oct - Dec 1941

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by dbf, Jun 29, 2011.

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    TNA Catalogue Reference: WO 166/4106
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    INDEX

    October 1941

    November 1941

    December 1941
     
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    1941 October Thursday 30
    Northwood

    1st. B.O. Part 1: With effect from 24 October 1941 the Holding Battalion of the Regiment will be reorganised on War Establishment 11/1931/12F/2 (less 1st Reinforcements) and will assume the designation of “3rd Battalion IRISH GUARDS”.

    1941 October Friday 31
    Northwood

    Most of the officers went by bus to THETFORD to watch a very good demonstration of a combined attack by Tanks and infantry with Artillery and Machine Gun support
     
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    1941 December Monday 1
    Northwood

    Company Training.
    Captain COLLINS Brigade Intelligence Officer gave the officers a very interesting lecture on the Battle of Crete.

    1941 December Tuesday 2
    Northwood

    Commanding Officer returned from Leave.
    Mr R. SPEIGHT gave a lecture on ‘America’ in the Battalion Education centre to all ranks.

    1941 December Wednesday 3
    Northwood

    Major T.W. GIMSON left us to take over command of the 1st Battalion.
    No. 3 Company gave a demonstration of Unarmed Combat and Bayonet Fighting.

    1941 December Thursday 4
    Northwood

    Brigade Training Conference was attended by Commanding Officer.
    Mr. DEATH our Signals Officer was promoted to Lieutenant

    1941 December Friday 5
    Northwood

    Battalion H.Q. exercise.
    Company Training

    1941 December Saturday 6
    Northwood

    07.00 Hours
    The Battalion went on a Command Exercise ‘SCORCH’.
    They embarked for ESSEX at 0700 hours.

    1941 December Sunday 7
    Northwood

    18.00 Hours
    The Battalion returned from ‘SCORCH’ at 1800 hours, having covered a lot of ground since the early hours of the morning. The weather was atrocious and everyone was drenched but a lot of useful lessons were learnt.

    1941 December Monday 8
    Northwood

    There was a Staff Duties course at Brigade H.Q. for the Adjutant and Intelligence Officer.
    No. 1 Company went shooting at BISLEY.

    1941 December Tuesday 9
    Northwood

    Staff Duties Course at Brigade [H.Q.]
    Commanding Officer held his weekly Training Conference.

    1941 December Wednesday 10
    Northwood

    Intelligence Officer attended a one day Intelligence Course run by London District

    1941 December Thursday 11
    Northwood

    Staff Duties Course at Brigade [H.Q.]
    Company Training.

    1941 December Friday 12
    Northwood

    The Adjutant went on leave.
    2/Lieutenant BARTON lectured to the Officers on German Tank Tactics

    1941 December Saturday 13
    Northwood

    The Battalion Football XI won their 3rd round Tie in the London District Cup defeating the R.A.S.C. 3 - 2.

    1941 December Sunday 14
    Northwood

    2/Lieutenants J.R. FAWCUS and EARLS-DAVIES with 32 Other Ranks went on an Anti-Aircraft Course at SEAFORD.

    1941 December Monday 15
    Northwood

    Commanding Officer went on a three day Gas Course. Major MURPHY M.C. took over command of the Battalion in his absence

    1941 December Tuesday 16
    Northwood

    Inter Company Scheme between 1 and 4 Companies and directed by No. 3 Company. This took place in a built up area and brought out a number of good points.

    1941 December Wednesday 17
    Northwood

    Rehearsal by 2 Platoons from No. 2 Company for the 2nd Brigade Umpires’ Course.
    Demonstration by No. 4 Company of a Stalk, Battle Patrol. This was the last of a series of weekly demonstrations by Companies which have been most successful.

    1941 December Thursday 18
    Northwood

    Brigade weekly Conference was attended by Major MURPHY M.C.
    Our first Battalion Route March took place without Motor Transport. It went off quite well.
    2nd Brigade Umpires’ Course.

    1941 December Friday 19
    Northwood

    Commanding Officer returned fro his Gas Course. 2nd Brigade Umpires’ Course concluded.

    1941 December Saturday 20
    Northwood

    Battalion saw the ‘Corinth Canal’ Film and part of the film ‘Our Russian Allies’ which was far more instructive and interesting than the German film.

    1941 December Sunday 21
    Northwood

    The usual voluntary Church Parades took place.

    1941 December Monday 22
    Northwood

    Battalion had a Drill Parade at HARROW to practise for the Brigadier’s Inspection. 2/Lieut. REFORD left us to be attached to the Brigade H.Q. as Motor Contact Officer. Captain COLLINS Brigade Intelligence Officer gave us a lecture in ‘Combined Operations’.

    1941 December Tuesday 23
    Northwood

    Commanding Officer gave a lecture to all officers and Platoon Sergeants in the following day’s Battalion SKELETON Exercise.

    1941 December Wednesday 24
    Northwood

    Battalion SKELETON Exercise - Defence

    1941 December Thursday 25
    Northwood

    Christmas Day. Voluntary Church Services.
    The Commanding Officer inspected the Dinners which were excellent. There was plenty of Beer and the Mess Rooms were most suitably decorated

    1941 December Friday 26
    Northwood

    Boxing Day was spent very quietly by most of the Battalion recovering from the Christmas festivities.
    The officers defeated a rather depleted Sergeants’ team in the afternoon at Rugby.
    There were some inter Company football games in the morning.

    1941 December Saturday 27
    Northwood

    Final Drill Parade Rehearsal for the Brigadier’s Inspection.

    1941 December Sunday 28
    Northwood

    Lieutenant MORE O’FERRALL and 2/Lieutenant INGLEBY attended the showing of ‘Training Films’ in LONDON.

    1941 December Monday 29
    Northwood

    The Battalion saw the film ‘Victory in the West’ at the REX Cinema

    1941 December Tuesday 30
    Northwood

    Battalion SKELETON Exercise - Withdrawal. This exercise went very well and showed great improvement on our first exercise.

    1941 December Wednesday 31
    Northwood

    50 men from H.Q. Company went to DENHAM Studios to take part in the film ‘The Day will Dawn’.
    The Day Will Dawn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
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    From A Soldier's Story, by J.O.E. Vandeleur
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    Saturday 1 November 1941
    Northwood
    No.s 3 and 4 Companies rejoined us from NORTHOLT and drafts were transferred to Training Battalion at LINGFIELD & NORTHOLT.
    The actual change over from Holding Battalion to 3rd Battalion really took place on this day.

    Sunday 2 November 1941
    Captain COLE left us for the 1st Battalion where he is to take over Adjutants’s duties from Major GILLIAT who will be joining us shortly.
    Captain FITZGERALD and Lieutenant E.R. MORE O’FERRALL went to umpire a 24th Guards (Independent) Brigade scheme.

    Monday 3 November 1941
    Company Training

    Tuesday 4 November 1941
    Brigadier J. JEFFERSON, his Brigade Major Major FASS and Staff Captain Lord ERRINGTON came to see the Commanding Officer [Lieutenant-Colonel J.O.E. VANDELEUR].
    Dr. HADEN GUEST, M.P., gave a most interesting lecture on RUSSIA at the Battalion Education Centre.
    From the number and variety of questions asked, it was apparent that the Micks take a considerable interest in our Russian Allies.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Haden-Guest,_1st_Baron_Haden-Guest

    Wednesday 5 November 1941
    There was quite a good demonstration given by No. 4 Company without the assistance of any officers.
    The Commanding Officer was very pleased.
    Football: 3rd Battalion Irish Guards 9, Holding Battalion GRENADIER Guards 0

    Thursday 6 November 1941
    Commanding Officer held a T.E.W.T. for officers, assisted by an officer from 23rd ARMOURED TANK BRIGADE whose views were most instructive.
    Major POLE CAREW rejoined the Battalion as No. 1 Company Commander after an absence of some weeks on sick leave.

    Friday 7 November 1941
    Commanding Officer gave a lecture to all officers in the Mess on ‘Attack’.

    Saturday 8 November 1941
    Brigade Defence Platoon under 2/Lieutenant KERR left us to take over their duties at Brigade H.Q.
    Sunday 9 November 1941
    Remembrance Day Sunday.
    The usual Church Parades

    Monday 10 November 1941
    2/Lieutenant BRUCE and 18 men from No. 1 Company represented the Regiment at the Lord Mayor’s Parade.
    Their excellent bearing and smartness were the subject of favourable comment from the G.O.C. London District

    Tuesday 11 November 1941
    Company Training. No. 3 Company shoot at PIRBRIGHT

    Wednesday 12 November 1941
    A party of 200 men and 30 officers proceeded to DENHAM STUDIOS to take part in a film of the ‘LOFOTEN ISLAND EXPEDITION’.
    Drill Sergeant B. HOWE made a big impression.

    Thursday 13 November 1941
    2/Lieutenant REF?D gave a lecture to the officers on ‘Street Fighting’, having just returned from an excellent course on this subject ran by London District Inter Company exercise between 1 and 3 Companies.

    Friday 14 November 1941
    Brigadier’s Conference attended by Commanding Officer.

    Saturday 15 November 1941
    Commanding Officer had a Company Commander’s Conference to discuss Brigadier’s Training Instructions.
    A good demonstration by No. 3 Company of ‘Assaulting a House’.

    Sunday 16 November 1941
    A small party of Officers and O.R.s went up to LONDON to see some training films at the CAMEO CINEMA.

    Monday 17 November 1941
    Commanding Officer took all Battalion H.Q. on a T.E.W.T. - Subject was setting up of a Battalion H.Q.

    Tuesday 18 November 1941
    A lecture at Brigade H.Q. by the Brigadier in the ‘Carrier Platoon’.
    This was the first gathering together of the officers of the three new Battalions.

    Wednesday 19 November 1941
    Commanding Officer gave a lecture on the ‘Division in the Advance’ to the officers in the evening.
    The Battalion Soccer team beat the 10th MIDDLESEX Battalion in the 2nd round of the London Cup.

    Thursday 20 November 1941
    The Regimental Band gave us a highly successful concert at the Theatre, KODAK WORKS, WEALDSTONE.

    Friday 21 November 1941
    The Regimental Band repeated their performance for the employees of the KODAK WORKS.

    Saturday 22 November 1941
    The Pipe Major and Pipers performed in a march past at SURBITON.

    Sunday 23 November 1941
    Nothing of importance to report.

    Monday 24 November 1941
    There was a further practice by Battalion H.Q. under the supervision of the Adjutant of the setting up and movement of Battalion H.Q. in the Field.
    The Commanding Officer went on 7 days’ Leave.

    Tuesday 25 November 1941
    No. 1 Company practised on Attack and Defence Demonstration for the Umpire’s Course

    Wednesday 26 November 1941
    Colonel BRITTEN, M.C. Chief Umpire of 33 Guards (Independent) Brigade started his two day Umpire’s Course, which ten of our officers attended.
    No. 3 Company went shooting at PIRBRIGHT.

    Thursday 27 November 1941
    H.Q. and No. 1 Company attended Drill Parade at MERCHANT TAYLORS SCHOOL in the afternoon. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_Taylors%27_School,_Northwood ]
    Brigade Umpire’s Course concluded.

    Friday 28 November 1941
    Major MURPHY, M.C. with nine other officers went MERCHANT TAYLORS SCHOOL to conduct their Certificate A examination.
    No. 2 Company did an Attack Scheme.

    Saturday 29 November 1941
    Company Training.
    Lecture to the officers by 2/Lieutenant NIELSON our Pioneer Platoon Commander on Gas.
    Soccer: 3rd Battalion 4, Leavesden Hospital 0

    Sunday 30 November 1941
    Major GILLIAT joined the Battalion from the 1st Battalion.
    2/Lieutenants JEFFRIES and B??TEN were attached to the Battalion from the TRAINING Battalion.
     

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