National Archives catalogue number WO 171/436.
Abbreviation
|
A/B A/Borne a/c A/L Amn Battn Bde Bn Coy Div DMA GOC i/c Inf LMG M/cycles MDS Op OR Pro RE Ref Regt REME Rfts TC TCP TP Tpt Xrds |
Airborne Airborne Aircraft Aircraft Army Catering Corps Airlanding Ammunition Battalion Brigade Battalion Commander-in-Chief Company Divisional Divisional Maintenance Area Forward General Officer Commanding In-Command Infantry Light Machine Gun Motorcycles Main Dressing Station Officer Commanding Operation Other Ranks Provost Royal Engineers Reference Regiment Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Reinforcements Traffic Control Traffic Control Post Traffic Post Transport Crossroads |
Month and year : June 1944
Commanding Officer : Capt K. G. Wells
1st June 1944
Place: Harwell, England
Coy located in various Aerodrome Transit Camps and Staging Camps.
2nd June 1944
All sections visited & briefed as far as Provost Role concerned.
3rd June 1944
Coy H.Q. & No 1 Section briefed for operations.
4th June 1944
All Sterling exchanged for francs. Final check of kit & equipment.
5th / 6th June 1944
2330 - O.C. Capt. K.G. Wells emplaned with HQ. Section in Horsa Gliders at Harwell Aerodrome & landed in RANVILLE, FRANCE 0330 hrs 6 June 44. Lt. P.G. Rault & No 3 Section flew from Broadwell and landed France with 5 Para Bde, 4 N.C.O's. missing. Lt. S.R. Gyton & No 2 Section flew from Down Ampney, only Sgt Bindings & 3 N.C.O's with 3 Para Bde arrived. Lt Gyton & 12 N.C.O's presumed missing.
0346 - O.C. & 4 N.C.O's arrived Div HQ at Le Bas de Ranville and departed for bridges over R.ORNE & CANAL DE CAEN where T.C.P.s were operating from 0700 hrs, already in possession of 5 P.O.W. Coy HQ & P.O.W. Cage established at villa 200x East of bridge over R.ORNE.
2145 - Lt Neaves & No 4 Section arrived with 6 A/L Bde by Glider on L.Z. West of CANAL DE CAEN, all reported to Coy HQ.
2200 - Coy HQ on bridges under heavy shell and mortar fire Cpl Henderson seriously wounded in neck at HQ 6 A/Borne Division.
7th June 1944
T.C.P's still working under shell & mortar fire, with plenty of sniping in the area. Cpl Henderson died in MDS. 225 Para Field Ambulance at RANVILLE.
8th June 1944
T.C.P's still operating under heavy shelling attacks. Sgt Scott wounded and admitted to M.D.S. where he died.
1600 - Lt Northam, R.S.M. Bird & 10 N.C.O's arrived from beaches after sea landing. Lt Northam proceeded with 6 N.C.O's to reinforce & take charge of section at HQ 6 AIRBORNE DIVISION.
9th June 1944
T.C.P's still operating at bridges. Heavy shelling & air attacks on bridges. L/C Bunting killed by shrapnel.
1800 - Coy H.Q. moved from bridge area over R.Orne to village 200x East of R.Orne
10th June 1944
T.C.P's still operating on bridges. L/C Leader arrived by sea having come aboard the wrong ship on embarkation.
11th June 1944
T.C.P's still operating over bridges.
12th June 1944
T.C.P's still operating over bridges. Division HQ & bridges heavily shelled and bombed.
13th June 1944
T.C.P's still operating over bridges. 3 Stragglers Posts established in Division Area. General signing and patrolling of Division Area.
14th June 1944
Sgt Mitton, 2 15 cwt Trucks & 15 N.C.O's arrived by sea as reinforcements.
15th June 1944
T.C.P's operating over bridges & traffic circuits over R.E. pontoon bridges. Control of bridges, stragglers posts, P.O.W. and general policing of Area.
16th June 1944
Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen, area heavily shelled.
17th June 1944
Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Bridges machine-gunned by 4 enemy aircraft. Control of Stragglers Post, P.O.W.
18th June 1944
Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen. P.O.W. taken to Base Cage.
19th June 1944
Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Lt Neaves & 5 N.C.O's proceed on detachment to 6 A/Landing Bde. Stragglers Posts.
20th June 1944
Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Posts, P.O.W. & general policing of Div Area.
21st June 1944
Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Posts. Bridges shelled & bombed. Only slight damage.
22nd June 1944
Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Posts. Bridges heavily shelled.
23rd June 1944
Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Posts. Bridges heavily shelled & mortared. Map ref. signs erected throughout area.
24th June 1944
Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Posts. Bridges & D.M. area heavily shelled. Extra digging & defences completed.
25th June 1944
Bridges, Stragglers Posts, P.O.W. All routes & villages signed.
26th June 1944
Bridges, Stragglers Posts. Only spasmodic shelling today.
27th June 1944
Bridges, Stragglers Posts. Slight shelling & air activity around bridges.
28th June 1944
Bridges, Stragglers Posts, P.O.W. All villages etc in Area patrolled.
29th June 1944
Bridges, Stragglers Posts, P.O.W. & general routing & policing of area.
30th June 1944
Bridges, Stragglers Posts, P.O.W. & general policing of Area.
Month and year : July 1944
Commanding Officer : Capt K. G. Wells
1st July 1944
Place: Ranville, France
Strength of Company in France now consists of Capt K.G. Wells DAPM & OC, 3 Subalterns, R.S.M. Bird, 5 Sgts 7 Cpls 58 L/Cpls & 1 ACC Cook attached. Control of Airborne Movements over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen, Stragglers Post, P.O.W. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled & OUISTREHAM, RIVA-BELLA.
2nd July 1944
Short service held and headstones erected at Pegasus Memorial Burial Ground at RANVILLE Cemetery for Sgt Scott, Cpl Henderson & L/C Bunting. Control of airborne movement over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Post. P.O.W. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled & OUISTREHAM & RIVABELLA.
3rd July 1944
Control of Airborne movement over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Post. P.O.W. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled & OUISTREHAM & RIVA-BELLA.
4th July 1944
0330 - Coy HQ & bridges heavily shelled. Attempt to blow up Pegasus bridge by German Naval Officer who was taken P.O.W. Control of Airborne movement over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Post. P.O.W. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled & Ouistreham & Riva Bella.
5th July 1944
1800 - Bombing attack on bridge by approx 12 a/craft. No damage. Control of Airborne movement over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Post. P.O.W. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled & Ouistreham, Riva Bella.
6th July 1944
1700 - 12 Russian deserters arrived in P.O.W. Cage.
1800 - 12 Rfts for OPs only arrived from 101 Rft Group. Control of Airborne movement over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled & OUISTREHAM & RIVA-BELLA.
7th July 1944
0300 - Shelling and enemy air activity in vicinity of Coy HQ & bridges. Control of Airborne movement over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen.
8th July 1944
Control of Airborne movement over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled, Ouistreham & Riva Bella.
9th July 1944
Control of Airborne movement over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Post. P.O.W. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled & Ouistreham & Riva Bella.
10th July 1944
Forward area Enemy warning signs erected. Town names painted on all forward towns & directional boards completed. 4 Reinforcements for OPs only arrived from 101 Reinforcement Group. Control of Airborne movement over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Post. P.O.W. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled & Ouistreham, Riva Bella.
11th July 1944
Heavy shelling & slight bombing during darkness.
1500 - Enemy a/c flew over. All guns opened fire including PROVOST L.M.G. & rifles. 4 a/c disappeared towards enemy lines on fire & losing height. Control of bridges over R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Post. P.O.W. All cafe's in fwd area patrolled, & Ouistreham.
12th July 1944
0400 - Heavy mortar & shell fire on bridge area, all xrds in forward areas shelled. Control of Airborne movements over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Post. P.O.W. All cafe's in forward area patrolled & Ouistreham, Riva Bella.
13th July 1944
Control of Airborne movements over bridges across R.Orne & Canal de Caen. Stragglers Post. P.O.W. All cafe's in forward area patrolled & Ouistreham, Riva Bella.
14th July 1944
All G1098 equipment cleaned & examined, all weapons & kit inspected surplus & salvage to Ordnance.
15th July 1944
2330 - Route signed & manned from ECARDE pontoon bridge to BREVILLE area for movement of 9th Inf Bde.
16th July 1944
0030 - 9th Infantry Bde passed through A/B Div area under supervision of this Unit. Approx 220 track & 150 wheeled vehicles.
1130 to 1500 - All police arrangements & routes manned for visit of C in C 21 Army Group General Sir B.L. Montgomery for presentation of immediate awards to officers, N.C.O's & men of 6th Airborne Division. C-in-C conducted to BREVILLE during visit.
17th July 1944
PALM track & wheels route signed through Division Area.
1800 - 12th Para Battn. moved from BLAINVILLE to LE PLEIN under Provost arrangements.
18th July 1944
PALM tracks signed completely. FIR tracks & wheels lighted through DIV Area. Supervision of Corps P.O.W. Cage at RANVILLE, night sentries provided by this Unit. 12 Officers 270 ORs POW escorted to POW cage at GAZELLE.
2300 - Division DZ bombed by force of German a/c. One L/Cpl seriously injured on point duty (FIR wheels). Guard doubled at POW to prevent panic amongst prisoners. Road patrols over all routes for bombs & shell damage.
19th July 1944
Road patrols over all routes passing through Division Area. Cpl RUNACRES reported in civilian clothes having been taken prisoner on D.Day and later escaped to British lines from CAEN.
20th July 1944
Normal patrols in Division Area and Ouistreham.
21st July 1944
Controlling arrival of volunteers for Division across bridges.
1800 - Stragglers Post and control on Pegasus bridges ceased.
22nd July 1944
Company pay parade & [?] issue. Patrols in Ouistreham & forward areas.
23rd July 1944
3rd Parachute Brigade Section moved to ESCOVILLE area.
24th July 1944
0300 to 1200 - 49th Infant. Div. moved across R.Orne & passed through Div Area under our supervision.
25th July 1944
Sgt Milton i/c detachment 3 Para Bde instead of Sgt Binding. L/c Usher wounded by shrapnel in head from mortar bomb at 5 Para Bde HQ Le Mesnil.
26th July 1944
FIR return maintenance route signed through Divisional Area.
27th July 1944
0100 to 0130 - Air raid in Area. Several bombs dropped in near vicinity of bridges & Coy HQ.
28th July 1944
1700 - Russian mission consisting of reps. of all services conducted around Division Area under Provost arrangements.
2300 - Enemy aircraft overhead & dropped bombs in vicinity.
29th July 1944
0900 - New HQ & road circuits signed for 3rd Parachute Brigade.
2100 - 1 Deserter from 1st Airborne Division surrendered to this Unit.
2300 - Enemy aircraft overhead.
30th July 1944
Normal patrols in Ouistreham & forward areas.
31st July 1944
3rd Para Bde Section changed position & N.C.O's relieved & brought back to Coy HQ.
Month and year : August 1944
Commanding Officer : Capt K. G. Wells
1st August 1944
Place: Ranville, France
Strength of Company in France now consists of Capt. K.G. Wells DAPM & O.C. 3 Subalterns R.S.M. Bird 5 Sgts 7 Cpls 65 L/Cpls and 1 A.C.C. Cook attached Provost Section with H.Q. 5 Para Brigade removed from LE MESNIL to RANVILLE. Lt Neaves returned to take charge of Pro Section at H.Q. 6 A/Ldg Brigade. Routine Patrols in Div Area, Ouistreham, Lion and Luc sur Mer.
2nd August 1944
Citations for Honours and Awards for present campaign submitted. Routine Patrols in Div Area, Coastal Towns and Swimming Beach.
3rd August 1944
0100 - Coy HQ hit by shellfire. Items of G 1098 equipment lost through shrapnel, blast and fire. Routine Patrols in Div Area, Coastal Towns and Swimming beach.
4th August 1944
Coy Pay Parade. Normal Patrols in Area.
5th August 1944
0200 to 0600 - Fir wheeled road manned and lighted for Amn. Dumping Programme.
1500 - 1 Sgt and ½ Sub section of 1st Coy Provost Coy arrived and came under our Command.
6th August 1944
Fir, Palm and Ash Tracks checked and resigned as necessary throughout Div Area. Patrols and T.P.'s in Div Area, Coastal Towns, Swimming Beach, and Div Cinema.
7th August 1944
Ash Track signed, Patrols and T.P.'s in Div Area.
8th August 1944
Div School and Rest Camp at Ouistreham signed. Patrols and Traffic duties in Div Area.
9th August 1944
FIR track re-signed as necessary. Patrols and Traffic duties in Div Area.
10th August 1944
2 deserters from 12 Devons collected from Bayeux and handed over to Unit. Traffic duties in Ranville taken over from 49th Div Provost Coy.
11th August 1944
Lt Northam escorted George and Mrs Beryl Formby around forward area whilst entertaining. Belgium Brigade moved into Div Area. All traffic arrangements made by this Company. 8 Reinforcements arrived from U.K. residues.
12th August 1944
Royal Netherlands Bde "Princess Irene" moved into Div Area under supervision of this Company.
13th August 1944
0630 - 5th Parachute Brigade moved from Hauger to Ranville Area. Belgium Brigade moved from Ranville to Hauger Area.
1100 - Divisional Commanders Conference in D.M.A. Traffic Control under Provost Arrangements.
14th August 1944
Patrols in La Deliverande, Luc and Lion sur Mer Ouistreham, Riva Bella. Traffic Control in Div Area.
15th August 1944
Patrols in La Deliverande, Lion and Luc sur Mer Ouistreham, Riva Bella. T.C. in Div Area. Enemy Ahead signs erected in new Divisional Area.
16th August 1944
Patrols in La Deliverande, Lion and Luc sur Mer, Ouistreham. Traffic Control in Div Area.
17th August 1944
1500 - Recce of TROARN, BURES, and traffic routes. T.C. set up on Bridges at Troarn and across Jeep Ferry.
18th August 1944
Forward routes signed to Troarn.
19th August 1944
Provost Sections attached to 5 and 3rd Parachute Brigades across River Dives.
20th August 1944
Coy H.Q. moved to Town Square Troarn.
21st August 1944
Diversions and Bridges at Goustranville signed and manned. T.C. on bridges at Troarn and Bures.
22nd August 1944
Place: Troarn, France
0900 - 4 carriers with drivers under command from 1st Bn Bucks Regt.
1500 - Coy. H.Q. moved to Main Street DOZULE. Traffic Circuits and diversions lit and signed at Troarn and Goustranville.
23rd August 1944
Place: Dozule, France
Recce of PONT L'EVEQUE. T.C. on Troarn bridges handed over to 1st Corps Provost Coy.
24th August 1944
Coy. H.Q. moved to La Haie Tondue. Three T.C.P's set up on approaches to Pont l'Eveque bridges and T.C. routes signed through diversions and in the ruins of the town.
25th August 1944
Place: La Haie Tondue, France
T.C. Posts and routes maintained at Pont l'Eveque. Recce of forward routes to BEUZEVILLE and T.C. on diversions around demolitions.
26th August 1944
0900 - Coy H.Q. moved to cross roads at ST BENOIT D'HERBETOT.
1200 - 3 and 5 Para Bde Provost Sections reverted to Coy Command. Company then re-organised into 4 Sections under strength with improvised equipment and transport. Recce of Forward Area in PONT AUDEMER and T.C. pointsmen posted between Pont l'Eveque and Pont Audemer. Bridges at Pont l'Eveque handed over to 1st Corps Pro. Coy.
27th August 1944
Place: St Benoit d'Herbetot, France
T.C. between Pont l'Eveque and Toutanville. Patrols in Beuzeville.
28th August 1944
Recce of Area signing of diversions and craters due to enemy demolitions. Patrols in Pont l'Eveque, Trouville, Deauville, Beuzeville, and Honfleur.
29th August 1944
Point duty up to Beuzeville taken over by 1st Corps Provost Coy. Patrols throughout Divisional Area.
30th August 1944
All kit and Equipment cleaned and maintained. All T.C. duty up to R.Rizule handed over to 1st Corps Provost Company. Patrols throughout Divisional Area.
31st August 1944
All equipment handed in to 1st Corps Ordnance Park and M/cycles into 1st Corps Controlled Stores Park. Patrols throughout Div Area. All brothels in Div Area placed OUT of BOUNDS on G.O.C.'s instructions.
Month and year : September 1944
Commanding Officer : Capt K. G. Wells
1st September 1944
Place: St Benoit d'Herbetot, France
Lt Neaves and 5 N.C.O's proceeded to transit Camp at Arromanches.
2nd September 1944
Lt Neaves and 5 N.C.O's embarked for U.K.
3rd September 1944
Capt. Wells, Lt Northam Lt Rault and Coy proceeded to transit Camp at Arromanches. Capt. Wells, Lt Northam Lt Rault and Coy embarked for U.K.
4th September 1944
Lt Neaves and 5 N.C.O's arrived back in Camp.
5th September 1944
Coy returned to Barracks and also Vehicle Party.
6th September 1944
All deficiencies and kit checked. Div H.Q. Security duty started and Div H.Q. re-signed.
7th September 1944
Coy inspection of all deficiency lists.
8th September 1944
Coy Bulk leave started. O.C. out all night making enquiries regarding murder of American soldier at Stonehenge cross roads. 2 N.C.O's and 1 Pte 12 Para Bn detained and conveyed to Salisbury Police. Stolen Car recovered at Tidworth. REME Tpt Inspection.
9th September 1944
7 N.C.O's commenced dis-embarkation leave.
10th September 1944
Lt Quirk and 5 N.C.O's returned from France.
11th September 1944
Mobilization Warning Order received also extension of leave to all personnel. Sgt Mitton involved in an accident with U.S.A. vehicle.
