1 RIrF – January 1945

1st  January – 000286.

2030 Complete relief of 2 Innisks.


2nd January – 000286.

Considerable enemy mortar activity.

2015 5’3 LAA 3” mortar complete.


3rd January – 000286.

1850 Patrol to culvert 017288 encountered enemy patrol. Fire was exchanged, no casualties either side.

2320 Patrol to 015289 found enemy slit trenches and stick grenades but no enemy.


4th January – 000286.

2208 Heavy enemy mortar activity countered by own 3” mortars and 5’3 LAA 3” mortars. We suffered three slight casualties.


5th January – 000286.

Suspicious haystack area 019289 engaged by Browning MG with incendiary bullets and later hit ten times by .75s with no effect. Heavy enemy mortaring all day. 1 casualty.


6th January – 000286.

Snow makes patrolling difficult. Snow clothing asked for.


7th January – 000286.

1737 Vickers at 008298 engaged movement at 017293.


8th January – 000286.

0600 Enemy patrol in snow clothing engaged by our patrol at 015288.

0630 Search of area produced one enemy cap, covered with white goose bandage and blood on the snow confirms at least one enemy casualty.

1030 OP reports snow reveals heavy pedestrian traffic around Sillaro 017293 with all tracks converging at one point.

1925 Enemy mortar caused one casualty among crew of Canadian tank 009286. Stretcher jeep sent.

2030 Our patrol at 015288 engaged considerable body of enemy, estimated 10 to 15. Cpl Nanton wounded. DF 24 – 23 and 3 fired by 3” mortar and the area 017293 harassed by 25 pounder.

2050 Patrol out to area of encounter.

2145 Patrol found many blood stains and heard movement close then were engaged by light mortar at close range. Returned and further DF brought down.


9th January – 000286.

0125 C Coy (Lt J Beamish) report Cpl Carruthers and one man missing from patrol to 010292. They had gone leaving two, to contact patrol from D Coy.

0930 Lt Beamish reports footprints leading from 010292 toward enemy position, crossing valley at 013291.

1725 Enemy MG firing at our position at Point 156 (014287) from area 020288 silenced by 3” mortars.


10th January – 000286.

1045 Tracks and movement indicate that Tamagnin 013303 is again occupied.


11th January – 000286.

1035 Vickers, area 008298, opened fire on two enemy at 019293. SBs carried one into house and bundled the other up and left him lying in the snow.

1050 D Coy (Capt Wilton) report tracks in snow indicate enemy patrol four strong lay up within 50 yards of D Coy FDL.

1745 Vickers engaged 6 enemy area 022296.

2050 Enemy MG at 020288 silenced by 3” mortars and 25 pounder fire


12th January – 000286.

0220 D Coy (Capt Wilton) reports patrol returning from 009292 engaged 7 Huns on track in that area with grenades and TSMG. Enemy fled.

0615 Three rocket type projectiles landed in area 015288. No casualties though the blast was violent at this HQ. Search of area failed to produce any fragments.

2000 Relieved by 2 LIR move HQ to 990284. C and D Coys to 998273. B Coy to 010265 and came under command 11 Brigade.


13th January – 990284.

NTR.

Major AJ Morris OBE MBE rejoined.


14th to 16th January – 990284.

NTR.


17th January – 003300.

Reverted to 8th Army Command.

2210 Relieved 2 Innisks.

2250 Lt J Beamish returned from contacting 1/338 US Regiment on our left.


18th January – 003300.

1000 Bttn HQ visited by 2.i.c. 85 US Division and OC 338 US Regiment.

2137 Enemy patrol in area 004302 dispersed after brisk exchange of grenades and TSMG fire. DF brought down.


19th January– 003300.

0145 C Coy (Capt L Manson MC) report having fired on enemy patrol of three men area 018310.

2225 Contact patrol with US on left established.


20th January – 003300.

0700 D Coy (Capt Wilton) report tracks indicate enemy patrol in our FDLs last night.


21st January – 003300.

0125 C Coy (Capt Manson MC) reports Fus Bennett accidentally shot in thigh while moving to forward position.

0330 B Coy (Maj N Plymen) report two men in listening post 004302 attacked and one, Fus Caves, wounded and captured.


22nd January – 003300.

1815 3” mortar and artillery engage movement at 023315.

1826 3” mortar engage movement at 013303


23rd January – 003300.

2245 Sounds and movement at 013203 engaged by 3” mortars. Major RSV Howard rejoined from hospital.


24th January – 003300.

0210 Force of 6 enemy dispersed by bren fire area 006301.

1000 Vickers engage movement at 023316.

1900 Vickers harass Tamagnin 013303 and spur 014301 from position at 008306 causing enemy to fire many flares.


25th January – 003300.

1130 Three enemy seen at 014299 engaged by 3” mortars.

1400 Movement at 014299 again engaged by 3” mortars.

2230 C Coy (Capt Manson MC) report positions area 008306 being shelled and machine gunned.


26th January – 003300.

Major JR Cullen attached for Infantry Training.

0915 Movement at 014299 engaged by 3” mortars.

2115 Movement at 013303 engaged by 3” mortars.


27th January – 003300.

0110 MG at 020316 engaged by 3” mortars.

0020 Movement at 013303 engaged by 3” mortars.

1900 Relieved by 6 RWK .


28th January.

Bttn concentrated Florence area.


29th to 31st January.

NTR.