1 March

Programme for night 1/2 March. Company 1 Royal Irish Fusiliers take over gully position from E Company 2/LIR and come under command 6 Innisks. H Company 2/LIR take over Stuka Farm positions from C Company 1 RIrF and revert to command of 2/LIR. Carriers of 2/LIR relieve 6^th Inniskilling Fusiliers in original position. F Company 2/LIR relieve A Company 1 RIrF on Castle Hill. A Company 1 RIrF to reserve area 6106.

2100 Enemy tank concentration with infantry at 7114. Commanding Officer directs that companies stay in their positions if attacked. C Battery 152 Field Regiment warned and observation posts keep special look out. Reports received that enemy seen in gully 800 yards north of F Company HQ.

---

2 March

1800 Number 9 Platoon, E Company on Mosque Hill will be relieved tonight by a platoon of 1 R IrF. 9 Platoon move to Castle Hill under command of F Company 2/LIR. 12 JU 87s bomb area of wadi 6307, again a wasted effort – no damage – no casualties.

---

3 March

Lieutenant AG Howells appointed Intelligence Officer. Captain TWH Wilson appointed Adjutant vice Captain TC Osborn wounded.

---

4 March

Companies send out local patrols to the front of their positions.

---

5 March

Patrol of E Company cover area along wadi to Mosque Hill.

Local patrols from E and F Companies in front of their positions.

1800 E Company report that their patrol had located a German observation post at 605084. F Company report that their patrol had found a German mortar complete and bombs.

---

6 March

PM Enemy spasmodically shelled by our artillery in areas 616076, 644077

---

7 March

1430 Enemy shells area between G and H companies.

---

8 March

Two platoons and company HQ of H Company take over E Company’s positions 610083. One platoon of H Company relieve 9 Platoon (E Company) on Castle Hill. E Company take up positions on Stuka Ridge and Stuka Farm.

---

9 March

Change over of E and H Companies now complete.

---

10 March

Recce patrol to Flat Top 5909 find abandoned enemy equipment.

---

11 March

1015 Small patrols sent out by H Company.

1130 Arabs drove cattle and goats through minefield west of H Company’s positions 610060.

---

12 March

PM Spasmodic shelling of battalion area. Captain RG Cockburn, Lieutenant IP Yates and Lieutenant JH Barker join battalion.

---

13 March

0230 Minefield farm attacked by Recce Patrol. Patrol identified as from Skunze Herman Goering Regiment 9 Company 3 Battalion.

1200 F Company send out small patrol to Flat Top 5909. No signs of enemy but a quantity of abandoned damaged equipment found.

---

14 March

1200 Advance party of 1^st Duke of Wellington’s Regiment arrive at Battalion HQ.

2300 Remainder of Duke of Wellingtons’ arrive by TCV and debuss at June 601019 and march up to relieve us.

---

15 March

0445 Battalion marches to Olive Grove 570044.

Major Dunnill joins from 1 RIrF.

---

Testour

16 March

1600 H Company move to Trent Bridge 4713.

---

17 March

St Patrick’s Day – The officers and men were delighted at the arrival of Shamrock from Ireland.

---

18 March

Battalion training. Lieutenant Colonel JB Jefferys relinquishes command of battalion and proceeds to rest camp, Ain Draham. Major DCJ Manners departed for 5 Corps. Lieutenant Colonel TPD Scott arrived and took over command of battalion. Major APK O’Connor joins and takes up appointment as 2-in-C. Captain BH Westcott joins battalion and takes over command of H Company.

---

19 March

Battalion training.

---

20 March

Platoon of G Company relieves section of V Company of 5 Northants at 523155. Captain Findlater (R Berks) joins battalion from 5 Corps HQ and takes over command of HQ Company.

---

21 March

Battalion training.

---

22 March

H Company relieved by 2788 Squadron RAF Regiment. Lieutenant JA St Maur Sheil joins battalion and takes over duties as Intelligence Officer. Lieutenant Howells returns to H Company.

---

23 March

Platoon of G Company relieved by RAF Regiment. Captain GG Hall, Captain Fitzgerald, Captain Giles, Lieutenant HND Seymour and Lieutenant Cole join battalion.

---

24 March

Battalion training. Lieutenant KDH Howells joins battalion.

---

25 March

Lieutenant D Sutherland, Lieutenant E Lovatt, Lieutenant Lyness and draft of 27 other ranks join battalion.

---

26 March

Draft of 40 other ranks join battalion.

---

27 March

Battalion moved by TCV to area 013798 (near Le Kef).

---

28 March

0215 Battalion arrives new area for training.

1200 Church parades.

---

29 March

Battalion training.

---

30 March

Battalion training.

---

31 March

Battalion training.

---