2 Innisks – September 1944
1st September – SIDI BISHR.
Second in Command hold sand model exercise on river crossing. All platoon commanders attend.
2nd September – SIDI BISHR.
Major Cochrane flies to Naples as bttn representative on Divisional advance party.
3rd September – SIDI BISHR.
Church Parade. Bttn marches to Brigade HQ to attend combined service. Drums and Pipes march the bttn to and from the service.
4th September – SIDI BISHR.
1200 Commanding Officer holds conference for Company Commander for move to CMF. Move is known as “Flummox”.
9th September – SIDI BISHR.
0830 TCVs report to Bttn HQ, Bttn em-buses and proceeds to Alexandria docks. Bttn embarks on HMT Staffordshire with 2 LIR and Bttn HQ.
1200 Embarkation complete. Major Kerr MC rejoins the bttn ex hospital and becomes Second in Command.
10th September – AT SEA.
1030 Commanding Officer holds conference on training in the Officers’ lounge.
1100 The ship sails.
1300 Officer, Commanding troops lectures to all Officers.
15th September – TARANTO.
0830 The ship docks at Taranto and the bttn prepares to disembark.
1200 The bttn disembarks. The advance party meets the bttn at the docks and guides them to the em-busing point. Bttn then travels by TCVs to bttn area.
Lieuts Smith, Flynn, Corrigan, and Prior arrive with 146 reinforcements arrive.
1700 Bttn in area complete. Accommodation is in bivouacs and tentage.
16th September – TARANTO.
The day is spent in organising areas etc.
19th September – TARANTO.
Brigade allot training areas and training commence with each Company doing a field firing exercise. Captain Long is acting as training officer.
The Commanding Officer goes into hospital. Major Kerr assumes command of the bttn.
20th September – TARANTO.
0800 The bttn does have a short route march accompanies by the Drums and Pipes.
1900 Major Kerr MC holds a party for the Brigade officers in the Officers’ Mess.
The Commanding Officer and Adjutant rejoin the bttn from hospital.
22nd September – TARANTO.
1050 Commanding Officers’ conference on move to Fano area. Coys are made up to strength and orders for R Coy to move to 3 CRU are received.
1200 The Divisional Commander paid a visit to the bttn.
23rd September – TARANTO.
Major Kerr MC and Lieut Scarratt IO proceed to Fano as representatives on planning conferences
25th September – TARANTO.
The bttn move to Fano area by TCVs staging nights San Stephano and Giulianova.
1900 The bttn arrives in staging area.
26th September – SAN STEPHANO.
0600 Bttn em-buses and Giulianova to stage for the night, arriving at 1700 hrs.
27th September – GIULIANOVA.
0600 Bttn em-buses and proceeds on last stage of journey to Fano.
1000 The Second in Command goes to San Marino with the Brigade Commander.
1400 The bttn arrives in Fano.
28th September – FANO.
1200 The Divisional Commander visits the bttn.
Lieut Colonel TT McCartney Filgate visits the bttn from No 2 CRU.
29th September – FANO.
0800 A very wet night, the ground is completely waterlogged and many vehicles are bogged. The whole day is spent getting the blankets dried.
1400 The Commanding Officer holds a conference for Company Commanders.
30th September – FANO.
0830 Commanding Officer conference on distribution of MT throughout the bttn.