January - June 1941

1941 opened to a continuance of enemy bombing of Bristol, and as it appeared probable that members of the Battalion would be involved and hardships of a temporary nature might arise, a spontaneous desire made itself felt to do something about it, and on the  8th of January a Battalion Benevolent Fund was started under the Presidency of Major Malcom Lewis, the Battalion 2nd in Command, with Mr. Rands as Hon. Sec.

We were officially still the 3^rd Battalion Bristol County LDV.

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On the 12th of January 1941, we took part in the first large exercise, which we have always since referred to as the First Whitchurch Exercise. It had not then become the custom to allot each exercise a name such as Exercise Thunder, Northern, Eastern, Flash, which subsequently became the rule.

The object of this exercise was to test the defence of Whitchurch Aerodrome, and also to test a relief column of Regular troops whose operational duty it might be to go to the relief of this Aerodrome, should it be attacked. This column was the 8th Battalion Berkshire, who were camped somewhere around King’s Weston. The main plan of the 11th Battalion, who had been chosen to represent the attacking force of Parashoot Troops, was to drop one strong Company, with Mortar & Machine Gun support, south of the airport towards Dundry. They had to make straight for the Drome as fast as they could and were considered strong enough to overcome what opposition there might be; this was “P” Company.

“Q” Company were dropped on the right flank of “P” to protect this flank from any interference from Bristol on that side.

“R” Company were dropped near Bishopsworth, on the left of “P” Company, and were instructed to take up a position astride the Bishopsworth - Whitchurch Road to protect “P” against any interference which might be sent out from Bristol by this route.

At the time we were supposed to drop, the Bishopsworth 7^th Somerset Home Guard were supposed to be snugly in bed, and the regular relieving troops, the 8th Battalion Berkshire, in their Camp in Kings Weston.

We went out by bus and the first surprise was to overtake the 8th Berks on their way to Whitchurch to relieve an attack which had not in fact arrived. It seemed touch and go as to who would arrive at Bishopsworth first, the attacking Parashoot Troops or, the relieving Troops who would receive news of the invasion only after it had taken place.

It was a cold frosty morning; snow was still covering some of the fields and the roads were frozen. “P” Company had to proceed past Bishopsworth at the steep hills towards Dundry Ridge, and their busses skidded and refused to go all the way.

We in “R” Company found the Bishopsworth Home Guard very much awake, and already in possession of strong points in the area in which we still had to drop.

This psychic pre-knowledge of the coming air invasion, with times and districts all complete, was somewhat upset by the frosty roads which delayed “P” Company’s central attack. In fact, I think they all had to imagine themselves in bed again for another hour or so. But, as some did and some did not, some knew of the delayed start to the exercise, and some did not. The clarity of the exercise was not complete. It was really extraordinary that it went so well. The Berks put in a strong effort to get through our defence to the Aerodrome, and whether they would have succeeded or not, their movement across country was an object lesson well worth seeing.

“R” Company paraded 124 men for this exercise and left behind the medium Browning teams to get on with their training besides recruits and the usual oddments.

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On the 20th of January 1941, by Southern Command Order the:

 -  1st Battalion   became the 9th Gloster (City of Bristol) Battalion
 -  2nd Battalion became the 10th
 -  3rd Battalion  became the 11th
 -  4th Battalion  became the 12th
 -  5th Battalion  became the 13th
 -  6th Battalion  became the 14th

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By an order, dated the 15th of January 1941, we were not allowed the privilege of wearing the back Badge, which caused considerable resentment among members who had served in the Gloster Regiment before. This order was reversed on the 19th of February however, and we were then granted the right to this honour.

On the 1st of January 1941 the training grant was first authorised. From this fund, certain training stores not issued could be purchased, such as landscape targets, eye discs, aiming rests, sand tables and so on.

It was noted in Battalion orders that it was proposed to purchase two Miniature Rifles out of this grant if sanctioned. These to be issued from Battalion to Companies when required.

Later, it was decided to award these two miniature rifles to the winning Company in the Battalion Miniature Shooting Competition. There was a tie between “R” & “Q”, which “Q” won on the reshoot, and took possession of the Rifles.

Circumstances at this time forced Jack Chamberlain to resign from “R” Company, and as a result on the 1st of January 1941, I was appointed to Command the Company, J.K. Podd was appointed 2nd in Command, and Mr. J.H. Law Platoon Commander in his place.

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In February 1941, Mr. Bryant was compelled to decide whether to stay with the 11th Battalion or to transfer to the newly formed Post Office Battalion, he chose the latter - he was a Post Office employee, and on the 19th of February, E.W. Jackson was appointed acting Platoon Officer, and G.R. Bryant resigned at his own request.

It was a difficult matter to choose the successor to Bryant, and Mr. Jackson was finally selected after the choice had been narrowed down to three. One of the numerous Sergeant Smith’s was then Platoon Sergeant in this Platoon.

On the same date 19th of February, the Blue Identity Cards became out of date and all Civilian Identity Cards had to be embossed. Thus, the start of another worry for Administrative Officers. With one embossing stamp only for the whole Battalion it was a difficult matter to keep the cards stamped up to date. Early in February 1941, also after rumours of various kinds, on the 4th of February to be precise, Commission papers which had reached the Company were filled in. This caused considerable comment at the time. Few of those appointments wanted or thought necessary any alteration, and the proposed granting of Commissions was not generally a popular innovation. When the Commissions eventually came through with their limitations, I think it speaks very well for the type of discipline that had already grown into the 11th Battalion that it made little or no difference whatever, except perhaps to provide a neater title to replace the rather impersonal ones of Company Leader, Platoon Leader etc.

The Platoons in “R” Company were then:

 -  No. 1 - E.W.A. Jackson – Sergeant Smith
 -  No. 3 - A.P Davis - Sergeant Hedges
 -  No. 4 - J.H. Law – Sergeant Fulford
 -  No. 5 - S.L. Hunter – Sergeant Wheatley

Platoons No. 2, 6, 7, 8 having transferred to “S” on 18th of February 1941.

The first result of the Commission period commenced by the appointment of the Zone Commander Lt. Colonel Chapman to be Colonel; and of S.H. Piper, together with the other Home Guard Battalion Commanders, to be Lt. Colonel’s.

By February we had sourced the use of St. Alban’s Hall for training purposes for two nights each week, which proved a great boon, and a general survey of all likely property in the district was still taking place to try to find better Headquarters for the Company than the White Tree Garage. This desire still did not meet with any great enthusiasm from the Army Authorities, and for some unexplained reason, the St. Alban’s Club premises were not considered suitable although we asked for them.

Kenwith Lodge, and a large corner house in Downs Park West, were among many buildings examined and which we almost succeeded in taking possession of. In fact, the Downs West Park house was so nearly ours that the accommodation had even been allotted to the various Platoons and purposes, only to be refused at the very last moment.

During February 1941 a large amount of training time was put in out of doors on night operations, generally in the districts of Henbury, Passage Road, and Sheepwood. The Zone Commander visited these night Platoon Exercises and many may remember his squeaking leather leggings, which clearly indicated his progress round the posts. In the quiet of the night, these squeaks could be heard over considerable distances and on at least one occasion he was not recognised in the dark and was peremptorily told to stop talking and to keep quiet in not very polite language.

During one of these night Exercises an incident occurred which drew forth one of the periodic protests from Dr. Mason at Brentry Colony. By this time, we had all really got down to a correct and efficient means of manning our Post at night. Sentries just lurked silent and still in the shadows, and the first anyone would know of their presence would be a muzzle pressed in the stomach and a quiet challenge in the ear. This happened on the Brentry Colony to an elderly member of the staff, with apparently almost fatal results, from heart failure. Some of “R” Company were sufficiently warlike normally, to frighten any timid person, but in their night camouflage was stupendous.

On the 19th February the Fire Picquets were withdrawn, much to the relief of everyone. We were all glad and willing to help in any way we could – fighting fire if there were no Germans to fight, but the duties allotted to us, and the instructions we had to carry out, were so unfortunate in this detail that it was difficult to justify them.

One group had to sleep at the National Fire Service Station in Berkeley Square where the accommodation, in a Garage, was far from satisfactory. We were not welcomed by the N.F.S. which did not help, but the duty was the worse. The party split into two, one group on an alert were to patrol up Pembroke Road to Apsley Road, through into Whiteladies, and back to Berkeley Square. The other group patrolled the Tyndalls Park area, Park Row and Park Street. Both groups were to carry a ladder or ladders, stirrup pump, and empty buckets.

Another Post shared or alternated with “P” Company and was established in a Church building at the bottom of Jacob’s Wells Road. Within a short while of the duty being taken off, this building received a direct hit by High Explosive and was completely demolished.

Other duties, which had been intermittently carried out, had been the guarding of unexploded bombs during the period they were waiting the attention of the bomb disposal squads. These sentries were generally posted in pitch darkness, and the Police had been looking after the sites by day. There was rarely anyone to take over from, and the actual positions of the UXB’s was often far from certain.

On one occasion in the Canons Marsh area, a Sentry, having been posted at one end of a Warehouse, was challenged at daybreak by a Policeman. It turned out he was at the wrong end of the Warehouse, and instead of keeping people a safe distance away, was actually standing almost on the delayed action or unexploded bomb. Many incidents of this kind happened in the Battalion area, notably on St. Michael’s Hill, and it was often disconcerting for a visiting Officer to find a Sentry standing on top of a U.X.B. liable to go off at any minute!

In February we also staged a series of demonstrations in front of Sheepwood to be illustrated by Sergeant Foot’s trained Scouts. They were to show the use of cover, effect of movement, etc. The whole Company viewed these demonstrations which, however, did not prove so effective as anticipated. During rehearsal there had been no sun, while on the Sunday the sun shone strongly behind Sheepwood, detracting largely from the contrasts and effect desired to be shown.

Philpott was giving bayonetted fighting instruction and taking recruits. Dr. Wells lectured on Gas, Map Reading and the use of the Prismatic Compass, and Message Writing. Platoons were training in St. Alban’s Hall. Upcoming Platoon and Company Exercises were discussed, and past Exercises ran over to obtain the best possible lessons from them.

St. Alban’s Hall was very overcrowded and the amount of work that went on simultaneously was amazing. A room (very cold) behind the stage was used, the stage itself with curtains drawn formed another room. The body of the hall was divided by heavy curtains separating the end of the hall from the larger remainder. Six classes often occupied the main large portion of the hall, and another two the smaller curtained off position. There was considerable interference of course, but it kept the classes small enough to be manageable and allowed a change of instruction at suitable intervals.

Lectures were also being arranged during this period by Battalion at the Royal Fort.

On the 26th of February, we heard of the death of A. A. Greenslade, his funeral took place on the 4th of March - Messrs Davies and Philpott attended to represent “R” Company.

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On the 5th of March 1941, the first issue of Miniature Rifles was made to Companies and two nice little Remingtons came to “R” Company. Later on of course two Mossberg rifles were issued, and the Company gradually collected other Miniature Rifles from private sources.

We had still unofficially been using the Westbury Cricket Ground, but on Sunday the 6th of March we received a visit from a Representative of the Merchant Venturers to point out that we had given up this ground on the 7th of February.

The 12th of March 1941 brought the first issue of an Official Establishment. Up to this time each Company had evolved its own establishment, and although in the Home Guard this is bound to be an elastic organisation by the very nature of its territorial differences and the variety of its operational roles, there must have been unnecessary variations within single Battalions which was no longer desirable.

The Establishment published as a guidance was:

 -  Company Home Guard
      - 1 Warrant Officer (Class 2)
      - 1 Company Quartermaster Sergeant
      - 1 Orderly Room Corporal

 - Platoon Home Guard
      - 1 Sergeant
      - 1 Corporal

 - Section
      - 1 Sergeant
      - 1 Corporal

2 squads per section, each to be commanded by a Corporal or Lance Corporal to each 10 volunteers.

There was to be no battalion seniority of Non-Commissioned Officers.

The 26th of March saw the inception of a provision that many may have forgotten even if they ever knew of it. The provision of means to enable the dependants of Home Guard, who might be called up, to draw money or receive assistance. These were White Cards which had to be completed up to 75% of the strength of the Company. These were held ready for issue should the Company mobilise, and the production of this White Card by a dependant would have received the payments laid down.

On the 26th of March, H.C. Gregory officially transferred to the 8th Somerset Battalion at Weston-Super-Mare. While living there he had still carried out his daytime duties as Administrative Officer to the Company. These duties however were tending to increase, and it was difficult to manage by daytime work only. Mr. Gregory then struck a bad patch of health, and the worry of trying to carry on undoubtedly aggravated his condition. When it became obvious that the worry of Home Guard duties would seriously retard his recovery, the duties were given to others, and when Mr. Gregory eventually got better he rightly decided to throw in his lot with the local unit in Weston.

On the 30th of March 1941 another Battalion Exercise took place. The Battalion under the Command of Major Malcolm Lewis, with myself at 2nd in command, started at the Cribb on Cribbs Causeway in which area these Paratroops had dropped and rallied. An attack was made on Filton Aerodrome with the object of testing the Aerodrome defences. As far as I remember, “S” Company remained in defence in Charlton, and the 9th Battalion occupied their positions on the right of “S” Company at Patchway. One of the objects of the Exercise was to prove or test the weakness or strength of the defence at the junction of the two Battalions.

“Q” Company formed an attacking column separated from the remainder of the Battalion by Highwood Lane. “P” Company had first of all to attack a Balloon Barrage and Searchlight site in quite a strong position, and then together with “R” Company had to push on as fast as possible to the Aerodrome. This being in our own area was not so long as the Whitchurch Exercise and I think was over by midday.

It was probably the first occasion when many in the Battalion met Major James, who was out on this Exercise as an Umpire. Major James, home on sick leave from the 2nd Battalion the Gloster Regiment, was posted as Adjutant and Quartermaster to the 11th Battalion on 9th April 1941.

Most of us will remember one duty we had to provide during this winter.

On the siren sounding, all Service personnel in any Picture House had instructions to proceed to the vestibule, the senior present was to take charge, and they had to be guided to the nearest Home Guard Headquarters where they would be divided up into patrols to augment the HG guard on duty, to help the Civil Defence in the district. One HG’s duty therefore was to sit snugly in the Picture House ready to act as guide. He had a free show and there was rarely any difficulty in finding someone willing to undertake this duty.

During March we received some dummies for the first time, these were handed over to Mr. Law who was taking “Musketry Instruction” on training evenings. Mr. Wells added another subject, “Sniping”, to his series of lectures. Harley was taking Bombers to the range at Kingsweston, and practice took place in erecting the Roadblocks we were responsible for - No. 48 was put in by No 5. Platoon in 1 minute 10 secs, a good performance as it was a difficult and heavy tree barricade on Henbury Hill.

We were now concerned with Roadblocks No. 40 & 41, junction of Knole Lane and Brentry Lane, and junction of Knole Lane and Passage Road, where No.4 Platoon functioned and trained. No. 3 were on the No 3. Block on Passage Road with positions in Sheepwood and Brentry Colony. No 5. were in Henbury.

Miniature shooting was also taking place on evenings at the G.W.R. Range at St Philips, and at the S.T.C. Range, Woodland Road.

We received warnings of enemy agents dropped by parachute with W/T Sets, of Blazing Trees as Signals, and all training evenings had been frequently, almost regularly, interrupted by alerts at one time or another. When this happened, Sentries were posted outside St. Alban’s Hall to warn if anything developed in our district. Training carried on.

Dr. Wells was training Company Orderlies, and Battalion Orderlies were being instructed to report to various centres for instruction - where there was often no one to receive them and they were dismissed.

We had the A.W. Glass phosphorus bombs and buried a store near our positions on Passage Road.

On the 21st of March we learnt that 52, Down Park West would not be ours for New Headquarters, and were offered No’s. 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 Downs Road. These proved to be small private houses, used as billets by troops, in a road leading off the top of Falcondale Road. We did not consider them suitable and turned them down.

We visited St. Margaret’s School, Henleaze, and Beechwood, Eastfield Rd, as possible new Company Headquarters. St. Margaret’s would have been useful, but eventually we found it was earmarked for other purposes. Beechwood was not suitable and too much out of our district and almost on “S” Company doorstep.

A church parade was held at St. Alban’s on March 23rd and the Company marched by Platoons from White Tree and back. This dispersal of the Company, in case of interference by Air Raid, was necessary and always observed - the largest Unit ever moving together being a Platoon and they usually dispersed in Sections.

Captain Shelton R.A. visited us at St. Alban’s Hall and lectured on Tuesday 25th of March and Friday 28th of March at the Physics Laboratory, Bristol University, on Heavy Artillery Gunnery. This made an interesting and welcome relief from our normal training but was of no other value to us.

By this time, I had decided to press hard for the St. Alban’s Club for new Headquarters. Jack Podd and I had met four members of the club on the 14th of February and had talked over the possibility of acquiring the premises with them. Owing to the Blitzing and Alerts, the Club was not being used and the financial responsibilities were of concern to them. On the 27th of March we took Platoon Officers, Platoon Sergeants to the Club to get their opinion. It was unanimously agreed that the premises were suitable. Further progress was made on the Easter Sunday, 13th of April, when I saw the Reverend Miller and got him to agree to give up the small kitchen on ground floor - he had wanted to retain this as a store. This retention was accordingly deleted from the agreement.

Training was proceeding on much the same lines but received a check owing to St. Alban’s Hall taking in 130 blitzed refugees. The hall was earmarked for this purpose and became a dormitory for a short while.

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On Friday 4th of April we had to report:

 -  2466 Sampson R.W.    Killed
 -  1737 Sampson W.C     Injured
 -  3072 Bennett E.W.      Injured
 -  1491 Ready D.             Injured

All by enemy action. The loss of so promising a young lad as Sampson was keenly felt by us all.

Jack Chamberlain had reported back early in February. His civil commitments in Rochdale would allow him to put in some limited time again. He offered to serve in any capacity, and I cannot help recording how this illustrated the very finest spirit of the LDV. Here was a man who had been in charge right from the beginning, who had seen the Company grow, had been responsible for its evolution, and had led it as Company Leader. Having to give up on account of pressure of business which had taken him away from Bristol, he returned at the very first opportunity asking for employment in any capacity whatever. He agreed to take over the Regimental Institute and to be President of the Committee, and of Tuesday 15th of April he met the Vicar of St. Alban’s to take over the equipment they proposed to leave for our use, and for which the Company would have to accept responsibility.

On the 16th of April the following appointments appeared in Battalion Orders, dated back I believe, to 1st February 1941.

 - To be Majors:
     -  Malcolm M. Lewis MC
     -  R.W. Kemp MC
     -  W.R. Foster
     -  J.H. Bromhead DCM

 - To be Captains
     -  W.G. Clarke DSO
     -  J.K. Podd MC
     -  W.K Wernham MC

 - To be Lieutenants
     -  S.L. Hunter
     -  J.H. Law

 - To be 2nd Lieutenants
     -  H.B. Davis
     -  E.W. Jackson
     -  V. R. Rands 

With no other comment I will add that on the same date one Northover Projector was issued to the Company.

Roy Watts of “Q” Company visited us this April to give a series of lectures on first aid to gas casualties. He painted such a gloomy picture, put it to us so mournfully, and the illustrations handed round were so revolting, that each audience was almost in tears at the end of each lecture.

1380 Wilkins H.E. was injured by enemy action on Friday 11th of April and was still in the BRI on the 15th. This was a very bad period in Bristol.

Principal feature of the April training was “Movement”, or what was known in the last war as “Field Training”, with Parades still taking place occasionally on the Westbury Cricket ground. The Downs were also in use. On Sunday 20th of April one of the very few Company Parades was had - C.S.M. Philpott took the whole Company for 40 minutes. Mr. Law was concentrating on training in Musketry those detailed for the Pilning Range in May. The end of April was definitely the end of the Cricket ground as a training centre. We learnt on the 27th of April it had been let for grazing.

On the 23rd of April 1941 Sergeant G.L. Rowe was appointed acting Platoon Commander.

Up to this time the Machine Gun Teams had been attached to Platoons, a very unsatisfactory arrangement, and Battalion had been pressing for some time for a M.G. Platoon to be formed. In view of my original undertaking I was unwilling to do this and resisted the weekly urgings at the Battalion meetings. The seed had been set however, and in due course the Machine Gunners met and voluntarily offered to form the M.G. Platoon. Thus started one of the keenest and most enthusiastic Platoons in the Company.

Somewhere about the 23rd of April work was started on the construction of a Battalion Bombing Range at Rockingham, and 1200 rounds of SAA were issued to the Company - 300 to be used for practice, and 200 of these to be allotted to the MG’s.

Dr Wells took over Company Intelligence.

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On Sunday 4th of May we sent 4 Medium Browning’s, 7 Lewis, and 16 Light Browning’s to Yoxter Range. The remainder of the Company under C.S.M. Philpott moved from the White Tree to the St. Alban’s Club, Cossins Road.

This marked the beginning of a new phase with renewed activities and very great increase in work, training and efficiency.

The Tommy Guns (Thompson Sub-Machine Guns) evidently arrived early in May, because on the 4th May there was a lecture in the Physics Laboratory, Bristol University, on the tactical use of the Tommy Gun, and during May a Policeman, late of one of the Guards Battalions, gave several lectures and demonstrations on the Tommy Gun to us at our new Headquarters - St. Alban’s Club.

On the 7th May I lost my own business premises by enemy action together with the whole contents, stock, equipment, and everything else. The Home Guard did not seem to give me much opportunity to worry over it however, for on the 8th I was on Battalion Orderly Duty all night at “Q” Headquarters, and on Battalion visiting duty on Friday 9th. On Saturday 10th, with Dr. Wells, I had to take part in a Sub-Area Signal Exercise, from 0700hrs on the 10th to 1300hrs on the 11th.

The first demonstration of the Northover took place at Brentry Quarry, Charlton Road, on the 15th May when it was fired before an audience of Officers, WO’s, and Sergeants. This may have given us a somewhat better feeling towards this weapon, which so far had aroused no enthusiasm.

On the 24th of May, “T” Company (BBC), gave the 2nd Battalion Concert at the Colston Hall, but there was not the same atmosphere that had been present at the 1st. The standard of the 1st concert had been so high it is doubtful if any other could have been the same. On the same date a Notice appeared in Battalion Orders, suggesting the formation of a Male Voice Choir in the Battalion. Those interested were to hand their names to Volunteer G.W. Tucker, of “R” Company, I never heard that this proposed choir materialised.

On the 14th of May, a Battalion Order stated that issue boots and anklets must be worn when in Uniform. This presented certain difficulties to “R” Company training by courtesy of St. Alban’s Church in the Church Hall. The Hall was still being used weekly for dances, and by special request we wore light shoes or boots in the Hall and not issue boots with nailed soles.

On the 25th C.S.M. Philpott started his series of Bull Ring trainings on the Y.M.C.A ground, Golden Hill.

On 26th of May the Battalion commenced to take its turn in finding a guard of 1 Officer, 2 NCO’s and 8 Volunteers at Zone Headquarters, Park Row. “P” Company found the first, “R” took it on a little later. This was never a popular guard.

On the 28th of May 1941 G.L. Rowe was appointed 2^nd Lieutenant.

The first mention of Proficiency Badges was made on 28th May when a warning was given so that Members of the Battalion could prepare themselves.

On Friday 30th of May I had quite an exciting time while visiting an area on Battalion Duty. A Blitz developed with bombs near Westbury Road and Henbury, and incendiaries in Clifton and Shirehampton directions. All clear 04.00hrs. Somehow, I seemed to be involved in it all. All Sunday parades in June were occupied on the Bullring training on YMCA ground. Platoons perfected and edited their Snow Ball system.

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A test Mobilisation of whole Company was carried out on Saturday night 14th June. Evening parades were occupied out on Platoon positions.  

On the 18th of June 1941, Mr. A.K. Wells was appointed Chief Guide to the Battalion, and at the same time Acting Platoon Commander. Mr. Chamberlain took over his Intelligence duties on Company Headquarters.

One of the duties of the Home Guard might be the guiding of Regular Army formations through Bristol, possibly with streets and bridges damaged by enemy bombing. A number of guides had to be trained ready to undertake these duties, and the versatile Wells was the obvious man to train and take charge of them. They would need a comprehensive knowledge of traffic regulations on action stations, positions of possible camping or bivouac areas, water supplies, telegraph offices, railway stations and sidings, and a multitude of other information.

The Commander of the Western Area inspected us on the night 14th/15th of June and expressed himself as pleased with the turnout, keenness, and interest displayed.

Thursday 19th of June a Company Concert was held at St. Alban’s Hall and Housewarming at our new Headquarters, to which visitors from Battalion and other Companies were invited. The time between this date and May 4th having been taken up in building the partitions on the top floor to divide up the accommodation into separate rooms. Mr. Voke was persuaded to take on the job of superintending the carrying out of this work and finished by doing a large proportion of the work himself. The material was scrounged from various sources.

Some Platoons were parading on their Platoon nights between 50 and 60 strong.

We received a visit at our new Headquarters from Colonel Chapman, and No.5 Platoon under Mr. Hunter attended a church parade at St. Peter’s, Henleaze, 39 strong, on Sunday 29th June - they were inspected by the Lord Mayor. On the same day, a party with Tommy Guns went by bus to Yoxter Range to try out these new weapons.

On Monday 30th of June Miss Peggy Webb started work in the Orderly Room. Very welcome help indeed.