November - December 1941

On November 1st, 10 men per Platoon visited Pilning Range and fired 15 rounds of .303 each, and 5 rounds of .300. There was trouble and delay with the busses and the Range party did not get back until 7pm. The afternoon was bad and wet, but it cleared up to become cold at night for the Exercise Southern.

November opened with another large Exercise, in which a number of volunteers from “R” Machine Gun Platoon took part.

This is what Captain Rowe remembers of it: -

EXERCISE SOUTHERN
November 1st-2nd 1941

In this Exercise the 11^th Battalion formed part of an enemy force of airborne troops that had been dropped in the neighbourhood of Temple Cloud, and were to advance Northward and capture the Airport at Whitchurch. No 17 Platoon of “R” Company formed part of No.3 (Heavy) Company and were armed with four Medium Brownings and three Heavy Mortars represented by cricket stumps, belt boxes, and lengths of cardboard tube.

Tea was served at the RV at Slaits Farm near Temple Cloud, and the advance commenced at dusk through hostile country. Good progress was made under conditions of bright moonlight keeping to side roads and footpaths, and a success signal was observed from a party detailed to take an O.P. on Knowle Hill, on our left. The line of the River Chew was expected to be held, but the river was crossed by a bridge just east of Chew Magna without encountering any enemy. Skirting the village we commenced the long climb to North Wick and East Dundry, where the leading company met with opposition judging from the prisoners which were sent back, but which was captured without pausing the column. At East Dundry there was a stand down for a couple of hours, a W.V.S. Canteen arrived, and men were able to rest in barns.

The second part of the Exercise started at 02.00hrs with an advance down the hill to capture two farms at the bottom of the slope. During this phase the Heavy Company was in reserve in a lane on the exposed side of the hill and were envious of the other Companies on the move below, as the cold was intense. At first light the farms having been cleared the Machine Guns and Mortars moved down and eventually took up positions from which they could support the final attack on the ultimate objective, Filwood Farm. This was taken and consolidated, when the force proceeded to RV on the Airport Rd, where after a long delay, transport arrived for the journey home.

One looks back on this Exercise as a very successful and enjoyable one under ideal conditions of weather and terrain. “R” Company members who took part in it will remember most however the intense cold from which they suffered in the second part of the scheme, due to the inactive role allotted to them, and all will remember the bitter wait for transport when the body cried out for a bath, breakfast, and bed.”

G.L.R.

A Complimentary Notice appeared in Battalion Orders dated the 5th of November 1941 with regard to this exercise saying that 300 men of the Battalion marched 12 miles in very severe weather conditions. This does not sound quite so ideal as Captain Rowe seemed to find it.

I think it is generally accepted that J.D. Burch, M.G. Officer of “S” Company, contracted the illness from which he later died whilst on this Exercise. This was a great loss to the Battalion. I played Rugger with Burch when we were both much younger. He always played with a fine spirit then and applied the same energy and thought to whatever he did, and especially in his Home Guard Work.

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During November we ran the series of Ambush Exercises in Catbrain Lane. All Platoons did this in turn, and I think many lessons were learned from it.

We also started our liaison with Scout Commissioner Webber and his assistants and spent a series of Sundays working with them in the Scouts Camp area at Penpole.

On the 7th of November, Captain Barbary and two regular CSM’s visited us at St. Alban’s Hall and gave a most interesting and bloodthirsty demonstration of unarmed combat. They entered into it with determination and abandon, and real blood flowed. They did their best to put each other out of action. This demonstration roused great enthusiasm in the Company and we found that our Medical Officer Major Realson was a past master at the game. He knew all the tricks shown us and many more besides. Most sportingly he came along after this and put the whole Company through the mill with really good results.

In November we also devised our hook and eye system of carrying the haversack on the back linked over the shoulders to the respirator in the Alert position. This proved a most satisfactory way of wearing the awkward equipment. Hooks and eyes were obtained from Yeo Bros., Paull & Co. Ltd. and a sample was fitted up and put on show at Company Headquarters for everyone to copy. A ring was also sewn on the bottom of the haversack through which the string from the respirator was passed. This kept the haversack down and steadied the whole assemble.

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On November 23rd “R” Company took part in an Inter-Company Exercise with “S” Company, and I think Mr. Evans with his Machine Gun Platoon from “P” Company were attached to “R” for the day. The object of this exercise was to test the dispositions of “S” Company in the defence of Charlton village. “S” Company had a Platoon placed well forward at the junction of Highwood Lane and Cribbs Causeway. Their function was to be an aggressive one. They were to get out after any Paratroops seen or reported to be falling, and to interfere and harass them as much as possible. The Exercise was also designed to test and practice this Platoon in their operational role.

“R” Company took the part of an enemy force dropped by air on the area of Compton Greenfield. At the time we debussed in Compton Greenfield, “S” Company Platoon at Highwood Lane were given the information of our descent and arrival. We on our part had been provided by our intelligence – air reconnaissance and reports from agents – with fairly accurate information of the Charlton defences, and of the existence of the advance Platoon at Highwood Lane.

Having succeeded in rallying in Compton Greenfield village, we quickly dived for cover in the woods on the hill south of the village, covering the approach to the woods which we made as fast as possible, by Machine Guns at Manor Farm. Proceeding up this steep hill through the woods we came out behind the Lamb & Flag, choosing this route because it offered the best available covered approach to Cribbs Causeway. We anticipated that our arrival would have been seen or reported and naturally expected trouble on Cribbs Causeway.

We quickly seized two positions on Cribbs Causeway, one at the junction of the lane heading to Compton Greenfield, and the other at the corner and top of the hill towards Bristol near the old Lamb & Flag. Two machine guns and escorts were placed at each of these positions and the Company quickly crossed the road between them. This was a section of road that was not under observation from Charlton and could not be fired upon from East or West, that is from the direction of Bristol, because of the turn or corner and the high banks, or from the direction of Highwood Lane because of a slight bend and slight fall in level. The whole Company made the best line possible parallel to Catbrain Lane, while the machine guns who had protected our crossing of Cribbs Causeway followed on and looked after the safety of our rear and flanks. We made for the junction of what we call the Sunken Lane and Catbrain Lane which happens just where Catbrain Lane makes a right-angle turn.

I think “R” Company arrived at this point without having been seen, which was far more than we had expected, nor had any information reached “S” Company of our movements. Here of course we came under fire, but there was plenty of cover available into which we dived. Speed was still the essential so that we could get into Charlton before any movements or adjustments could be made to interfere with us. Mr. Hunter took his Platoon right up the Sunken Lane, crossed Charlton Lane and got through to Charlton village. Mr. Jackson went as far as Charlton Lane and worked along it. The remainder of the Company worked through orchards and gardens and quickly came into close contact with “S” where reality could no longer be maintained. Our MG’s had taken up positions behind us, on some higher ground West of the Sunken Lane, and were able to give us some help, although the country was too wooded to allow them much sight of the defence. The RAF sent machines to take part in this Exercise on our side. They dive bombed the defence and appeared to have made things very unpleasant for the defence. Our final movement from the Sunken Lane took place immediately after the dive bombing. In fact, they continued to strafe the defence just ahead of our advance. We saw nothing of the forward Platoon of “S” Company at Highwood Lane who went astray in the wrong direction and had to be recalled. We also appeared to have found a weak spot in the Charlton defences. Charlton of course was an impossible place to hold with the numbers “S” had available, especially if the defence should be led into trying the impossible, and so splitting up into small ineffectual units in an attempt to cover too great an area.

As usual we made the most of this exercise. First of all, by making our plan known to all beforehand on Platoon training nights, and secondly by running over it afterwards to make sure lessons learnt were understood by all.

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December opened with a “Warship Week” parade on December 3rd. One Officer and three Other Ranks per Company paraded at 13.50hrs at Winterstoke Rd. Major Clee took the Battalion Contingent and the column marched to the Centre where the band of the Wiltshire Regiment played them past the saluting point. The Home Guard were dismissed in Anchor Rd.

On Sunday the 7th December no busses arrived by mistake of the Tramway Company. The “R” Company programme was naturally washed out and a substitute had to be provided.

 -   No 13. Went for a march.
 -   No 14. To Charlton Quarry to fire the Northover.
 -  No 15. To the YMCA ground instead of to Penpole.
 -  No 16. To YMCA ground.
 -  No 17. Had their own programme apparently not interfered with.

The Battalion Miniature Shooting Competitions were still being held at the S.T.C. Range, but Colonel Piper was not satisfied with the results. As a test a Team was picked of 2 Officers (myself and Jackson), 4 Sergeants & 4 Corporals. Of whom I have no record, but they were picked shots.

C.S.M. Stacey gave the fire orders. Whether the result proved anything or not I do not know.

Sunday the 14th of December was a very wet day, but training was not interfered with. 13 & 14 Platoons went to Pilning in the wet, No.15 to the Scouts Camp area at Penpole, and No.16 to the Miniature Range at Horfield Barracks. Captain Podd and I interviewed Mr. F.M. Burris and persuaded him to grant us the use of his garage, and his telephone, as Company Battle Headquarters. Up to this time Company Headquarters had functioned in a car in Ridgeway.

On Sunday the 21st of December an Inter-Company Exercise took place on “R” Company front. “P” and “Q” Company attacked and a thick fog rather interfered with things. Beyond the fact the Signal Section laid a line direct from Battalion Headquarters at Combe Dingle to “R” Company Headquarters at Mr. Burris’s house Longacres, which greatly improved communications, I do not seem to have any record of what happened. Company Intelligence worked very well in the hands of Mr. Chamberlain, and a precis of all messages in and out was sent to Battalion on Monday the 22nd together with full reports from Sergeant Wheatley, Mr. Law, Mr. Davis. No report was received from the “S” Company Platoon holding junction of Knole Lane and Charlton Road, who took part in the Exercise, as they formed part of the Passage Rd Defended Locality, and came under the control operationally of “R” Company

A full Guard did duty on Christmas night, and sat down to a turkey supper, followed by cigars all round, and on Sat. 27th December the first Blacker Bombard or Spigot Mortar was delivered.

Sunday Dec. 28th was so wet that the arranged programme of training was cancelled. In its place No.13. Platoon plus next week's Battalion Miniature Team went to Horfield Miniature Range. No.16 went by bus to visit and reconnoitre the Henbury positions, and No.13 positions at Brentry. No.14 & 15 had a gas lecture by Dr Wells.

The Inter Company Exercise of the 21st was run over at Headquarters to the Officers on Monday night, to 13 & 16 Platoons on Tuesday, to the NCO’s on Thursday, and to 14 & 15 Platoons on Friday. There seemed to be plenty to say as it took one and a half hrs to say it on the Friday.

Tuesday the 30th of December was a very bad foggy night with a severe frost.

End of 1941 
The manuscript ends at this point. It is not known whether Major Bromhead ended his wonderful record here or whether he did so and the remaining pages were subsequently lost. Major Bromhead also recorded his thoughts on the role of N.C.O.s within a platoon: there is a link to the appropriate page below.