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War Diaries
For

The Royal Tank Regiment
August 1939 To March 1946

Missing:-
  • May 1941
  • October 1941
  • November 1941
  • December 1941
  • September 1942
Royal Tank Regiment Badge

January 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Jan 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1/1/43 Promotions:-
Capt ELS Gjemre T/Major wef 17/7/42
Capt KV Fidler A/Major wef 20/9/42
Lt J Robinson A/Capt wef 11/12/42
Lt DA Windeler A/Capt wef 14/12/42
Major DJ Coulson appointed 2i/c of Regt wef 20/9/42
2/1/43 Major JL Warner relinquishes command C Sqn and assumes command A Sqn. Major HLS Gjemre assumes command C Sqn.
3/1/43 Regtl canteen opens in C Sqn Mess tent.
Lt KEG Clarke appointed assistant Adjt.
5/1/43 2Lt SJ Weekes promoted Lt, 2Lt EF Underwood promoted Lt. Lt P Helps posted to HQ Sqn as Recce Troop leader.
6/1/43 Lt KEG Clarke appointed Weapons Training Officer and posted to HQ Sqn.
Lt PGS Lucraft taken on strength and posted to C Sqn.
11/1/43 Seven day and fourteen day Driver Operator refresher courses started.
2Lt CD Eberstein promoted Lt.
12/1/43 SSM G West promoted WO1 and appointed RSM.
17/1/43 Driver Mechanic test for all Driver Mechanics.
20/1/43 CO lectures all officers on the organisation of 5th Indian Div.
Guards increased due to theft by local population.
2Lt Driscoll promoted Lt.
21/1/43 Capt RW Hill, Lt JA Garrard, Sgt P Ryley appointed dog shooters.
22/1/43 General C Le O Martel visits unit
23/1/43 Major RN Wilson taken on strength and appointed 2i/c.
24/1/43 Organised trips by Sqns to BABYLON.
Lt FG Holloway appointed PAD officer.
27/1/43 Capt RHN Simonds taken on strength and posted to A SqnCapt DA Windeler relinquishes acting rank and reverts to Lt.
28/1/43 Sgt R Russell was found guilt under 24 (2) of AA- Loss of arms and ammunition. Sentence Severe Reprimand and Stoppages of £7.0.2. confirmed by Bde Commander, but stoppages reduced to £5.
Tpr RE Jones was found guilty under Sect 24 (2) – Loss of arms and ammunition. Sentenced to 14 days field punishment and stoppages £7.0.2. Confirmed by Bde Commander but stoppages reduced to £3.
31/1/42 Sqns organise further trips to BABYLON.Major JM Warner proceeded on to a Tactical course at GAZA.
Lt KEG Clarke proceeded on to an Admin course at GAZA.
Lt SE Smart proceeded on to a Gas course at GAZA.

February 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Feb 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1/2/43 Junior Leaders course for officers commenced.
Lt FG Holloway appointed Officer i/c Engineers.
Lt JA Garrard and troop attended funeral of Tpr K Port at Baghdad Military Cemetery.
3/2/43 Capt DJ Coulson regranted rank of T/Major and assumed command of C Sqn.
T/Major KV Fidler reverts to Captain.
A/Capt JM Robinson revert to Lt.
6/2/43 Capt A Aplin and Signal Officer take part in 14th Sherwood Forester scheme.
7/2/43 2Lt F McGrath taken on strength and posted to C Sqn and promoted Lt.
9/2/43 Lt PGS Lucraft left for IO course at Helwan.
10/2/43 2Lt Hadley appointed Fire Officer.
11/2/43 Lt G St G Farmer appointed unit welfare officer.
17/2/43 Regtl TEWT ‘Withdrawal’ attended by Div Commander Major-General HR Briggs DSO and Brigadier JH Anstice.
28/2/43 B Sqn fire a squadron shoot which was attended by HRH King Faisal II of IRAQ and Lady Cornwallis, the wife of the British Ambassador. The boy King showed a surprising knowledge of army vehicles and kept up a running fire of questions. He listened intently to the Sqn Leader’s orders and talked over the wireless to him. At the conclusion of the demonstration the King was taken for rides in the Sqn Leader’s tank, a Jeep and an armoured car.

March 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Mar 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1/3/43 LATIFIYA
Regt co-operates with 14th Sherwood foresters in a scheme.
8/3/43 Lt HG Jenkins appointed Unit Messing Officer.
18/3/42 FGCM Sgt T Harby found guilty under AA Sect 19 – Drunkenness. Sentence:- £5 fine and reduced too the rank of Cpl.
19/3/43 Lt Col de Pereira 14th RHA lectures all officers on co-operation between tanks and artillery.
22/3/43 Lt D Whittet and 2Lt SC Hadley left for BASRA with 60 ORs to collect vehicles.
23/3/43 Regtl Exercise directed by Major RN Wilson and attended by Major General Briggs DSO & Bar, Brigadier HD Drew CBE MC, AFV PAIFORCE and Brigadier JH Anstice DSO, 7th Armd Bde.
25/3/43 Capt RHN Simonds left for ME Staff College HAIFA.
26/3/43 Lt D Whittet returned from BASRA and 18 ORs with nine tanks and transport.
27 – 31 Div Scheme FORBID.

April 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Apr 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1 - 3 LATIFIYA
Div Scheme FORBID.
6/4/43 57 ORs taken on strength from 4th RTC.
8/4/43 CO commences leave. Major RN Wilson assumed command of the Regt. Major ELS Gjemre, 7 other officers and 60 ORs left for recce of area North of MOSUL. 2Lt SC Hadley returned from BASRA with nine White scout cars.
14/4/43 Recce party returned.
2Lt BC Curran taken on strength.
19/4/43 Lt FG Holloway appointed Unit Salvage Officer.
23/4/43 CO returns from leave and re-assumes command of the Regt.
25/4/43 Lt Col HM Liardet OBE, assumes command of 7th Armd Bde during the absence of Brigadier JH Anstice DSO, in INDIA.
28/4/43 Lt EJ Draper and 19 ORs rejoined the unit.
29/4/43 13 ORs taken on strength from 4th RTC.

May 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
May 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
2/5/43 LATIFIYA
Tanks handed over to AOD.
4/5/43 Wheeled carriers handed over to AOD. Regt prepares to move.
6/5/43 0645 – Regt leaves.
1630 – Regt arrives WADI MOHAMMEDI
7/5/43 0630 – Regt leaves.
1700 – Regt arrives RUTBAH.
8/5/43 0645 – Regt leaves.
1630 – Regt arrives Pumping Station H 4 in Transjordan.
9/5/43 0715 – Regt Leaves.
1530 – Regt arrives MAFRAQ
10/5/43 0730 – Regt leaves.
1630 – Regt arrives ACRE in PALESTINE.
1800 – 200 men of all ranks granted evening leave to HAIFA.
2300 – Vehicle returning to unit with 30 ORs involved in collision with stationary vehicle, ORs sustaining injuries.
11/5/43 0900 – Regt leaves.
1300 – Regt arrives SARAFENND Camp.
Unit notified that Tpr DJ Adam, Tpr M Brown and Tpr M Smith had died from injuries received in the accident of 10/5/43.
12/5/43 Tents pitched and general settling.
13/5/43 Unit notified that Cpl D Williams, Tpr J Palmer and Cpl J Walsh (R. Signals) had died of injuries received in the accident of 10/5/43.
14/5/43 Daily leave to BEIRUT commenced.
Lt JC Holloway appointed assistant PRI
21/5/43 Regt visited by Major General Birks DSO, GOC 10th Armd Div.
23/5/43 Major RN Wilson assumed command of the Regt in the absence of the CO on duty
25/5/43 Capt Fidler, Capt Stevens and advance party leave for new location.
26/5/43 CO returns.
Lt DA Windeler appointed assistant Adjt.
Lt Lucraft appointed RIO. 2Lt BC Curran promoted Lt.
29/5/43 2Lt SC Hadley promoted Lt
30/5/43 Seven days leave to BEIRUT commenced.

June 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Jun 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1/6/43 0700 – Regt left camp
1630 – Regt arrived staging camp 10 miles West of DAMASCUS.
2/6/43 0730 – Regt left.
1530 – Regt arrived HOMS.
3/6/43 0700 – Regt left
1600 – Regt arrived Silver Fox camp ALEPPO.
4/6/43 General settling in new camp.
5/6/43 Capt GD Addison MC admitted to hospital. Lt DA Windeler appointed Adjt. Lt Lucraft appointed assistant Adjt.
8/6/43 Lt JG Mauldon MC appointed Unit Photography officer.
10/6/43 ME Smart appointed unit messing officer. Lt Curren appointed Unit Welfare officer.
19/6/43 Capt J Robinson appointed Unit sports officer.
20/6/43 Two Troops leave for traffic control duties with Div.
23/6/43 Capt DM Chidson MC, GSO III lectures all officers on ‘total war’.
27/6/43 Lt McGrath re-appointed Messing Officer.

July 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Jul 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1/7/43 Preparing to move to a new destination. Main party (264 ORs) left for new camp.
2/7/43 0500 – Regt Left.
2100 – Regt arrived MAQNE.
8/7/43 Major RN Wilson left the Regt.
9/7/43 200 ORs ‘stand-by’ to turn out in case of trouble by Greek soldiers
1800 – Emergency stand-by for Greeks ended.
14/7/43 Major General HL Birks DSO, Brigadier JH Anstice DSO, Brigadier WA Ebbel MC (CRA 10th Armd Div) and Air Liaison officers attended ‘Tank busting’ demonstration – two of our Troops in co-operation with the RAF, showing solo and converging low-level attacks.
20/7/43 Lt EW Sudale appointed RIO vice Lt Lucraft.
22/7/43 £50 sent by PRI to Prisoner-of-War Fund Bovington Camp.
28/7/43 OCTU Board held, Board composed of:- Major Warner, Major Powell, Major Gjemre, Capt Windeler.

August 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Aug 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1/8/43 Major DJ Coulson assumes command during absence of CO on a course.
6/8/43 Mobile cinema show in 2nd RTR lines.
13/8/43 C Sqn leave with HQ 10th Armd Div for infantry training at SLENNFE.
23/8/43 CO returns from course.
25/8/43 Lt RA Wood and 2Lt GB Lane taken on strength.
27/8/43 FGCM – Tpr Sheehan found guilty under AA Sect 24(2)- loss of Arms. Sentence loss of 48 days pay.
FGCM – Tpr Bell found guilty under AA Sect 24(2) – loss of Arms. Sentence loss of 28 days pay.
FGCM – Tpr Buck found guilty under AA Sect 24(2) – loss of Arms. Sentence loss of 28 days pay.
FGCM – Cpl Rutley found guilty under AA Sect 24(2) – loss of Arms. Sentence reduced to the rank of Trooper.
28/8/43 Tpr L Patten accidentally injured on ranges and died in hospital later in the day.
30/8/43 C Sqn provide burial party for the funeral of Tpr Patten, who was buried in the new British Cemetery Beirut Plot 3 Grave 10.
31/8/43 Capt KV Fidler re-granted rank of T/Major for period 8/7/43 to 31/8/43 whilst commanding C Sqn.

September 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Sep 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
2/9/43 Major PWD Sturdee taken on strength and appointed 2i/c and Security Officer.
7/9/43 Major PWD Sturdee assumes command of the Regt during absence of CO.
9/9/43 CO returned.
12/9/43 FGCM – Tpr TA Thomas found guilty under AA Sect 25(1) Knowingly making a false statement. Sentence to one days field punishment.
Capt Sir Frederick Coates taken on strength.
23/9/43 Advance party left for new destination.
26/9/43 Tank party left for new destination.
27/9/43 Packing up camp.
28/9/43 2359 – Regt left.
29/9/43 0630 – Regt arrives MARGAYOUN staging Camp.
2000 – Regt left.
30/9/43 0900 – Regt arrived TULKARM camp PALESTINE.
1830 – Regt left.

October 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Oct 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1/10/43 0530 - LAD Stores wagon ran off the road and crashed 30 feet into a Wadi. 4 men injured, 3 detained in hospital.
0900 – Regt arrived ASLUJ staging camp in heavy sand storm.
2145 – Regt left.
2/10/43 0730 – Breakfast at Kilo 104, Asluj – Ismailia road.
1200 – Regt arrives KANTARA and refuelled.
1530 – Regt arrives Camp 55 South of FAYID.
3/10/43 General settling in.
8/10/43 Evening leave to Suez and Ismailia commenced.
11/10/43 Lt DES Bulman appointed 2i/c Recce troop.
15/10/43 Lt P Helps promoted A/Capt.
18/10/43 Lt WL Smith and Lt WB MacGregor taken on strength.
23/10/43 Lt AE Taylor appointed Weapons Training officer. Capt Windeler appointed Adjt in absence of Capt Addison in hospital
80 ORs posted to RAC Training Depot to comply with the new War Establishment.
28/10/43 WO2 (RQMS) A Parsons appointed WO1 (RSM).
29/10/43 Capt Sir Frederick Coates Bt, and Lt T Templeton attended RA TEWT.
31/10/43 CO, 2i/c, Adjt, 3 officers and 80 ORs attended Div Church Parade. At the march past the salute was taken by Major General HL Birks DSO.

November 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Nov 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1/1143 4 officers and 40 ORs with RIO in charge visit the Enemy Equipment Park at Quassasin.
4/11/43 Capt GD Addison appointed Adjt.
6/11/43 Capt JM Robinson appointed Messing officer vice Lt ME Smart.,
13/11/43 Capt T Stainton appointed 2i/c A Sqn, Capt Sir FGL Coates Bt, appointed 2i/c B Sqn.
18/11/43 HM The King has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the Middle East:
  • -Cpl TJ Seymour
  • -MM Tpr JR Norman
  • -MM Tpr JC Broom
  • -BEM (Military Division)
19/11/43 Celebrated Cambrai Day and general holiday for all ranks.
22/11/43 Capt DA Windeler appointed WTO vice Lt AE Taylor.
25/11/43 Brigadier Prior-Palmer inspects Regt on parade.
30/11/43 A Sqn “Allez Allez” exercise attended by Bde Commander Brigadier Priop-Palmer.
Extract of Personal letter from Lt Col RN Wilson (former 2i/c) to Lt Col Liardet.

    Now for my news. Well, as you must already know we came over to Italy with the Americans. Before we left N Africa – that awful place called Homs – we did an enormous amount of training for close country, and studied bits of Italy etc, etc. we also did our Combined Ops training there, and we never let up for a minute.

    It was all very interesting as we were really working on what the 4th Armd Bde had found out in Sicily and passed on to us. Also a lot of theory stuff worked out with our Infantry Bde in the Div. Of course, it was nothing but improvisation type of training – the same as usual, and we could not use the Shermans, B vehicles or anything at all. So it was all TEWTs, discussions and lectures. Still, it did work when we tried it out here, which was lucky.

    We actually came ahead of Bde, and were with the Infantry Bde for a week before they landed. We had a marvellous trip over in LSTs, which are a wonderful invention and very comfortable as long as it is a smooth sea. They roll like anything.

    We got into five of them. No.1 had my half of RHQ (two tanks, my Dingo, IOs Dingo and two sections of Recce), one sqn tanks, A Echelon (Sqn), Troop of 25pdrs, Troop AA. N0.2 had the same, with the other half of RHQ under the 2i/c, a Sqn and all the rest the same. N0.3 had one sqn, section of Recce, it’s A Echelon, part of B Echelon. No.4 a mixture of B & C Echelon. No.5 the remaining part of C Echelon. We actually landed No.1 and 2 on the first day, and the rest about 20 hours later.

    It is essential in Combined Ops I’m sure, that RHQ is split, Sqns are kept together and are self contained, with their own section of three, Sqn Leaders Dingo and it’s own A Echelon of fitters, ammunition and petrol.

    The first two Sqns must have their own troop of guns, the reserve Sqn doesn’t need any. The great thing is that each Sqn must be able and prepared to go straight into action on beaching.

    We found it very easy to load onto the LSTs and very quick. And, likewise, the disembarkation on the beach in Italy (place a secret, but I am sure obvious!) presented no difficulties and was very quick. Although done after midnight with not an awful lot of moon, it went like clockwork.

    We were heavily attacked from the air at last light when still at sea, the only damage being to my staff car, which was on the top deck of the LST – nothing serious, only punctured a water can and holing the bodywork! Luckily, they didn’t shell us on landing, and no bombers came over. The first few days was a bit on the hectic side, as you can imagine, but we really had little to do, until the Bridgehead was made secure by getting dominating high ground – we couldn’t get there.

    Our job then started and we were virtually turned into ‘I’ tanks and I had Sqns under comd Infantry Bns, which we all hate like poison. However, the drill we had worked out in Africa proved itself, and the Forward Body (or combination of Point and Vanguard within the Advance Guard) and the whole, consisting of one Sqn tanks, Sec Recce, Infantry Coy, and if possible a Bty or at least a troop, also some RE’s all under the command of the tank Sqn Leader, proved itself.

    It is certainly a good basis to start on, and according to the country, whether open or close, to vary it. In really close country where it is hard to get off the road and one can see nothing (and I mean not more than 80 to 100 yards) then the correct ratio is one Troop of three tanks to one Coy of Infantry and working in support of the Infantry who move in front of and to about 200 to 300 yards to each flank of the tank troop, who if on the road work as a Snake Patrol, if across country as the old Point, Comd and Reserve. I am convinced that in this type of country tanks should always have Infantry under command, and it is pure murder and stupid to make tanks go in without Infantry.

    The days of the Motor Bn, until they get the new Home WE, is finished, they are, as we’ve always said, too thin on the ground and cluttered up with a lot of very unnecessary transport which takes up too much road space. Lorried Infantry are the only thing, but they must be prepared to get onto their feet and act as scouts for the tanks who are completely blind in this type of close and difficult country, full of ditches, bog and every type of known obstacle both artificial and natural.

    Infantry commanders want to try and posses a tank mind, which they haven’t got at the moment. They seem willing to lose a tank instead if one infantryman in many cases. They get very angry when you tell them, and I think it’s a wonder that I am still here! So don’t be surprised if you here I’ve had a Fowler!

    Actually, in the first party with the Lorried Infantry Bde, it all went very well and we got everything we set out to get fairly quickly and with very little loss. I only lost 4 tanks – two brewed up by SP guns, one immobilised by an SP but repairable, and one on a mine which blew one complete assembly off and broke the track. It was on the road again within six hours and in the front line without the assembly, and was fully repaired later. I lost two carriers and a Dingo as well. Since then I’ve only had two tank casualties, both on mines and not badly damaged, and four carriers and three Dingos. As regards personnel, we’ve had had three killed (all ORs), four officers and about six ORs wounded. So we can’t grumble.

    We did one advance without any Infantry and over very close country and difficult going, getting a Sqn up a mountain – rather like, and worse than, the place on the TEWT on the Turkish Border we did – under enemy fire and observation, and taking another high feature as well. It meant the whole way being recced on foot by Recce Troop and tank crews armed with Tommy guns, owing to bog, A/Tk obstacles, mines galore (we had no RE’s) craters in the road and bridges blown. Why one is not given Infantry or even a Motor Pl I can’t understand.

    When it was all over I put in a report to the effect that both a tank and its crew were presumably more valuable than an Infantry soldier, and that if none could be given to me, I proposed that the WE of an Armd Regt be amended and the following added.
    Three White scout cars, each with a crew of 1 NCO and 6 men armed with Tommy guns and trained in mine lifting with a detector, and in demolitions. The car itself to have a 20mm dual purpose gun with crew. Each crew to be a kind on ‘combat team’ and to be put under command of the leading Sqns as the CO thinks fit. They are then kept at Sqn HQ until needed. They then do any recce that is required on foot. I’ve only just sent the report in, as the operation is only over a few days, and so far have not heard any comments.

    All the tanks which have been lost through A/Tk guns have been due to very well sited and camouflaged 105 SP guns (only a very few 88’s have been met) which have opened up at between 80 and 120 yards. They were quite impossible to see. It is vital to have Infantry working in front of the tanks. We’ve been lucky in this respect and haven’t lost so many tanks as the other Bns so far.

    The Recce Troop is even more important than we ever thought. Information just doesn’t come over the Rear Link as we were used to getting it in the desert, and very little – in fact nothing – comes from the Armd Cars, who just can’t operate except very, very occasionally on a flank.

    So, the only information a CO can get is from his own Recce Troop. It means the standard has to be very high indeed. It’s essential for every vehicle in the Troop to have a wireless set and the usual training we always talked about. It is so important that I have got a Captain commanding it and three Lts in it as section commanders, and full of good Sgts, L/Sgts and Cpls.
    I have it organised with an HQ of 1 Dingo and 1 carrier. One carrier Troop of 3 sections of 3 carriers in each, and 1 Dingo Troop and three sections each of 3 Dingos.
    Then four Dingos on RHQ – CO, 2i/c, RIO, and IM (LO shares 2i/c).
    Each Sqn Leader has a Dingo and it is vital for him to have it at all times.

    I am supposed to be getting the new WE of 10 sawn-off Honeys and 5 Dingos in the Intercom Troop which I think will be better.

    The .5 AA gun on the Sherman is quite useless as we never see any enemy air, and I’ve given nearly all of them to my Recce and to the Motor Coy (both love them and have used them a great deal with marked success; the Germans do not like them.) The wireless is most tricky in this country. It has been found that in some districts one can’t get over a mile. It’s dreadful at night and everyone is sending out Step-ups all the time.

One lives a peculiar type of life which is really from one farmhouse to the next, each being dirtier and having more fleas, bed bugs and every kind of crawling creature there is. One is forced into them for cover from the rain, mud and damn chill wind at night. We have been lucky once or twice and had nice houses, but they are not easy to come by. The local inhabitants are just ghastly, dirty and generally on a par with the ‘Wog’. There is plenty of food about and every known type of fruit and vegetable by the thousand. I’ve even had oysters and a type of mackerel.

The big snag is that all the roads, except for the main ones which one doesn’t see a lot of, are dust roads, large clouds of thin powdery white dust goes up whenever a vehicle moves. It makes it very hard to move up any tanks without giving ones position away, so we’ve fitted dust shields at the back, blocked on each side and curved up towards heaven. It is fitted immediately below the two exhaust pipes (we have all diesel Shermans).

    It takes the LAD and fitters very little time to carry out, but must be made from strong metal or sheeting and made as a permanent fixture. It definitely stops 80% of the dust.

    We were sent over with the most stupid light camouflage which was quite useless and just showed us up to everyone. I’ve now managed to get all my tanks and recce done with black and dark green, and it’s just the answer. I only hope I can get enough paint for the transport.

    I’m sure in this type of warfare that each Sqn must have it’s a Echelon , only a small one, with it at all times, especially when Sqns are separated by many miles with few lateral roads between them which usually haven’t been cleared of mines or blows in the road repaired. It also ensures crews getting the maximum of sleep.

    Road congestion is dreadful at times, and unit Provost on traffic control is essential. Plenty of Bn signs are needed, particularly Bn Tac HQ signs. Don’t forget that colours we used in the desert are no good and can’t be seen, white, black and yellow are best. Red must be very brilliant to be of real use, I don’t know why, and of course it tends to fade quickly with the rain and continually being moved about.

    To be camouflage minded is essential, they are very bad out here even in view of the enemy. OPs can see little, even from the top floors of high houses. The Air OP is essential and invaluable we have found. DRs with RHQ are also invaluable.

    As regards fitters, we find they must travel with their Sqns, the BTA floating. EME travels right up and has with him his two Scammels. There are always the road-ditched tank and carrier owing to the nature of the country. One doesn’t need anything like the amount of petrol or diesel out here that one has been used to, but ammunition remains the same. Recce vehicles, however, still require plenty of MT. I find it necessary to have a kind of Depot Vehicle for DRs and Recce Troop and Provost on Motor Cycles, kit and rations. This is combined on a lorry for the Provost plus all the signs. It goes in A Echelon, if Bde don’t see it!

December 1943 CO: Lt Col HM Liardet OBE
Dec 43 6th Royal Tank Regiment
1/12/43 CO & 2i/c make recce of area MITLA PASS for Div TEWT.
6/12/43 CO attended demonstration of modifications to Sherman V at MEEW.
9/12/43 Accident to Daimler scout car at ZIFTA. Capt P Helps and Tpr AA Rowland both sustained injuries.
14/12/43 Lt JG Mauldon promoted A/Capt and Recce Troop commander.
22/12/43 General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson CBE KCB DSO ADC, inspects Div and takes salute.
23/12/43 The following is an extract from the supplement to the London Gazette for 1st April 1941:-
“HM The King has been graciously pleased to approve that the following be mentioned in recognition of the gallant and distinguished service in the Middle East, Tpr J Watling.
25/12/43 Regtl football match against 2nd RTR finishing by a win for the Regt by 4 goals to 3, after a very thrilling game.Dinner served to ORs by Officers, WOs and Sgts.
28/12/43 Capt RW Hill takes over 2i/c B Sqn vice Capt Sir FGL Coates Bt, posted to Home Establishment.
29/12/43 Regt takes part in Bde exercise OCTOPUS ONE.
30/12/43 Regt takes part in exercise OCTOPUS TWO finishing at Div training camp BIR BEIDA.
31/12/43 Settling in new camp.

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