War Diaries For 5th Regimemt Royal Horse Artillery 1940

War Diaries For

The 5th (Army) Field Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery

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	Memorandum From Lt.-Col R.R. Hoare D.S.O., M.C., R.H.A. August 1942

November and December 1939
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE	Nov 1st		Reconnaissance party of Capts D Welsh & N.L. Foster and Lieut W.R. Holman and 15 ORs move moved from St John’s Wood to WOTTON UNDER EDGE - DURSLEY area to prepare billeting area.
	11th		Advance party of 60 ORs move from ST JOHN’S WOOD to Billeting area and were disposed - Capt Welsh and “K” Battery at DURSLEY - Capt Foster Lieut Holman with residential HQ and G battery at WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE.
	13th		Lieut S.R. St John joined from RA Reception Centre ESHER and took over duties of orderly officer.
	25th		Main body arrived from ST JOHN’S WOOD & Btys moved into their respective billeting areas.
			5th (Army) Regiment R.H.A. (Consisting of “G” (Mercer's Troop) & “K” Btys RHA) was formed from “K” Battery R.H.A.	Authority App I
			Lieut Col A.A.M. Durrand assumed command of the regiment.	See App for distribution of Officers
	28th		24 ORs joined from 2nd Field Training Regiment & were posted to Btys
	29th		Lieut (& QM) G.P. Fisher D.C.M., M.M. joined from 12 Field Regt RA.
	30th		171 ORs joined from Training Regts & were posted to Btys
	Dec 4th		60 ORs joined from 3 Field Training Regt & were posted to be Btys
	7th		²/Lieuts H.C.N.M Oulton & F.D.N Simon joined from 4th Field Training Regt & were posted to “G” & “K” Btys respectively	Authority W.O. Telegram
	8th		²/Lieut G F Elston joined from 10th Field Training Regt & was posted to “K” Bty	20/Arty/5590/A.G 6 (o) of 5.12.39
	11th		Capt A.E. Brocklehurst & Lieut J.R. Kynaston joined from RA Reception Centre, ASCOT & were posted to “G” Battery R.H.A.
WOTTON	Dec 12th		²/Lieut J.N. Nicholson joined from 12th Fd Tg Regt and was posted to “G” Bty
	18th		Capt N.L. Foster appointed Adjutant.
	23.		Lieut J.M. Northen joined from Palestine on this date and posted to K Bty.	Posting order not received
	27.		²/Lieuts M.C. Lanyon, R.M. Bremner and J.H. Whitcombe joined from 122nd Officers Cadet Training Regt and were posted to ‘G’ & K and K Btys respectively.	Authority 112/Arty/8429 A.g 6 (o) of 11.12.39

	28.		An advance party of 3 Officers and 29 ORs left for LARKHILL. Asst Adj i/c
	29		8, Gunners specialists join from 2nd Fd Rrg Regt RA
LARKHILL			The Regiment moved to LARKHILL for practice from Dec 30th - Jan 1st and to take part in the 50th Div exercise from Jan 4th -6th 1940.
			Owing to lack of W.D. Transport the following vehicles were used, on loaned from other units:-
			Buses. 32 seater 13 Field
			Towing Vehicles 10 loaned
			In personal cars 16 loaned
			On arrival, 3 officers and all ORs are accommodated by the 121st Med/Heavy Regt. RA. and the remaining officers at the School of Artillery.
	30	}	‘G’ & ‘K’ fired course shooting. Each troop also fired on A/Tank shoots
	31st	}	with 25 pdr guns on platforms, loaned by S. of. A.

			Capt RHA

		Appendix I
		THE WAR OFFICE LONDON, S.W.1.


Artillery/5579 (A.G.6.a)	9th November, 1939.

SECRET.
Sir, I am directed to inform you that it has been decided to form the following new unit by conversion of “K” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery. Designation of Unit 5th (Army) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery. Designation of Batteries “G” and “K” Batteries. Allotted to 2nd Contingent, Corps Troops . Date of Conversion 25th November, 1939. Place of Conversion WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE (Railway Station - CHARFIELD, L.M.S.) To reach full strength in trained personnel by 1st December, 1939 Armament 24 18-pdr. Mark II P (In accordance with War Office letter No. 54/Arty./2026 (A.2.) dated 20th October, 1939. 2. The establishment of this unit will be as laid down in War Establishments, Volume II, Part I, III/1931/9/4 - Field Regiment. 3. Officers will be posted by the Under-Secretary of State, War Office (A.G.6.o.) and other ranks by Officer in-charge, Royal Artillery records (Field Branch). 4 . Details of the provision of other ranks are attached as Appendix ‘A’. 5. Any enquiries regarding other ranks will be addressed to Officer in-charge, Royal Artillery records (Field Branch) and not to the War Office, in the first instant. 6. “G” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery is at present serving with 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery. Personnel would remain with 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery and details regarding the transfer of the records, etc., of “G” Battery to the 5th (Army) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery will be notified separately. 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery will consist of “C” and “F” Batteries only. /7. ….. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, EASTERN COMMAND. Copies to:- General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command. General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, The British Troops in Egypt. Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces. Officer in-charge, Royal Artillery Records (Field Branch). Officer in-charge, R.A.O.C. Records. Regimental Paymaster, Royal Artillery (Field Branch). Officer Commanding, “K” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery. Secretary, Royal Artillery Institution. 7. An L.A.D. will be provided for this regiment (War Establishment III/193153.3). 8. The Signal Section to serve with this regiment will be the 57th Field Regiment RA Signal Section which will be formed by first cavalry provisional signals, Chelsea, S.W.3. 9. Instructions have been issued for the return of animals on the strength of K battery, Royal Horse Artillery to the army horse collecting centre, Melton Mowbray.
I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant,
			Colonel
For Director of Recruiting Organization.

			Appendix ‘A’ to War Office letter 20/Artillery/5579 (A.G.6.a.) dated 9^th November, 1939.
		Formation of 5th (Army) Regiment, R.H.A. by conversion of “K” Battery, R.H.A.

Other Ranks required to complete to War Estabishment plus First Line Re-inforcements.		Provision.	Remarks.
Rank	Number	Provision.	Remarks.
B.Q.M.S. Serjeants ) Bombardiers ) Artillery Clerk Fitters (a)	1 8 1 5	) ) ) To be detailed by ) ) Officer i/c R.A. Records, ) (Field Branch).	R.H.A. to be selected if available. (a) In Lieu of Artificers R.A. To be selected from militia potential tradesmen now at Ascot
Drivers I.C. Gunners (suitable as signallers & Specialists) Gunners	85 35 30	) ) To be posted by ) Officer i/c R.A. Records ) (Field Branch) by ) 20th November, 1939.	From Ascot Reception Station. As many as possible to be Reservists, R.H.A. being select if available. To join “K” Battery. R.H.A. at St. John’s Wood. (Railway Station MARLEBBOROUGH ROAD).
Drivers I.C. Gunners (suitable as signallers & Specialists) Gunners	85 35 30	) ) To be posted by ) Officer i/c R.A. Records ) (Field Branch) by ) 30th November, 1939.	From ex-militiamen in “D” Batteries of Field and Signal Training Regiments. R.A. To join at WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE. (Railway Station – CHARFIED, L.M.S.)
TOTAL	316

A P P E N D I X II

OFFICERS PRESENT WITH 5REGIMENT, R.H.A. ON

FORMATION.

Regimental Headquarters.

Lieut. Colonel A.A.M. Durand, M.C., R.H.A.

+ Major G.W.W Heath, M.C., R.H.A.

+ Lieut. W.R. Holman, R.H.A.

+ Lieut. S.R. St. John, R.H.A.

“G” Battery, R.H.A.

Major H.E. Collett-White, R.H.A.

Capt. A.D.M. Teacher, R.H.A.

Capt. N.L. Foster, R.H.A.

+ Capt. J.A. Norman, R.H.A.

“K” Battery, R.H.A.

Major R.R. Hoare, M.C., R.H.A.

+ Capt. F.D. Moore, R.H.A.

Capt. D. Welsh, R.H.A.

+ Lieut. N.B.C. Teacher, R.H.A.

Note.

+ Were serving with “K” Battery, R.H.A. on date of formation of 5th Regiment, R.H.A.

Remaining officers were attached to “K” Battery, R.H.A., until the formation of 5th Regiment, R.H.A.

-------oOo-------

HP.

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	Memorandum From Lt.-Col R.R. Hoare D.S.O., M.C., R.H.A. August 1942