September 1944
August 1944 had seen 111 Fd Regt take part in two separate raids, Operation Decompose II and Operation Grandfather I, losing one man on the latter of the two raids. September would see 212 Bty’s first raid in Operation Flounced II.
| 1st September 1944 – Vis |
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| Details outlined for new Operation “FLOUNCED II” for 111 Fd Regt RA together with 3.7” guns of 64 HAA Regt to support 43 Commando in annihilation of enemy guns of BRAC Island. |
| 11:00hrs – Officers “Miniature Range” |
| 18:00hrs – Major J. B. H. Daniel RA and Lieutenant L. T. le S. Filleul (212 Bty) sent on recce to HVAR Island to find gun positions from which to support the initial stages of “FLOUNCED II”. |
| 2nd September 1944 – Vis |
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| 14:00hrs – Lieutenant Colonel Elliot held conference of second-in-command, Bty Commanders, Troop Commanders, Signals and Intelligence Officer to outline the plan of “FLOUNCED II”. |
| 19:30hrs – Captains J. L. Hart (211 Bty), G. Pitt (212 Bty) and G. C. McLeod Carey (476 Bty) sent to recce OP areas on BRAC Island. |
| 3rd September 1944 – Vis |
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| National Day of Prayer. Reverend J. C. Hill RAChD conducted VIS Garrison service represented by all British units on VIS. |
| 4th September 1944 – Vis |
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| 04:30hrs – Lieutenant Colonel Elliot went with Lieutenant Commander Giles RN to visit Major Daniels recce party on HVAR. Captain McLeod Carey returned from BRAC after making hurried withdrawal to avoid strong enemy forces sent to make offensive sweep of BRAC. |
| 23:00hrs – CO returned from HVAR recce. |
| 5th September 1944 – Vis |
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| 09:00 – 12:45hrs – Arty exercise to practice “Y” Target procedure, involving 211 Bty, 212 Bty, composite Troop of 75mm’s (476 Bty), 11 Troop RSR and Partisan 75mm Btys with Partisan HQ, Force HQ, Arty HQ and O.P’s. 111 Fd Regt providing liaison officers with Partisans. |
| 6th September 1944 – Vis |
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| Calibration continued (211 Bty). Brigadier G. M. O. Davy of Land Forces Adriatic and Captain Black RN arrived on VIS to discuss “FLOUNCED II”. Lieutenant Colonel Elliot promoted to Brigadier. Strong German force crossed from BRAC to HVAR. |
| 7th September 1944 – Vis |
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| Calibration of R Bty (476) 17:00hrs – 476 Bty ordered to prepare to move Troop of 75mms to HVAR in support of 1st Dalmatian Brigade YNAL. |
| 8th September 1944 – Vis |
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| 00:05hrs – Lieutenant Colonel Elliot went with Lieutenant Commander Giles RN to visit Major Daniels recce party on HVAR. Captain McLeod Carey returned from BRAC after making hurried withdrawal to avoid strong enemy forces sent to make offensive sweep of BRAC. |
| 06:00hrs – CO returned from HVAR recce. |
| 17:00hrs – Composite troop departed from HVAR |
| 20:00hrs – Composite troop returned to VIS |
| 9th September 1944 – Vis |
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| 07:00hrs – Captains Hart and Pitt returned from BRAC, having successfully avoided and evaded German offensive sweep. Operation Instruction and Arty Plan No. 1 issued for Operation “FLOUNCED II”. Bty Commanders and Lieutenant E. D. Roberts to farewell dinner party of Brigadier Elliot. |
| 10th September 1944 – Vis |
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| 10:00hrs – Major Cheesman (Second in Command) summoned to conference “FLOUNCED II” with Brigadier Davy, Air Commodore Sinclair and Captain Black RA. Lieutenant-Colonel T. de F. JAGO arrived to command the Regiment and attend conference. |
| 15:00hrs – Brigadier Elliot departed by air. Report on GRANDFATHER I issued. |
| 11th September 1944 – Vis |
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| 17:00hrs – Col. Jago held conference – rumours of enemy withdrawal from BRAC. 43 (RM) Commando and 11 Troop RSR dispatched to BRAC together with 12 Brigade YNAL. |
Intelligence Report
11th September 1944
TOP SECRET
(Ref Maps 1/100,000 Sheets 93, 109)
To: Officers commanding P, Q, R Btys
- Information, source unknown, states enemy pulling out of SUPETAR (Q 0624) 23:00hrs 11 Sept.
- Tac R report states six landing craft capacity 70/100 men each at Eastern end of BRAC.
Motor Transport seen moving:
D. HUMAC (0720) – SUPETAR (0624)
BOL (1511) – G. HUMAC (2015) - 43 (RM) Commando with 11 Troop RSR tonight LUCIA Bat (0213) object: to move NE to harry and ambush enemy withdrawing to SUPETAR.
- Partisans land 1 Btn approximately same area as 43 Commando and 2 Btn BOL night 11/12th Sept.
- More Partisans go in tomorrow if it is confirmed that Germans are pulling out.
- Unconfirmed reports state SIBENIK (5362) invested by Partisans, and Germans evacuating ZLARIN (U.4857).
- Survey and Signal Parties 111 Field Regt RA will sail 12 Sept as arranged unless later information leads to cancellation.
| 12th September 1944 – Vis |
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| Regt ordered be prepared send 4 Jeeps to 43 (RM) Commando on BRAC. Operational Instruction No. 2 FLOUNCED II issued. C.O. conference with Major J. B. H. Daniels commander of 212 Bty. Highland Light Infantry (HLI) reeces sent to KORCULA and SOLTA to investigate reports of German withdrawals. |
| 13th September 1944 – Vis |
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| 212 Bty ordered to stand by for BRAC. |
| 12:00hrs – “D” Troop 212 Bty departed for BRAC island |
| 20:45hrs – Col Jago attended conference to discuss sending “A” Troop 211 Bty in support of 2nd Btn HLI in operation on PELJESAC to harass enemy withdrawal. |
| 14th September 1944 – Vis |
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| PELJESAC operation delayed – awaiting approval of Marshall TITO. |
| 22:50hrs – Marshall TITO finally approved. “A” Troop 211 departed for DUBA (V.5887) on North Coast of PELJESAC. RAF Regt as covering force. |
| 15th September 1944 – Vis |
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| “C” Troop 212 Bty sent to join “D” Troop now in action in support of 1st Dalmatian Brigade on East end BRAC. Second in Command sent to BRAC to make report on situation. 19:00hrs – Major E. M. Winterbottom, commander of 476 Bty, and Lieutenant J. W. Nicholls sent to SOLTA Island to recce possible gun areas to support annihilation of garrison by 43 (RM) Commando. |
| 16th September 1944 – Vis |
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| 07:00hrs – Major Winterbottom and Lieutenant Nicholls returned. |
| 09:45hrs – “C” Troop reported in action with “D” Troop on BRAC. |
| 17th September 1944 – Vis |
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| 21:00hrs – Naval craft collected 211 Bty “A” Troop from DUBA, PELJESAC. |
| 18th September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 06:00hrs – “A” Troop 211 Bty, RAF Regt and 2nd Btn HLI returned RUKAVAC, VIS Island. |
| RHQ and 476 Bty left VIS Island for BRAC to establish RA Force to attack enemy targets on mainland Yugoslavia. |
| 10:00hrs – RHQ and 476 Bty arrived at BOL (1511) RHQ leaguer at G. HUMAC 2015. 476 Bty leaguer at G. HUMAC and BOL. No enemy troops remain on BRAC |
| 19th September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 11:00hrs – RHQ established as HQ RABRAC at PRAZNICA (1818) |
“D” troop went off first, then just a few days later C and all Tac followed, we went to Brac. He had evacuated most of Hvar. We landed at Bol and drove up to D position. I set up my command post; put “Charlie” in and on the night of September 11th lay in my bed beneath the stars thinking of HER.
We kicked him off the island fairly quickly. A few of them tried to swim the four or five miles to the mainland and were either picked off by the partisans or drowned. Bill Yates did a great job at the RAP. Assisted in all sorts of amputations and operations. Casualties were fairly light.”
Diary entry from September 1944 from Sgt Observer Frederick Sidney Williams, 212 Bty, 111 Fd Regt in his family’s memoirs “Our Fred’s War”.
| 20th September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| Sappers engaged in mine clearance to enable recce and occupation of gun positions. |
| RABRAC controlling 212, 476 Btys of 111 Fd Regt and 179, 180 and 268 HAA Btys of 64 HAA Regt operationally. |
| 21st September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 212 Bty moved to new gun positions N. SELO (3017) |
| 22nd September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 476 Bty moved to gun positions area DOL (1221) |
| 23rd September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 211 Bty sent from VIS to SOLTA to support 43 (RM) Commando and Partisans 12 Brigade in annihilation of GROHOTE garrison. Flight from RAF Regt as covering force. |
| 24th September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| BRAC arty fired offensive programme. 212 Bty ordered to return to VIS to be sent back to Italy to support operation in ALBANIA. 17:00hrs – 212 Bty departed from BOL. |
“Then we moved to the tip of the island in order to be able to shell the coast road on the mainland. We had a good billet and position near to St. Nikola and though we flung plenty over had nothing back. Whilst we were doing this, 211 were on the peninsular and 476 on Solta, cleaning them up. Towards the end of September, we were ordered to hand over to 211 and to proceed to Bol as soon as possible.
We left Bol on the evening of the 24th and sailed in L.C.I.s leisurely away, it was a glorious evening and we sat about talking and smoking. We pulled in at Vis for a short time to refuel and then off again, not knowing where. Next day, late at night, we arrived at Bari, were fed well at midnight by the transit camp and got to bed. We made an early start but a false one, too rough to sail, back to the transit camp about noon, a wash and out to town. None of us had any good clothes, having come straight from a raid. Most of the boys wore overalls and cap comforters. Some had patrol boots, some plimsoles, some leather jerkins.
The guard at the transit camp objected at first to our dishevelled appearance, still everyone went out and the C.M.P.s knowing L.F.A. left us well alone. Most people got drunk or went with women or both. I met an Irishman, well-educated bloke, on the staff of L.F.A. We got drunk in his canteen, but not too drunk.”
Diary entry from September 1944 from Sgt Observer Frederick Sidney Williams, 212 Bty, 111 Fd Regt in his family’s memoirs “Our Fred’s War”.
| 25th September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 22:00hrs – 211 Bty re-embarked at SOLTA and returned VIS. BRAC arty fired concentrations against enemy batteries. |
| 26th September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 06:00 – 211 Bty disembarked KOMIZA – instructed to stand by to possibly join 212 Bty. |
| 28th September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 5 Germans deserted from battery at MAKARSKA, interrogated and supplied valuable intelligence. |
| 29th September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 12:30hrs – Brigadier O’Brien Vis Brigade, Colonel Meynell BM, Lieutenant Commander Giles RN visited RHQ for lunch and conference with Colonel Jago. |
| Major P. S. Turner, Captain F. D’A. Wilson awarded MC. Sgt Jarvis awarded MM. |
| 21:00hrs – Lieutenant J. W. Nicholls, CPO 476 Bty sent to VIS to go with recce party to East PELJESAC wit a view to harassing enemy gun positions. |
| 30th September 1944 – Praznica, Brac Island |
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| 09:00hrs – C.O. took two of the German deserters to OP where they directed artillery fire on their own Battery position at MAKARSKA. |
Following is a long report written primarily for LFA (Land Forces Adriatic), the regional HQ for British Forces, detailing the action of the 111 Fd Regt throughout September 1944.