07 Oct 1935 - TRADOC HQ

[Diarist]

I arrived early today because I'd been told that there had been couriers from Salisbury over the weekend so we already have some material from our vacationers. I.D. White and a couple of sergeants have been sifting through the material and sticking numbered pins onto the map. We have noticed that two brigades, the 4th and 6th are well inside the northern half of the exercise area on roads that meet NW of Salisbury while the 5th Infantry Brigade is thinly spread south of the other two. Unless they are deliberately trying to mislead us they appear to be preparing to attack our right flank. Their objective would probably be where the two roads intersect. It's a major junction if you want to advance further east and southeast. It's beginning to look interesting.
George Patton arrived and he shared my assessment.
"Do you think they are trying to fool us?" I asked. "It looks too obvious."
"Too early to tell. We'll have to wait for next week's material to see what has changed. Anything from our Polish friends?"
"No. Like us they are maintaining radio silence."
"So we have no idea where their HQ's are."
"Au contraire, mon colonel. Here are photos of MG Wavell and some of his staff dining at this hotel restaurant several days in a row. There are also several tents and vehicles in an adjacent field. It's located there." I pointed to the map. "Trudoxhill with roads going to where the 4th and 6th Brigades are. There will be more material arriving with this morning's courier and there is still more of yesterday's post to be processed."
"I'll stay here and assist I.D. with this material."
"I've been summoned to the MoD this afternoon so I'll drop in this evening after I return." Looking back at the map I said, "That is an interesting north-south road. Don't you think so?"

[Diarist]

I was introduced to Duff Cooper, apparently an old friend of Winston Churchill, and we talked for a while about naval aviation. I had to admit that to my knowledge there were at the moment no dive bombers or torpedo bombers on the drawing board to replace the current aircraft. The main problem being the lack of a powerful engine. Both aircraft need at least a two man crew and a 1,000hp engine simply isn't good enough. They would be easy prey for enemy fighters. Wright Aeronautical in the United States has developed a 1600hp radial engine which looks very promising.
The current situation isn't as bad as it sounds though. If our aircraft-carriers are outside the range of enemy land-based fighters or if we have local air superiority then our aircraft can still carry their attack home. I pointed out that in the recent conflict not one naval aircraft was lost due to air-to-air combat.
Afterwards I went to the Annex and was surprised to see Louis at his desk. I told him about my conversations with Haile Selassie and Duff Cooper. I also had a chat with COL Wilkins. I asked if it's too late to have our plaque changed to TRADOC Ltd. He told me that it hadn't been ordered yet so it isn't too late. He also told me that the SMG's have been safely transported to our armourer at Saffron Walden.
I eventually arrived back at the HQ and went to the map room. The picture was looking really good. If they are are doing the same as us they must be very frustrated because we don't have any troops in the exercise area yet.
"The HQ where MG Wavell has been seen is too far from the frontline. It's probably like our forward HQ. Our people need to look in this area and pointed to a location about 5 miles south of Warminster. We also need to set up a dummy HQ in the Stockton-Boyton vicinity. Let's give them the impression that we are giving priority to our right flank."
"Our real HQ will be mobile."
"Of course. We need to locate telephone boxes in the area of our advance so that we don't have to use the radio and give away our position."
"The main thrust with our armour should break through north of Shaftesbury, leaving a battalion there to cover our left flank, then head through Gillingham to Zeals in the rear of their 6th Brigade. Then advance northwards through Stourton to Maiden Bradley. That's our heavy brigade. Our light brigade with three battalions of infantry will operate north of the heavy brigade on its right flank. It will head towards Mere where we suspect 6th Brigade is and keep them too busy to counter our armoured thrust to their rear," George suggested.
"That means our artillery should concentrate on their 4th Brigade and hopefully totally disorganize it. Let's count the infantry battalions. One at Shaftesbury covering our left flank; one as the blocking force in the north together with the light tank battalion and three in each of the two brigades. That leaves one in reserve at the road intersection which we suspect to be their objective. Sounds like a plan, George. All we need now is transportation. We'll grab everything that 1st Infantry Division has plus let's look for civilian transportation in Salisbury. I.D., send a message to COL van Voorhis tomorrow telling them to scour Salisbury for private vehicles to motorize our infantry. Even busses."

Preliminary Plan 07 Oct 35