24 Oct 1935 - 2nd Inf Div HQ, Maiden Bradley

[Diarist]

We passed the last navigation beacon at a few minutes before midnight then turned to heading 253°. Many lights were still burning so it was relatively easy to identify Maiden Bradley in the distance. I was in the aircraft with four Lewis LMG teams and two umpires plus 4 extra containers with extra ammo for the LMG's. The other four aircraft each had 20 troops and 4 supply containers. The containers will be thrown out in the middle of each 'stick'. We jumped a few minutes after midnight and it was easy to see the ground rapidly approaching. I landed in a meadow and fell to my right. I was in one piece with nothing broken although my Thompson will definitely leave a bruised rib cage. There was little wind so my parachute was laying flat on the ground. I saw others near to me and we were quickly getting organized.
1st platoon was to send groups to the three road blocks and within 5 mins all 3 squads each with a LMG team attached had been dispatched. I joined the 4th squad plus the Platoon Leader and Platoon SGT. We are to enter the village and walk through from east to west as if we belonged there. The remaining four squads would double up into two groups, one with the Plt Ldr the other with the Plt Sgt and approach from the north an south. Then simultaneously hand grenades would be thrown into each tent then a pair of SMG's would finish the job. An exception was the command tent because we didn't want to damage the radio equipment or kill the senior officers.
About 10 seconds after 00:15 red signals were seen from the first two road blocks. Nothing from the third. They were waiting for our signal. At 00:17 as planned we gave the signal to attack. I was with half a dozen others who stormed the main command tent. The most senior officer was a major. There were a couple of lieutenants and a five enlisted personnel manning the radios.
"Good morning, gentlemen. I'm MAJ Carter from Blue forces and you are my prisoners. Stand up and put your hands behind your heads NOW!" The Major started to protest so I pulled my revolver and fired a blank. "Your dead, major. Please lay down on the ground and play dead." He didn't cooperate so he was thrown to the ground, handcuffed then gagged. "Now, gentlemen it doesn't need to be that difficult. Where are your commanders? Corporal, if I fire this revolver so close to your ear it won't kill you but you'll be deaf for a few hours with an uncomfortable buzzing sound. You'll then be handcuffed and gagged like your stupid major. You don't want that do you? Let me guess. They are in the B&B place in nice warm beds? Just nod or shake your head appropriately. That way you didn't say anything. Understand?" He nodded. "Are they in the B&B?" Moving the gun nearer to his ear. He nodded. "Staff-sergeant, take a squad to drag them out of their beds and bring them here in their pyjamas."
"Yes, Sir!" smiling.
"Lieutenant, organize your platoon and capture the Signals unit on Gare Hill."
"Yes, Sir."
"Then leave a squad plus a LMG if we have no equivalent captured weapons."
"We've located beaucoup weapons here, Sir."
"Then send LT Walker to me. We need to give our road blocks some extra firepower."
"Sir."
"Sergeant, handcuff the others to a bench or something so they can lie down and sleep. Gag them if they don't keep quiet." Our radio guys were busy. "Figured them out yet?" The Staff-sergeant explained everything and I asked the corporal. "Did he miss anything, Corporal?" He shook his head. "Do we have some coffee here?" He nodded. "Then make a large pot of coffee, please. Signal to our three HQ's that we have Delta-six."
A few minutes later four people in pyjamas plus one, General Wavell, in a satin dressing gown were marched into the command tent.
"This is unheard of," a colonel was shouting.
"Shut up, Colonel or you are dead." Well, I had to fire another blank, he was handcuffed, gagged and dragged out of the tent. "General Wavell. Would you be kind enough to order your subordinates to be quiet or, well they have seen the alternative." He did and they were quiet. "Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable. So please each one of you in turn for the umpires: name, rank and number. That's a nice uniform, General. Did you forget that the exercise starts today, at midnight?"
"No."
"So you forgot to set your alarm clock?"
"Obviously."
To one of the umpires, "Please report no friendly casualties apart from a few sprained ankles from the jump. Name our four officers plus Cpl Hawking captured and all others dead. Any questions?"
"No, Major."
"Sir, we have the signal that the 5th Brigade HQ has been neutralized."
"Acknowledge receipt, please." I looked at my watch, 00:53. "Recommend phase 2 at 01:10. Request acknowledgement of receipt."
"Yes, Sir"
"LT Walker reporting, Sir."
"Distribute captured weapons to our road blocks to give them extra firepower."
"We have four 3" mortars, Sir."
"That is wonderful. Use them to defend the road from Warminster."
"Yes, Sir."
So Phase 1 has been completed. Our two brigades are already infiltrating the enemy positions where possible and the counter-battery fire will commence in 10 minutes. Time for some coffee.

[Diarist]

At precisely 01:10 the artillery of Blue forces opened fire targeting the artillery positions of Red forces. This went on for several minutes then the artillery fire switched to the forward positions of the battalions at the front line. During those few minutes the Div HQ was inundated with reports from the 4th and 6th Brigades. The answers from the HQ were 'The GOC is not here, he left for 6th Brigade HQ and should be there shortly' or 'then return their bloody fire' or "We have lost contact with 5th Brigade and three of their battalions'. Let's put the events in sequence.
At 01:23 coded messages were received from LTC Miller's BG reporting that the 82nd FA Battery had been captured and eight (8) of the howitzers were still serviceable. The 44th Battery south of them near Shaftesbury would be their next target. 'C' Company, 1st Battalion, Black Watch was dispatched to neutralize the 44th after the artillery fire had finished.
During the next twenty minutes the remaining two batteries of XIII Field Brigade were either overrun or destroyed by units from the Light Brigade. By 02:15 The Heavy Bde reported that the 2nd Bn. The Norfolk Regiment in front of Motcombe had ceased to exist while to the north its neighbour the 1st Bn. The King's Own Royal Regiment had suffered the same fate at the hands of the Light Brigade. It's neighbour to the north, 2nd Bn. The Buffs was retreating north-westwards in somewhat disorder towards Mere where 6th Brigade's units are located.
Also after 02:00 6th Brigade was again reporting that General Wavell had still not arrived and they feared the worst. The Deputy Commander of 2nd Infantry Division had been declared wounded in the midnight air raid therefore the GSO I, COL Hargreaves assumed command until General Wavell resurfaces.
I must inform readers that COL Hargreaves is from Yorkshire and has a rich accent. It just happens that I am also from Yorkshire and can easily imitate COL Hargreaves, much to his dismay. COL Hargreaves ordered two of 6th Brigade's battalions to head SE to block the enemy's advance towards Mere and work around their right flank. The other two battalions to head southwards to Milton on Stour to block any movement which may be advancing north while at the same time supporting the right flank of the first two battalions.
He then told 4th Brigade that the Blue forces in front of them can only be a token force given the size of the forces being used against 5th Brigade in the south. He ordered half of 4th Brigade to head south down A350, link up with 4th Brigade's left flank and after the threat there had been averted regroup and head eastwards along A303 to their objective, the intersection east of Stockton. The other half of 4th Brigade is ordered to attack the Blue forces in front of them in order to pin them down and prevent them from interfering with the force advancing along A303. That should carry the day for Blue forces.

[Diarist]

I'd overestimated the popularity of COL Hargreaves. Both Brigade commanders informed me that I was forgetting the objective, namely the intersection of A36 and A303 east of Stockton. 4th Brigade commander agreed with my assessment about the token force in front of him and he'll need his entire brigade to reach the objective. 6th Brigade plus the 2nd Buffs can protect his right flank and if the bulk of Blue forces are south of the A303 then they can't stop his brigade.
"You are right, Brigadier. 6th Brigade can hold the line." I ordered 6th Brigade to block Blue forces as far south as possible and probe around their right flank down the A350 with a reinforced 2nd Buffs.
Of course I agreed with the plan. COL van Voorhis can defend his position and he'll have the air support from the 70th Squadron. Patton's Heavy Brigade can now advance northwards unopposed and their 6th Brigade is going nowhere. I can already taste Churchill's champagne.

[Diarist]

"You underestimated my Brigadiers, Carter."
"Possibly, but maybe I overestimated their willingness to accept orders from COL Hargreaves."
"They were your orders, Major, not mine." Hargreaves said smiling.
"But they don't know that!" Also smiling. "It's time to consider surrendering, General. Your 2nd Infantry Division is about to die ingloriously."
"It's not over yet."
"The new orders don't change anything, Sir. Your division is doomed. 4th Brigade doesn't have a token force in front of it. There are 2 infantry battalions, the 2nd Bn, RTC and 3 artillery Bn's. It's advancing into a trap. It won't get anywhere near Stockton. 6th Brigade has gone on the defensive therefore it won't get anywhere near Stockton either. So you can't win the exercise. Finally there is our Heavy Brigade with our main armour. It's just left Gillingham heading north, 100% motorized and thanks to your commander at the 6th, refusing orders from Div HQ, our brigade now has an open road to here. Part of it will crash into the 6th's rear. The rest is coming here and will then threaten the 4th's rear. Your division is being devoured alive, General." I turned to one of the umpires. "Did I lie about anything, Lieutenant?"
"No, Sir."
"General, when our armoured column arrives do you want to surrender in uniform or wearing your nightgown? I have proposal, a post-conflict proposal, but it's not for an enemy General in pyjamas."
"Sir, BG Miller has left Milton and is heading towards Zeals. No opposition encountered." a radio operater told us.
"They are only an hour away, General." I waited a moment, "Let's go to your room, Sir. We can talk on the way there. Lieutenant, you have the bridge. Sorry that it's a sinking ship."
"I'm honoured, Sir."
After we left the tent I said, "I can imagine you are very peeved, Sir."
"Very and angry but mainly at myself. Your forces have completely outmanoeuvred us. It's extremely embarrassing too. Bob, you have my word that I'll surrender to your Colonel Patton. Can my officers get dressed too?"
"Of course and the others will be freed of their gags, Sir."
"What's your proposal?"
"I have to send a message first, Sir." I'd brought a radio guy with me. "Sergeant, MAJ Carter here. Code a message to Hotel 6. Report to Alpha 6 ASAP. 'A general wants to surrender to you personally'. Do you have that? Out here. Thank you, Corporal. You can wait outside. I can't leave you alone, Sir. You might try to escape and embarrass me."
"I've resigned to my fate."
"You need to take your fate into your own hands, Sir. You have the dubious privilege of being the only division commander in the entire Imperial armed forces that has experience with the new mobile doctrine and that makes you special. I've taken the liberty of preparing an after-action report for you, what you did wrong." I handed him a couple of sheets of paper."
"So much?"
"That's the abbreviated version."
"You broke half a dozen rules here."
"You didn't, Sir? Do you really believe our enemies will abide by some stupid rule book? We've tried to make the FTX as realistic as possible. We hit your 5th Brigade like a ton of bricks. There are more dead than there are wounded and captured. We are combining firepower with mobility and when we encounter opposition we kill as many as possible. That means less threat in our rear and less opposition for the 2nd echelon to deal with. This doctrine needs to be taught to all our units and you are the right man for the job, Sir. You have unique credentials."

[Diarist]

At 05:25 advance units of the Heavy Brigade arrived followed by half a dozen ISV's. They halted in a row along Church St. A lot of the local villagers were up and about, admiring the spectacle.
Patton climbed down from the 2nd tank and looked really impressive in his cavalry boots, two ivory-handled revolvers on his hips and a cigar in the side if his mouth.
I saluted. "Welcome to Delta 6, Colonel. If I'd known you were taking a leisurely Sunday stroll I would have brought a picnic basket for us."
"To hell with the picnic basket. Where's the goddamned champagne?"
I introduced him to General Wavell. He in turn introduced his staff including the corporal. I'd insisted. I explained that the remainder are dead.
"I accept your surrender, General." Then to the umpires. "Communicate that to all forces, please. The FTX is over. So how about breakfast?"
"I've persuaded the owner of the Somerset Arms to open early. This way, gentlemen."
"I haven't seen these so close before. They are larger than I imagined."
"It's crowded inside with 4 other crew members."
"You have any problems?"
"Not really. Although some joker tried to put two infantry battalions in our path."
"I knew you could brush them aside but the two Brigadiers refused to accept my orders. I thought they were good."
"You overlooked our objective, Bob."
"True. My main goal was to prevent 4th or 6th Brigade sending a battalion here so I quickly accepted their ideas. I have a wager with Winston Churchill that you'll surrender before lunch."
"What does he owe you?"
"A case of expensive champagne."
"If you need some help drinking it...." George said.
"I'll be thinking of you."
I now have to think of getting my troops home now. I've ordered some buses from Warminster to pick us up at 0900. We have to collect our parachutes and then they can enjoy the beer I bought for them.