EXERCISE CAIRN II

Ex "CAIRN II"

1 KOSB OO No.1 · SECRET · Copy No. 24

Ref Maps 1 in to 1 mile Sheet 80

INFM.

1. Enemy – Str and disposns as given with Gen Idea.

2. Own Tps – 185 Inf Bde is moving across country via THORNYLEE 9057 to seize MAINSHILL 9559 – DUNLEE HILL 9459 – KNOWES HILL 9359.

INTENTION

3. 1 KOSB with the utmost speed will seize conc area – area CADDONLEE 9356.

METHOD

4. The op will be in 4 Phases.

5. Phase I – The Ldg

(a) Ldg of Bn on C Beach – see March Table Appx A attd and Ldg Table Appx D attd to Assault Scale Instruction No.1.

(b) Maj Gillies will land as 2 i/c and pass Bn vehs and personnel ldg on Tide I thro the beaches to the assembly area. He will bring up the rear of the Bn and rejoin his company in the assembly area. Lt Young will assist him.

6. Phase II – The Assembly

(a) Move to Assembly Area – see Trace P att.

(b) Adv party will land with 185 Inf Bde at 0830 hrs.

Composition: Capt. Stonor; one Sgt each A, B, C, D & S Coys (all on cycles).

They will mark Coy areas in Assembly areas as per Trace P.

(c) Immediately on arrival the Bn O Gp will report to Bn HQ.

7. Phase III – Firm Base

(a) On CO's orders, B Coy will send fwd an officers patrol on cycle to find out if the enemy is holding:-

(i) Br 952539

(ii) FAIRNLEE 950545

IO will brief patrol.

(b) On CO's orders, B Coy gp will establish a firm base to cover br at 952539.

In sp B Coy: one Sec A tk guns; one Mobile fire controller; one FOO (imaginary).

8. Phase IV – Adv to Conc Area

(a) Order of March: C Coy on bicycles – R & O Gps – D Coy – Bn HQ – S Coy – A Coy.

(b) Route: Br 952539 – rd junc 943563 – rd junc 937564.

(c) SP: Rd and track junc 967526. Dis P: Rd junc 943563.

9. Conc Area – On arr conc area Coys will be disposed as per Trace Q att.

INTERCOMN

10. Bn HQ – rd and track junc 938563.

(Signed) J.B. Boyd, Capt., Adjt. 1 KOSB

Dist: List A plus Capt Stonor

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Ex "CAIRN II" · APPX 'A' · SECRET

MOVEMENT TABLE

1. For route and timings see Movement Table attd.

2. H hrs will be 0830 hrs – thus first tps landing at H plus 30 [?] will land at 0900 hrs.

3. On arrival at rd rly br 971518 tps will be guided into LCT and LCI load "Boxes". Tps will NOT move out of these boxes until ordered to cross by IO or rep. IO and RP will be responsible for organisation of boxes and order of landing.

4. All rifle coy carriers will report to MT Car Park by 0730 hrs.

5. MTO and MT Sgt will be responsible for forming up vehs into Craft Loads in MT Car Park and sending them down to "boxes" as per march table.

6. Marching Tps will land in PT shoes with boots tied on haversack.

7. 3 ton lorries carrying A Coy will proceed to rd junc 974522 immediately their loads are dropped. Lorries with D Coy will halt with head on rd junc 979527 as per march table. They will then await orders from MTO.

8. For the purpose of this Ex all RP M/Cs will land dryshod after IO has finished with their services.

9. OC S Coy will send out to Coys by 1700 hrs 19 Mar carrier pl personnel who are to travel with those coys.

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Ex "CAIRN II" · MOVEMENT TABLE

(Ser – Sub unit – Start point – Time past – Route – Box – Arr box – Remarks)

1 – A Coy Carrier, D Coy Carrier, Crs M/C – HQ Coy Car Park – 0745 – X rds 968508 – rd & rly br 971518 – LCT 1 – 0800

2 – 1 Jeep, CO's Carrier, Carrier, 6 pr gun, Crs M/C – -do- – 0750 – -do- – LCT 4 [?] – 0805

3 – Bn HQ Marching Tps in LCT 4 – Bn HQ – 0810 – -do- – LCT 4 – 0840

4 – 2 Mortar Carriers, 1 M/C Mortars, 1 M/C Carriers – HQ Coy Car Park – 0755 – -do- – LCT 7 – 0810

5 – 1 Mortar Carrier, 1 Mortar M/C – -do- – 0800 – -do- – LCT 8 – 0815

6 – 2 Mortar Carriers, 1 Mortar M/C, 1 Sigs M/C – -do- – 0805 – -do- – LCT 9 – 0820

7 – 1 Mortar Carrier, 1 Sigs M/C – -do- – 0810 – -do- – LCT 10 – 0825

8 – 1 Mortar Carrier, B Coy Carrier, MTO M/C – -do- – 0815 – -do- – LCT 11 – 0830

9 – C Coy Carrier, Int M/C – -do- – 0820 – -do- – LCT 12 – 0835

10 – C Coy – MAXPOFFLE – 0800 – X rds 045509 – x rds 968493 – SELKIRK – rd rly br 971518 – LCI 1 – 0915 – Cycles

11 – A Coy – BROADMEADOWS – 0845 – SELKIRK – rd rly br 971518 – LCI 1, LCI 2 – 0910 – 5 x 3 tonners to be at A Coy by 0730 hrs (4 from RASC, 1 from Bn)

12 – B Coy – ABBOTSFORD – 0755 – Rd junc 979527 – rd rly br 971518 – LCI 1, LCI 3 – 0910 – Marching

13 – D Coy – THE KENNELS – 0800 – X rds 045509 – rd junc 008500 – rd junc 979527 – LCI 3 – 0900 – Lorries halt at rd junc 979527 and await orders MTO. Lorries as for A Coy

14 – Bn HQ (March Tps), S Coy (LCI 2) – Bn HQ – 0830 – X rds 968508 – rd rly br 971518 – LCI 2 – 0900 – Marching

15 – 1 Carrier, 1 6-pr, 1 Carden Loyd, 1 6-pr, M/C A.tk – HQ Coy Car Park – 0920 – -do- – LCT 13 – 0935

16 – 2 Carden Loyds, 2 6-pr Guns, M/C Sigs, M/C A.tk – -do- – 0925 – -do- – LCT 14 – 0940

17 – 1 Carden Loyd, 1 6-pr gun, 1 M/C A.tk – -do- – 0930 – -do- – LCT 15 – 0945

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A note on the terms

LCT / LCI – Landing Craft Tank / Landing Craft Infantry: here, taped-out "boxes" the size of each craft load. Tide I – the first tide of landings. Firm base – a position seized and held to cover the rest of the battalion. FOO – Forward Observation Officer (Royal Artillery), imaginary for this exercise. SP / Dis P – Start Point / Dispersal Point. RP – Regimental Police. Carden Loyd – small tracked carriers, here used to tow the 6-pounder anti-tank guns. M/C – motorcycle.