D-Day+

From 9th Infantry Brigade War Diary for 11th September:

Exercise “Ethelred” - 9 Brit Inf Gp for exercise incl.: Bde A/CMO, Staff, skeleton HQ. 2 Lincolns Bn IO OP and skeleton HQ. 1 KOSB Bn IO OP and skeleton HQ. 2 RUR Bn IO OP and skeleton HQ. A Coy 2 Mx - OC, OP, and HQ. 33 Fd Regt – OC and rep. OP and HQ. 45 A tk Bty - OC and rep, OP and HQ.

The exercise was designed for the speeding up of counter-mortar comns and subsequent engagement of enemy mortars. Enemy were represented by 4 x 3in Mortar and 6 x 4.2 Mortars. All comns were tested out and units actually had battle OPs on the ground throughout the exercise. In all, 25 targets were engaged (theoretically!) as a result of 3 hrs mortar spotting. The exercise was indeed successful inasmuch testing out Bde counter-mortar org and several lessons were learned.

Considerable duplication of work was experienced at the start of the exercise, Bde A/CMO maintained a mortar plotting board in addition to that normally kept by RA rep.

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