12th FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION

Battery "B", 12th FA Bn - 17 April 1944

• 0005: Left Gosford Castle, Armagh, N.I.
• 0100: Arrived Armagh, N.I. after travelling 8 miles by truck.
• 0120: Left Armagh, N.I.
• 0240: Arrived Belfast, N.I. after travelling 30 miles by rail.
• Boarded: U.S.A.T. James Parker in Belfast, N.I.
• 1600: Left Belfast, N.I
• Weather recorded as fair.

Officers Present: 1 Captain, 2 1st Lts, 1 2nd Lt
Enlisted Men: 76 Present for duty, 27 Absent, 103 Total

Signature: Charles D. Schutz, Capt., FA

Battery "B", 12th FA Bn - 18 April 1944

• Battery B remained aboard the U.S.A.T. James Parker, where the men performed their usual shipboard duties under fair weather and calm seas.
• 1800 The unit reached the harbour and docked at Newport, England (Correction Wales) .

This report, signed by Captain Charles D. Schutz, confirms that the battery travelled with a full complement of 103 enlisted men and 4 officers.

Battery "B", 12th FA Bn - 19 April 1944

• 0730: Left Newport, Eng (Correction Wales).
• 1000: Arrived at Bridgend, Wales. Travel: 35 miles traveled by rail.
• Dismounted march from Bridgend, Wales to Island Farm, Bridgend, Wales. Distance: 1 mile covered by foot.
• Rainy weather

Officers: 1 Captain, 2 1st Lts, 1 2nd Lt (Total: 4).
Enlisted Men: 103 Present for duty (Total: 103).

Authentication Signature: Charles D. Schutz, Capt., FA.

Battery "B", 12th FA Bn - 20 April 1944

Personnel Changes

• Walt, John M (O-1184288) 1st Lt: Asgd & jd fr Hq 12th FA Bn per Par 1 SO 89 Hq 2nd Inf Div dtd 18 Apr 44.
• Friday, William (O-1169525) 2nd Lt: Dy to SD with QM 2nd Inf Div as of 0800.
• Bunch, Roy J (6259770) Pvt: Asgd & jd orgn 1440 date (per VOCO) fr "C" Btry this Bn.

Activity: Btry cleaned equipment and performed usual garrison duties.

Weather: Showers.

Personnel Strength Officers: 5 Assigned (1 Captain, 3 1st Lts, 1 2nd Lt). Enlisted Men: 103 Present for duty.

Authentication Signature: Charles D. Schutz, Capt., FA

Explanation of Shortened Text

• Asgd & jd: Assigned and joined (officially added to the unit and present for duty).
• fr Hq: From Headquarters.
• Par 1 SO 89: Paragraph 1, Special Order 89.
• dtd: Dated.
• Dy to SD: Duty to Special Duty (sent to perform a specific task for another department).
• QM: Quartermaster.
• VOCO: Verbal Order of Commanding Officer.
• fr "C" Btry: From Battery C.

Battery "B", 12th FA Bn - 21 April 1944

• Beale (O-1174769) 1st Lt: Changed from DS (Detached Service) with Div Arty Airplane Section adv detail, VOCG (Division Artillery Airplane Section advance detail, per Verbal Order of Commanding General) to duty at 1055.
• Strickland (6284331) S/Sgt: Changed from DS (Detached Service) at Div waterproofing sch, Porthcawl, Wales VOCG (Division waterproofing school, Porthcawl, Wales per Verbal Order of Commanding General) to duty at 1100.
• Randall (37252588) T/5 and McAllister, R.J. (33303596) Pfc: Both men changed from duty to DS (Detached Service) at Div waterproofing sch, Porthcawl, Wales, VOCG (Division waterproofing school, Porthcawl, Wales per Verbal Order of Commanding General); left organization at 1200.

Record of Events

• Location: Island Farm, Bridgend, S. Wales
• Activity: Usual garrison duties
• Weather: Unsettled
• Morale: Good

Personnel Strength Officers: 1 Captain, 1 1st Lt, 4 2nd Lts (Total: 6 assigned).

Enlisted Men: 108 Present for duty, 2 Present not for duty, 4 Absent (Total: 114 assigned).

Authentication Signature: Ogbourne D. Butler, Jr. Capt FA

Explanation of Shortened Text:

• Hq Btry: Headquarters Battery.
• F.A. Bn: Field Artillery Battalion.
• DS: Detached Service (temporarily assigned to duty away from the main unit).
• Div Arty: Division Artillery.
• VOCG: Verbal Order of Commanding General.
• sch: School.
• EM: Enlisted Men.

Summary: The morning report for the Headquarters Battery, 12th Field Artillery Battalion, dated 21 April 1944, shows the unit continuing its operations at Island Farm, Bridgend. Personnel movements were frequent as the unit prepared for future operations; 1st Lieutenant Beale returned from the Division Artillery Airplane Section advance detail, and Staff Sergeant Strickland returned from the waterproofing school at the harbour town of Porthcawl. Simultaneously, Technician 5th Grade Randall and Private First Class McAllister travelled to Porthcawl to begin their own detached service at the same school. Despite unsettled weather, the report noted that morale remained good while the men performed their usual garrison duties.

Battery "B", 12th FA Bn - 24 April 1944

Personnel Changes No change

Record of Events

• Location: Island Farm, Bridgend, Wales
• Activity: Usual garrison duties
• Weather: Rainy
• Status Update: ALERTED FOR DEPARTURE

Personnel Strength

• Officers: 4 Assigned (1 Captain, 2 1st Lts, 1 2nd Lt)
• Enlisted Men: 118 Total (115 Present for duty, 2 Present not for duty, 1 Absent)

Authentication Signature: Charles D. Schutz, Capt., FA

Explanation of Shortened Text

• Btry "B": Battery B
• 12th FA Bn: 12th Field Artillery Battalion
• FA: Field Artillery
• Capt: Captain
• 1st Lt / 2nd Lt: First Lieutenant / Second Lieutenant

Summary The morning report for Battery B, 12th Field Artillery Battalion, dated 24 April 1944, shows the unit remained at Island Farm in Bridgend, Wales. While the day consisted of usual garrison duties in rainy weather, a significant development was recorded: the unit was officially ALERTED FOR DEPARTURE. This indicates that the men who had previously travelled to Wales and established themselves at this station were now preparing for their next movement. The battery strength remained stable under Captain Charles D. Schutz, with no personnel changes reported for the day.

Battery "B", 12th FA Bn - 26 April 1944

Personnel Changes No change

Record of Events

• Activity: Usual garrison duties.
• Weather: Clear.
• Legal Briefing: Paragraphs 1a & b of letter, Hq V Corps, Subject "Desertion" dtd 21 April 1944, were read to the members of this organization as shown on atchd roster at 1400.
• Status Update: ALERTED FOR DEPARTURE.

Personnel Strength

• Officers: 4 Assigned (1 Capt, 2 1st Lt, 1 2nd Lt).
• Enlisted Men: 118 Total (115 Present for duty, 2 Present not for duty, 1 Absent).

Authentication Signature: Charles D. Schutz, Capt., FA

Explanation of Shortened Text

• Btry "B": Battery B.
• 12th FA Bn: 12th Field Artillery Battalion.
• FA: Field Artillery.
• Hq V Corps: Headquarters, V Corps (Fifth Corps).
• dtd: Dated.
• atchd: Attached.

Summary The morning report for Battery B, 12th Field Artillery Battalion, dated 26 April 1944, finds the unit still based at Island Farm in Bridgend. Under clear weather, the men performed their usual garrison duties, but the day was marked by a formal military briefing. At 1400 hours, specific sections of a letter from V Corps Headquarters regarding "Desertion" were read to the battery members. The unit remained "ALERTED FOR DEPARTURE," signaling that their time in the area was drawing to a close. Despite having travelled from the Newport harbour only a week prior, the 118 enlisted men and 4 officers under Captain Charles D. Schutz were now prepared for their next movement.