12th FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION

16 April 1944 - Service Battery, 12th FA Bn

Personnel Changes

• Hardin, Richard (15046350) Pfc: From attached for Quarters and Rations (atchd for Qrs & Rations) to Service Battery, 19th FA Bn, 5th Div; left organization at 2359.
• Satterfield, John W. (16040891) Pvt: From attached for Quarters and Rations (atchd for Qrs & Rations) to Co H, 10th Inf, 5th Div; left organization at 2359.

Record of Events

• Location: Gosford Castle, Armagh, N.I.
• Activity: Usual garrison duties.
• Weather: Clear. Morale: High.

Personnel Strength

• Officers: 4 Assigned (1 Capt Pres, 1 Capt Abs't, 1 1st Lt Pres, 1 2nd Lt Abs't).
• Warrant Officers: 1 Assigned (Absent).
• Enlisted Men: 69 Total (37 Present for duty, 32 Absent).

Authentication Signature: Lee R Sumpter Jr, Capt

Explanation of Shortened Text

• N.I.: Northern Ireland.
• Serv. Btry: Service Battery.
• FA: Field Artillery.
• atchd for Qrs & Rations: Attached for Quarters and Rations (temporarily living and eating with this unit).
• 19th FA Bn / 10th Inf: 19th Field Artillery Battalion and 10th Infantry Regiment.
• 5th Div: 5th Division.

Summary

The morning report for Service Battery, 12th Field Artillery Battalion, dated 16 April 1944, captures the unit during its final hours at Gosford Castle in Armagh, Northern Ireland. The day was spent on usual garrison duties under clear skies, with morale reported as "High". Administratively, the unit processed the departure of two soldiers, Pfc Richard Hardin and Pvt John W. Satterfield, who had been attached to the battery for quarters and rations; both left at 2359 hours to rejoin their respective units in the 5th Division. This report serves as the final record before the battery travelled to the harbour to join the rest of the battalion in Wales.

19 April 1944 - Service Battery, 12th FA Bn

Personnel Changes

• Advance Party (Trk Detail): An attached roster of Officers and Enlisted Men changed from DS (Detached Service) to duty, arriving at the organization at 1345.
• Returning Personnel: The following Warrant Officer and Enlisted Men returned from the Adv Detail (Advance Detail) at 1345:
  • Steger, Thomas P. (W-2105924) WOJG
  • Svoboda (6283004) Tec 4
  • Behr (33002436) Tec 5
  • Mull (34386211) Tec 5

Record of Events

• 1000: Debarked fr U.S.A.T. James Parker.
• 1015: Entrained.
• 1105: Left Depot at Newport, Eng (Correction Wales).
• 1315: Arrived at Bridgend, Wales; detrained and marched to Island Farm (app. 1 mile).
• 1345: Arrived at barracks.
• Conditions: Weather Rain,
• Morale: High.

Personnel Strength

• Officers: 5 Assigned (2 Captains, 1 1st Lt, 1 2nd Lt, 1 Warrant Officer).
• Enlisted Men: 69 Total (60 Present for duty, 9 Absent).

Authentication Signature: Lee R Sumpter Jr, Capt FA

Explanation of Shortened Text

• Serv. Btry: Service Battery.
• DS to Dy: Detached Service to Duty.
• Trk Detail: Truck Detail.
• Adv Detail: Advance Detail.
• WOJG: Warrant Officer Junior Grade.
• U.S.A.T. James Parker: United States Army Transport James Parker (the troopship).
• Entrained / Detrained: Boarded the train / Exited the train.

Summary

The morning report for Service Battery, 12th Field Artillery Battalion, dated 19 April 1944, chronicles the unit's transition from the harbour at Newport to their new barracks at Island Farm. The men debarked the U.S.A.T. James Parker at 1000 hours and travelled by rail to Bridgend, arriving at 1315. Following a one-mile march in the rain, the battery reached Island Farm at 1345, where they were rejoined by a truck detail advance party that included Warrant Officer Thomas P. Steger and three technicians. Despite the rainy weather, Captain Lee R. Sumpter Jr. noted that morale remained "High" as the unit established itself in Wales.

20 April 1944 - Service Battery, 12th FA Bn

Personnel Changes

• 8 Enlisted Men: Asgd & jd (Assigned and joined) fr 108th FA Bn per SO #84 Hq 28 Inf Div APO #28 US Army dtd 11 Apr 44 eff 19th Apr 1944:
  • Armijo, Raul (38351172) Pvt
  • Clanton, Otis (34788955) Pvt
  • Pacheco, Albert (39132805) Pvt
  • DellaVentura, Romeo (31383030) Pvt
  • Carver, Clarence D (34644341) Pvt
  • Bush, Leonard J Jr (32856530) Pvt
  • Brumley, Lloyd F (38404915) Pvt
  • Fick, Ludwig (32899897) Pvt
• Rigsby (34371261) Pvt: Fr DS To Absent Sk Hosp Unknown (From Detached Service to Absent Sick in an unknown hospital).
• Bostel (32060462) Tec 4 and Jones (6272275) Tec 5: Fr dy to DS Div Waterproofing School (VOCG) Porthcawl, Wales.

Personnel Strength

Note: Strength figures are continued on Page 2, which was not provided.

Authentication Signature: Signature not present on Page 1.

Explanation of Shortened Text

• Serv Btry: Service Battery.
• Asgd & jd: Assigned and joined.
• SO / Hq: Special Order / Headquarters.
• dtd / eff: Dated / Effective.
• DS: Detached Service (temporary duty away from the main unit).
• Sk Hosp: Sick in Hospital.
• VOCG: Verbal Order of Commanding General.

Summary

The morning report for Service Battery, 12th Field Artillery Battalion, dated 20 April 1944, indicates continued unit building at Island Farm, Wales. Eight new privates officially joined the battery after having travelled from the 108th Field Artillery Battalion. While the unit gained these men, others were moved for health and training purposes; Private Rigsby was hospitalized at an unknown location, and two technicians, Bostel and Jones, departed for the harbour town of Porthcawl to attend the Division Waterproofing School.

27 April 1944 - Service Battery, 12th FA Bn

Personnel Changes

No Change

Record of Events

• Location: Island Farm, Bridgend, Wales
• Activity: Usual Garrison Duties
• Weather: Clear
• Morale: High
• Status Update: ALERTED FOR DEPARTURE

Personnel Strength

• Officers: 5 Total (2 Captains, 1 1st Lt, 1 2nd Lt, 1 Warrant Officer)
• Enlisted Men: 79 Total (76 Present for duty, 2 Present not for duty, 1 Absent)

Authentication Signature: Lee R Sumpter Jr, Capt. FA

Explanation of Shortened Text

• Serv. Btry: Service Battery.
• 12th FA Bn: 12th Field Artillery Battalion.
• FA: Field Artillery.
• Capt.: Captain.

Summary

The morning report for Service Battery, 12th Field Artillery Battalion, dated 27 April 1944, shows the unit firmly established at Island Farm in Bridgend. Under clear weather, the men maintained "High" morale while performing their usual garrison duties. Critically, the battery was officially ALERTED FOR DEPARTURE, placing them on the same footing as Batteries B and C. Having travelled from Northern Ireland just over a week prior, the 79 enlisted men and 5 officers under Captain Lee R. Sumpter Jr. were now ready for their next assignment away from the Welsh harbour area.