December 1918

3rd Grenadier Guards – War diary

1 Dec 1918 MAILLEN	Church Parade 1000 hrs
2 Dec 1918	Adjutant’s Parade 0845 hrs.
3 Dec 1918	Battalion parade 0845 hrs.
4 Dec 1918	Adjutant’s Parade 0845 hrs.
5 Dec 1918 HAVELANGE	Battn marched off at 0725 hrs and arrived at HAVELANGE at 1325 hrs.
6 Dec 1918 BARFAUX	Battn marched off at 0746 hrs and arrived at BARFAUX at 1310 hrs.
7 Dec 1918 WAMBOMONT	Battn marched off at 0816 hrs and arrived at WAMBOMONT at 1300 hrs.
8 Dec 1918	Battn cleaned up. rain all day.
9 Dec 1918	Rain all day. Coys at disposal of Coy Comdrs.
10 Dec 1918 WANNE	Battn marched off at 0831 hrs and arrived at WANNE at 1430 hrs after a hilly & rainy march.
11 Dec 1918	Rain all day. LT LORD, 2/LT THOMPSON and 32 O.R. joined Battn from Divisional Reception Camp.
GERMANY
12 Dec 1918 DEIDENBURG	Battn marched off at 0900 hrs and arrived at DEIDENBURG at 1510 hrs. The 2nd Guards Brigade marched past the Corps Commander at ZWEI BRUCKEN on the FRONTIER. The Frontier was crossed at 1150 hrs. Roads were very bad and it rained all day.
13 Dec 1918 NIDRUM	2nd Guards Brigade marched off for the KRINKELDT-BALLINGEN AREA at 0920 hrs. At 11.00 hrs orders were received on the march to proceed to NIDRUM and entrain on the following day at WEYWERTZ for COLOGNE. It rained very heavily all day.
14 Dec 1918 COLOGNE	The Battn entrained ay WEYWERTZ at 1130 hrs and detrained at EHRENFIELD STATION, on the W, outskirts of COLOGNE at 1900 hrs. The Battn marched through the town to the PIONEER BARRACKS in the RIEHL DISTRICT, at the N. end of COLOGNE close to the Rhine. The Barracks were very comfortable and modern in every way. One Officer per Coy lived in Barracks, the remainder of the Officers being billeted outside. While in COLOGNE 50% of the O.R. were allowed out of Barracks up till 2100 hrs. All ranks were warned that they must not walk about singly. Officers were ordered to carry revolvers and men side-arms while out of the barracks.
15 Dec 1918	Battn cleaned up.
16 Dec 1918	No 1 Coy made up to 100 rank and file under Capt. E.R.M. FRYER M.C. found a Guard of Honour for the Commander-in-Chief at the HAUPT BAHNHOF at 0900 hrs. Massed Drums of the Brigade were in attendance.
17 Dec 1918	The Battn route marched in the northern half of COLOGNE. The following Daily Routine was published in Battn orders. WEEKDAYS 0630 hrs Reveille. 0715 hrs Breakfast Parade. 0800 hrs Sick Parade. 0845 hrs 1st Morning Drill 1000 hrs Company Memoranda, Adjutant’s Memoranda. 1045 hrs Commanding Officer’s Memoranda. 1100 hrs (a) Second Morning’s drill (All N.C.O’s below the rank of Platoon Sergt., Men requiring instruction, awkward men etc.) will attend. (b) Duties mounting. 1230 hrs Dinners. 1400 hrs Practice drill (except Wednesdays and Saturdays) 1600 hrs Retreat and Punishment Parade. 2130 hrs Tattoo. 2200 hrs Lights out. SUNDAYS 0700 hrs Reveille. 0745 hrs Breakfast Parade. 0815 hrs Sick Parade. 0930 Duties mounting.
18 Dec 1918 COLOGNE	Routine. A Sergt’s Mess, a Corporal’s Mess and four Coy Dining Rooms were started.
19 Dec 1918	The Battn route marched in the Southern half of COLOGNE.
20 Dec 1918	Routine. LT. S.G. FAIRBAIRN, LT. Hon. I. GRENFELL and remainder  of Details joined Battn from Divisional Reception Camp.
21 – 24 Dec 1918	The Battn came into waiting from 21st – 24th and found 2 Coys & 3 ½ platoons for Guards on H.Qs Ammunition dumps & bridges.
22 Dec 1918	Church Parade at 0930 hrs.
23 Dec 1918	Route march through N. half of COLOGNE.
24 Dec 1918	Colour party (2/LT E.L.E. CLOUGH TAYLOR and three Sergts) started for England. LT K. CAMPBELL was wired for to take command of party on return journey. Battn came out of waiting. The following Officers joined the battn and were posted as follows:- 2/LT P.J.M. ELLISON No 1 Coy 2/LT A.H.M. JACKSON No 2 Coy LT A.C.K. GEORGE No 3 Coy A/CAPT HON F.O.H. EATON D.S.O. No 4 Coy
25 Dec 1918	XMAS DAY The Commanding Officer inspected the Dinner of the Battalion at 1230 hrs.
26 Dec 1918	The battn paraded for a double round the square at 0800 hrs.
27 Dec 1918	The Battn route marched through the Southern half of COLOGNE.
28 Dec 1918	Routine.
29 Dec 1918	Church Parade 0930 hrs.
30 Dec 1918	The Battn came into waiting for period 30th – 2nd January and found the following Guards. No 3 Coy MONOPOLE No 2 Coy NEUMARKT No 1 Coy FOUR BRIDGE GUARDS
31 Dec 1918	Routine. During the month the following numbers left the Battalion for Demobilization:- 28th 115 O.R. 29th 88 O.R. 30th 21 O.R. 31st 7 O.R. making a total of 231. The majority of these were Coalminers who had only been a short time with the Battn. The remainder were Demobilizers and Pivotal men, mainly Policemen. Twelve Long service men were sent in the above.