1st May.
Brigade HQ – TAMARA 2489.
Brigade rests. Day leave parties to Ferrara continues. The link up of 2 NZ Division with Marshal Tito’s forces was announced today. The link up took place at Monfalcone not far from Trieste.
1 RIrF – 218938.
Nothing to Report.
2 Innisks – ZOCCA.
Another exceedingly quiet day. A Gymkhana was held by the 78th Division and the bttn put in a few entries. The Brigade Band played on the course and the day was a complete success.
2000 A Mobile Cinema visited the bttn. One Polish deserter came in during the evening.
2 LIR – ITALY.
0800 Bttn still in La Pavonara area on the banks of the River Po.
Bttn HQ in farm 163906.
0830 Recce u/c Captain RJ Cockburn moved back to B Echelon area to recce new billets for the bttn at Tamara.
1430 Bttn commences move back to new area.
1600 Bttn locations now as follows; Bttn HQ – 247900, E Coy – 273869, F Coy – 270876, G Coy – 253887, H Coy – Tamara village 243896 and S Coy – 268887.
2nd May.
Brigade HQ – TAMARA 2489.
1000 Brigade Commander and DAA and QMG attended ‘Q’ Conference at HQ 11 Brigade. Main points brought out by Divisional Commander were future moves, question of disposing of enemy transport, petrol rationing for a short period in the future (due to length of pipe lines), horses to be kept by bttns and Brigade HQs and various administrative and welfare details.
Brigade Commander visits a paddock after the conference to choose some more horses.
Brigade Commander visits Bologna and old battlefields at San Clemente and Monte Grande in the afternoon.
1600 The Armistice and surrender of the German Armies in Italy and South Austria was announced this afternoon on the wireless. This was the cause of a number of impromptu celebrations by most units in the area.
2 Innisks – ZOCCA.
1000 A day of little activity, a German PoW was discovered in hiding and was sent to Brigade PoW Camp.
1640 An Order of the Day by Field Marshal Alexander announcing the Unconditional Surrender for all German forces in Italy.
1945 Most of the bttn made their way to some wireless or other and listened to the broadcast of Mr Churchill’s statement to the House confirming Unconditional Surrender. Shortly after, numerous flares and belts of tracer ammunition lit up the sky. This was the means employed by the troops in the area south of the Po to celebrate their victory. The sound of bursts of Spandaus and exploding of enemy grenades seemed to make a reincarnation of many nights gone by and the thoughts of many Inniskillings turned back to 1942 to the beaches of Madagascar and the Plains of Medjez-el-Bab.
2 LIR – ITALY.
0730 25 men from each rifle coy report with all available axes to the 256 Field Coy RE at road junction 225968 for road maintenance and bridge work.
1700 News – All German forces in Italy and Western Austria capitulate to the 15th Army Group
3rd May.
Brigade HQ – TAMARA 2489.
0900 Brigade Group warned to move. Recce parties to be at one hours’ notice and advance parties at two hours’ notice from 1100 hours.
1200 Move orders cancelled. Advance parties probably go tomorrow and main body not before 5 May.
1 RIrF – 218938.
CO spoke to the bttn congratulating them on their recent performance and accomplishments and giving a preview of our future role in Austria.
2 Innisks – ZOCCA.
An exceedingly quiet day. The bttn was at 4hrs’ notice move.
2 LIR – ITALY.
0800 Bttn advance party warned to be at 1 hour notice from 1000 hrs for purpose of moving to Udine area.
1500 Advance party move postponed to the following day.
4th May.
Brigade HQ – TAMARA 2489.
0800 Brigade Group warned to move to concentration area Fordenone 9608. Advance parties left in the morning to recce areas. Brigade Commander left to visit Venice on way to new concentration area.
1 RIrF – 218938.
0900 Advance party to Divisional Concentration area 9608.
Bttn Move Order No 16.
2 Innisks – ZOCCA.
0700 The advance party left for the new area. Most of the day was spent cleaning up and preparing to move across the Lombardy Plains.
2 LIR – ITALY.
0600 Advance party move off.
0900 RSM’s talk to WOs and Sgts on discipline and probable bttn future moves.
0915 QM and staff prepare a Victory Festival for bttn to take place in the evening.
1030 RC Thanksgiving Service in Tamara Church.
1100 CE Thanksgiving Service at Bttn HQ.
1800 Victory Celebration at Bttn HQ. CO gave a sort speech to bttn and then ignited a 15 feet high bonfire of logs. Rum punch, vino, sandwiches and cakes and calf roasted whole were provided for all ranks. An effigy of Hitler, escorted by pipers playing the slow march was brought to fire and duly burned.
2030 News – All German forces in NW Germany, Holland, Denmark, Heligoland and the Frisian Isles surrender to Field Marshal Montgomery’s 21st Army Group.
5th May.
Brigade HQ – TAMARA 2489.
Brigade Group prepares to move. 38 Brigade Move Instruction No 4 issued.
Brigade Group to move as follows:
2 Innisks – 1520.
Brigade HQ – 1800.
1 RIrF – 1900.
2 LIR – 2040.
Brigade Carriers – 2220.
LAD – 2359.
1520 Brigade Group commences to move.
1 RIrF – 218938.
Bttn moved as per Movement Order 16. Bad traffic jam as far as Adige River. 11 Brigade provided billets in staging area at Treviso.
2 Innisks – ZOCCA.
1530 The bttn em-bused and left the area of Zocca, owing to the large number of bridges destroyed by the enemy, the journey was very tiresome. After 7 hrs, we had only covered 14 miles but once across the bridge over the Adige, the roads were clear and we made our way at a more normal speed.
2 LIR – Italy.
0800 Bttn prepare for move to Udine.
2000 Bttn move off.
6th May.
Brigade HQ – UDINE.
1000 Brigade Group travelled all through the night and reached Pordenone at about 1000 hrs. Further orders were issued for the column to go on to the Udine area. Advance parties had already gone on to recce areas.
1300 Brigade Group arrived in Udine area and were complete by 1700 hrs.
Brigade Group consists of the following:
Locations also given –
Brigade HQ – Fontanabona 3728.
2 Innisks – Udine 4219.
2 LIR – Pagnacco 3626.
1 RIrF Campoforudo 3515.
17 Field Regiment RA – Colugna 3822.
254 A/Tk Battery RA – Udine 4219.
D Support Group (1 Kensingtons) – Tricesimo 3931.
152 Field Ambulance – Udine 4219.
5 Corps ordered brigade to establish road blocks in Udine area in conjunction with Tito forces to prevent dumps of food and ammunition being taken out of the country to Yugoslavia.
2 Innisks in Udine were also ordered to search the town to find remaining food dumps and place guards on them if any found. The other two battalions were ordered to search roads and areas leading out of Udine for food and ammunition dumps.
1 RIrF – 3318.
Bttn continued move to allotted area, 3 villages about Colloredo.
2 Innisks – TREVISO/UDINE.
0230 The bttn arrived in Brigade Staging Area at Treviso.
0700 The bttn left Treviso and travelled at a good speed to the town of Udine, arriving at 1000 hrs.
1200 The bttn was placed at two hours notice to move, so everybody was confined in the bttn area. C Coy was told to stand by at one hours notice and to be prepared to go and engage some enemy formations, who were reported hiding out in the hills north of Udine.
1700 A conference was held at Bttn HQ at which the Commanding Officer outlined the political situation in the area. The situation was rather complex and, on no account, were we to get involved in any political quarrels that might arise. Tension existed between Tito’s Yugoslav army and the Green scarf Partisans of Italy. These Yugoslavs claimed to be Patriots, while the Green scarfs claimed they were democratic. The situation was further complicated by the presence of Garabaldi Partisan Red Scarfs and the Italian Regular Army.
1700 It was decided that the bttn would be allowed out until 2200hrs, the men availed themselves of the opportunity to visit Udine.
2 LIR – ITALY.
0700 Bttn halted in staging area San Maria Rovere (639782) about 3 kms north of Treviso where breakfast and later a tea meal was served.
1200 Bttn convoy moves off on final stage of journey.
1600 Bttn arrive in Udine area. Owing to unsuitability of billets, the CO carried out a personal recce in the evening for a new Bttn HQ. Present Bttn HQ located at 345239.
7th May.
Brigade HQ – UDINE.
The Osoppo partisans, divided into the Red and Green Brigades, were contacted during the morning for assistance in interpreters and locating enemy dumps.
The infiltration of the Yugoslav forces into N Italy made it necessary for road posts to be manned by them as well as our own troops. The food situation in the area was critical and all dumps were guarded extremely carefully by our own troops as much as food had been cleared by the Yugoslav forces to their own country.
2 Innisks also reported considerable dumps of ammunition in Udine, which they took over.
Orders received from 5 Corps to send one battalion to Caporetto 6749 and one to Cividale 5623 tomorrow morning.
1 RIrF – 3318.
Establish five road check points to control traffic. Orders for dispersal of enemy personnel.
2 Innisks – UDINE.
0900 The Bttn Quarter Guard was mounted in the Public Square, this caused great interest among the civilian population. Orders were received to establish road blocks on the three main roads leading to Udine with a view to controlling movement of unauthorised people and looting of enemy dumps. The Garrison of each post was comprised of eight Inniskillings and eight Yugoslavs.
1000 Yugoslav Liaison officer arrived at Bttn HQ; the language difficulty was overcome by a mixture of Italian, French and German.
1100 Orders were received that a search of Udine was to be made to locate and take over enemy ammunition dumps, this to be done on the 8th of May.
1600 Road blocks established. Owing to the lack of transport, the Yugoslav part of the Garrison arrived at 2200 hrs. Displaced persons arriving from Austria and other parts of Italy, kept those posts very busy.
2 LIR – ITALY.
0900 Advance party move to Bttn HQ.
1100 Main body move to new Bttn HQ. Bttn locations now as follows:
Bttn HQ – 369264, E Coy – 372262, F Coy – 372257, G Coy – 373262, H Coy – 372257, S Coy – 389252.
Bttn’s role in present static conditions is to be a controlling force over civilian and partisan movement to prevent looting and removal of captured enemy weapons and supplies. The first enemy dump to be put under guard was a diesel oil and lubricant dump located in the grounds of Bttn HQ itself. Previously, the dump had been guarded by Partisans and later for a few hours by a section of the 1 Kensingtons MMG Platoon.
8th May.
Brigade HQ – UDINE.
Two coys 2 LIR move to Caporetto 6749 to take over from 1 Welch. Bttn HQ and 2 coys remain in present locations. 1 RIrF move to Cividale 562 during the morning. Both battalions established road blocks in conjunction with Yugoslav forces.
1500 The Prime Minister announced the end of the War in Europe and the cessation of hostilities at one minute past midnight on the 8/9 April.
1 RIrF – 3318.
0900 Bttn moved to Cividale 555225. CO and IO to D Coy (Major J Wilton) posts at Caporetto 670398 to arrange relief by 2 LIR.
Bttn Pipe Band played retreat in public square.
2 Innisks – UDINE.
0800 The town of Udine, having been divided into six parts, six sections from A Coy started the search for enemy arms.
1030 The Yugoslavs on the road posts started to take the weapons off the Italian Green scarfs, thus causing friction, those incidents caused a lot more work and talk on our part. Later in the day, after a visit by the Divisional CO to the Yugoslav HQ, the Yugoslavs agreed to allow all Italians to retain their personal arms.
1500 Most of the Inniskillings, that were not on duty, listened to Mr Churchill’s broadcast announcing the end of the war with Germany but in view of the situation prevailing in this area, this seemed unreal and the difficulties, which lay ahead were only too clear. At the end of the broadcast, the bttn carried on in a normal way.
1800 The Regimental Band beat Retreat outside Bttn HQ, which brought much applause from the Italian public.
2030 Most of the personnel not on duty went to see the film, “Two Girls and a Sailor” shown by the mobile film unit. The rest of VE Day was without incident.
2 LIR – ITALY.
0400 Bttn warned to send two coys forward to Caporetto area at 0900 hrs. Main Bttn HQ and remaining two coys at 1200 hrs.
1000 Tac HQ and E and H Coy move forward.
During the course of the morning, the move forward of the remaining two coys was cancelled. The two forward coys established traffic control posts in the Plezzo (656499) area near to the Austrian border, which they held until relieved by units of 46th Division on early morning of 9 May. The area held by two forward coys was also garrisoned in strength by units of the Yugoslav Army.
1500 Prime Minister’s radio address to the Empire announcing Germany’s final capitulation, The Cease Fire in Europe to be sounded at one minute past midnight.
1600 Bttn warned to have an advance party ready to a new area. Time of departure as yet unknown.
9th May.
Brigade HQ – UDINE.
Coys 2 LIR relieved by bttn 138 Brigade (46th Division) in Caporetti and return to old locations.
There were no further incidents between the Yugoslavs, Italians or the partisans in general.
2000 Message received from 5 Corps ordering the Brigade Group less 2 Innisks to move to the Villach area, which was subsequently changed to the Klagenfurt area where the Brigade would go under command 6 Armoured Division. Brigade Commander to report to HQ 6 Armoured Division as soon as possible tomorrow morning.
Move orders were issued that night and 2 Innisks instructed to take over commitments of the Brigade Group. D Support Group and brigade carriers to move on 11 May.
1 RIrF – 3318.
Nothing to Report.
2 Innisks – UDINE.
During the morning, a few arms which had been located the previous day were collected and taken to the weapon dump. Yugoslavs again wanted to disarm the Italian Green Scarfs of their personal weapons. It had been agreed that that all weapons other than personal weapons were to be confiscated. It was now apparent that the Yugoslav army wanted to take over the Province of Udine; the Green Scarfs were opposing this move by all means short of actual conflict. The Italian Red Scarf party were inclined towards the Yugoslavs.
1500 One of the road blocks confiscated a 75 mm Gun that was being taken to Udine by the Red Scarfs. It later transpired that these particular Red Scarfs were of an assault division of the Yugoslav National Army. Later in the day, the guns was returned to the Yugoslavs in Udine.
1800 The Drums and Pipes of the brigade played in the main square of the city; this attracted hundreds of civilians.
2 LIR – ITALY.
0001 Bttn buglers blow the Cease Fire.
1000 Bttn warned no move today.
1400 Tac HQ, E and H Coys returned from Plezzo area on relief by units of 46 Division.
1800 Pipe Band played at Udine.
10th May.
Brigade HQ – KLAGENFURT 2383.
0830 Brigade Commander leaves to report to 6 Armoured Division HQ.
1000 17 Field Regiment and 254 A/Tk Battery leaves Udine area.
1100 Brigade Commander arrives at 6 Armoured Division HQ and then goes onto 61 Brigade HQ to receive full details of the situation.
1100 152 Field Ambulance leaves.
1330 1 RIrF moves.
1230 2 LIR moves.
1530 Brigade HQ moves.
1 RIrF and 17 Field Regiment moved by Route 54 and then Route 13 while the remainder of the Group kept solely to Route 13. In this manner, the time factor was considerably reduced and facilitated movement, having two roads instead of one.
Brigade Group was harboured in an area east of Klagenfurt about four miles out of the town. Brigade HQ established on the northern outskirts of Klagenfurt 2383.
1800 GOC 6 Armoured Division visits the Brigade Commander and gives his full details and instructions. Orders for Brigade Group to move to Wolfsberg 6405 and San Andrae 6297 early tomorrow morning.
1 RIrF.
Bttn move to staging area east of Klagenfurt Austria area 2982 where a certain amount of enemy military and civilian transport was required.
2 Innisks – UDINE.
During the day, the Brigade Posts arrested small numbers of people, most of whom were proved innocent and released. There were no incidents with the Yugoslavs during the day.
2 LIR – ITALY.
0400 Bttn warned that advance party would move north into Austria at 0730 hrs. Main body to follow at 1100 hrs.
0730 Bttn advance party move off. Route – Tolmezzo, Tarvisio through the Thorl Pass to Villach, thence to Klagenfurt.
1100 Bttn main body move off.
1700 Bttn now staging in Klagenfurt area. Bttn HQ at 252812 with coys in close proximity.
11th May.
Brigade HQ – WOLFSBERG 6305.
Brigade Group moves to Wolfsberg sector:
Brigade HQ – 649057 Wolfsberg.
2 LIR – 640053 Wolfsberg.
1 RIrF – 623975 San Andrae.
D Support Group – 640052 Wolfsberg.
17 Field Regiment RA 642077 Wolfsberg.
254 A/Tk Battery – 646076 Wolfsberg.
152 Field Ambulance – 641056 Wolfsberg.
General Military and Political Situation.
The first troops to enter this area were 27 Lancers, who had received orders to push as far east and south as possible and if possible get to Graz and contact the Russians. German columns retreating from the Russians effectively blocked the road from the Squadron 27 Lancers attempting to get to Graz and the Russians were in the town first. Contact was made with the Russians and a temporary boundary established between Koflach and Voitsburg D65.
There were a considerable number of Germans, Hungarian, Croat, Albanian and Russian troops in the brigade area of responsibility, who would have to be taken over, disarmed, concentrated and finally sent to their ultimate destinations.
The main trouble arising out of the surrendered personnel was the question of who should actually accept the surrender of the Corps and Divisional Commanders.
The majority of the forces in this area were from either Army of East or Army of South East and all have officially surrendered to Tito or the Russian Forces. This officially made all enemy surrendered forces the responsibility of Marshal Tito’s forces and the Russian but no German commander would submit to them.
They all came to us for instruction, which inevitably caused a long drawn our parley between Jugoslavs, Germans and ourselves.
Usually, large formations were given to Jugoslavs but we accepted the surrender of smaller units without further reference to higher authority.
Another point to be taken into consideration when discussing the situation was that of Jugoslav infiltration into the Drava valley. Jugoslav troops were manning road posts on the Klagenfurt road and in general making a nuisance of themselves shooting up and indiscriminately disarming Germans soldiers attempting to pass through to concentration areas under British orders.
Although this did not seriously worry us, it caused endless delay in conducting parleys and listening to countless complaints.
On arrival in this area, it was found that 1st Bulgarian Army had troops in Lavamund, San Paul and extending westwards to within 4 kilometres of Volkemarkt.
2 LIR took over responsibility of Wolfsberg area and 1 RIrF the responsibility of San Andrae area.
1 RIrF collected 1,200 SS troops in the evening and concentrated them in their PW cage and also started collecting trains of which there were 20 stationery on the lines between Wolfsberg and Lavamund. Immediate efforts were made to concentrate the trains as far north as possible and around San Andrae to obtain the food to feed the surrendered personnel on our hands.
Other food dumps were found in Wolfsberg, which considerably eased the supply situation.
1800 254 A/Tk Battery ordered to proceed immediately to Prietenegg and then east to St Oswald to contact Russian forces advancing west.
A troop of 27 Lancers at St Paul was ordered to go to Lavamund as soon as possible and a platoon of 1 RIrF together with a few Allied ex PoW took control of the town.
The Brigade Commander went to Lavamund during the afternoon to meet the Commander of 3 Bulgarian Division and his Corps Commander. It was arranged that all movement by both armies should cease until agreement was reached. The Bulgarian Corps Commander then left for 5 Corps where this arrangement was confirmed but without any fixing of boundaries.
We established a road post at Lavamund but allowed free Bulgarian movement through it. At about 1700 hrs, after the Bulgarian Corps Commander had left, a crisis arose in Lavamund where over 4,000 Armed Cossacks, who were 2 kilometres south of the river and about 2 kilometres from the British PW there. It was reported by the Bulgarians and by the British PW unit that those Cossacks would attack anybody except the English that night. The Bulgarians intimated that they were unable to enforce their surrender and the Cossacks refused to surrender to them. As the Brigade Commander had received orders from 6th Armoured Division to disarm 22,000 Cossacks in the neighbourhood of Dravograd and concluding that there were part of the same force, the Brigade Commander asked the Bulgarians if they would like him to disarm them and accept their surrender. The agreement he made with the Bulgarians and later with the Cossacks was that they should hand in their arms in situ, which would be later handed to the Bulgarians by him and that the Cossacks should march through Lavamund at 0530 hrs on the 12th with their horses. Some disagreement arose over the Cossacks taking their horses if he disarmed them and that if the Bulgarians wanted the Cossack horses they must arrange with the British Army Commander at a later date and see if he was prepared to give them back. The Brigade Commander explained that lack of transport necessitated this course.
1 RIrF – Yugoslavia 623974.
Bttn move to Wolfsberg then return to St Andrae. D Coy (Major Wilton) undertakes to locate and guard train from St Andrae south to Jugoslav border. C Coy (Major Howard) established at PoW camp at Framre 620948. B Coy (Major Phelan MC) dispatched to deal with SS troops area Etendorf 7186. On arrival at 699975, Major Phelan MC sent one platoon onto Lavamund 715840 to assist some on PoWs in keeping order there. With the other two platoons, he took over 3 kilometres of armoured trains, 130 German civilians and 1,200 SS troops. These, he disarmed and transported to PoW to C Coy. While this was being done, Brigadier TPD Scott DSO and Colonel Murphy Palmer, with the assistance of NZ and Australian PoWs, persuaded the Cossacks at Lavamund to accept disarmament and surrender and arranged for them to come in tomorrow.
2 Innisks – UDINE.
0500 The bttn received orders to move into Austria.
0900 Advance party left.
1015 The bttn left Udine, most of the Road Posts being relieved by the 56 Division, some were relieved later in the day, the personnel forming these guards joined the rear party.
The btnn had an interesting journey through the Italian Alps and arrived at the Austrian Frontier (approx 1430 hrs).
1300 The bttn arrived in the village of Furnitz and the coys were split up over quite a considerable area. A certain number of comment was caused by the obvious difference in layout and people that was noticed between Italy and Austria.
1700 The Commanding Officer held a conference at Bttn HQ, where he said that the bttn was under orders to move to Villach, where it would relieve the 1st Guards Brigade. Captain Vincent was to assume command of S Coy and take over the PoW cage at Jager Barracks from the Welsh Guards. A Coy to take over PoW cage at Arnoldstein. He also gave out that all personnel would carry weapons at all times and that the non fraternisation order was effective in Austria.
2 LIR – AUSTRIA.
0730 Advance party move off.
1100 Bttn main body move to Wolfsberg.
1600 Bttn now located in Wolfsberg.
Bttn HQ in the Jaeger Barracks (638055). These had been the offices of an Abwehr unit of the Wehrmacht controlling numerous PoW camps including Stalag 18A located in Wolfsberg. E and F Coys billeted in the Laventer Reichstrasse. G Coy took over the telephone exchange in the Haupstrasse. H Coy were also billeted in the Haupstrasse.
1600 The remaining hours of daylight were spent in the establishment of the following:
- PoW cage for SS troops.
- Cage for all other German or German Allied troops (Deutche Verbandte Truppen).
- Enemy weapons dump.
- Bttn guard of the Telephone Exchange , Municipal building, Power Station and Bank.
During the course of the afternoon, numerous Austrians, including civilians and officers and men of the Wehrmacht, offered their services as interpreters and a suitable selection was made.
In the evening, at the request of the new Mayor of the town (who had been in a concentration camp for 5 years) and in conjunction with some of the older Austrian police, 31 leading Nazis were arrested and put in the civil jail. During the round up, two men attempted to escape but were picked up later in another house. One woman attempted suicide.
SS rounded up before nightfall totaled 2 officers and 67 ORs.
1900 Bttn band played in the town square.
12th May.
Brigade HQ – WOLFSBERG 6306.
During the night 11/12, the Bulgarians retracted from the agreement but, at about 0700 hrs the next morning, they received orders from Bulgarian 1st Army to allow the Cossacks to proceed. They stated that these orders were given on the authority of the Bulgarian Army Commander and that they had not been ratified by the Russian Command. By 1000 hrs on the 12th, the original agreement with the Cossacks had been fulfilled by both sides.
During the morning, the Cossacks were disarmed and moved through Lavamund and Griffen to their concentration area near Volkermarkt. 13 Battery, 17 Field Regiment was sent to Bleiburg to occupy the village.
0945 254 A/Tk Battery contacted the Russians at Wildbachberg 920060. Only scattered forced were met in the area but “looting parties” were out on the road from St Oswald 8412 to Wildbachberg. The Russians were in considerable force in D Landsberg 9204, where OC 254 A/Tk battery met a Russian Major. A temporary boundary was fixed at Wildbachberg but the Major could give no guarantee until the local General arrived.
The Russian Division contacted was No 299. They appeared friendly but foxy.
Brigade Commander goes off in the morning to continue discussions with the Bulgarians at Lavamund. Evacuation of Cossacks continued throughout the day. 1 RIrF continued collection of surrendered personnel and policing of St Andre. D coy continued with checking and movement of railway trains to Wolfsberg.
1000 The following regroup programme was ordered to take place as soon as possible in order to cope with the situation on the Jugoslav frontier at Bleiburg and Lavamund.
17 Field Regiment to responsible for control of road Griffen – Bleiburg with road blocks at road junctions 586849 and 619758.
A Squadron 2 RTR to send two troops of tanks to 1 RIrF and Squadron and troop to 17 Field Regiment.
D Support Group to go under command 17 Field Regiment and send 20 carriers and 5 x 15 cwts to HQ 1 RIrF for road patrols in Bleiburg – Lavamund area.
1 RIrF to establish coys at Lavamund, St Paul and St Andrew and S Coy at Maria Rojac to patrol east to mountains.
2 LIR to send coy to patrol east along road to Scherbati 7306 and if possible make contact with the Russians.
1750 All moves in progress. Troop of tanks of 1 RIrF sent down to Lavamund to impress Jugoslavs and Bulgarians.
At 1900 hrs on the 12th, the Commander of 3rd Bulgarian Division arrived at Brigade HQ saying that he had orders to occupy all territory east of the river Lavant up to 4 kilometres south of Wolfsberg and that he was to withdraw all his troops between Lavamund and Volkermarkt. He stated he had commenced the withdrawal from Volkermarkt area and wished to commence his forward movement towards Wolfsberg at first light on the 13th and requested permission to use the main road Lavamund – St Andrae. The Brigade Commander requested him to refrain from any forward movement until much time as he had communicated with the Commander 5 Corps and received fresh orders. At 0600 hrs on the 13th, he sent the CO 1 RIrF to Lavamund to ensure that no forward movement commenced and said that he would be with him with fresh orders by about 1000 hrs. This request was respected.
2000 OGF Kashe – German Puppet Minister to Croat Republic was arrested by 2 LIR.
1 RIrF – ST ANDRAE 623974.
Complications arose when the Bulgars took to slit trenches and said they had been ordered not to allow the Cossacks past. Lt Lafferty deployed his platoon and prepared to engage the Bulgarian Army while the matter was being discussed with the Bulgarian General. He is being assured the Cossacks were disarmed and that the arms would be turned over to him and, not wanting any trouble with the British anyway, decided to call off his dogs. So, at about 0730, the head of the column appeared on the bridge crossing the Drau. 4.000 Cossacks and 3.000 horses, led by a mounted NZ Sergeant (ex PoW) and three misc officers and, escorted by 11 other ex PoW. Pickets were placed at strategic points along the point and, in spite of the tension at the start, the Cossacks were not a little nervous, all arrived at 6 Corps camp without incident.
In the afternoon, four 15 cwt loads of SA and Mortar Bombers were recovered from the SS dumps and transported to C Coy. A certain amount of wireless and telephone equipment was acquired by the bttn from the Armoured trains at this time.
During the afternoon, too, S Coy carrier patrols were directing enemy columns to C Coy’s camp in increasing streams. In the last evening, they detained one Bulgarian officer and 2 ORs drunk and causing a disturbance.
D Coy (Major AJ Wilton), having made its HQ in the Monastery at St Paul 6690, is moving the trains north in an effort to clear the line to the Jugoslav border.
2 Innisks – FURNITZ/VILLACH.
0500 A Coy moved off to Arnoldstein and took over the SS PoW cage there.
0930 S Coy moved off and arrived at Villach, taking over at Jager Barracks at 1100 hrs.
1115 The bttn left Furnitz and arrived at Villach at 1215 hrs, where they took over St Martin’s Barracks (873805) from the Grenadier Guards. The bttn was u/c of HQ RA 78 Division.
1230 S Coy at Jager Barracks was at this time having a certain amount of difficulty in sorting out PoWs and displaced personnel into different nationalities and sending them to their respective camps. They were relieved by the 91st Field Regiment RA at 1900 hrs. A Coy were relieved of their commitments at Arnoldstein and moved directly to Sandra 9183, where they took over a camp containing 13,000 surrendered personnel of the German Army.
2 LIR – AUSTRIA.
0600 The days’ work commenced with the sorting out of the surrendered personnel into their nationalities. In the cage were Germans, Austrians, Czechs, Hungarians, Rumanians, Bulgarians, Croatians and even Russians. An Information Post was set up in the town in the main street to deal with wandering German soldiers, stragglers and refugee civilians; members of the armed forces being directed for the most part to our own cage.
1400 The German food dump for Stalag 18A was located in Wolfsberg and is now being used to feed many PoWs and surrendered personnel as well.
1430 Two Hungarian officers reported to Bttn HQ for orders for the 4th A/A Regiment, 2nd Hungarian Corps, who are stationed at St Georgen 6993. Stated they had sufficient food for 21 days and were in billets. Ordered to stay where they were until further orders. May retain all arms in case they are attacked by partisans.
1500 Ten Nazi suspects investigated and two arrested.
1800 The German Ambassador to Croatia, Gauleiter Kache and the Croatian War Minister (Feimtl), observed trying to pass through Wolfsberg towards Klagenfurt were chased, stopped, brought back to Bttn HQ and arrested. With their party of five others, they were confined for the night in the Officers’ Mess and their column of Croatian troops and civilians ordered to stay the night in the fields by the road, where they had parked.
1900 Bttn band played in the town square.
1930 Bttn guards during the day included 2 NCOs and 12 ORs on the Power Station. 2 NCOs and 6 Officers on the Bank, 2 and 6 on the Telephone Exchange, 2 and 6 on the local jail, 2 and 6 on Brigade HQ (also located in Wolfsberg) and one platoon on the enemy food dump. A road post of 2 NCOs and 6 Officers and a road post of 1 NCO and a Austrian interpreter were established at road junction 645051 and the bridge at 637047 respectively. One platoon of F Coy was detailed to assist the Intelligence Sergeant, who was in charge of the Bttn PoW cage and Surrendered Personnel Camp.
13th May.
Brigade HQ – WOLSBERG 6305.
0230 369 Croat Division stopped at Bleiburg. Orders given for their concentration at Griffen.
0700 Bttn of Tito Partisans at Lavamund produced orders giving them permission to go to Klagenfurt. They were prevented from doing so.
0800 2 LIR contacted 3 Bulgarian Division at Landsberg. A port was established at Scherbatl 7307 where the road becomes a track.
1000 Brigade Group comes under command 46 Division and reverts from 6 Armoured Division.
1015 GOC 46 Division visits Brigade HQ.
Brigade Commander was out as he had had a conference with Bulgarian Divisional Commander in Lavamund.
GOC Army Group East General Lehr and his staff and attached personnel arrived at Bleiburg. On orders from Division, they were not allowed through but ordered to concentrate in that area.
1200 The Russian 299 Divisional Commander, Colonel Sauchberg, and his staff arrived at Brigade HQ to settle the agreement of the temporary boundary.
After a certain amount of talking and discussion the line was fixed and that it should run through 613559 – 607500 – 844200 – 867100 – 872080 – 890867 – 900053 – 915000 – 913972 – 910940.
Lt Col HEN Bredin DSO MC Commander 2 LIR represented the Army and Brigade Commander at the conference.
After the discussions, which ended about 1400 hrs, the Russian delegates were entertained to lunch at this HQ.
After lunch, they all visited the Russian ex PoWs in Stalag 18A Wolfsberg and arranged for their return to Graz.
1600 Brigade Commander returns after conferences with the Bulgarians. The following arrangements were made.
On the evening of the 12th, two things were established. One, the British Soviet boundary about 4 kilometres west of Stainz 9614 and secondly the Bulgarian Army was not allowed to remain in Yugoslavia. These two factors made the Bulgarians request to move forward absurd as they could not maintain forces there without moving through Yugoslavia and their body could not possibly link up with the Russians. At about 1100 hrs on the 13th, the Brigade Commander met the Commander 3 Bulgarian Division at Lavamund in company with CCRA, 5 Corps. The two factors mentioned above suggested that the Bulgarian advance was absurd were raised with the Bulgarian Divisional Commander and just as an impasse appeared likely, he suddenly produced fresh orders, alleged to have arrived at that moment from the Russian authorities. When these orders were translated on to a map, it appeared that the Bulgarians were to withdraw about 5 kilometres to the east of Lavamund and that their frontier was to be the high range of hills to the east of the River Lavant valley. As this was more than we had hoped to achieve, the agreement was drawn up at once and signed by the Commander 3 Bulgarian Division and CCRA 5 Corps.
Certain concessions were made in connection with the agreement which were as follows:
- Bulgarians were to be permitted to use the road Lavamund – St Andrae – Wolfsberg – Koflach – Voitsberg for a limited amount of MT. Times of convoys to be notified to the post at Lavamund and communicated to the Brigade Commander. Under no circumstances were marching personnel to be allowed to use this road and no Bulgarian soldier to be permitted to leave the convoy, while passing through British territory.
- Bulgarians were to be permitted to collect “booty”, which was only to include any form of enemy was material or supplies and not to enter houses as follows:
Between Lavamund and excluding St Paul, up to 0600hrs 18 May.
From Lavamund, west to road Griffen – Ruden – Bleibrug up to 0600 hrs on 18 May.
To the west of that road towards Volkermarkt up to 0600 hrs 16 May.
As soon as this agreement had been completed on the 13th, the Bulgarian Army Commander suddenly appeared and, shortly afterwards, the Bulgarian Corps Commander. The agreements were confirmed by the Army Commander who, shortly afterwards, left with the Corps Commander and confirmed the agreement made with Commander 5 Corps.
1 RIrF – ST ANDRAE 623974.
CO and IO to Lavamund to make an appointment for CCRA 5 Corps with Bulgarian Corps Commander. When the meeting took place, the Bulgarian Army Commander appeared. At Lavamund, we found our road block: a tank, a staghound and a section of B Coy, refusing passage to a bttn of Yugoslavs. Authority in this action was checked and confirmed. B Coy (Major Phelan) less one platoon doing a difficult job of keeping order amid threat (and acts) of rape and loot.
Shortly before noon, it became apparent that the German Officers and NCOs of the Cossack must be re-armed to maintain control of their men. This was done and 50 MPs being issued. There is a different flow of Bulgars towards Lavamund from the west.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
In the early morning, B Coy 1st Surreys came u/c 2 Innisks and was made responsible for all Road Blocks. Numerous duties had to be found by all coys.
1000 Squads of enemy PoW were brought into the camp and formed into working parties and were set to work cleaning up St Martin’s Barracks. A number of the Orderly Room and half of the ‘I’ Section were sent to A Coy to help them at the PoW camp. The duties of that coy were very heavy and meant two hours on and two off for the all the coy
1300 A visit was made by the IO to all Guards’ Dumps, Road Posts, Railway Station and PoW Cage, which were being guarded by the bttn.
2 LIR – AUSTRIA.
1300 69 SS men were evacuated by transport to 5 Corps PoW Cage.
1400 54 Hungarians in the bttn cage sent to the Hungarian Concentration Area north of Wolfsberg. Also, all German troops of the 68 and 69 Corps under their own officers by march route to Klagenfurt.
1800 Sitrep:
- Investigation of breaking into the Water Works (located about 200 yards of 38 Brigade HQ) proved that no damage had been done or sabotage carried out. A guard of 2 NCOs and 6 ORs was placed on the works.
- The Croat War Minister and party arrested in night of the 12th were taken to 5 Corps HQ. Officer in charge of the guard received orders there to take the ‘much wanted persons’ on to the Jaeger Prison in Villach. This was duly carried out and they were handed over there together with their papers and 250 British gold sovereigns, which had been found in their possession.
1900 Bttn band played in the town square.
14th May.
Brigade HQ – WOLFSBERG 6305.
Brigade locations:
B Squadron 46 Recce and C Squadron 56 Recce now under command.
2 LIR: HQ – Wolfsberg, All Coys in town doing guards, 1 – platoon Scherbartl, 1 platoon – Koflach under Forward Officer to assist 27 Lancers.
1 RIrF: HQ – 623975, A Coy – St Andre, B Coy – St Andrae, C Coy – Lavamund 7184, D Coy – St Paul 6691, S Coy.
17 Field Regiment: RHQ – Griffen 5591, 10 Battery – Lind 5987, 13 Battery – Bleiburg 6178, 20 Battery – Ruden 5986.
254 A/Tk Battery: Wolfsberg. Post at St Oswald 8312.
D Support Group: Griffen – 5591.
B Squadron 46 Recce: St Andre 6397 u/c 17 Field Regiment.
A Squadron 56 Recce: north west of Wolfsberg 6208.
0900 Evacuation of the Cossacks continued without any further incidents. In addition to all the political difficulties which the brigade was responsible for in its area, the battalions were also guarding a considerable number of enemy surrendered personnel and PoWs.
17 Field Regiment: Cossacks – 7.000. 369 Croat Division – 3,000. Army Group E – 700. 42 Jager Division – 300. Misc – 1,100.
1 RIrF: Hospital Train – 1,300. Misc – 10,000.
2 LIR: Laszlo Hungarian Division – 7,000. Hungarian Cadet School – 400. Elt 2 Hungarian Corps – 2,000. Croats – 700. PoW – 1, 600 SS.
General Lehr, Commander Army Group E arrived at 17 Field HQ for orders. He was ordered to report to HQ 5 Corps.
1800 Control Station Rover Paddy arrives for controlling air operations and armed recces over Jugoslav border.
Early on in the morning, reports were received from 17 Field Regiment of fighting between Croats and Jugoslav Tito troops. Later on in the town, a Croat Liaison Officer arrived at 17 Field Regiment HQ offering to surrender to the British and lay down arms on passing our outposts.
At about 2100 hrs, the Croat Liaison Officer arrived at this Brigade HQ and made the following statement to the Brigade Commander. There are two armed groups of Croats, both approximately 100,000 men, attempting to get past the Bulgarians and the Jugoslavs and surrender themselves to British troops. They wish to escape the Tito regime and do not mind what country they finally go to. In addition to the two armed groups, there are an alleged half a million civilians (women and children), followed by the remnants of two German Divisions (One is Prince Eugen SS Mountain Division).
One group of 100,000 Croats in between Bleiburg and Dravograd and the other 100, 000 south of Dravograd. The Croat Liaison Officer stated that the relations with the Bulgarians were good but there had been serious fighting with the Tito forces (8 Jugoslav Brigade). The Croats lost a fair number of men today and also lost three of their thirty tanks from bazookas.
Later on, about 2300 hrs, OC B Coy 1 RIrF at Lavamund reported that a surrender conference was going on between the Bulgarians and the Croats but the Jugoslav forces intersperses themselves between the Bulgarian and Croat armies and caused the Bulgarians to withdraw and cancel their agreement.
Orders were used by 1 RIrF and 17 Field Regiment that on no account would we accept the surrender of the Croats and force would be used to prevent any such action. This information was passed on to the Croat Liaison Officer, who returned to his General immediately.
1 RIrF – ST ANDRAE 623974.
Bulgars and Yugoslavs concentrating south of Lavamund to halt mass migration of Croats, who are endeavouring to place themselves in British custody. This concentration led to the removal of aids from two hospital trains just to the south of the Yugoslav border.The recuperating casualties immediately broke the trains into sections and man handled them over the border to spot north of Lavamund where we persuaded them with rations and much supplies from the SS Armoured Trains.
German infantry and cavalry still passing into 6 Corps Camp.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
1000 Brigade Commander arrives at Bttn HQ and, with the CO and IO, went round all the Guards.
1400 The Divisional Commander visited the bttn.
1440 The strength on both guards on the railway station was halved.
The guard on the foot dump 901809 was increased by 50%.
A guard was put on the brewery 884805.
Personnel were allowed out to the town of Villach up to 2000 hrs.
1530 The Brigade Commander visited the bttn.
2 LIR – AUSTRIA.
0600 During the course of the night 13/14, the Hungarian A/A Regiment, which surrendered to G Coy on the 12th, moved from their location at Sant Georgen 6993 to an area approximately 2 kms north of Wolfsberg. This was done to avoid the possibility of a conflict between them and Bulgarian troops in the same area.
0800 Arrangements made for conference and luncheon party between high ranking Allied officers to be held in the Officers’ Mess. Guard of Honour to be provided by H Coy.
1200 5 Corps Commander, Lt General Keightley, and Russian representatives including a Corps Commander arrived for a conference on International Zones of Occupation of Austria and more precise fixing of demarcation lines. Agreement was signed between Commander 299 Soviet Division area and Lt Col HEN Bredin on behalf of 8th Army Commander, fixing the boundary between Koflach and Soviet/Bulgarian Inter Army boundary.
1800 An FS Section from 46 Division established their office in 38 Brigade HQ.
1900 Bttn band played in the town square.
1930 During the day, several investigations of people were made and some houses raided for arms.
15th May.
Brigade HQ – WOLFSBERG 6305.
This crisis reached its climax on the 15th. The Brigade Commander arrived at Bleiburg about 1230 and, after driving round the area, went to the castle just outside the town. There was a fair amount of small arms fire going on, probably not directed at anybody. The opposing Commanders were sent for and arrived at the castle within half an hour. The Yugoslav Commissar, Petpukevuck Milan Basta, accompanied by the Divisional Commander, both men in their early twenties, stated that they had orders to commence the battle in half an hour’s time and that all arrangements were ready. Their intention was to defeat the Croat Army in the field. Under no circumstances did they intend to brook any delay. They requested no military assistance and considered that their forces were quite adequate to deal with the situation as the remainder of the Yugoslav Army was alleged to be disposed in the hills and neighbouring country.
It was pointed out that the elimination of the Croatians would be more speedy if they laid down their arms, than if it was necessary to attack a force of such dimensions. They agreed that this was so and stated that they were prepared to put the battle off for half an hour if the Brigade Commander would be good enough to try to make the Croats surrender to them. They them withdrew and the Croat General and his staff were interviewed by the Brigade Commander.
At first, they were adamant that both the Army and civilian population with them would rather die where they were, fighting to the last man, than surrender to “any Bolshevists.” They pointed out that this movement was a political emigration of the Croat nation as they had decided that it was impossible for them to live under the Russian influence. They requested that the matter should be dealt with through political channels. It was explained that an emigration in such numbers was, at the moment, quite out of the question, as there would be no food in any other part of Europe that they emigrated to and that such emigration could only take place after careful preparation, otherwise the whole of this party would starve. They still insisted that this was a preferable course to surrender. Meanwhile, the Yugoslav Commander sent messages that could not wait much longer and the battle must start. The Croat deputation were given five minutes to make up their minds whether they would surrender as Prisoners as War to the Yugoslav force and told them that any movement of their Army towards the British lines would be resisted with all arms, quite apart from any action the Yugoslavs might take place. After some further delay, they agreed to surrender.
The Yugoslav representatives were then brought in and given the gist of the conversation. An agreement was made in the Brigade Commander’s presence that the Croat Army would surrender and indicate by white flags from their leading troops that they had done so within an hour and a quarter of the Commissar leaving the room. The Army was to be treated as Prisoners of War, with the exception of political criminals, who would be dealt with by Allied Courts established to deal with this matter. The civilian population were to be fed and returned to Croatia by the frontier route. With five minutes to spare, the Croatian Army signified their surrender and the handing in of arms was commenced forthwith. In accordance with the agreement, they were evacuated through Lavamund towards Matibor.
All arrangements in connection with the surrender and evacuation were carried out speedily, efficiently and, as far as could be judged, correctly over the following 24 hours.
0830 Another Squadron and RHQ 2 RTR come under command and go to Bleiburg sector. CO 16 DLI reports to Brigade Commander for orders. The battalion is to come under command and is at present on the move to go to Bleiburg sector.
1000 General Lehr, Commander Army Group ‘E’ and his staff ordered to report to Yugoslavs at 1700 hrs for disposal instructions.
1 troop 56 Recce ordered to report to 1 RIrf.
B Coy 1 RIrF at Lavamund report Bulgarians are going to sweep area Dravograd – Lavamund and west to Yugoslav border to collect up any Croats that may be in the area.
1030 27 Lancers now under command. 1 squadron to go to Ruden under command 17 Field Regiment. 1 squadron to move from Judenburg to Twimberg today.
1300 Army Commander visits Brigade HQ. The Brigade Commander was out with the Bulgarians and Yugoslavs but Lt Col Bredin CO 2 LIR, who happened to be at the HQ, deputised and was able to give the Army Commander a fair picture of the situation.
1600 16 DLI arrive at Bleiburg. Bttn HQ established in Castle at Bleiburg. 13 Battery, 17 Field Regiment, C Squadron 2 RTR less troop and D support Group to eventually to be under their command and form Bleiburg garrison.
Brigade Commander, during his conferences, gave the Bulgarians permission to pass their transport of two artillery regiments up to Wolfsberg road to Koflach and Graz. The transport came through during late afternoon and evening and there were no untoward incidents.
2100 254 A/Tk Battery report one man was shot and seriously wounded by a civilian whilst on railway guard north of Wolfsberg station.
1 RIrF – ST ANDRAE 623974.
New change in policy. Brigade OP Instruction No 6.
SS and Cossacks moved in groups to respective assembly areas, the Cossacks moving in a body at 1330 hrs.
Bulgarian Army were given permission to use road north west from Lavamund to St Paul to reach their proper area. We were instructed to give them every assistance and this we did, even to the extent of having a Sherman tank tow each Bulgarian vehicle up the hill from Lavamund
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
0900 The guard on the vehicle and oil drum was withdrawn as there was nothing further to report.
1100 Four interpreters from German surrendered personnel were attached to the bttn to help us over the language difficulty.
2 LIR – AUSTRIA.
1030 One officer and 43 ORs of the Luftwaffe evacuated by march route from bttn cage to their own assembly area near Klagenfurt.
During the night, a party of Yugoslavs proceeding to Graz were taken over from the 1 RIrF and escorted through Wolfsberg and allowed to proceed on their way north.
1200 Four Officers and 203 ORs of the 7th Field Eisenbahn Division by march route to Klagenfurt.
1900 Bttn band played in the town square.
16th May.
Brigade HQ – WOLFSBERG 6305.
Brigade Commander goes to Lavamund to meet Commander, 3rd Bulgarian Division. In view of the Croatian battles, it was agreed that the time allowance of his collection of booty should be extended to 1800 hrs on the 18th between Lavamund and excluding St Paul and 1800 hrs on the 20th in the area from Lavamund to Volkesmarkt.
The Bulgarian Commander requested that the time limit should be extended to the 22nd but this could not be sanctioned by the Brigade Commander. Owing to the lack of petrol and general administrative inefficiencies, the Bulgarian withdrawal from British territory was falling considerably behind schedule and it would be difficult to say when the final Bulgar will be back behind the military frontier.
Arrangements were made for a football match to take place between the Bulgarians and 5 Corps at which the Bulgarian Army Commander stated that he would be present.
The Brigade Commander met a Yugoslav Chief of Staff as well during the morning and stated that a British frontier post would be established somewhere between Lavamund and the Yugoslav Border.
This post was established in the Customs Building, 1 mile south east of Lavamund and produced no reaction from the Yugoslav Commissar or any military representatives.
1400 Liaison Officer, 46th Division arrives with the following orders: “Northern sector of present brigade area of responsibility to be taken over by 128 Brigade. The boundary between the two brigades will run from St Stefan 6302 north to include Koflach 5807.
5 Hampshires to relieve 2 LIR in Wolfsberg.
2 Hampshires to Twimberg to relieve 254 A/Tk Battery at St Oswald and troop 27 Lancers Twimberg and troop
A Squadron 56 Recce on road and railway duties.
1/4 Hampshires to Koflach to relieve platoon 2 LIR and 27 Lancers.
Own regrouping to be as follows:
2 LIR to move to Lavamund with under command troop C Squadron 2 RTR, A Squadron 56 Recce less troop. 254 A/Tk Battery to move to Griffen under command 17 Field Regiment.
1 RIrF with troop 56 recce under command to withdraw coy from Bleiburg otherwise no change in location.
16 DLI established in Bleiburg with under command 13 Battery 17 Field Regiment, D Support Group, C Squadron 2 RTR less troop.
17 Field Regiment less 13 Battery to remain at Griffen with under command 254 A/Tk Battery, Squadron 27 Lancers, 2 RTR less 2 Squadrons.
Brigade HQ to remain in present location.
254 A/Tk Battery less troop moved to Griffen.
1800 During the day, the majority of the surrendered personnel were evacuated to their concentration area controlled directly by HQ 46 Division.
Investigations during the day showed little evidence concerning the man from 254 A/Tk Battery, who was lost last night. It is thought that the assassin was probably a deserter hiding in the surrounding hills and in a desperate frame of mind from want of food and clothes.
1 RIrF – ST ANDRE 623974.
With an enemy fatigue party, moved two 3 trains of arms from area SS trains to 6 Coy dump. Two hospital trains moved to Wolfsberg.
Instruction received on disposal of PoW and surrendered personnel. Plans now being made for 2 LIR to relieve our B Coy at Lavamund.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
1030 A Memorial service was held in the Bttn Dining Hall in memory of members of the bttn who had fallen for their country in the battle from the Senio to the Po. The names were read out by the CO and the names of missing and wounded read out by all Coy Commanders. The tunes that were well known to those present and to our departed comrades were played by the Regimental Pipe Band. This was attended by all ranks of the bttn.
2 LIR.
British soldier shot during night whilst on sentry duty at station. During the day, several raids were made on private houses and numerous arms were confiscated. During the last few days, no new dumps were found.
1200 Bttn warned that the 5 Hampshires, 46 Division would be taking over the Bttn area. Bttn to move on 17th to Lavamund.
1500 Hampshires advance party arrived in bttn area.
1600 Bttn advance party left for Lavamund area.
1800 Sitrep: On information received, a patrol was sent to house at 641066, where a quantity of arms, ammunition, detonations and fuses were found. These were confiscated and one man was arrested and handed over to the FSS.
1900 Bttn band played in the town square.
17th May.
Brigade HQ – WOLSBERG 6305.
1000 GOC 46 Division holds conference at Brigade HQ for Commanders of 38 and 128 Brigades.
1030 Liaison Officer goes to Yugoslav HQ at Lavamund to arrange from the handing over of 800 Croats, military and civilian, at present located at Wolfsberg.
1100 Brigade Commander holds conference at Brigade HQ. Commander 128 Brigade and his COs were present.
Following regrouping and relief programme to be carried out:
38 (Irish) Brigade to be relieved by 128 and 138 brigades and to revert to command 78 Division on relief.
38 (Irish) Brigade to move to Tarvisio are to take over responsibilities of 138 Brigade.
1500 Relief of 1 RIrF by 2 and 5 Hampshires commences. 2 Hampshires relieve coy 1 RIrF at Lavamund and 5 Hampshires. Remainder of bttn in St Andre area.
1920 Relief of 1 RIrF complete. Bttn moves to Tarvisio to relieve 6 Lincolns by first light 18th May.
1 RIrF – TARVISIO 6768.
Complete change of plan. B Coy relieved by the Hampshires of 138 Division of 46 Division. We moved today to Tarvisio, where we were not expected to arrive until tomorrow.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
0800 S Coy took over the Road Block 894810 from D Support Kensingtons. C Coy took over Road Block 880815 and A Coy took Road Block 882812 from B Support Group. the guard at 877793, an enemy oil dump, was handed over to 132 Field Regiment (Field) RA.
In the morning, the Brigade Major and IO of the bttn visited all Road Blocks in the bttn area.
2 LIR.
0500 Bttn move cancelled and 5 Hampshires were directed to Lavamund instead.
0800 Bttn began unpacking and settling back to the day’s normal routine.
1200 250 Officers and ORs from a German hospital train were put into the Bttn PoW and Transit Camp.
1600 Another 300 Germans from a hospital train were also put into the Bttn Laager. Arrangements were made to evacuate these 550 Germans together with others to St Stefan (or Volkermarkt) on morning of 18th.
18th May.
Brigade HQ – WOLFSBERG 6305.
0800 Relief of 17 Field Regiment by 1/4 Hampshires commences.
1200 Relief of 17 Field Regiment complete.
1300 Brigade HQ hands over all sectors concerning Wolfsberg area for 2 LIR, who remain in command of sector until relieved by 6 Lincolns.
Brigade HQ moves to Tarvisio to take over sector from 138 Brigade.
1400 800 Croats under escort 2 LIR were handed over to Yugoslav forces near Lavamund. This was not easily done but accomplished after a considerable amount of parleying and pleadings.
1 RIrF – TARVISIO 6768.
Brigadier McKechnie of 138 Brigade, the CO and IO look over the ground from defence and blockade point of view. Bttn settled in several good farms.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
1400 The Brigade Commander arrived at Villach in a Spotter Plane and was met on an air strip by the Commanding Officer. He visited many of the Road Posts and the PoW Camp at St Andre.
2 LIR.
0745 Escort of 1 and 2 sent to conduct party of 600 Croatians to Lavemund. This was the Croatian War Minister’s party, which had been waiting since his arrest. Orders to hand them over to Tito’s troops. Party conducted to within one mile of Lavemund, where responsibility for handover was taken over by CO 5 Hampshires.
0800 Bttn advance party warned to be ready at 1000 hrs today.
1100 Transfer of hospital cases from the bttn camp postponed as no transport could be laid on.
1400 Advance party from the 6 Lincolns arrived in bttn area.
2000 Arrangements made to hand over the Bttn Laager and the interpreters not required by the bttn to the 6 Lincolns.
19th May.
Brigade HQ – TARVISIO.
0900 Command of sector passes from 138 Brigade to 38 Brigade. Yorks and Lancs, 2/4 KOYLI and 71 Field Regiment come under command.
2 LIR relieved by 6 Lincolns and proceed to Tarvisio. D Support Group and A Squadron 56 Recce also relieved.
254 A/Tk Battery remains under command 128 Brigade.
0930 GOC 78 Division phones up Brigade Commander. Following orders issued:
2 LIR to be stopped in Villach and to await further instructions. Brigade to be prepared to be relieved by Jewish Brigade Group tomorrow.
1000 Brigade Commander goes to HQ 78 Division for further orders.
1500 Brigade Commander gives following verbal orders over telephone.
2 LIR have been stopped in Villach and ordered to concentrate at Velder. Brigade HQ to move to Treffen 892861 as soon as possible.
All details concerning sector handed over to 1 RIrF, who will command sector until relieved by bttn of the Jewish Brigade tomorrow. Units of 46 Division to come under command Jewish Brigade until they revert to 46 Division.
D Support Group ordered to send two MMG platoons to 2 LIR and remainder of group to 2 Innisks.
17 Field Regiment to send one battery to each 2 LIR and 2 RIrF. 26 Battery 17 Field Regiment to remain at Camporosso pending relief by Field Regiment Jewish Brigade Group.
1 RIrF – TARVISIO 6768.
Move again tomorrow. Advance parties at 0700. Main body at 1130.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
1045 The Brigadier from HQ RA paid a visit to the bttn.
1500 The Brigadier 38 Brigade arrived at Bttn HQ and held a Bttn Commanders Conference. The CO and CO of the 2 LIR and Brigade Major were present. On this day, barbed wire was erected around the PoW cage at St Andra by the German PoWs. The reason for this was to stop German civilians entering the camp rather than to stop the Germans from getting out. The persistence of civilians in their attempts to get among the interned personnel caused more trouble to A Coy than 13,000 men confined to camp.
2 LIR.
0600 Bttn sector handed off to 6 Lincolns.
0800 Bttn convoy moves off. Route: Wolfsberg – St Anrda – Griffen – Klagenfurt – Villach.
1200 Bttn column was halted 25 kms north of Tarvisio and informed that a change of plan had occurred and that the advance party had been recalled from Tarvisio and was moving north again to Velden on the Worther See. Bttn to wait until advance party had arranged billets in Velden.
1600 Bttn moved back to Velden area and waited on the outskirts for 2 hrs whilst final billeting arrangements were completed by advance party.
1900 Bttn HQ in Mosslacher Hotel 033803 with coys nearby.
2100 Bttn bad played in the town.
20th May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
1 RIrF relieved by Bttn Jewish Brigade Group and hand over all commitment in Tarvisio sector. Bttn moved to area south of Faaker See on relief.
Brigade Group and location
2 Innisks revert to command and 6 RTR also came under command.
Brigade HQ: Treffen 892981.
2 Innisks: HQ/Coys – Medjez Barracks Villach 870897.
2 LIR: HQ – Velden 0481, Coys – Velden around Q.
1 RIrF: HQ – 946748, Coys – 929753, 935748 and 2 Coys – 921758.
D Support Group – 875805.
A Squadron 56 Recce – Augsdorf 044792.
C Squadron 4 Hussars – 846742.
This sudden move to the Villach sector was necessitated by the possibility of securing complete military control of the Divisional area of responsibility.
All Jugoslav forces under Marshal Tito were given orders to clear out of Carinthia by 1800 hrs, 21 May. This applied mainly to the Jugoslav 19 Division and it was quite clear that they intended to comply with the order. What was not so certain was whether the old bandit groups operating independently and with desires of territorial gains would also comply.
Accordingly, information was to be obtained of all Jugoslav troops in Southern Austria after this date and, of necessary, an operation would commence to clear them out of the country back to the Jugoslav Border.
1 RIrF – LATSCHACK 9474.
Bttn moved into billets about area of Faaker See, very cramped. Purpose to secure Austro-Yugoslav frontier. Round up PoW and surrendered personnel.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
0800 A Church of England Service was held in Villach by the Church of England padre of HQ RA Group. This was attended by many members of the bttn. There was also an RC’s Parade in Villach.
The Brigade Commander visited Bttn HQ.
2 LIR.
0830 RC Service Velden Church.
1000 Local situation: troops of Marshal Tito’s Yugoslav Army were asked to withdraw from Austrian territory, which they had occupied. If they refused, then 2 LIR would become involved in forcing them to withdraw to their own frontier. Fortunately, Marshal Tito agreed to the British request and ordered his troops to be back inside the Yugoslav by 1900 hrs 21 May.
1500 Warning Order – Bttn to remain in present locations for tonight. No move likely before morning of 22nd. Advance parties prepared to move at short notice from 1200 hrs on 21 May.
21st May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
During the day, it became apparent that the Jugoslav forces in South Austria were obeying the orders of Marshal Tito and that an operation by the brigade would be now most unlikely
1300 A Squadron 56 Recce, D Support Group and 254 A/Tk Battery to revert to command own units forthwith. Movement orders were issued by 78 Division.
17 Field Regiment to revert to command 78 Division RA.
8 RTR no longer under command.
The final policy and future commitments of the brigade were still undecided and would not be known until after a Corps Conference on 22nd May.
Owing to a change in the Divisional eastern boundary, 2 LIR were ordered to recce new locations on the northern shores of the Ossiach See.
1 RIrF – LATSCHACK 9474.
CO visited all coys and spoke to troops, complementing them on their bearing and turn out. Mortar platoon moved to summer quarters on the lake. B Coy moved to Mallestig easing the situation in the hut camp.. conditions were bad, crowded, no water, no light.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
0930 The Officer Commanding the East Surreys, the CO and IO visited the Guards and Road Posts, which the bttn was to take over.
1130 The OC B Support Group arrived at Bttn HQ to conduct the IO around the guards we were to take over in his area.
1345 A Coy was relieved of its duties at St Andra PoW Cage by the 132 Field Regiment RA and rejoined the bttn.
2 LIR.
1000 Bttn received orders to take over the Castle at Rosegg 016777 from the Welsh Guards. However, the Guards had no intention of relinquishing their hold on such a natural Bttn HQ as the castle and they convinced higher authority that there was plenty of other territory into which the bttn could expand without the Guards having to move. Consequently, the advance party was cancelled until a further recce could be carried out.
1800 CO carried out personal recce for new area.
22nd May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
Various Hungarian HQs and units in brigade area are occupying areas and billets required by Brigade HQ and 2 LIR. Arrangements were being made to evacuate them to the Hungarian concentration area between Spittal and Villach.
0930 Brigade Commander holds Conference for all COs on A/Q matters, mainly Honours and Awards.
Lt Col J Coldwell-Horsfall DSO MC was also present at the Conference. He is to take over command of 2 LIR when Lt Col Bredin DSO MC leaves to take up the duties of AA and QMG 78 Division.
The duties and responsibilities of the brigade are now confined to manning checkpoints and road blocks and guarding Jugoslav and Italian – Austrian frontiers.
The road leading through the Wurzner Pass 8069 is to be closed to all traffic, leading into Austria but the evacuation of Jugoslav nationals to Jugoslavia may continue by this route.
The road into Italy through Thorl remains open to all traffic.
1 RIrF – LATSCHACK. 9474.
Nothing to Report.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
0920 The following guards and dumps were relieved by B Coy 1st East Surreys: Telephone Exchange, Power House, Gas and Water Plants, Railway Stations and Brewery.
The following were handed over to 209 A/Tk Battery: Vehicle and Ammunition Dumps, Food Dumps.
1000 The bttn reverts to under command 38 (Irish) Brigade.
All Road Posts manned by B Coy, 1st Surreys and B Support handed over to 2 Innisks.
2 LIR.
0930 Recce party under command Captain RJ Cockburn to new area.
1500 Divisional Commander visits Bttn HQ.
1600 Recce party return after marking out future bttn locations in the area of the Ossiacher See.
23rd May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
2 LIR continue to recce billets and accommodation on the Ossiach See. Evacuation of Hungarians from Brigade area to a concentration area at Weissenstein commences.
1 RIrF – LATSCHACK 9474.
A Coy (Major L Manson) to Arnoldstein 7772 to relieve RWK and assumed control of both roads, one to Italy with a post at Thorl 7272 and one to Yugoslavia with a post at 8170. Also took over ground of a German hospital and dump at 8174. ‘I’ Section mounted patrol to check passes over mountains to Yugoslavia.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
1100 The BM and IO visit all Road Posts.
1400 The Divisional Commander visited Bttn HQ.
1430 Officers play Sgts at Football, it was a good game but rain damped the enthusiasm of the supporters. The Sgts won 3-2.
2 LIR.
0945 Normal party of 5 ORs left for 1 month’s leave in the UK.
1345 CO addressed HQ Coy in a farewell speech.
1900 CO entertained at a farewell party in the Sgts’ Mess.
24th May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
Lt Col HEN Bredin relinquishes command 2 LIR and goes to HQ 78 Division as AA & QMG.
Lt Col JH Coldwell-Horsfall assumes command wef this date.
0900 A Coy 1 RIrF moved to Arnoldstein 7773to relieve 6 RWK of road post and Frontier guard duties.
Frontier Guards, each consisting of one platoon were each established at Thorl on the Austro-Italian frontier and on the Wurzner Pass 8069 on the Austro-Jugoslav border. Relations with the Yugoslavs very friendly and cordial.
1 RIrF – LATSCHACK 9474.
Jeep patrol to Alt Finkenstein 9272 and Outschena 9471 found no pass for vehicles. Similar patrol to Rosenbach 0270 found only route to be a railway tunnel.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
0930 The Commanding Officer and IO paid a visit to all Road posts.
1100 A patrol of S Coy under the command of Capt P Hamilton MC went to the area north of St Andra to search it for hiding German soldiers, two or three were picked up and taken to a PoW Cage.
1530 The Brigade Commander paid a visit to the bttn.
2 LIR.
1500 Bttn Pipe Band played the CO out of Bttn HQ. As per tradition, the CO’s car was pulled by the sergeants for the first stage of his journey to take up a new position at Divisional HQ.
Lt Col JM Coldwell-Horsfall DSO MC assumed command of the bttn.
1700 Warning Order to move to new bttn positions. Three coys to move on 25th and Bttn HQ and two remaining coys on the 26th. Move to be finally complete by 1200 hrs 27th.
Political and Military Situation.
- In the bttn area are located seven German hospitals administered by 5 Bttn CCS. Also in the area are several Austrian Reserve Lazarette all containing wounded or sick enemy soldiers. The total number of troops being 1,500. As each man recovered from his illness, he was dispatched to the German Concentration Area.
- No fraternisation with the local population was allowed.
- All displaced civilians were directed to the Divisional Civilian Camp at Spittal.
- Any requests for passes etc were directed to the Town Commandant, an officer from the Guards Brigade (6 Armoured Division), who had his office in the same building as Bttn HQ.
25th May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
H Coy 2 LIR move to Bodensdorf on the northern shore of the Ossiach See. The remainder of the battalion was unable to move as the area was still congested with Hungarians and civilian refugees.
These are all being cleared today.
1200 GOC 78 Division and AA and QMG visit Brigade HQ and stay to lunch.
Afterwards, Brigade Commander accompanied them to HQ 2 Innisks, where they met the Army Commander and GOC 5 Corps.
Check Points and Road Block Stats.
2 Innisks – 875804, 872803, 864791, 878777, 887812, 877756, 891779, 905816, 886814, 879757, 904790, 894811, 892810.
1 RIrF – 856754, 809704,728721.
Guards.
2 Innisks – AMG Building 883802.
Guards on Dumps.
2 Innisks – Small Arms Dump. Medjez Barracks Villach.
1 RIrF – RE Dump 858746, Clothing and Equipment Dump 728721, Clothing Dump 803730.
1600 2 Innisks warned to be at 4 hours notice to move to Hermagor under command 36 Brigade. Task to be assisting handing Cossacks over to the Russians.
1 RIrF – LATSCHACK 9474.
Coy Commanders’ Conference. Coys allotted area to patrol, search and control Officers’ Mess celebrated the 21st anniversary of the Military Service of Captain E Maginess. It was no ordinary party.
2 Innisks – VILLACH.
1000 The Director of Military Training paid a visit to Bttn HQ.
1100 A warning order received that the bttn, less HQ and Support, was under four hours notice to move as from 2400 hrs. All guards and Road Posts were to be taken over by HQ and S Coy, who were remaining in Barracks at Villach. The bttn was to move as far as for battle with first line ammunition. The reason for this move was approximately 30,000 Cossacks, who had been fighting with the German Army, and who were now our PoW, did not want to leave their camp in the Drau Valley and return to Soviet Russia, which had been ordered and a certain amount of trouble was anticipated.
2 LIR.
1000 E, H and S Coys began their move to new area around the Ossiacher See.
26th May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
Remainder of 2 LIR move to area around Ossiach See.
Brigade Location Statement.
2 Innisks: Bttn HQ/All Coys – Medjez Barracks Vilalch 870807.
2 LIR: Bttn HQ – 925854, E Coy – St Urban 974871, F Coy – Dodensdorf – 978888, G Coy – Ossiach 978873, H Coy – 939859, S Coy – 985884.
1 RIrF: Bttn HQ – Latschach 942739, A Coy – Arnoldstein with platoons at 809704 728721 858746.
B Coy – Mallestig 902745, C Coy – Faak 926752, D Coy – 919762, S Coy – 919762.
1500 Brigade Commander visits Frontier Posts at Wurzner Pass and Thorl. 2 Innisks warned to move to Hermagor area tomorrow.
1 RIrF – LATSCHACK 9474.
Investigated 50 Diesel-Electric Locomotives at 9874 and made report to brigade. Checked with AMG on the appearance of Austrian Police recruits in bttn area.
2 Innisks – VILLACH/WINKLERN.
0915 The CO and IO left Villach to attend a conference at 36 Brigade HQ at Ober Drauberg.
1030 Advance party left Villach under command of Captain Campbell.
At the 36 Brigade Conference, the plan was outlined. The brigade was to move the 30,000 Cossacks and Caucasians to Russian occupied territories by train. As these people strongly objected to being returned, it was anticipated that there might be some trouble. Therefore, all officers were to be collected together first and, after they had removed the remainder, would be entrained and despatched to Judenburg.
1700 The bttn started arriving and coys went straight to allotted area, having received orders for this by DR. Bttn HQ and A Coy to Winklern 1409, B Coy to Unt Nuisdorf 0805, C Coy to Dolsach 1104 and D Coy to Lavant 1101.
1800 The Commanding Officer called an O Group conference at Bttn HQ, where he passed on information concerning the situation and gave Coy Commanders their tasks. All were to prevent movement of the Cossacks from the Drava valley by establishing Road Blocks and by patrolling the tracks and passes leading from the valley.
2 LIR.
1000 Bttn HQ and remaining two coys began their move to new area.
1400 2 NCOs and 6 ORs from H Coy took over road post at 904816 from 2 Innisks.
Bttn locations now as follows: Bttn HQ in Villa Koch, Annenheim 924853; E Coy – St Urban 974872; F Coy – 978888; G Coy – Ossiach 987873; H Coy – 939859; S Coy – 985884.
1700 G Coy ordered to move to Murau, 32 miles north east of the Ossiacher See, in order to help with the evacuation of 25,000 Cossack troops (who had been fighting as allies of Germany) to the Russian lines. The Cossacks were definitely not enthusiastic over being handed to the Red Army and consequently G Coy was to be sent up early tomorrow to aid the existing forces.
1800 Bttn boundaries – end of the Ossiacher See to the west, to Steindorf factory to the east.
27th May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
Four coys and skeleton Bttn HQ 2 Innisks move to Lienz and go under command 36 Brigade.
2 LIR warned they may also be required for same task.
1200 Bttn HQ 1 RIrF moves to Egg Am See 949771.
D Coy 1 RIrF moves to Latschach 942741.
1 RIrF – EGG AM SEE 9577.
Bttn HQ and HQ Coy move to Egg Am See. After with great difficulty having moved the Corps Engineers out of our billets. D Coy moved into Latschack, further relieving the congestion in S Coy’s Hut Camp.
S Coy provided a 20 man Guard of Honour under Lt Baycock, which paraded with the Pipe Band to provide the ceremonial and music as the Corps Commander entertained a Russian Corps Commander to lunch.
2 Innisks – WINKLERN.
0900 The IO passed information on to the personnel at Bttn HQ and then went round the Corps. A Curfew was put into force in Winklern. Four members of the Bttn Band played in the square.
2 LIR.
0700 Fresh orders for G Coy sent them to St Michael in the 36 Brigade area.
1000 Situation: Bttn’s responsibility is to clear the area of all unwanted personnel – PoWs, displaced civilians etc. All Austrian soldiers resident in the area to be vetted and passes issued to them to stay on their farms as long as they carried on with their work.
28th May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
Normal road post activity.
Orders issued by 78 Division that all civilians and captured enemy cars and lorries will be concentrated in a central Brigade Park.
Based on the numbers declared in the Corps, so will the distribution of those cars be evolved. At the present moment, the future distribution is likely to be two per Brigade HQ and three per bttn. These cars will be issued with licences and any others found on the main highways will be impounded.
1 RIrF – EGG AM SEE 9572.
Coy patrols enforce civil curfews and round up PoWs and surrendered personnel.
2 Innisks – WINKLERN.
0900 The CO paid a visit to all coys.
1730 A Coy went on patrol. Instructions were received from AMGOT re civil traffic. The removal of the Cossack officers was carried out. As we had been warned that this was the crucial point in the whole operation, everybody was more than usually vigilant. However, that part went well and there was no need for any action on our part.
2 LIR.
Normal road post checking of civilians and evacuation of unwanted personnel.
29th May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
Normal road post activity.
Searching of unit area continues and a steady stream of German PoWs, surrendered personnel, arrestable Nazis and displaced civilians are brought in by all battalions.
1 RIrF – EGG AM SEE 9572.
Civilian population in a flap as continued rounding up Nazis, PoWs and surrendered personnel. They are streaming in to have their identity cards ok-ed, which gives an excellent opportunity to pick up some of the ones we want.
2 Innisks – WINKLERN.
The leading of trains with Cossack personnel was due to start today but this was put back to the 31st. It was during this time lag that the first signs of dissent among the Cossacks began to appear. Signs were put up reading “We prefer death rather return to Soviet Russia” and a Medical Officer at Nuisdorf Hospital informed the Coy Commander there that most of the people intended to commit suicide.
2 LIR.
1200 Sitrep: Jeep patrol to areas 14 and 15 (Unterlieger 5194 and Winklern 9494) brought in 8 soldiers and Lt of Flak and also an absentee from the 2 LF (11 Brigade).
30th May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
Normal road post activity. Searching of unit area continues.
The following is a list of check posts and guards. 2 LIR posted new posts after taking over the responsibility of their area and 1 RIrF relieved 2 Innisks of some of their posts.
2 Innisks – 875804, 893810, 882812, 880814, 872803, 864788.
2 LIR – 904816, 899839, 908849, 942852, 980877, 990871.
1 RIrF – 809698, 782730, 728717, 903790, 890779, 879757, 877756, 927752, 855755.
1 RIrF – EGG AM SEE 9572.
Civilian report centre doing a roaring trade. FSS release one suspected Gestapo and one Nazi. PoW released personnel also rather confusing the situation.
2 Innisks – WINKLERN.
An Information Centre was opened up by the ‘I’ Section.
A fire started in B Coy’s HQ at Nuisdorf which, at first, was believed to have been caused by Cossack action, although later this was doubted. Movement from one camp to another was increasing and one of the few officers left, tried to enter the Lavant Camp and was turned back, after trying to force his way past our sentries. He was threatened with a bayonet and he then tried to take out his pistol. His horse and pistol were taken from him and he was sent back to his own camp on foot.
The coy at Lavant were finding that there was also an increasing tendency for Cossacks to go to the area of a Schloss in the hills south of Lavant.
1800 The Regimental Pipes and Drum Band played Retreat, to which the Brigade Commander of 36 Brigade had been invited.
2 LIR.
During the day, the first Austrian soldiers with discharges from US Army camps began to arrive in the bttn area. As no ruling had been received regarding these discharges, the soldiers were treated as Surrendered Personnel.
Local residents supplied the bttn with names and addresses of prominent Nazis, but as yet no concrete evidence was given.
1800 Sitrep: 10 surrendered personnel evacuated to St Andra and 3 displaced civilians to Villach.
31st May.
Brigade HQ – TREFFEN/VILLACH SECTOR.
Normal road post activity. Searching of areas continues.
1 RIrF – EGG AM SEE 9572.
Partisans providing information on suspected Party and SS personnel
2 Innisks – WINKLERN.
Patrol activity was intensified. The Cossacks were loaded into trains by other units in the Drava Valley and considerable difficulty was reported and notice received that we meet be prepared to give assistance on June 1st.
2 LIR.
1200 Sitrep: PoWs evacuated during the day included one SS Major (formerly a Guard Commandant at Dachau), one SS Police Regiment OR and one agent, who claimed he was working for the Allies. A diesel oil dump in a semi buried concrete shelter was discovered on night 30/31 at H Coy’s road post, Ruprecht 899839.