BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,
COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.
HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,
9th JUNE, 1915.
397 – Formation of 6th (Depot) Company –
In accordance with War Office letter 30/General Number/3485 (A.G. 1), dated 3rd instant, the formation of a Second Depot Company per Battalion has now been authorized.
No steps will be taken in this connection until the 1st Depot Company are completed to establishment.
398 – Signalling Equipment –
Each Battalion will in future be in possession of the following numbers of signalling flags and poles:-
Large Blue Large White Small White Small Blue Small Poles Large Poles.
36 36 66 66 150 100
Officers Commanding Units will take immediate steps to indent on the Tyneside Scottish Committee, through Brigade Headquarters, for requirements to complete.
399 – Musketry – General Course –
With reference to Northern Command Order 967 of 8th instant, no action will be taken until further orders.
400 – Extracts from NorthernCommand Orders –
CLOTHING –
All concerned will take steps to ensure that great economy is exercised in making further issues of clothing to Units of all the New Armies.
It is impressed upon all that every man must be in possession of one thoroughly serviceable suit in which to proceed overseas, and that it is desirable that the second suit be continued in wear for drills and common use even though that suit may be very much worn.
When Units proceed overseas, the Troops embark with one suit and one pair of boots only. The object of these instructions is not only to carefully economise existing stocks of new clothing, but also to obviate the great difficulties which must necessarily arise in disposing of part-worn garments on the embarkation of Units to join the Expeditionary Force.
Authority, War Office letter 54/General Number/1961 (Q.M.G. 7), dated 5th June, 1915.
C.R.N.C. 63028 (O.S.). Northern Command Order No.972.
BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,
COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.
HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,
8th JUNE, 1915.
394 – Attachment to Brigade –
The 1st Armoured Motor Battery, A.S.C., will be attached to this Brigade for the purpose of discipline and medical treatment from June 2nd, 1915.
Authority, C.R.N.C. 57172 G., dated May 29th, 1915.
395 – Command Orders – Attention called to –
The attention of Officers Commanding Units is called to Northern Command Orders 960 and 963 of 7th June, 1915.
396 – Telephone Equipment – New Armies –
With reference to Northern Command Order No. 963, Officers Commanding Units will indent on the Chief Ordnance Officer, York, accordingly, as soon as possible.
BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,
COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.
HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,
7th JUNE, 1915.
392– Signalling – Number to be trained in –
With reference to Brigade Order 225, dated 9th April, 1915, in future the minimum number of men per Battalion to be trained as Signallers will be 60 i.e., that is 15 per Service Company.
One Officer per Company must also be trained.
393 – Tyneside Scottish Reserve Battalion – formation of –
In future the Brigade Depot, Newcastle-on-Tyne, will be known as the “Tyneside Scottish Reserve Battalion,” and will be considered as a separate unit.
Authority, 27 General Number/4314 (A.G. 1) dated June 3rd, 1915.
Officers, N.C.O.’s, and men now temporarily detached from Battalions of the Brigade to serve in the Brigade Depot will be considered as definitely transferred to the “Tyneside Scottish Reserve Battalion” from this date. In order to provide a suitable proportion of Officers for the “Tyneside Scottish Reserve Battalion,” Commanding Officers of Service Battalions of the Brigade will forward to the Brigade Headquarters as early as possible, names of Officers suggested for transfer.
BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,
COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.
HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,
5th JUNE, 1915.
386 – District Court-Martial –
The District Court Martial directed to assemble in Brigade Orders 372 and 379 of which Major E.K. Purnell, 23rd (S.) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (4th Tyneside Scottish) was President, is hereby dissolved.
387 – District Court-Martial –
The detail of Officers as mentioned below will assemble at the Orderly Room, of the 20th (S.) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (1st Battalion, Tyneside Scottish), on 8th June, at 10 a.m., for the purpose of trying by District Court-Martial the accused persons named in the Margin:-
A Captain 20th (S.) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (1st Tyneside Scottish.)
A Captain 21st (S.) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish.)
The accused will be warned, and all witnesses duly required to attend.
The proceedings will be forwarded to the G.O.C., 102nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade, “Alnbank” Alnwick.
Officers Commanding 20th, 21st 22nd, and 23rd (S.) Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Tyneside Scottish) will each detail three Officers to attend for instructional purposes.
In the margin. No. 1349 Pte. N. Purvis 20th (S.) Btn, Northd Fus 1st Tyneside Scottish and No. 1433 Pte. J. Gilchrist 20th (S.) Btn, Northd Fus (1st Tyneside Scottish).
388 – Notes on Musketry – Issue of –
An issue of a pamphlet “Notes on Musketry Training” is being made with to-day’s “Orders” to admit of 1 copy being handed to each Sergeant and Corporal.
389 – Extracts from Northern Command Orders –
“LONDON GAZETTE” –
The following Extract from Second Supplement to the London Gazette of Tuesday the 1st June, 1915, is published for information:-
The Northumberland Fusiliers –
20th Battalion (1st Tyneside Scottish) – Frederick Nixon to be temporary Second Lieutenant. Dated 28th April, 1915.
Northern Command Order No.942.
390 – Command Orders – Attention called to –
The attention of Officers Commanding Units is called to Northern Command Orders 947 and 949 of 4th June, 1915.
BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,
COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.
HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,
4th JUNE, 1915.
383 – Badges Cap – Officers –
With reference to the Notice in Brigade Orders 27th May, it is notified to Commanding Officers that one of the new Badges will be supplied free to Officers of their Unit who can be certified as having purchased one of the old pattern. Officers who did not purchase one of the old issue will be required to pay for a badge of the new pattern as this is considered a legitimate charge on their outfit allowance.
384 – Extracts from Northern Command Orders –
REQUISITIONS FOR CASH –
Attention is invited to paragraph 44 Financial Instructions, 1910.
Requisitions for cash required by those Officers who render Imprest Accounts to the Command Paymaster should be forwarded to the Command Paymaster, Northern Command.
All other cash requisitions should be forwarded direct to the Army Cashier, Northern Command.
All other cash requisitions should be forwarded direct to the Army Cashier, Northern Command.
(C.P.) Northern Command Order No. 933.
385 –Command Orders – Attention called to –
The attention of Officers Commanding Units is called to Northern Command Orders 935 and 936 of June, 1915.
BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,
COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.
HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,
3rd JUNE, 1915.
379 – District Court-Martial –
The District Court Martial directed to assemble in Brigade Order No. 372 of May 31st,1915, will re-assemble at the Orderly Room, 21st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish), at 10 a.m., on Friday, 4th June, 1915.
The accused will be warned, and all witnesses duly required to attend.
The proceedings will be forwarded to the G.O.C., 102nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade, “Alnbank” Alnwick.
Officers Commanding 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd (S.) Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Tyneside Scottish) will each detail three Officers to attend for instructional purposes.
In the margin. No. 114 Sergt. E. Fenwick 21st (S.) Battalion, Northd Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish) and No. 939 Sergt. John Welsh 21st (S.) Battalion, Northd Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish).
380 – Pack Saddlery – Indents for –
Officers Commanding Units will indent on the Chief Ordnance Officer, York, with as little delay as possible, for 4 Sets of Mule Pack Saddlery.
381 – Extracts from Northern Command Orders –
SENIOR OFFICERS COURSE – SCHOOL OF MUSKETRY, STRENSALL –
The following Officers have been selected to attend the 7th Senior Officers’ Course, which will be held at the School of Musketry, Strensall, from the 7th to the 12th June, 1915:-
BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,
COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.
HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,
1st JUNE, 1915.
373 – His Majesty the King’s Birthday –
June 3rd being the Anniversary of His Majesty’s Birthday will, as far as the exigencies of the Service permit, be observed as a holiday.
374 – Brigade Parade – Cancellation of –
Owing to vaccination, there will be no Brigade Parade this week.
375 – Extracts from Northern Command Orders –
NECESSARIES –
It was proposed to reduce stocks of necessaries not required for active service in possession of regiments, by issuing only such as are included in the active service scale. All concerned are now informed that it has been brought to notice that brushes, blacking, polishing brass, and clothes, button brasses and wax polish, cannot be dispensed with, if the men are to appear smart. The issue of these articles may, therefore, be made as heretofore.
Authority, War Office letter A.C.D./Southern/2612 (R.A.C.D.), dated 27st May, 1915.
C.R.N.C. No. 45434 (O.S.). Northern Command Order No.910.
BLANKETS –
Three blankets only are authorised for troops in Billets, Hutments, and Camps. All above this number should be returned at once to the Chief Ordnance Officer, York. This order does not apply to any blankets held by troops from Officers i/c Barracks.
C.R.N.C. No.61195 (O.S.). Northern Command Order No.905.
CLOTHING AND NECESSARIES –
Clothing and necessaries required for the outfit of all Units authorized to be raised by individuals or by Municipalities will, in future, so soon as any Contracts that have been entered into by the raisers have been completed, be issued by the Army Ordnance Department.
A list showing the initial outfit of each man is published below, and indents for clothing and necessaries should be forwarded to the Ordnance Officer, Clothing Depot, of the area in which the Unit is being raised.
The Clothing Depots and the areas which they supply are as under:-
Stirling. – Scotland and Berwick-on-Tweed.
York. – Northern Command (except Staffordshire), Westmoreland and Cumberland.
Chester. – Western Command (except Westmoreland and Cumberland)
Southampton. – Devonshire, Somersetshire, Cornwall, Hampshire, Dorsetshire, and Wiltshire.
Dublin. – Ireland.
Local arrangements should be made for the marking of clothing and necessaries, fitting of clothing and sewing on of chevrons, badges, etc., for which an inclusive sum of 3s. 1d. per mounted man and 2s. 4d. per dismounted man will be admitted as a charge against the Public.
Specifications showing the scales of fitting proportions for garments will be supplied on application to the Chief Ordnance Officer, Royal Army Clothing Department, Grosvenor Road, London, S.W.
SCALE OF CLOTHING AND NECESSARIES FOR EACH MAN.
Article.
Number.
Mounted.
Dismounted.
Necessaries. Badge, cap Bag, Kit Braces, pairs Brass, button Brush, Brass “ Blacking “ Clothes “ Hair “ Polishing “ Shaving “ Tooth Cap, comforter Comb, hair Disc, identity with cord Fork Holdall Housewife Knife, Clasp, with marline spike, tin opener and lanyard “ Table Laces, leather (spare) pairs Razor Shirts, flannel Socks, worsted pairs Spoon Towels, hand, Turkish Wax, polish, tin of Clothing. Boots, ankle, pairs Cap, Service dress Drawers, cotton, pairs “ woollen, pairs Greatcoat, drab mixture Jackets, Service dress Pantaloons, cord, pairs Puttees, pairs Shoes, canvas, pairs Spurs, jack, ordinary, pairs Titles, metal, for shoulder straps, sets Trousers, Service dress, pairs Waistcoat, cardigan
Authority, War Office letter 20/General Number/3838 (Q.M.G. 7), dated 24th May, 1915.
C.R.N.C. No. 38875/28 (O.S.). Northern Command Order No.912.
EMPLOYMENT OF SOLDIERS IN CIVIL OCCUPATIONS –
The following extract from Army Order 14th May, 1915, on the employment of Soldiers in Civil Occupation is published for information:-
A soldier so employed shall remain in possession of all his rights and privileges as a soldier in respect of himself, his family, and dependants, except that he shall not receive any Army pay and allowances in respect of himself unless his earnings from his civil employment are less than any such Army pay and allowances, in which case the balance shall be made good to him in the form of a special allowance paid from Army Funds.
This warrant shall have effect from the 1st January, 1915.
With reference to the above the following supplementary instructions relating to the employment of soldiers in the production of munitions of war and other similar duties, are issued for information.
The emoluments to which the soldier will be entitled are as follows:-
He will continue to draw his ordinary Army emoluments until the date on which he takes up civil employment.
Thereafter he will draw civil pay as earned, and all Army emoluments will cease except as stated below.
If the civil pay earned for any week falls below his weekly rate of Army pay and allowances assessed as in Appendix A, the amount of the deficiency will be made good from public funds, except in so far as the deficiency is due to the soldier’s own fault.
In cases in which the soldier, while in civil employment, is unavoidably separated from his family or dependents, separation allowance (less the allotment portion) will be issuable to the wife, etc., under the usual conditions, as a clear addition to any other earnings or emoluments of the soldier.
Authority, War Office letter No. Contracts/1268 (F. 2), dated 22nd May, 1915.
C.R.N.C. No. 60566 (A.). Northern Command Order No.913.
376 – Command Orders – Attention called to –
The attention of Officers Commanding Units is drawn to Northern Command Order No.906 of 30th May, 1915.
T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,
Brigade-Major, 102nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade.
June 1945
(Europe)
At the Yalta Conference in February 1945 Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union discussed the occupation of post war Germany. However, the French were not involved in the Yalta Conference. On the 5th June 1945 the Allies, which now included France, agreed to occupy and administer four separate areas of Germany. Britain occupied northern Germany, the United States occupied the south, France occupied the extreme south-west and the Soviet Union occupied eastern Germany.
Berlin, as the nation’s capital, although in the Soviet sector, was also divided into four zones, as per the rest of the country (microcosm of Germany). The occupation ensured that the Nazi Party was sought out and brought to justice, it also ensured any Nazi type organisation would not be in a position to begin hostilities again. This coupled with the fact that roughly 80% of German infrastructure was in need of repair or reconstruction.
—
Ameland and Schiermonnikoog are two Dutch islands in the Waddell Sea. The Germans surrendered on the 3rd and 11th June 1945 respectively. The latter was last part of Europe liberated by Allied troops after the Germans surrendered.
One of the major challenges facing the British government was the demobilisation of the British Armed Forces back into civilian life. Prior to the end of the European War plans had been implemented for the demobilisation of the armed forces. Age and time spent in uniform determined when most servicemen and servicewomen were released from the armed forces. Priority was given to men aged fifty or more and married women. A small number of so-called “Key workers”, whose occupational skills were vital for postwar reconstruction, were also released ahead of their allotted time. Each serviceman or woman being demobilised passed through a special demobilisation centre. Demobilisation for the British Armed Forces fighting the Japanese in the Pacific did not begin until after VJ-Day in August 1945. Demobilised servicemen received a one-off grant payment and the promise for the right to return to their old jobs. They also received a set of civilian clothing which included the so-called “Demob Suit”. The demobilisation process was slow because of the numbers involved, with approximately 4.3 million men and women returning to “civvy street” by 1947. Returning to civilian life servicemen and women found conditions to be extremely bad. In the six years of war the home front had endured bombardment and blockades resulting in shortages of many basic essentials. One of the biggest challenges, after many years apart, was that husbands and wives had to adjust to living together again.
(Pacific
The first stage of the Borneo Campaign was the capture of Tarakan Island on the 15th June 1945. An amphibious landing on south-west Tarakan on the 1st May 1945 was launched by Australian troops and a small Netherlands East Indies contingent. Opposing the attack the Japanese defence of the island consisted of approximately 2,200 men from the Imperial Japanese Army and Japanese Imperial Navy. Prior to the Japanese occupation in January 1941, Tarakan formed part of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Tarakan supplied the Japanese with oil from the island’s two oil fields. During the course of 1942 Allied bombing destroyed the oil production and storage facilities. The Allies main aim for attacking Tarakan was to capture and develop the airfields, and ultimately restore the oil fields. Tarakan’s heavily forested hills needed to be cleared before the Allies could secure the island and protect the airfields. Approximately 1,700 Japanese defenders were dug into positions protected by minefields and booby traps. Australian tanks offered little support to the infantry assault owing to the thick jungle, swamps and steep hills. They did, however, provide supporting fire but air cover and artillery provided the majority of the supporting fire. On the 12th May 1945 Australian troops were slowly advancing when they were held up by three well positioned machine gun posts. Australian corporal John Mackey led his men to attack one machine gun post. He took out the post with a grenade. Moving on to a second post he killed two members of the gun crew when he was killed by machine gun fire. For this brave action he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. On the 16th May 1945 Australian troops had reached the eastern coast of the contingent island. The same day the NEI had captured the remainder of the southern end of the island meeting very little resistance. The Japanese garrison was gradually destroyed and the island was declared secure on the 21st June 1945. It took the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) engineers eight weeks to restore the damaged airfields to a usable state while the infantry was fighting the Japanese in the hills. The airfields were finally opened on the 28th June 1945. Serious damage to Tarakan’s oilfields delayed production, but on the 27th June 1945 the first oil pump was restored. Tarakan’s oilfields did not become fully operational until after the end of the war.
The island of Borneo, before the Second World War, was divided between British Borneo in the north and Dutch Borneo in the south. Both countries were in Borneo to assist in developing the oilfields. The Japanese invaded and occupied the island in late1941/early 1942. The Battle of North Borneo began on the 10th June 1945 when Australian troops were involved in a series of amphibious landings around Brunei Bay. Initially Japanese opposition was light, but by the time Brunei was captured on the 15th June 1945 Japanese resistance had been reinforced. Both sides suffered heavy casualties in the resulting battle. The Borneo Campaign ended in August 1945.
On the 15th June 1945, Japan’s second largest city of Osaka was bombed for the fourth time in the month. 300,000 houses were destroyed when 444 B-29’s bombed 2.9 sq. miles (4.9 km2) of the city. On this raid the city suffered the heaviest destruction. Further bombing raids on Osaka continued until the end of the war in August 1945.
The island of Okinawa was invaded by the United States Army and United States Marine Corps on the 1st April 1945. The 82-day battle ended on the 21st June 1945 when the last remnants of the retreating Japanese resistance ceased on Southern Okinawa. On the 22nd June 1945, to mark the end of organised resistance on Okinawa, a flag raising ceremony was held. The Battle of Okinawa was the last major battle in the Pacific, and most probably the bloodiest. The Japanese suffered casualties of over 100,000 in total including many military suicides. The Allies suffered approximately 80,000 casualties in total. The civilian population of Okinawa, who were still in residence during the fighting, suffered 40,000 to 150,000 casualties. Actual casualty figures cannot be confirmed.
(Other Theatres)
In California, USA, representatives of 50 countries signed the United Nations Charter (UNC) on the 26th June 1945. The concept of the UNC was to unite the countries into providing the same effort against the common enemy, in peacetime as they did during the war years, to prevent another conflict. Plans had been evolving since 1943. After the Yalta Conference in February1945 all proposals were agreed for world peace protection. At the Yalta Conference were Churchill (UK), Roosevelt (USA) and Stalin (USSR). Invitations were sent out to all the countries involved on the 5th March 1945. Poland was in the process of forming a new government and signed later and in doing so became the 51st member of the United Nations. As Roosevelt had died before the UNC was signed, his replacement President Harry Trueman endorsed America’s willingness to sign.
The Bay Museum & Research Facility 