Reinforcement Personnel

[DITNER, S.M.]

Gentlemen:


Insightful lot, you are. I have read some of the excerpts provided previously and gleaned info., however, I am unable to determine, based on Nicholson's book, or Dancock's or anything else I've read as yet, just what the men (in this case an armoured car driver) got up to in N. Africa?

What sort of training would 1CBRD (Phillipeville) conduct, beyond route marches, which Trooper Ditner ruefully mentions in his letters? He was not, it turns out, much impressed by the local rotgut. On the topic of training, however, he offers naught.

I recognize that many of the reinforcements were only trades trained and lacked battle school etc. and this was addressed at 1CACRU but what took place in N. Africa prior to reinforcement being shipped to Sicily (in this case August 25th, 1943)?

Thanks a bunch for your exhaustive replies. I trust I didn't slander anyone's kin with speculation as to the soldierly qualities of reinforcements. Mr. Lambie has, as always, raised a valid point; if 4th PLDG had not, as yet, lost any of its drivers, there was no call for reinforcements.

As I suggested before, I don't much care if my cousin was doing the "hatless dance" every other day, or he was a junior general. I just want to get it right....

Salud!