Having worked fairly extensively with the war diaries covering 3 years of overseas active service relating to my Father's REME unit a couple of questions come to mind as the quantity and quality of the information recorded on a daily basis can be variable. so first question: Was there a prescribed formula for what was considered important to record?, if the answer is yes what was it and did it evolve and change as the war progressed ? Second question: At the end of each days entry the CO of the unit signs it off, however I assume the Orderly clerk actually makes the entries in the diary so the question is how does the information for the day actually get collected ? Any thoughts or comments welcomed Thanks Pete
These linked posts might help. It has a direct quote from Major Joe who, as an IO, was responsible for his battalion's War Diary. WW2 Commonwealth Army War Diaries WW2 Commonwealth Army War Diaries The posts following have Field Service Regulations, Army Council instructions and instructions on cover of war diary as to how it should be compiled, etc.
Thank for such a comprehensive reply to my questions, the information in the link you provided fully answers my first question and goes along way to the answering the second. I'm fairly certain that my Fathers unit did not have a designated Intelligence Officer so I assume the entries would be made by either the Orderly Room clerk or directly by the CO in both hand written and typed scrip. Pete
