NOTES of a War-time Infantry Battalion Intelligence Officer

Looking through a collection of Second World War memorabilia, I read again a file started when appointed Intelligence Officer (I.O) of the 7th/9th (Highlanders) Battalion The Royal Scots and thought these extracts may be on interest and have added then to my War memoirs.

An Infantry Battalion had a small Intelligence Section of an officer, sergeant, corporal and six men and their responsibility was to know as much as possible about the arms, equipment, formation and unit identities of the German Army. We also had to be fully knowledgeable about the Battalion's operational plans, record the progress of the battle and keep a War Diary (see pages 27 to 31); the plan below sketched by the Intelligence Section after the battle at the Hotel Britannia is an example, recording a record of enemy positions and obstacles we had overcome. Our rôle when the battalion was occupying a defensive position was to keep a detailed diary of all enemy occurrences and observations reported by our rifle companies and snipers and establish an Intelligence Section observation post (O.P.) The I.O. would work with the C.O., Battalion Second Command and Signals Officer in the Battalion HQ Command Post.

The Intelligence Section provided the maps and aerial photographs needed for each operation. The I.O would try to get a copy of an Aerial Interpretation map with the latest aerial reconnaissance intelligence about possible enemy positions and weapon sites on our front or obtain sets of aerial photographs having been trained to interprete these using a stereoscopic viewer at a course for Battalion Intelligence Officers in Cambridge. When briefing officers and men about a major operation we would build a sand model but as the War progressed and aerial photographs became readily available they were ideal - especially low oblique views - for pin-pointing enemy positions and illustrating the terrain surrounding them.

The aerial view of Flushing shows the location where our Assault Landing Craft had beached [1] and our objective the Hotel Britannia [2], the German Garrison Headquarters of Flushing located in the centre of a heavily defended stronghold of concrete positions. It also shows a nest of pillboxes north-east of our objective [5], to be taken before attacking the main position.

Prior to our landing on Walcheren the RAF had breached the sea wall and flooded the Island and [3] marks one of the breaches in the sea-dyke which flooded areas of Flushing and Walcheren, reaching waist high and sometimes to the chest. It will be an additional hazard to overcome but the aerial photograph does not show the extent or depth of the flooding but information from the Dutch Resistance lead to a decision to wear Mae-West lifebelts, despite their obvious disadvantage during the assault. Our capture of the objective would be accomplished when eight pillboxes on the sea dyke north-west of the Hotel Britannia [6] had been captured and patrols to the sea wall gap [3] had cleared enemy and visual contact made with Royal Marine Commandos.

The aerial shows the site of a key pillbox, code-named 'Dover' [4], covering the beach and sea-frontage area of the Hotel Britannia. Also the Water-tower, code-named 'Snipers Tower' [7], a prominent feature helpful as a point of reference during our night advance but likely location of enemy snipers and have to be dealt with by our leading troops on our way forward to the forming-up position where we will launch the attack.

The I.O.'s operational rôle is tactical staff officer and when the Commanding Officer (C.O.) goes to received orders from the Brigadier, he would be with him and briefed about the enemy by the Brigade I.O. During an attack he would be with the C.O.; and when occupying a defensive position be with him when he visited the rifle companies. It was necessary for the I.O to be fully informed about the objectives of the Rifle Companies and Support Arms [Carrier Platoon with Bren machine-guns and flame-throwers; Mortar Platoon with 3-inch mortars; Anti-Tank Platoon with six 6-pounder anti-tank guns; and the Pioneer Platoon with their mine-clearing skills]. He had to know (1) Artillery fire-plan in support of the Battalion and the extent of co-operation with Armoured Units; (2) HQs of neighbouring forces on the Battalion's flanks. His map-board would be marked with code-words for objectives and timings.