The following excerpts are - sadly - all that has turned up so far, and I offer grateful thanks to Frank lewthwaite of Whitehaven for providing me with copies. It has been suggested that other information was simply 'thrown away'.
The details below have been taken from War Diary Army Form C.2118 and transcribed accordingly. The 'Summary of Events and Information' column has been transcribed verbatim, but I have altered the date and time format by suffix and colon respectively. A fifth column, entitled: 'reference to Appendices' has been omitted as it remained blank on the original document.
The war diaries are from the 561st Coast-regiment unit, R. A.
| WAR DIARY OR INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY
September 1941 Commanding Officer: Major P. W. Mead, R.A. |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
| Whitehaven | 1st | 20:45 | Temp. installation of 2 searchlights completed and lights in action for first time. |
| Whitehaven | 4th | 02:30 | Strong searchlight exposed south of St. Bees Head. Gun fire heard, reported to H.Q. visibility under 1200. |
| Maryport | 15th | 21:29 | Sound of machine-gun fire from Scottish coast. |
| Maryport | 17th | 23:00 | Temp. installation of 2 searchlights completed and lights in action for first time. |
| Workington | 20th | 13:14 | Two bursts machine-gun fire used to prevent fishing vessel FR 754 from entering harbour. Vessel failed to answer signals. Vessel turned and went out to anchorage. |
| Workington | 27th | 09:30 | Fishing vessel NOKY 64 passed Battery sailing North, no signal flying. Did not answer signals from B.O.P. Bring-to round fired 09:35. Vessel returned to examination anchorage. |
| Whitehaven | 30th | 21:26 | Anti-Aircraft fire and flashes from Scottish coast. |
| WAR DIARY OR INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY
April 1942 Commanding Officer: Major M. W. McDonald, R.A. |
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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
| Whitehaven | 2nd | 12:18 | Vessel stopped by "Bring-to" round after failing to stop for visual signal when trying to enter harbour without position. |
| Workington | 5th | 11:53 | Merchant vessel stopped by "Bring-to" round after failing to obey visual signal when trying to enter harbour without permission. |
| Whitehaven | 5th | 14:05 | Fishing vessel VIC.19 stopped by "Bring-to" round after failing to stop for visual signal when trying to enter harbour without permission. |
| Maryport | 6th | - | 75mm Fr Mobile Gun arrived. |
| Workington | 7th | - | Major M. W. McDonald, R.A.(22731) took over command of Regt. from Major G.L.C Hudson, R.A. (10279). |
| Workington | 12th | - | Capt. G. Johnston, R.A. (166606) reliquished appointment of Administrative Officer, and appointment taken over by 2/Lt. D. R. Millard, R.A. (166586). |
| Whitehaven | 12th | - | 138mm Gun proofed and pronounced ready for action. |
| Workington | 12th | 16:00 | Merchant Vessel stopped by Lewis Gun fire after failing to stop for visual signal whilst she was anchoring on minefield. |
| Whitehaven | 21st | - | 4'6" Barr & Stroud dispatched. 80cm Barr & Stroud now in use. |
| Workington | 25th | - | 4'6" Barr & Stroud dispatched. 80cm Barr & Stroud now in use. |
| Maryport | 28th | - | 75mm Fr.Static gun dispatched. |
| Whitehaven | 29th | - | 2nd 4" Gun dismantled. 6 pdr. 6 cwt Mobile Gun arrived. |
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