WO 171/1349 - 3 Monmouthshire Regiment - September 1944

Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. and the Staff Manual respectively Title pages will be prepared in manuscript.	WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY	Army Form C.2118
	WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY	Unit: 3 MON
Month and Year: September 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. H.G. Orr

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
AMIENS	1	1000	Advance resumed, and by evening reached HERMANVILLE, astride ARRAS – ST POL rd.
HERMANVILLE	2	1100	Capt N.C. Campbell (SWB) rejouned Bn. Advance continued, skirting ARRAS and encamp night in area of VIMY RIDGE
VIMY RIDGE	3	0900	Bn resumes advance and crosses FRANCE/BELGIUM border approx 1800 hrs. Drive continued through night.
	4	0600	Halt for meal and short rest.
	4	0900	Advance resumed as leading Bn in drive on ANTWERP. HOBOKEN district reached at approx 1700 hrs. Orders received to attempt seizing of Docks area. 8 killed and 12 wounded, incl Lt. J.A. Hislop (Canadian)
ANTWERP	5		Rifle Coys consolidationg in DOCK AREA. Some shelling and sniping. 1 killed 10 wounded. Bn HQ established in railway station near docks.
ANTWERP	6		Positions held in Dock area. “C” Company defending vital sluice gates controlling docks.
ANTWERP	7	0700	Violent counter attack by enemy against “C” Coy position held, inflicting heavy losses on enemy. Lt. R.J. Horwood (SWB) and 4 Other Ranks killed; 24 Other Ranks wounded. Bn being relieved from posns by 5 DORSETS. Bn HQ moves into city.
ANTWERP	8		Relief completed and Bn in Mobile Column role with base at ANTWERP.
ANTWERP	9	1200	Bn moves to take up positions in sector of Guards Armd Div and encamp night on ALBERT Canal at BEERINGEN.
BEERINGEN	10		Across ALBERT Canal and Rifle Coys proceed to clear enemy pockets.
HELCHTEREN	11		Bn HQ remains at HELCHTEREN and Rifle Coys continue clearing enemy pockets.
HELCHTEREN	12		Move foward to clear village of HECHTEL. Capt H.J. Thornyoroft killed.
HECHTEL	13		Halt for maintenance.
HECHTEL	14		Orders received to move to conform with new Corps Boundary on return to 8 Corps. Receive 30 Reinforcements under VICHOVE arrangements.
HECHTEL	15		Bn moves to WYCHMAEL within 8 Corps Boundary.
WYCHMAEL	16	1200	Return under Command of 8 Corps.
	16	1800	Maj F.H.C. Higgins (Oxe and Bucks) joins Bn.
WYCHMAEL	17	2000	Lts W. Thirnbeck (Canadian), B.W. Laws (Norfolks), G.S.C. Weldon (8 Hussars) and 2/Lts N.J. Dunkley (surreys) and H.E. Cakley (Warwicks) join Bn.
WYCHMAEL	19		Orders received to prepare to move under command of 29 Armd Bde.
WYCHMAEL	20	1145	Bn moves off. Crosses ESCAUT Canal at 3 (Br) Div bridgehead at LILLE-ST-HUBERT ans crosses BELGIUM/HOLLAND Border. Bivouac night near SOERENDONK.
	21		Adv resumed to CELIROP and Rifle Coys go beyond town on road to HELMOND.
	22		Advance reaches HELMOND, but bridges over ZUID WILLEMS blown. 4 Other Ranks killed; Lt. W. Thirnbeck (Canadian) and 9 Other Ranks wounded.
HELMOND	23		Route altered, return through GENJROP to cross canal at ASTEN. 1 killed 6 wounded. 42 Reinforcements (incl 13 of own wounded) joined Bn
ASTEN	24		Crossing secured and advance to clear DEURNE. Lt G. Foster (Green Howards) and 2 Other Ranks killed; 2/Lt N.J. Dunkley and 10 Other Ranks wounded.
DEURNE	25		DEURNE taken over by LINCOLNS of 3 (Br) Div and Bn advances to ST. ANTHONIS. Lt. Col. H.G. Orr seriously wounded, and died later at C.C.P. Maj W.P. Sweetman (2IC) assumed command of Bn. 4 O.Rs wounded. Orr, Hubert Gerald
ST. ANTHONIS	26		Ordered to leave village in hands of 159 Inf Bde and withdraw to WESTERBEEK.
	26	1300	Move to WESTERBEEK. 16 Other Ranks (incl 8 of own wounded) joined.
WESTERBEEK	27-28		Patrolling by Coys; “A” and “B” Coys at OPLOO.
WESTERBEEK	29		Patrolling maintained by Coys and Carrier Pl. “A” and “B” Coys at OPLOO.
	29	1700	Some shelling in “A” Coy Area; 2 Other Ranks killed and 4 wounded.
	30	0500	Shelling in area of Bn HQ and HQ Coy – No casualties.
	30		American 7th Armd Div taking up positions near our area during the day. Lt.Col. R.C. Stockley (R.N.F.) arrives to take over command of Bn. Patrolling maintained by Rifle Coys and Carriers. Lt. D.F.H. Herbert (R. Berks) killed on patrol in early morning, and one Other Rank wounded.

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Source: 11th Armoured Division.

Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. Locations are calculated, so might not be in the correct place. For historical research, always check the originals.

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