WO 171/837 - 2 Household Cavalry - 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: 2nd Household Cavalry Regt.
Month and Year: September 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. H. Abel Smith

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
	10		HQ 2 HCR move back to HQ Gds Armd Div for Op which started at first light to secure crossings over the ESCAUT Canal. A Sqn left with 5 Gds Armd Bde. D Sqn right with 32 Gds Bde. Progress at first was very slow as HECHTEL had to be bye passed and the only route for adv was across rather boggy country. A Sqn were passed through the tanks just NORTH of HECHTEL but met an anti-tank gun on the main centre line. A loop to the WEST found was tried first which was not very successful but an easterly loop by Lieut Creswell's tp found a way clear by EXCEL – OVERPELT to the canal at the GROOTE BARRIER. Lieut Creswell got into a factory area which overlooked the bridge, he saw that the bridge was intact and that it was held by enemy inf and 88 AA guns sited in an anti-tank role, he therefore wirelessed for the L G.Gp to come forward. A plan was laid on and in the dusk 1 G.Gp tanks rushed the bridge. The demolition charges having first been removed by REs and Guardsmen under heavy fire. Germans at this time were difficult and it was eventually on 2 HCR net that the infm that the br had be seized was relayed back to Div. The Grenadiers who had by this time cleared up the X rds SOUTH of the br were able to send fwd patrols and together 1 G. and Grenadier Gds consolidated. D Sqn moved up to area of the factory A Sqn harboured with Grenadier Gp near the vital X rds SOUTH of the Br. B Sqn remained with 55 Fd Regt. C and RHQ in Div HQ area just NORTH of BEERINGEN.

Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com, transcribing: Hans Houterman.

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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