| 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 |
| Unit: 23rd Hussars | ||
| Month and Year: April 1945 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. R.P. HARDING, DSO |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | At 08.00 hours. 23rd Hussar Group moved through WINSEN, turning north, "B" Squadron leading. Some Bazooka and machine gun opposition was met north of WINSEN in 4758, but this rapidly cleared and the enemy dispersed by setting fire to the wood. North of WALLE, 4862 there were notices in English declaring the BELSEN area to be typhus infected and to be a Neutral Zone. This was observed without incident and we passed the camp at great speed, little knowing what horrors it concealed. At about 14.00 hours "A" Squadron Group which had moved via 5186, passed through "B" Squadron Group which had established itself in BERGEN, 5070 without incident. 1/100,000 Sheet M4. Some opposition was encountered both at DOHNSEN, 5472 and BECKEDORF, 5671 and many hundreds of Allied Prisoners of War were liberated. In the meantime the recce troop was sent to recce the crossings at BONSTORF, 5576 and 545770, two sections going to the former and one to the latter. Both found the bridges intact, but after a short time they were attacked by infantry with Bazookas. "C" Squadron Group immediately went to BONSTORF and "B" Squadron Group to the western crossing and by nightfall the opposition, which consisted of Companies of a Hungarian SS Battalion, was demolished, another company being destroyed at BORNBOSTER, 5576 by "A" Squadron Group which came up from BECKEDORF. "C" Squadron Group remained to maintain the BONSTORF bridgehead during the night and "B" Squadron Group the westerly bridge just north of HETENDORF from which they were fired on throughout the hours of darkness. The remainder leaguered in a hollow behind the feature at 554759. During the afternoon and evening's fighting about 300 PWs were taken. 1 x Other Rank died of wounds. 2 x Other Ranks were wounded. 1 x Sherman Tank V (Bulldozer) left for recovery, notified backloaded to 3rd Echelon 19th April, 1945. |
Source: Neil Grimshaw.
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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