WO 171/846 - 15-19 The King Royal Hussars - 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: 15th/19th Hussars
Month and Year: September 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt Col A.D. Taylor, MC.

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
	20		(A) At 413208 enemy inf were seen and after a burst of Besa had been fired, the enemy consisting of 10 men surrendered and were sent back. The patrol continued and no further enemy were seen. A troop of 'B' Sqn were contacted when the canal was reached who reported that 40 enemy inf had swum the canal and had been taken prisoner. A Position was taken up astride the road just South of the canal and the American inf sent out to clear the woods East and West of the road. The woods to the East were clear but small arms fire came from the woods to the West and wounded two Americans. The fire was thought to be coming from our own troops the patrols were called in and the position astride the road was maintained until 1800hrs when orders were received to return to EINDHOVEN. Capt Weatherby was informed by Col Sink on arrival that the canal bridge on the main centre line was blown and had been captured by the enemy and that the enemy were reported to be moving towards EINDHOVEN. Owing to bad communications information was scarce and wild rumours were frequent. It was by this time getting dark and Capt Weatherby was ordered to take up a position to prevent enemy reaching EINDHOVEN down the centre line from the North. A position was taken up at VLOKHOVEN 4322 covering North East, East and the centre line. It was then discovered that the bridge was not blown but that the centre line had been under small arms fire from the East. Wednesday September 20th:- Early in the morning orders were received from 506 Regt to move North along centre line WOENSEL 4220 - rd junc 457216 - NEDERWETTEN 4623 in conjunction with an attack by 44th RTR on NUNEN from the West. Capt Weatherby's party had so far consisted of himself (95mm) + 3 troop with 3 75mm's and 1 17Pdr + Lt Sparrow with one scout car from Recce Troop. At this point they were joined by one more scout car commanded by Cpl Hunter. A position was taken up in the area track junction 457216. Lt Sparrow was sent forward towards NEDERWETTEN and reported the road clear as far as 460227. A second position was then taken up in that area. Lt.Sparrow was again sent forward towards NEDERWETTEN and on approaching the village saw a German cyclist and a few inf which he fired.... on killing one and probably wounding another. Lt Sparrow was then ordered to withdraw and a patrol of American inf were sent fwd covered by the tks. A few inf were seen and fired on and three prisoners taken. Lt Egerton took up a posn at 465235 facing North West, Sgt Nesbitt just behind him facing West and North West and the two remaining tks facing East and South East. Lt Sparrow at the South end of the village to cover the left rear. The country was very enclosed owing to the houses and gardens on either side of the road but Lt Egerton and Sgt Nesbitt had a field of view of about 700 yds West and North West and the other two tks about 600 yds East and South East. The time was now about 1300hrs. S.A. fire was observed coming from woods 4623 and 4723. A patrol was sent out to deal with this. About this time Lt Egerton reported seeing a Panther moving North East in area 458237 which he fired at and destroyed with his first shot. Sgt Nesbitt fired at a second Panther in the same area but this withdrew. About 40 minutes later Lt Egerton reported a third Panther in the same area which he destroyed after firing four shots. Its was later discovered that all four shots had entered the tank - two in the drivers compartment, one just above the tracks, and one in the engine. Both these tks 'brewed up'. 2nd troop under Lt Caroe and a patrol of the Royals was sent to Capt Weatherby to help, and the 2nd Troop took up posn East of the road, covering the road East from NEDERWETTEN and South East, the patrol of the Royals covered the left rear. Sgt Gibson reported two troop carrying vehs moving East along the road from NEDERWETTEN, which he fired on, destroying one and damaging the second. Some inf were also fired on. A third veh was fired at near Church 462238 and destroyed. This was later discovered to be a half-track. S.A. fire from the enemy was by now increasing also an 88mm gun was firing down the road. It was decided to withdraw to area 460227 at about 1540hrs. Two more prisoners were brought in. Throughout this period Lt Egerton's conduct had been exceptionally good. He had been in the lead on the move up and his comd of his troop was most effective His coolness during the fight in the village had a direct bearing on the operation as a whole and he showed Sgt Gibson's tank into position on his feet during continuous small arms fire.He also remained in the village to cover the remainder of the party out. Sgt Gibson and Cpl Nicholls later succeeded in recovering a veh of the Royals which was bogged in a position covered by heavy S.A. fire. At about 1700hrs orders were received to return to EINDHOVEN and to rejoin the Sqn.

Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com, transcribing: Mia Litjens.

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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