WO 171/1371 - 7 Seaforth Highlanders - October 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: 7th Bn The Seaforth Highlanders
Month and Year: October 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. P.M. Hunt

Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
1		Bn holding dug in posns on WILHELMINA CANAL holding line of RlyCanal to X Tracks BEST.
2	1200	Bn holding dug in posns on WILHELMINA CANAL. Div Comd visits Bn HQ.
3		Bn holding dug in posns on WILHELMINA CANAL.
3	1645	Bn leaves WILHELMINA CANAL posns - taken over by 2 Seaforth, 51st Div.
3	1815	Bn arrives at HELMOND trg area. Move by MT.
4		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
4	1000	Bde Comd visits Bn HQ and inspects billets.
4	1415	COs Conference.
5		Bn at HELMOND Trg area. Trg to incl:- Coys trg in wood clearing and street fighting. Juniors' ldrs cadre - Sec and Pl Battle Drills - Wireless Procedure. Use of grenades, PIAT and Sten for close combat fighting. Recreational trg periods.
6		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
7		Bn at HELMOND trg area. CO leaves for recce area MOLENHOCK 7254.
8		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
9		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
9	1000	Div Comd visits Bn and spoke to the Bn and took the march past led by the Bn Pipe Band.
9	2200	All ranks Dance.
10		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
11		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
12		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
13		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
14		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
15		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
15		Bn on Ex 'COCKSHY' to exercise the tps in embussing and debussing from RAMS. and going into attack on RAMS supported by Tanks. Area GELDROP Ref. 5016.
17		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
17		Bn Football team played 9 Cameronians. Won 6 - 2.
18		Bn at HELMOND trg area. All Ranks Dance 1930 hrs.
19		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
19		Snipers Cadre under Bde for four days.
19		"I" Sec Course under Bde for four days.
20		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
21		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
22		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
22		Bde Cloth Model Ex for CO, Coy Comds and Specialist Offrs.
23		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
23		Cloth Model - Arty Inf Co-op W/T 18 set.
24		Bn at HELMOND trg area.
24	1430	CO held 'O' Group.
24	1730	Bn leaves HELMOND.
24	1930	Bn arrives at ACHT Conc area. Move from HELMOND in TCVs.
24	2030	CO leaves for 'O' Gp at Bde.
24	2300	CO held 'O' Gp. Bde to adv tomorrow on axis BEST, OIRSCHOT, MOIRGESTEL. Bn embussed on RAMS.
25	0945	Bn leaves ACHT. Advance to Contact. Marching personnel in RAMS 389257 Sheet 5 HOLLAND 1/100000 - Advance through OIRSCHOT, SPOORDONK.
25	1245	Bn conc GROOT, HEIBLOEM 2727.
25	1430	Bn moves to OISTERWIJK 2334.
25	1730	Bn contacts enemy SOUTH of STREAM 230337. Enemy holding line NORTH of STREAM and in OISTERWIJK. Bridge on main axis blown but crossing possible on foot. Br over stream 234343 intact. Tanks engage targets in OISTERWIJK. Coys take up posns. 'C' Coy area X rds 231336 - 'A' Coy 235339 - 'D' Coy 226333 - Bn HQ 231330.
25	2000	Bde Comd's Conference.	App 'A'
25	2200	COs 'O' Gp. Two Bns attack to capture OISTERWIJK and establish limited Br head to line of rly as close protection for REs building bridge.
25		Bn casualties: One O.R. wounded.
26	0700	Attack on OISTERWIJK begins. 7 Seaforth to make limited Br Head over river SOUTH of OISTERWIJK - 'A' Coy LEFT - 'C' Coy in RESERVE. 2 Glashow Hrs to go through 7 Seaforth over Rly and extend Br Head. Heavy enemy shelling and mortaring area of fwd posns.
26	0705	Major RWG Robertson McIsaac, OC 'D' Coy, wounded as Coy moves fwd - Died of wounds same day.
26	0710	Lieut AEM Dickie, 'C' Coy, wounded.
26	0725	Both 'A' and 'D' Coys across stream. Start house clearing in town.
26	0735	Coys contacted each other in town. Lieut WA Gunn killed by shelling.
26	0750	'C'Coy - Reserve Coy moving up and crosses stream.
26	0805	'A' Coy on objective and digging in.
26	0810	Lieut H. Holden, Bn Medical Offr, wounded. Holden, H.
26	0815	'D'Coy consolidates on objective.
26	0830	Tac HQ cross river to area CHURCH 232342.
26	0835	All Coys across and in posn. Digging in.
26	0840	Carrier Pl on extreme right to engage any threat from right flank.
26	0900	2 G.H. passing through area.
26		Enemy shelling and mortaring area.
26	0900	Bde Comd visits Bn HQ.
26	1100	Bn HQ estd 232342.
26	1215	Local Comd of FFI of Netherland contacts HQ. Sent to Bde HQ.
26	1230	Bde Comd at Bn HQ.
26		Coy posns 'A' Coy area 232344 - 'C' Coy area 226338 - 'D' Coy area 226341 - Carrier Pl 235344. P.O.W. taken 44.
26		Bn Casualties:- 1 Offr Killed, 2 Officers Wounded. 3 ORs Killed, 35 ORs Wounded.
26	1235	All Bn 'F' Vehs across stream.
27		Bn in OISTERWIJK.
27	1030	A' Coy moves fwd to line of track 227348 - 'D' Coy to DONBER STEEG line of Track 224346. Bde Comd visits Bn HQ.
27	1100	COs 'O' Group.
27		Enemy reported withdrawing towards River MAAS.
27		Bde ordered to close up on WILHELMINA CANAL. 7 Seaforth to HEIKANT - 2 G.H. to area WOOD 1834. 7 Seaforth to adv on HEIKANT 1636 then close on Canal line incl Br 163345 to incl Br 173339 and join up with 9 Cameronians. Coys to adv mounted on tanks of 2 Scots Gds to debus short of HEIKANT. Carrier Pl well ahead to act as screen.
27	1230	Bn moves off on tanks.
27	1445	Bn enters HEIKANT. No opposition met. All Coys in posn.
27	1705	CO orders Coys to cross Canal into TILBURG.
27	1730	Coys cross WILHELMINA CANAL on Assault Boats. Bn Pnrs build raft for ferrying of vehs.
27	1900	Coys across WILHELMINA CANAL into TILBURG - 'A' Coy 161338 – 'C' Coy 168339 - 'D’ Coy 167333 - Bn HQ 171335.
27		8 P.O.W. taken. Bn Casualties: 1 OR wounded.
28		Bn at TILBURG.
28	0845	CO held 'O' Gp.
28	1015	Bn moves to W. TILBURG. 'A' Coy area of HUSSELL 148343 - 'C’ Coy area astride Rd Junc 147335 - 'D' Coy area BIJLANER Street 154334. Bn HQ School 156337.
28	1200	Bde Comd visits Bn HQ.
28		P.O.W. taken 2. Bn Casualties: 1 OR drowned when raft capsized.
29		Bn at TILBURG 156337.
29	1000	Bn Church Parade with 15 (S) Inf Div Massed Pipe Bands.
29		Recce Party under 2 i/c to DEURNE to meet Bde Comd.
29	1225	Bn leaves TILBURG (M.T. Move).
29	1700	Bn arrives Area DEURNE (6520) took over posns from 6 R.S.F. Bn HQ 642187 - 'A' Coy area 641181 - 'C' Coy area 048183 – 'D’ Coy VLOEIEIND 635184 Carrier Pl. 643183 - Mortar Pl 639185. Bn dug-in Defensive posns.
30		Bn in Def Posn (6520).
30	1100	Bn moves fwd to new posn along rd DEURNE - LEISEL to new posn at LOON.
30	1150	Capt LM Smith killed by shell.
30	1230	Bn posns - Bn HQ 664158 - 'A' Coy 664153 - 'C' Coy 668154 – 'D' Coy 664153.
30	1440	Bde Comd visits Bn HQ.
30		Bn Dug in in defensive posns.
30	2100	COs 'O' Gp. Bde to launch limited attack - two Bns up: one in res. RIGHT 7 Seaforth - LEFT 9 CAMS - KOSB res. In sp- one sqn Cold Gds - One Pl MMG - one Tp A/Tk RA - Four Fd Regts - One Med Regt - one Pl 4.2" Mortars.
30		7 Seaforth to capture and hold SOUTH half of LIESEL.
31	0830	Bn formed up for attack on LIESEL - two Coys up - 'A' Coy RIGHT - 'C' Coy LEFT - 'D' Coy RESERVE, Carriers to be called when required.
31	0840	Bn goes into attack under fairly heavy enemy shelling and mortaring. Weather bad - visibility 80-100 yds.
31	0850	'A' Coy clearing houses along road into LIESEL - progressing slowly.
31	0925	9 Cams report nearing obj on our left.
31	0930	C' Coy find little opposition on left and are on obj. Enemy shelling and mortaring posn. 'A' Coy's right pl in centre of LIESEL near Church clearing houses.
31	0940	Still in area Church. Street fighting - advancing from house to house.
31	0945	Left flank under hy mortar and shell fire.
31	0950	Tac HQ under shell fire. Rd blocked by wrecked vehs and felled trees. Area of rd block mined (Box Mines).
31	1000	'A' Coy progressing slowly - visibility very poor and every house has to be searched from top to bottom.
31	1005	Cross fire on 'A' Coys front holding up tps, but fwd tps nearing obj.
31	1020	'C' Coy report enemy cleared from their front. Coy consolidating - digging in.
31	1022	'A' Coy moving up on to obj - hy enemy mortaring.
31	1025	Rd block cleared - Bn Pnrs cleared rd and verges of mines (Box Type).
31	1030	Mines reported in 'C' Coys posn and on rds leading to centre of LIESEL.
31	1100	'A' Coy being shelled but making good progress.
31	1130	'D'Coy moving up on COs orders.
31	1200	'A' Coy consolidating on gd captured.
31	1230	D' Coy clearing houses SOUTH and WEST of 'A' Coy. During the whole of the morning the enemy shelled and mortared LIESEL consistently. Progress was slow as every house and cellar had to be searched. Enemy MG posts were well concealed and covered. This made progress on the right slow, but cas were light and prisoners were taken incl 1 Offr and 37 other ranks. At 1530 hrs the Coys were consolidating having cleared the village of enemy. By 1610 hrs the coys were digging in and posns were Bn HQ 667147 - 'A' Coy area 669144 - 'C' Coy area 673145 – 'D' Coy 671142.
31	1830	CO attends Conference at Bde HQ.
31		During the night 18 more POW were brought in making a total of 1 Offr & 55 Ors.
31		Bn casualties: 2 Offrs wounded. 7 ORs Killed - 18 ORs Wounded.

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Source: The War Diaries of the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division June 1944 - May 1945.

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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