WO 171/840 - 1 Royal Dragoons - December 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: The Royal Dragoons
Month and Year: December 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. H.W. Lloyd

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
	25		A bright sun-shiny day crisp clear and very cold with a white frost covering everything. The "highups" at Division and Corps have become very fidgety during the past week. They have been apprehensive of a German c/attack in or near our sector over the Christmas holidays. Their fears have been based partly on the numbers of enemy patrols which have crossed the river at various points between VENLO and BOXMEER during the past 2 or 3 weeks. It was also considered that the enemy might put in a diversionary attack in sympathy with their c/thrust further SOUTH. Finally there have been rumours from civilians that the Germans were celebrating their Christmas on the 23rd. as they would have “other things to do" after that. However, nothing has happened, and, in spite of the civilian reports, considerable noises of singing and revelry have been heard to-day and yesterday from one or two points on the opposite bank of the river - particularly round VENLO. On our own front there has been nothing to report of a military nature. RHQ celebrated Christmas in first class style. All the men had their Christmas Dinner in the large hall of the country house we are now occupying. There was a finely decorated Christmas-tree and a blazing log fire. There were large quantities of turkey and plum pudding and each man had three bottles of beer, two cigars, ninety cigarettes and some chocolate and sweets. Judging by the numbers of men who periodically lined the wall outside the house (presumably to "cool off") everyone's cup of enjoyment was full and sometimes overflowing.

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.

Domains

More information

Contact