WO 171/1334 - 2 Lincolnshire Regiment - 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: 2nd Bn The Lincolnshire Regt.
Month and Year: October 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. C.L. Firbank

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
HOLLAND	1	0830	Advance parties under 2IC went forward to the new concentration area at HAPS (7045).
	1	1900	Main body of battalion crossed start line. Start was postponed for ine hour owing to congestion on the roads leading forwad. The move itself was unventful and concentration was completed at 2400 hrs. Battalion occupied buildings in the village with tactical alarm post dug for occupation if necessary.
	2	1230	D"Coy moved to OEFFELT (7545) already occupied by "B"Sqn 3 Recce. The object of this move being clear the area west of the river MEUSE at 7645 of small parties of enemy.
	2	2200	A number of German sympathisers were rounded up by local patriots and sent back for investigations by civil authorities. The battalion was now within 6 miles of the German frontier and every precaution had to be taken to prevent civilians obtaining information of value to the enemy. Altough the local inhabitants appeared to be friendly disposed towards the Allies, it was very probably that many of them were pro Germans.
	2	1100	Cmd of 8 corps visited OP in HAPS Church. During the night of 2/3 oct. patrols located 20 enemy in possession of fortified house on river bank at 769485.
	3	0900	"B"Coy moved to OEFFELT and joined "D" Coy.
	3	1100	2SP A tk Guns from 45 tk Bty Ra moved up to engange enemy in house 769458 but before that could get into action the house had been set on fire by 3"mortars and 37 mm guns of "B"Sqn 3 Recce. Several enemy were seen to leave the building and withdraw towards river MEUSE. "B" Sqn 3 Recce were withdrawn from OEFFELT. Disposition of battalion in OEFFELT was "B'and "D"coys with FOO 33 Fd Regt RA - 2 sections Carriers 1 section Mortars - 1 section A tk platoon. The rest of the battalion remained in HAPS.
	4	1100	"A" Coy relieved "D" Coy in OEFFELT.
	4	1500	2 sections of mortar platoon engaged targets east of the River MEUSE.
	4/5		Patrols from forward Coys heard MT movements East of river."A"Coy patrol contacted enemy who had crossed the river at 769459. The enemy were engaged and two believed hit. Our patrol suffered two casualties - 1 OR killed and 1 OR wounded.
	5	0900	3 SP A tk guns (M10)e engaged enemy OP in factory chimney at 762481. 36 shots shots were fired and the chimney was demolished. "C" Coy relieved "B" Coy at OEFFELT.
	5/6		During the night our patrols fired on two enemy patrols. Result of action not known.
	6	1500	SP guns engaged house at 769458 and enemy OP at 778456. Direct hits were observed on both targets and enemy were seen running from the OP. Both targets were then engaged by arty and MGs.
	6/7	1800	A patrol from "A" coy went to house at 769485. About 30 yards from the house a booby trap exploded wounding 1 OR and an enemy MG opened up from area 769459. Two other MG's were locatedd in this area and our patrol returned the enemy fire. At 2400 hrs our patrol returned to Coy lines.
	7	0400	Another patrol went out and by first light was in position near the house which now appeared to be uncoupied. Afte dawn it was discovered that the enemy were occupying trenches between the house and the river. The patrol was withdrawn at mid-day.
	8	0400	Strong patrols from "A" and "C" coys took positions South and North respectively of the ferryhouse to watch enemy movement . One German shot believed dead, but the body could not be recovered.
	8	1200	"D" Coy relieved "A"Coy at OEFFELT. Major Shaw took over "S" Coy and Capt Hill was transferred to "C" Coy as 2IC. Plans were made for 1 KOSB to relieve forward Coys in OEFFELT
	9	0600	Advance parties arrived from 2 KSLI - 185 Bde.
	9	0845	An unidentified Jeep drove through the forward positions at OEFFELT and although attempts were made to warn the driver, he continued towards the enemey. A few seconds afterwards MG Fire was heard from the enemy positions. A strong patrol was sent out within 30 yards of house at 7694559 but no trace of the Jeep could be found.
	9	1800	Forward Coys relieved by 2 KSLI and the battalion concentrated in HAPS. Major EEHG Dawson (wounded at CAMBES wood in July) rejoined the battaliion and assumed ommand of "D" Coy.
	9		Major Clarke was transferred to HQ Coy and Capt Curnow to be 2IC "A" Coy. Orders were given for the battalion to move to forward concentration area near ST.ANTHONIS 7138 on 11 Oct.
	10	1900	Move postponed owing to bad weather delaying future operations.
	11		Uneventful. Battalion remained in HAPS.
	12		Today the Battalion moved to concentration area near ST ANTHONIS 7138. Concentration was completed by 1430 hours.
	13	0545	Recce party under major LHB Colvin moved to forward concentration area 7433. Colvin, Leslie Hubert Boyd
	13	0700	Main body followed and concentration was complete by 1100 hours.
	13	1400	Recce party under major LHB Colvin moved to 1 KOSB position 7432. Colvin, Leslie Hubert Boyd
	13	1615	Main body of Battalion followed taking up position with "A" and "B" Coys forward and "C" and "D" coys in reserve. During the move Bn HQ suffered casualties by an 88 mm shell . Major Edwards RA and 2 ORs were wounded and 1 OR killed . Battalion remained in this position overnight.
	14	0600	"A "and "B" Coys plus forward command group moved forward and took up positions in area 7431 followed later by "C" and "D"Coys and reamainder of Bn HQ. During the night 13/14 "B"Coy were moved to the rear of the wood held by the RUR with the intention of moving to the forward edge of the wood at 753299 and sending out at 600 hours a Recce patrol to find out if (a) the stream was passable to tanks and (b) if the North Easthern corner of wood to the South was held by the enemy. Guides from the 2 RUR were late and took much longer to guiude the Coy through the wood than had been allowed for. Consequently it was almost 700 hours and daylight by the time the Coy reached the forward edge of the wood and the patrol was cancelled. H hour was to have been 700 but was postponed until 730. At 730 the Coy crossed the start line which was the forward edge of the wood occupied by the RUR. Order of advance was 12 Platoon left 11 Platoon right and 10 Platoon behind 12 Platoon and Coy HQ behind 11 Platoon. The Coy advanced under a 10 minute concentration of Arty. Before the Coy had advanced 100 yards the enemy opened fire from a track about another 100 yards ahead. The advance continued and the track cleared of the enemy. This yeilded about 10 prisoners and a few dead. As soon as the prisoners were clear , enemy DF came down on the Coy and four or five MGs opened fire from the left flank. 12 Platoon were ordered to advance uner covering fire from 10 Platoon but in so doing half of their number . The 2IC of Coy went back to the start line to the gunners OP to bring down fire on the houses to the left of the Coy but the rounds fell short and were not of much assistance. The Coy Comd decided that to advance would be a great loss and so under cover of smoke he withdraw his Coy to the area of the two Coys of RUR and dug in. During this part of the action the Coy lost Lt Burton (wounded) and 34 ORs killed or wounded. It was decided to launch an attack by the battalion and plans were formulated accordingly.The Commanding Officer held his "O" group at 1300 hiurs and following his orders Coy Comds uner the Commanding Officer made a quick recce of the ground. The order of the battle was "D"Coy left- "A"Coy right - Advanced BN HQ and "B"Coy following "D"Coy and "C" Coy following "A"Coy. During this recce several of the enemy were seen moving in the area of the stream in front of the wood. It was appreciated that the enemy holding the Battalion objective were probably a Coy strong and that the most troublesome feature of the defence would be the DF. H hour was fixed 1530 hours and 1515 hours the Battalion moved to the FUP which was just behind the start line . At 1530 hours the Battalion supported by Arty and a Sqn of tanks crossed the start line. Immediatly the Battalion came into the open it was subjected to intense Arty and Mortar fire but in spite of heavy casualties pressed steadily on to the objective. During the advance "D"Coy located two Spandaus at 743294 and these were succesfully dealt with by 17 Platoon who killed the enemy. Another MG was located in area 754294 and supporting fire from tanks was directed against this position until the enemy ceased fire. On reaching the objective "D"Coy re-organised in area 752283. At 'Stand To'in the evening (1700 hours) one Platoon was pushing forward and dug in on the forward edge of the wood. Soon after "C"Coy had consolidated their position a number of enemy were seen trying to escape from the rear of the wood. Immediately fire was brought to bear on them and a number of casualties were inflicted. During this action the Battalion suffered very heavy casualties, our losses being: -Killed- Major Dawson, Major Smith and Capt Sutton. Died of Wounds - Capt Mander. Wounded - Lt Burton, Lt. Pogson, Lt Munton and Capt Curnow who refused to be evacuated.
	15		During the day the Battalion maintained its position. More casualties were caused by "R" and Schu Mines. Lt. Gosling and Lt Gration rejoined the unit.
	16	1215	Battalion moved back to area 7431 to re-organise. Remainder of the day very quite.
	17		Very quite day. Troops rested and cleaned equipment and weapons.
	18		Spent in preparation for move forward
	19	0745	Recce party under Commanding Officer moved to the area occupied by 1 Norfolks between OVERLOON en VENRAY.
	19	1400	Battalion moved forward to take over positions of 1Norfolk, the change over being completed by 1700 hours
	20		Day spent in improving positions. Active patrolling commencing.
	21		Spasmodic shelling and mortaring on flanks , otherwise uneventful.
	22		Today yeilding two POW. Gradually compiling knowledge of front from information brought in by patrols
	23		two deserters were brought in today but information very vague. System of patrolling maintained.
	24		List of awards to officers and men was published in Orders.
	25		Snipers brought in two POW who gave us useful information.
	26		Four civilians passed through our lines in the morning and four more in the afternoon. These people told us useful information.
	27		Today there was an increase in shelling , a number of shells falling in OVERLOON.
	28		Further shelling by Med Guns.
	29		Standard of patrolling maintained. Bde C. 3 wounded by shell fragment
	30		Very quite, "D" Coy releived forward Carrier section.
	31		Another quite day, troops in very good spirit.

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Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com, transcribing: Theo Vervoort.

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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