WO 171/1286 - 4 Dorsets - 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: 4th Bn The Dorsetshire Regt.
Month and Year: December 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. W.Q. Roberts

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
766648	1	0930	CO returned to Unit and resumed Command.
	1	1130	Brig of 129 Bde visited Bn HQ. Vandeleur, John Ormsby Evelyn 'Joe'
	1	1415	C.O. and I.O. visited all Coy Posns.
	1		Slight shelling of TRIPSRATH during afternoon 1 killed. Patrol at night found Italian type minefield at 866684.
	2		Very quiet night – no incidents.
	2	0945	CO and IO visited all Coys.
	2	1530	Patrol tasks and passwords sent to all Coys and supporting arms.
	2	2155	O.C. 'C' Coy asked for Arty task on KONIGSHOF to help two men back from patrol.
	2	2230	B Coy report 8 mortars landing in their area. Arty fire directed.
	2	2325	D Coy report 20 shells fired into Coy Area – Arty and Hy Mortars fired retaliation task.
	2	2330	Pnr Cpl reports that Spandaus and rifle fire were fired on patrol that had gone to KONIGSHOF area. Patrol returned less two men from 'C' Coy. 5 DCLI on our right informed of missing men.
	3	0020	C Coy report medium enemy Arty fired into their area.
	3	0915	Brig and L.O. visited Bn HQ. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	3		Bn will be relieved tomorrow by 7 Hamps and will go into Bde Reserve in GEILENKIRCHEN Area.
	3	1100	13/18 Hussars (Tanks in Sp) relieved by 147 RAC equipped with Churchills and two tps moved into Bn Area.
	3		Slight enemy shelling due probably to noise of tks.
	3	1500	CO and Coy Comds of 7 Hamps visited Bn Posns.
	3	2040	1 PW from 15 Pz Gr Div brought to Bn HQ. He had deserted into 'B' Coy lines.
	3	2200	B Coy patrol that went to area 867686 for purpose of mine locating report that nothing found and no incidents.
	4	0830	Coy and Pl Reps recced new area under Comd 2 i/c.
	4	0950	Brig and Bde Major visited Bn HQ. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	4	1115	Traces of area handed over to rep of 7 Hamps.
	4	1330	Reinforcements arrived from 33 RHU - 1 Offr and 63 ORs.
	4	1400	First Coy - A Coy - marched out on being relieved.
	4	1430	Bn HQ personnel moved out to new area. Fwd Coys relieved at various intervals during the evening and Comd passed to 7 Hamps approx 2315 hrs.
863644	5		Bn concentrated in area GEILENKIRCHEN with Bn HQ at 863644.
	5	0915	CO and 2 i/c went to Bde conference.
	5	1100	Coy and Pl Reps went on recce of Bn Conc Area 7259.
	6	0830	Recce Party again left to recce billets for Bn in new area.
	6	1200	Brig visited Bn HQ. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	6	1830	Conference at Bn HQ for all Coy Comds.
	7	0900	Guides for new area started off.
	7	1000	HQ Coy moved off to new area and by 1600 hrs Bn was complete in new location with HQ at School 732598. Most personnel were billeted in civ houses.
	7		C.O. returned from 48 hrs leave in BRUSSELS and reassumed Comd.
723598	8		Bath, cinema and ENSA shows throughout the day for Bn personnel.
	8	1430	CO and IO went on vsit to CO of Services Bn in RISHDEN area.
	8	1800	COs conference for all Coy Comds on future operations.
	9	1000	Brig and Bde IO visited Bn HQ and latter brought new air photos for distribution. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	9	1100	IO and OC 'A' Coy went on recce in HATTERATH area 8467.
	10	0900	Bn Church Service held in Church at 728603.
	10	1000	CO attended Div O Gp.
	10	1600	Brig and Bde IO visited Bn HQ accompanied by Dutch Interpreter att to Bde. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	10	1800	COs conference for all Coy Comds.
	11	1000	Brig and LO visited Bn HQ. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	11	1415	CO and IO went to Bde HQ for orders.
	11	1730	COs conference for all Coy Comds.
	12	1030	Brig visited Bn HQ. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	12		Maps aerial photographs and traces prepared for forthcoming ops.
	12	1730	COs conference for all Coy Comds. Tomorrow’s programme of trg with tks was discussed.
	13	0900	Practice by all rifle Coys with one Tp of B Sqn 147 RAC in Area 766598. Passing through a gap made by flailing Tks was the practice and each Coy went through separately in the order of A. C. B. D.
	13	1100	Bde I.O. visited Bn HQ with further aerial photographs. Preparation begun on sand model for forthcoming attack.
	14		Sand table modelling continued.
	14		F.S. Sec contacted ref suspicious civs in our area.
	14	1400	CO and IO went on recce in HATTERATH area.
	14	2205	Air Raid 'Alert' sounded. No incidents.
	15	0900	Rifle Coys again practising with tks in area 766598.
	15	1730	COs conference for all Coy Comds.
	16	0630	Air Raid Alert sounded. No incidents.
	16	1030	Brig and Bde I.O. visited Bn HQ. All aerial photographs recently issued to be returned to Bde HQ by 1200 hrs tomorrow. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	17		Three Air Raid Alerts sounded during the night. Enemy planes overhead and some bombs dropped but not in Bn Area.
	17	1530	Advance and recce parties moved to area TILBURG.
	17		Enemy air activity during the night. 1 plane shot down in Bn Area 718512.
	18		Advance Party at TILBURG moved to area ORESHOT 3126 and commenced work on recceing area.
	18	1800	COs conference for all Coy Comds. Forthcoming move and trg in new area discussed.
	19	0500	Second Adv Party left for area HASSELT 3161.
	19	0730	C.O. left Bn Major R. Gill assumed Comd.
	19	0800	Bn left for new location.
	19	1815	Conference for all Coy Comds at Bn HQ 313619.
313619	20	0930	Bn at 1 hour’s notice to move due to threat of enemy on American sector.
	20	1400	CO re-assumed Comd of the Bn.
	20	1600	Bn moved to fresh billets in HASSELT Bn HQ at 307622.
	20	1800	COs conference for all Coy Comds.
307622	21	0930	C.O. and I.O. visited Coys and recced trg Areas.
	21	1500	Adv Party from ORESHOT area returned to the Bn.
	22		Normal trg carried out by all Coys.
	22	1630	2 PWs brought in by C Coy. They had escaped from PW convoy.
	22	1515	Skeleton Recce Party moved off to area WAREMME 2536 with a view for possible billets.
	22	1715	Adv Party returned to Bn – no accn available.
	22	2015	CO with Coy Reps held ballot for 7 days leave to England in the New Year.
	22	2330	Warning Order received from Bde that Recce Party would leave Bn Area tomorrow by 0830 hrs for area WAREMME 2536. Bn to be at readiness to move by 1200 hrs.
	23	0830	Adv party moved off and Bn spent morning in packing kit in readiness to move.
	23	1230	Bn moved off to new area and arrived at 1500 hrs. Bn HQ at 237337.
	24	0900	CO, IO and Car Pl Comd on Bde O Gp.
	24	1100	COs conference for all Coy Comds.
	24	1730	Brig visited Bn HQ. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	25	0830	CO and IO on recce area South of HUY.
	25	1400	CO Coy Comds and IO on recce South of HUY.
	26	1400	O.C. 233 A/Tk Bty visited Bn HQ to tie up A/Tk lay out.
	27	0600	Adv Party left for new area.
	27	1230	Bn left for new area.
	27	1630	Bn arrived at GREAT HAASDAL at 6456.
	28	0900	Brig visited Bn HQ. Coad, Basil Aubrey
	28		C.O. went on recce for trg areas.
	28	1500	C.O. attended Bde Conference.
	28	1800	COs conference for all Coy Comds.
	29	0900	CO, 2 i/c and I.O. went to Bde HQ for orders and from there to recce area near SITTARD 6968 where Bn will dig a defensive posn against possible enemy threat from the North.
	29	1500	CO, 2 i/c and I.O. returned to Bn HQ.
	29	1800	COs conference for Coy Comds and specialist Pl Comds. Orders are that recce parties will leave for area 6967 in the morning followed by remainder of the Bn who will dig defensive posns and return to present location at nightfall.
	30	0830	Recce Parties left under 2 i/c for digging Area.
	30	0900	C.O. and I.O. left to recce second area where Bn will prepare defensive posn in ALSDORF area 8854.
	30	1200	Remainder of Bn left present location for SITTARD Area and digging commenced aprox 1300 hrs.
	30	1530	CO inspected Coys Prepared posns and tps returned to Unit area by 1800 hrs.
	30	2100	COs conference for Coy Comds an specialist Pl Comds. Orders are that recce parties will leave for area 8854 followed by the remainder of the Bn to dig defensive posns and return to present location by nightfall.
	31	0900	Recce parties left under C.O. for digging area. Rest of the Bn left for ALSDORF area and digging commenced approx 1330 hrs.
	31	1645	Digging practically completed and tps returned to Unit Area by 1830 hrs.
	31	1900	Detailed trace of prepared posns sent to Bde.

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Source: Joris Nieuwint, The Battlefield Explorer, 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.

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