WO 171/411 - 3 Infantry Division - 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: 3rd Infantry Division
Month and Year: September 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer:

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
ST PAUL	1	1255	3 Br Inf Div Mov Order No 4 issued for conc of div East of LES ANDELYS across R SEINE.	Appx No 1
	1	2230	Mov Order for HQ 3 Br Inf Div issued for mov from ST PAUL near FLERS to THIL EN VEXIN near LES ANDELYS.	Appx No 2
	2	0400	3 Br Inf Div Mov Order No 5 issued in amplification of No 4.	Appx No 3
	2		Amendment No 1 to Mov Order for HQ 3 Br Inf Div issued.	Appx No 4
	2		Amendment No 1 to 3 Br Inf Div Mov Order No 4 Appx A.	Appx No 5
	2	1000	Tac HQ left for new location.
ST PAUL – LE THIL EN VEXIN	3	0800	Div HQ moved, crossing SP 0830 hrs and arrived in new location 9F/2 511972 2245 hrs.
LE THIL EN VEXIN	4		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 77.	Appx No 6
	5		9 Bde ordered to send a bn with sp arms to area AMIENS to clear a wood. Order subsequently cancelled and one recce sqn sent instead. Second Amy sup colns had been shot at from this area but on investigation no enemy were found.
	6		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 78 issued.	Appx No 7
	7		Nothing to report except bad weather.
	8		Two day Sigs Course for LOs started at Div HQ. G3(L) and LOs attended.
	8		Comds 1 and 8 Corps visited Div HQ.
	8		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 79 issued.	Appx No 8
	9		LOs Sigs Course to be extended for one extra day.
	9		Div RE under comd Second Army. Div RE moved to new location area BRUSSELS.
	10		Warning order received that Div may move between 15 - 18 Sep.
	11		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 80 issued.	Appx No 9
	12		Counter Mortar Ex Ethelred run by HQ RA.
	13		Probable move of Div on 16 and 18 Sep.
	13		Warning order putting Tac HQ at one hour's notice from 0730 hrs 14 Sep issued.
	14	1800	Conference on TC org for assault crossing with bde reps held instead of an exercise, owing to difficulties of impending move. TC org was laid out diagrammatically on the ground in telescoped form.
	14	2330	3 Br Inf Div Mov Order No 6 issued for a very long move of the Div to an area East of LOUVAIN in BELGIUM.	Appx No 11
	15	0700	Recce party for Div HQ left LE THIL EN VEXIN.
	15	0900	Tao HQ left.
	15	1400	3 Br Inf Div Mov Order No 7 issued in expansion of Mov Order No 6 as a result of additional infm becoming available.	Appx No 12
	15	1430	Mov Order for HQ 3 Br Inf Div issued.	Appx No 13
	15		During this inactive period in the LES ANDELYS area while comds and staff studied river crossing and counter mortar problems, units concentrated on adm overhaul and sub unit trg, especially necessary in view of rfts in the Div.
LE THIL EN VEXIN – SOIGNIES	16		Div staged night 16/17 at SOIGNIES, just North of MONS.
	17	1500	Main HQ 3 Br Inf Div opened at HOUTESTRAAT 386836 near PEER. By last light 9 Bde were in posn in area PETIT BROGEL 4088 with a sqn 3 Recce Regt in CAULILLE 4490.
	17		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 82 issued.	Appx No 14
HOUTESTRAAT	18	0515	8 Bde Gp began to pass Dis P and were in CAULILLE 4490 by 1700 hrs.
	18	1630	3 Br Inf Div O O No 9 issued for op Hurry On - 9 Bde to cross canal and 8 Bde to pass through.	Appx No 15
	18	2000	Tac HQ 3 Br Inf Div moved to 405892.
	18	2245	9 Bde complete in area LILLE ST HUBERT 4294 in readiness for assault crossing of MEUSE - ESCAUT canal.
	18		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 83 issued.	Appx 16
HOUTESTRAAT – PETIT BROGEL	19	0127	9 Bde reported two coys each 2 RUR 2 Lincolns across the canal near 437946 with fairly stiff opposition on right flank, particularly on front of 2 Lincolns. Op was assisted by mov It from 474 SL bty and consolidation considerably assisted by very thick early morning mist.
	19	0530	Constr of Cl 9 br began under intermittent fire.
	19	0710	Two bns now complete on far bank.
	19	0830	Cl 9 br completed and first vehs across shortly after.
	19	1500	Main Div HQ joined Tac at 405892 near PETIT BROGEL.
	19	1530	Orders issued for 8 Bde less 1 S Lan R to pass through 9 Bde brhead over canal (msg 02).	Appx 17
	19	1720	Cl 9 Br traffic suspended for ½ hr owing to br being damaged by a German flak gun.
	19	1920	Cl 40 br opened at LILLE ST HUBERT.
	19	2100	8 Bde established on far bank of canal and mopping up to East of br with one bn directed on HAMONT.
	19	2150	Div now complete with arrival of 185 Bde Gp, whole move from LES ANDELYS being completed only ¾ hr behind schedule with total veh cas only 1½% throughout whole Div. Total distance of mov LES ANDELYS - PEER approx 260 miles.
PETIT BROGEL	20	0515	8 Bde had succeeded in clearing canal bank to 448943 and 1 KOSB were in ACHEL 4297. 1 Suffolk adv to HAMONT; 3 Recce Regt were protecting flank as far as DORPLEEN 5195 and GROOTSCHOOT 4896.
	20	0715	1 Suffolk firm in HAMONT.
	20		11 Armd Div passed through 3 Br Inf Div and elts had reached LEENDE 4807 by 1215 hrs.
	20	1915	One coy 2 KSLI were across the br but remainder of 185 Inf Bde remained in res.
	20	2145	3 Br Inf Div Op Instr No 13 for occupation of WEERT issued.	Appx 20
	20		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 85 issued.	Appx 21
	21	0030	Infm received that 9 Bde were firmly established in ACHEL. Later in the morning they moved into the area MAARHEEZE – SOERENDONK – HAMONT – BUDEL, being established by 1730 hrs with 3 Recce Regt protecting their right flank.
	21	0630	185 Bde moved up to take over protection of brs from 9 Bde.
	21	1215	8 Bde began their adv from HAMONT to WEERT without meeting much opposition until 1 Suffolk ran into MG posns at 557973.
	21	1745	8 Bde being unable to occupy WEERT before dark, GOC ordered them to hold firm on rly NW from WEERT and patrol to canal brs.
	21	2210	3 Br Inf Div O O No 14 issued for final capture of WEERT.	Appx 22
	21	2300	Mov Order for HQ 3 Br Inf Div to move to HAMONT issued.	Appx 23
PETIT BROGEL – HAMONT	22	0657	1 Suffolks in outskirts of WEERT and after its capture 3 Rece Regt exploited to NEDERWEERT 6100 reporting enemy in strength on far side of canal running North and South.
	22	1115	HQ 3 Br Inf Div opened at HAMONT 474975.
	22	1430	GOC in C 21 Army Gp visited Div HQ. C in C gave survey of 21 Army Gp activity and also indicated trend of future ops to GOC.
	22	1640	185 Bde across canal and by 1800 hrs had cleared enemy from canal bend at 4792.
	22	2330	3 Br Inf Div O O No 10 issued for relief of 11 Armd Div in ASTEN and DEURNE.
	22		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 87 issued.	Appx 25
HAMONT – DE BULT	23	0800	Mov Order issued for move of HQ 3 Br Inf Div to area DE BULT 555116.	Appx 26
	23	1430	8 Corps canceled proposed move of 9 Bde to DEURNE.	Appx 27
	23	1640	HQ 3 Br Inf Div opened DE BULT 555116.
	23	1900	185 Bde moved up to posn astride ASTEN brhead.
	23		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 88 issued.	Appx 28
DE BULT	24		185 Bde patrolled in ASTEN area. For results see Sigs Log.
	24	1654	One bn gp 9 Bde ordered to move to LIESEL 6614. No move as yet for remainder - until 0630 hrs 25 Sep.
	24		Patrols by 8, 185 Bdes and 3 Recce Regt continued in cold, wet, weather. The reception of all tps by the Dutch was almost embarassing in its enthusiasm and the Sigs Log att bears witness to the assistance they afforded fwd tps.
	24		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 89 issued.	Appx 29
	25	0915	8 Corps ordered one bn to be at an hrs notice with possible role to relieve 11 Armd Div in HELMOND.
	25	1230	9 Bde Gp firmly established in DEURNE.
	25		Throughout the day 3 Recce Regt patrolled canal from North of HELMOND to NEDERWEERT; 185 Bde remained in posn astride ASTEN brhead. With 8 Bde still in area WEERT with 1 S Lan R across the canal, the div area was very extended and the consequent demand for tp carrying tpt was beginning to strain adm resources. At last light orders were received to move a bn of 8 Bde (2 E Yorks) to GEMERT with A tk and MMG sp.
	25	2030	Infm received that 4 Armd Bde were going to relieve 8 Bde. Latter less one bn gp in GEMERT would conc in MAARHEEZE area.
	25		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary 90 issued.	Appx 30
	26	1100	3 Br Inf Div area of responsibility now 35000 metres in extent, an additional commitment now being the protection of X rds 630248 by a coy a of 2 Lincolns.
	26	1400	92 LAA Regt shot down a ME 109 South of ZOMEREN.
	26	1850	3 Br Inf Div Mov Order No 8 issued for 8 Bde Gp and 76 Fd Regt to move on following morning to area 650248 – BAKEL – GEMERT and bde gp bdys of responsibility laid down in Msg 037.	Appx 31
	26		Orders issued for mov of HQ 3 Br Inf Div. Subsequently amended in respect of destination which was a mile and a half Eeast of HELMOND.	Appx 33
	26		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 91 issued.	Appx 34
DE BULT – HELMOND	27		Weather very cold and wet.
	27	0800	8 Bde less one bn and 76 Fd Regt moved to area 650248 and BAKEL 6124.
	27	1300	Div HQ moved to 583214 arriving at 1400 hrs.
	27	1500	Enemy Tac R machine flew over Div HQ.
	27	1600	Comd 8 Corps visited Div HQ to explain redisposition of div, which will entail a further extension of territorial responsibility incl the occupation of ST ANTHONIS with a view to the div holding firm behind adv of 11 Armd Div to the R MEUSE.
	27	1810	GOC, who had visited 11 Armd Div in the course of the of the afternoon, held an O Gp, issuing orders for readjustment of div area, confirmed in 3 Br Inf Div O O No 11.	Appx 35
	27		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No 92 issued.	Appx 36
HELMOND	28	0140	8 Corps infm that 11 Armd Div has been postponed 48 hrs. This news entailed a rapid adjustment in bde plans, as a reallt of this the only redisposns effected being the relief of 1 KOSB in LIESEL by 2 Warwicks and relief by 1 KOSB of Suffolks Coy at X rds 649248. Otherwise a quieter day for Div HQ and the div generally than for same time.	Appx 37
	28	1745	Warning Order from 8 Corps that all elts of 3 Div in areas DERUNE – LIESEL – ASTEN would have to be clear of these areas by 0830 hrs.
	28	1800	8 Corps conference expanding above. 7 US Armd Div will conc in these areas which must therefore be left clear to accomodate them.
	28	2145	3 Br Inf Div O O No 12 issued ordering redisposn of div as follows :	Appx 40
	28		(i) 8 Bde Gp – South of GEMERT 5830 less one bn to remain 659285
	28		(ii) 9 Bde – BAKEL 6124 less one bn X rds 649247
	28		(iii) 185 Bde – SW of ZOMEREN 5811 less one bn HELMOND 5522.
	28		Arrangements were made to leave covering tps in areas vacated until US tps could take over and to undertake all possible recce to furnish them with details of the tk "going", br and canal recce, latest enemy infm etc.
	28		A quiet day.
	29	1500	GOC held an O Gp explaining 7 US Armd Div's plan and readjustment of bde gps, whereby 9 Bde were to withdraw covering tps from DEURNE at last light or on relief by US tps, two bns to be at one hrs notice to reoccupy the place if things went wrong with the US plan. One bn 185 Bde was similarly ordered to be ready to counter attack LIESEL. This confirmed in O.67 of 29 Sep.	Appx 41
	29	2355	LO arrived at Div HQ with a note from Comd 8 Corps summoning GOC to a recce early on Sep 30, preparatory to a new op whereby one bde gp 3 Br Div was to cross the R MAAS at GRAVE 6253 to strengthen the brhead of 82 US Airborne Div to enable a further bridging of R MAAS to take place.
	29		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No. 93 issued.	Appx 42
	30	0630	GOC set off for recce with Comd 1 Airborne Corps, Comd 8 Corps and Gen Gavin Comd 82 US Airborne Div. Plans were made for preliminary moves of two bde gps on Oct 1, the op to take place on Oct 2/3. Three O Gps were held at Div HQ as details of the complex traffic and conc plans were successively made known. The traffic plan evolved for move on Oct 1 had to allow simultaneously full scope for the ops of 7 US Armd Div, the move of 231 Inf Bde across the river and the hy demands of 30 Corps maint. 4 Coldm Gds from 6 Gds Tk Bde placed under comd. Gavin, James Maurice
	30	0755	Warning Order issued.	Appx 43
	30	1535	3 Br Inf Div mov order No. 9 issued. 8 and 185 Bde Gps to conc North of the MAAS, 9 Bde to occupy area BEERS 6849 and HAPS 7245.	Appx 44
	30	1900	Amendment to above issued.	Appx 45
	30	2230	Mov Order for HQ 3 Br Inf Div to move to area 7056 on Oct 1 issued.	Appx 46
	30	2235	Change in proposed conc areas for 8 and 185 Bde gps notified owing to areas selected belonging to 30 Corps.
	30		3 Br Inf Div Int Summary No. 94 issued.	Appx 47
	30		Att at Appx 48, Sigs Log for 1 - 30 Sep incl.	Appx 48

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.

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