| 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 |
| Unit: 15 Scottish Reconnaissance Regt | ||
| Month and Year: October 1944 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. K.C.C. Smith |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.L.A. | 24 | An extraordinarily quiet night. 'B' Sqn reported at about 0715 hrs that they believed the enemy had withdrawn from our front, there having been none of the usual coughing and noise of takeover, as was usual at this time in the morning. 'C' Sqn was ordered by the C.O. to patrol through 'B' Sqn and try and confirm this. In the meantime this infm was passed to 227 Bde HQ, who, on questioning their own Bns, were of the same opinion. 'C' Sqn moved up NORTH through 'B' Sqn and at the same time moved a patrol on the RIGHT flank so as to try and have a look at LIEMPDE from the EAST. As a result of the early infm from these patrols the C.O. was convinced that the enemy had withdrawn back, at least from our immediate front. 'A' Sqn was ordered by him to move up the main BEST - BOXTEL Rd to VRILKHOVEN and at the same time to tap out WEST towards our old "friend" the Rly running from BEST to BOXTEL. 'C' Sqn was soon held up by the bad going, and a number of mines and Rd blocks across the tracks in the woods, but 'A' Sqn were able to reach VRILKHOVEN with little incidence apart from a rather large Rd block which was mined and booby-trapped. 'A' Sqn were able to by-pass this block to the EAST and push fwd. As all infm now pointed to the fact that the enemy had now made a general withdrawal. 'C' Sqn, as they could not get on, were ordered to concentrate at VLEUT. 'A' Sqn were going well and so were ordered to contact 51 (H) Div, who were reported in the village of LIEMPDE, approaching the village from the WEST. 'A' Sqn contacted 51 (H) Div (5 Seaforths) in LIEMPDE. Another patrol reached the outskirts of BOXTEL confirming the Br on the main Rd was blown and crossing the river by assault boat they managed to contact the Dutch Resistance who confirmed that BOXTEL was evacuated but that the Highland Div was still shelling it and had made no attempt to enter the town. This was all passed back to Corps who said they would put the matter in hand. 'B' Sqn, at 1000 hrs, were released from the "Box" and allowed to reform into a Reconnaissance Sqn, and were ready to move Westwards towards OIRSCHOT at 1130 hrs, but 227 Bde were not prepared to let them go until Inf had confirmed that NASTEBEST was clear of enemy. At 1300 hrs it was stressed that unless the Sqn was released forthwith little could be done that day as the hours of daylight were very short. By nightfall, 'B' Sqn had reached SPORDONK where they caught a few Germans napping. The Br was partly blown. This Br they held until relieved by a Unit of 44 Bde at approx 2000 hrs. The RE were ordered to repair the Br during the night ready for an early start next morning. 'B' Sqn concentrated and spent the night in SPORDONK. 'A' Sqn, having completed their job, concentrated in the BEST area for the night, and 'C' Sqn remained in the LE VEULT area with orders to be ready to patrol with one Tp along the line of the WILHELMINA Canal on the front of 44 Bde so as to approach TILBURG from the SOUTH. Generally this was a very good day, especially by 'B' Sqn who advanced some 9 or 10 miles and by 'A' Sqn who did some very quick work on the BEST - BOXTEL Rd. Unfortunately Major G.A. GADDUM was wounded during the afternoon when he stepped on an A.P. mine, and has since been reported as "died of wounds". Very few enemy were seen during the day and only 7 PW were taken. The main problems were Rd blocks, which were mined and booby-trapped, and the tracks, some of which were almost impassable while others were mined. (Infm about mines and definite locality of one mine-field where a carrier of 'A' Sqn had been blown up was pointed out to the Inf by the C.O. when he heard they were going by that route the next day. It is regretted that the Inf took no notice of this infm, and, of course, blew up one of their carriers alongside 'A' Sqn's). |
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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