WO 171/1309 - 1 Highland Light Infantry - 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: 1st Bn The HLI
Month and Year: December 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. T. MacLeod

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
HORN	1	1800	As floods had further subsided D Coy sent section fwd. to BRICKWORKS 766904 and A Coy a section to FERRY 753896. Little enemy activity.
	2	0930	Bde “O” Group. As it seemed likely that Bde. would remain near present area for some time, plans for trg. including the establishment of a Div Inf. School were discussed. Stressed that the main problem was the trg. of Junior Leaders.
	3	1615	D Coy area heavily shelled.
	3	1800	Op “Mackintosh” by the RAF to break the dam on the R. ROER and so increase the floods on the R. MAAS reported a failure. Fwd. sections of A & D Coys accordingly went out again.
	4		Little activity on either side.
	5	2015	The floods having subsided further C Coy established a pl. fwd in WEERD.
	6	0730	6 Pr Atk. guns, mortars and LMG formed diversionary fire plan for Op. Leek. This was an operation by 4 RWF to clear enemy from LOCK 733880. Diversionary fire brought little response from enemy. Experimental use was made of smoke to hide gun and mortar flashes. This proved successful and is to be tried more extensively in the future for night firing.
	7	1100	Recce parties from 6 RWF arrived. Final details for take over arranged.	E.1. D.1.
	8	1415	Relief complete. Bn in rest area in VELDHOVEN 4890.
	10		Light carrier Weasel demonstrated to Bn. Divided that after certain modifications it would be useful for C.O.s recces, carriage of supplies, evac. of cas. in bad weather which caused floods etc.
	10		Following honours awarded. They were presented by the C.O. after Church Parade.
	10		Bar to MC Lt J.A. McKinley MC, MC Capt E.M. Andrews, MC Capt P.S. Marsden, DCM Sgt McKenna, MM Cpl Houldcroft, MM Pte Satti.
	11	1430	Demonstration of the T16 and Windsor carriers. They are both improvements on the Universal carrier with better steering and larger engines. Decided that the Windsor would be the better for the A Tk Pl. and the T16 for the Mortar Pl and Carrier Pl.
	12		Major Ednie left for course at Staff College CAMBERLEY.
	14		Draft of 63 ORs most young soldiers.
	9-16		Period spent generally in re-organisation, training, etc. All Coys […] and vehs. inspected.
	16	0930	Commanding Officer and Second-in-Command attended conference on future operations.
	17	1230	Bn moved to LIERRE. HQ, B, C, D Coys stationed in the partially flooded FORT DE LIERRE, A & S Coys in a prison in the town itself. The Div now under 1 Corps in the Canadian Army for special trg.	D.2. E.2. A.4.
	17-20		Little trg could be done. Pl. football league etc organised. Pipe Band played Retreat in the town square LIERRE.
	20	0530	Owing to the growing threat of the German attack against the American 1st Army in the MALMEDY area, Bn was ordered to be prepared to move to OVERYSSCHE 7446 by 1200 hrs.
	21	0630	Bn. moved to area South of LA HULPE 7141.
LA HULPE	21	1430	Bn in position, with recces being carried out for future defensive posns.
	22		Bn role changed again, now a counter attack one on R. DYLE.
	23		Further recces for new counter attack role.
	24	0930	Bn. moved to MONT ST JEAN and prepared defensive posns. To meet any attack on BRUSSELS via WATERLOO.
MONT ST. JEAN	24	1400	Bde conference to settle four different plans of action in the event of the enemy forcing a crossing of the R. MEUSE and advancing on BRUSSELS.
	25	0830	As the 6th Airborne Div had not yet arrived and there was a threat that the enemy might soon reach R. MEUSE Bn moved hurriedly to DINANT 9888.	D.3.
DINANT	26	1000	One Bde 6th Airborne Div having arrived Bn was relieved by 13 Dorsets and moved back to area MORIALME 7490 in counter-attack role on R. MEUSE.	E.3.
MORIALME	27	1130	Bde Conference at which it was stated that the Bde was now under Comd 6 Airborne Div and in reserve. Owing to the situation on the front where the enemy attack had been held at all points, it was likely that Bde. would remain in present location for two weeks, Trg. with tanks in the reduction of pillboxes discussed.
	28	0900	Bn left for NAMUR. Rushed start owing to the re-grouping of 6 Airborne Div. Scarcely any information obtainable. Move very difficult owing to state of rds. which were covered in ice.	D.4.
NAMUR	29	2100	Military Band arrived.
	30	1500	Concert given by Military Band. Warning order received for move 31 Dec to CINEY, There were still hopes of being settled for Hogmanay.

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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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