WO 171/1304 - Hallamshire Battalion - 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: The Hallamshire Bn. The York & Lancaster Regiment
Month and Year: October 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. T. Hart Dyke

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
	27		Early in the morning the bn received orders to move up and take over the village of NIEUWMOER 7619. This was being held by Recce to protect the L of C. The bn moved forward and recces were carried cut. Just as the Coys were getting dug in, further orders were received which required the bn to take over the positions of 7 DWR, holding the area between ESSCHEN and NIEUWMOER. 1/4 KOYLI were to take over the Northern Coy locality, while the bn, with two ply MMGs and one troop flails, were responsible for the area from NIEUWMOER to SCHANKER 7423, a front of 2,500 yds. "A" Coy remained in position as left forward Coy. Civilians reported that the enemy had withdrawn across the road through the woods at 7725. Patrols were sent to the edge of the woods to confirm this. They reported no enemy seen except in one case, where vehicles and infantry were reported at 775217. These enemy were stonked, and a subsequent patrol found only blood at that point. In addition to these patrols, the Commanding Officer inadvertently carried out a sweep in the half-track in front of the bn positions. The circumstance arose through the inaccuracy of the maps of the area which had frequently caused difficulty in the past. It was established that the enemy had withdrawn on this sector, and since they had been plentifully supplied with SP guns, it was as well that this was the case. The bn spent a quiet night. Our patrols failed to make contact with the enemy, who had now clearly withdrawn some distance.	O.O. at Appx "R"

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.

Domains

More information

Contact