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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: 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
6   In the meantime the Commanding Officer had returned to his HQ at AERLE. The position here was much more comfortable though very weakly held. "A" Coy were firmly established in the Northern part of the village, while Bn HQ and "HQ" Coy were grouped at the Southern end of the village and the Carrier Pl in the centre. The prospects of a successful defence were nevertheless much brighter than at NIEUWKERK as there were good fields of fire and the position was not hemmed in with foliage as was the former. During the afternoon a certain amount of shelling and mortaring was directed at the village. Two Pioneer carriers were set on fire and some casualties were suffered at Bn HQ. There was no question of a direct attack on this sector however. The enemy attack seemed to be directed more on the Eastern flank of the Bde. As explained already, the leading Coy of the Lincolns on our right had been forced back; further parties of the enemy penetrated past the right flank of the Lincolns moving Southwards, parallel with the GOIRLE - POPPEL road. Some of those parties got as far South as the KOYLI, who were holding the area immediately North of POPPEL. At this stage there was no question of a serious threat on this flank however. By 1900 the position was somewhat quieter. Although tanks had appeared on the main road in front of the Lincolns and been engaged by the Med Regt, nothing further had developed on that front. Shelling abated as dusk fell, a warning that enemy patrols were out.

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.