WO 171/547 - 52 Reconnaissance Regiment - 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: 52 (L) Reconnaissance Regiment
Month and Year: September 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. J.B.A. Hankey, OBE

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
LONDON	1		Regt embarked at TILBURY for FRANCE. Complete W.E. of men and vehicles taken.
	2		Laying off SOUTHEND waiting for favourable weather.
	3		Sailed at 1800 hrs and in the Channel just after midnight Convoy shelled.
	5		Arrived at the NORMANDY beacheads and lay off ARROMANCHES. Weather too rough to unload.
FRANCE	6		Regt begin to disembark but very slowly because of weather.
	7		Part of Regt landed, moved to HERMANVILLE SUR MER, 21 miles from ARROMANCHES.
	8		Concentrating at HERMANVILLE.
	10		Orders for move to BELGIUM. Regt less 'A' Sqn (not all unloaded) moves up.
	11		Arrived ALOST about 1600 hrs. 'A' Sqn join about 2200 hrs.
BELGIUM	16		Ordered to move up near DIEST.
	19		I.O. (Lieut Slatter) went out to contact 30th Corps and did not return. Since learned that he was killed by Small Arms Fire in the OSS area.
HOLLAND	21	0015	Regt order to move up main axis. Destination unknown. To be met by L.O. from 30th Corps. Reached harbour 4 miles south of SON about 1500 hrs.
	22	1900	Still on main axis. Regt and Bde HQ under Comd 101 Airborne Div. 'A' reserve in harbour. 'B' Sqn responsible for SON Bridge. 'C' Sqn area ST OEDENRODE (4332). Nothing to report but enemy S.P. and Inf 'milling' about all over this area.
	23	0615	(and all day) 'A' Sqn take over right of 'B' Sqn at BREUGEL. 'A' Sqn facing enemy positions over canal at DONK and BEEK. 'C' Sqn observing along canal from DOORNHOEK (4736) as far S.W. as possible but thick country, mortaring and sniping made approaches very difficult. 'A' Sqn shoot up 3 enemy.
	24	0830	Tactical situation as yesterday but RHQ and 'B' Sqn move to new harbour area in the 'C' Sqn area at 4731 on LIESHOUT – NIESEL road.
	24	1130	Come under command Airborne Corps and ordered to harbour in area SCHAAIKSCHENKMOEK (5751)
	24	1200	Colour party, 'B' Sqn, RHQ and A & B Ech move up to above area leaving 'A' & 'C' Sqn cotn original.
	24	1300	Position until releived. En-rout between ST OEDENRODE to slightly North of VEGHEL road under intermitted shell fire. About 1630 hrs road closed owing to it having been cut by enemy, therefore 'A' & 'C' unable to join up with Regt. Enemy in strength at HERTOGENBOSCH but no patrols sent up this far. 1 Coy fo Coldstream Guards at OSS and 1 Tp of Household Cavalry (A) who have standing patrol at HEESCH during day. Capt Hathway 2i/c 'A' Sqn injured in car smash and sent to hospital.
	25		No activity during night. Regt ordered to harbour in REEK area by Bde to await landing of Div, Road is opened from south allowing remainder of Regt (A & C) to join. 'A' Sqn having seen considerable action at VEGHEL co-operation with Americans. Casualties 4 Killed 6 wounded Ors.
	27	1700	Regt ordered to take over part of Netherland Bde area of recce responsibility viz: – from WAMEL excl along 67 Northing on the right to Maas riverline: on left 'C' Sqn take over that area down to river MAAS. 'B' Sqn responsible for S side of river as far forward as due N of OSS and also to link up with 1st Coldstreams at OSS. No activity during night. Lieut D.S. Murray killed near ST OEDENRODE returning to Regt with replacement vehicles. Driver […] Murray, Donald Stewart
	28		Odd enemy seen across river WAAL by 'C' Sqn but area clear. 3 P.O.W. taken. 'B' Sqn liasing with Coldstream Guards at OSS report area clear. No great activity during remainder of day.
	29		A' Sqn less Assault Tp take over from 'B' Sqn. Assault Tp protecting a Tp of 304 A/Tk Bty at 580510. 'C' Sqn report during the night enemy cross the river in small bodies. Small bodies of enemy frequently in both Sqn areas resulting in skirmishes. 1 P.O.W. taken by 'A' Sqn. 'A' Sqn supported by 1 Tp of 79th Fld Regt and suspected enemy positions shelled. Regt mortars also in support of both A & C Sqns. 'A' Sqn Assault Tp rejoin 'A' Sqn.
	30		Nothing importance happened up till about 1600 hrs when Regt ordered to take over HEESCH, x rds 4851 and OSS 4751. 'B' Sqn take over from 'C' Sqn which comes back into reserve at RHQ. 'A' Sqn Assault Tp and Sqn HQ takeover OSS, 7 Tp to HEESCH, 6 Tp at TEFFELEN 4557. No 3 A/Tk Tp also at HEESCH – No 4 at OSS. One Bty of 79th Fld Regt in support of 'A' Sqn and also one Bty of 22 Armd Bde Arty. 4 P.O.W. taken by 'A' Sqn at about 2000 hrs but no further activity up till midnight from either 'A' or 'B' Sqns. 'C' Sqn North of River MAAS sustained two casualties by enemy mortar fire.

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Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com.

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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