Memorial Victims October 13, 1944 Wortel-Kolonie

The cemetery of the former vagrants colony in Wortel-Kolonie contains a memorial cross for the victims of October 13, 1944.
During this period there was heavy fighting in this area, which was accompanied by heavy German artillery bombardments. On October 13, 1944, the kitchen of the colony was badly hit with many victims.
There are also two signs on the memorial with information about British soldiers who died in the fighting here

Text info board 1:

Major H.G.ST.G. Pollock, Captain F.F. Hall and Gunner H.F. Pethica of the 248th Division, 62nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, was driving a white reconnaissance vehicle when it was blown up by a mine on October 25, 1944, near this site.
Major Pollock died of his injuries in a medical post in Mendicitie on October 26, 1944 and is honorably remembered at the war cemetery in Geel.
Captain Hall was seriously injured and evacuated, but died in a hospital in Antwerp on October 27, 1944. He is commemorated in the military cemetery in Schoonselhof.
Gunner Pethica was killed instantly on October 25, 1944. He is commemorated honorably at the war cemetery in Geel.
The 248th Division and the 62nd Anti-Tank Regiment served as infantry with "Bobforce", conducted operations against the remaining Germans in this part of Belgium.

Text info board 2:

Lieutenant Cyril John le Rue & Gunner Edwin Warburton of the 338th Division, 102nd Light Anti-Aircraft Anti-Aircraft Royal Artillery, TA, were driving in a truck when it was blown up by a mine, executed on the evening of October 24, 1944, near this place. They were both killed instantly.
The 102nd LAA Regiment served as infantry with "Bobforce", conducted operations against the remaining Germans in this part of Belgium.
Lieutenant le Rue & Gunner Warbuton are honorably remembered at the war cemetery at Leopoldsburg in Belgium.

The Bobforce was composed of support troops such as artillery and engineers and supplemented with Belgian resistance fighters. Here in the region, these were mainly members of the Secret Army of Turnhout, Beerse and Rijkevorsel under the command of Commander L. Van de Werve de Schilde. They were used for surveillance assignments and patrols. They also sometimes stayed in the front line. The Bobforce was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel H.C. Corry.

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Source

• Text: Jhonny Bastiaensen
• Photos: Jhonny Bastiaensen