Welsh Guard Bridge Elst

On September 21 after 17.00 hours the Welsh Guards Group crossed the road bridge near Nijmegen with Cromwell tanks.

The 1 Bn Welsh Guards belonged to the 5 Guards Armoured Brigade of the Guards Armoured Division. The 2 Armoured Recce Bn Welsh Guards was part of that division. The Welsh Guards had to support 1 Bn, 504" Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82 U.S. Airborne Division near Oosterhout. The 2 Armoured Bn Welsh Guards and 5 Bn The East Yorkshire Regiment, 69" Infantry Brigade, conquered Bemmel on September 25. They expanded the Over-Betuwe bridgehead from the river Waal to the Linge canal in the Elster neighbourhood of Aam. The 1 Bn Welsh Guards defended Aam from 26 to September 28, supported by 1 squadron of 2 Armoured Bn Irish Guards. Prince of Wales Company. No. 3 Coy and X-Coy 4" Bn The Scots Guards established their headquarters in the Taminiau fruit cannery near the station, a favourite objective of the German artillery. That is why the guards from Wales and Scotland moved their positions to an orchard with a ban, behind what is nowadays a garden centre. They also took up positions south of the Elster bridge on both sides of the motorway under construction. The Welsh Guards supported the Irish Guards on 1 and 2 October and then the Coldstream Guards. From 3 to October 6 they took up positions in the area between 5 Bn Coldstream Guards and 4" Bn The Somerset Light Infantry.
5 Bn Coldstream Guards. The 1 Bn Welsh Guards went to Oosterhout House on 7 October and to Malden on 11 October. Its casualties included eleven killed in action.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Koos Winkelman

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