WO 171/1387 - 2 Royal Warwickshire 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: 2nd Bn The Royal Warwickshire Regt
Month and Year: September 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer:

Place	Date	Summary	Reference
France	1	Normal training continued. Usual parties were sent to Cinema Shows, Div club, Corps and Army Rest Camps. Three Other-Rank re-inforcements received during the day.
	2	Normal training continued. Usual parties were sent to Cinema Shows and Div Club. The BN prepared for move on 3 Sept 44. One Other Rank re-inforcement received during the day. One Officer and five Other Ranks were reposted to 1/7 Warwick (in excess of War Establishment) but remained attached to 2 Warwick.
	3	A parade service was held during the morning (fifth anniversary of Britain's entry into the War). The BN moved at approximately 1800 hours by transport to a Concentration area north of the river SEINE (GISORS 532904). This move was completed by approximately 0800 hours, 4 Sept 44.
	4	All troops were comfortably billeted in Barns, etc.,- BN HQ, HQ A & S Coys in the village of VILLERS EN VEXIN, B, C & D Coys in the village of VATIMESNIL. The day was spent in rest, all ranks having been alert throughout the night, and organisation of the new area.
	5	Economy in the use of petrol considered vital by Higher Authority and the BN's allotment was very considerable curtailed. Training Directive issued by CO during the evening.
	6	Training in the new area commenced. Thirty-one Other Rank re-inforcements were received during the day.	See Training Directive attached.
	7	Training continued.The following Other Ranks were transfered to 2 KSLI on this day:- Sergeants … … Three Privates … … Fifteen
	8	Training continued. All ranks took baths in the mobile bath unit.
	9	Training continued. By this time quite an effective Dance Band had been formed from various members of the BN. An Officers' Dance was held in the evening in the residence of Monsieur le Maire de VILLERS EN VEXIN. This proved a very enjoyable evening for all in attendance.
France	10	Normal training continued during the day. A Church Service was held in the morning. In the evening an All Ranks' Dance was held in the barn occupied by 'A' Coy to which habitants of VILLERS EN VEXIN were invited. This also proved a most enjoyable evening for all in attendance.
	11	Training continued. Authority received from HQ 185 Inf Bde for small parties to visit PARIS daily and the first party went on this day. Capt HC Illing (MC) rejoined the BN with two Other Rank re-inforcements.
	12	Second party visited PARIS. Unfortunately this party proved to be last, as these visits were cancelled later in the day. Orders were received that a Bde move was likely to take place in the immediate future.
	13	A practice parade for the visit of the Div Comd the following day was held in the morning. Later in the day orders were received that no move would take place from this location before first light, 16 Sept 44.
	14	Preparation for Div Comd's inspection during the morning. In the afternoon the Div Comd inspected the BN on parade and then met Monsieur le Maire de VILLERS EN VEXIN. In the evening orders were issued for a Bde move to an area north of BRUSSELS for a 3 Br Inf Div concentration, which was coming under the orders of 8 Corps in a role of right flank protection to the 2nd Army; this move to take place on 18 Sept 44. Capt AR Allen relinquished the appointment of Adjt. An Ensa party visited the BN in the evening and gave a concert which was thoroughly appreciated by all attendants.
	15	BN at twenty-four hours' notice to move from first light. In the early morning the advance party left for the new area. Capt HC Illing assumed the appointment of Adjt. All ranks took baths at the mobile bath unit. In the evening a very successful concert was given by menbers of the BN and habitants of the village in the barn occupied by 'A' Coy.	See Move Instructions No. 1 attached.
	16	Normal training. Preparation for move and issue of move orders.	See Move Instructions No. 1 attached.
	17	A Church Service was held during the morning.. Preparation for move.
	18	The BN moved in the early hours of the morning to a staging area just north of MONS, crossing the Belgian border at approximately 1600 hours. This was the BN's first entry into Belgium since 1940.
Belgium	19	The BN continued its journey to the Div concentration area, moving via LOUVAIN, DIEST, HASSELT to PEER, about seven miles south west of the ESCAUT canal on the Belgian/Dutch border, where the BN settled down for the night in a concentration area. During this day 9 Bde forced a crossing over the ESCAUT Canal at LILLE ST HUBERT.
	20	The BN remained in the concentration area at PEER while 8 & 9 Bdes were clearing the enemy from north bank of the ESCAUT Canal and driving the Germans back into Holland. Late in the evening orders were issued for 185 Inf Bde to take over the defences of the bridge-head over the ESCAUT Canal at LILLE ST HUBERT from 9 Bde the next day.
	21	The BN moved at 0900 hours to a position just south of the ESCAUT Canal at LILLE ST HUBERT with the other two BNs of the Bde clearing both banks of the canal south eastwards. At 1000 hours the BN moved to the north of the ESCAUT Canal to take up a position covering the bridge over the canal and to link up with 50 Div of 30 Corps.
	22	The BN remained all day in its position protecting the bridge. During the day orders were received for the Bde to move in transport to an area round ASTEN to take over the bridge-head position which had been gained by 11 Armd Div over the BOIS le DUC Canal, about twenty miles north east of the BN's present position.
Holland	23	The BN moved in transport at 0900 hours to ASTEN, advance parties having preceeded it. On the arrival of the advance parties at ASTEN it was found that 11 Armd Div was still in the process of clearing the town to increase the bridge-head and the move of the BN was held up at HEEZE until there was room for it in ASTEN. The BN eventually arrived at ASTEN at 1600 hours and took up a defensive position round the north and east of the town, with 1 Norfolk round the west and 2 KSLI in position for close protection of the bridge over the canal. There was some shell fire during the day.
	24	During the previous night patrols had brought in a few German stragglers and had found that the Germans were holding a position in some strength astride the road ASTEN - MEIJEL, about one-thousend yards from ASTEN, and 'D' Coy was ordered to go out and clear up this pocket of resistance.'D' Coy started their attack at 1500 hours behind concentrations put down by 7 FD Regt. They immediatly came under a certain amount of shell fire and mortar fire and were held up by a considerable amount of small arms from the area of HEUSDEN. They were only able to make very slow progress in the face of this fire and by nightfall, had been able to get only a footing in the village of HEUSDEN. They were ordered to withdraw as soon as it got dark and the village was subjected to very heavy artillery concentrations. During the night patrols found out that the Germans had had enough and had withdrawn right back to the east of the canal DEURNE east of MEIJEL. 'D' Coy had the following casualties during the day:- Killed - Lts DSB Roberts & RJ Keast (Cdn Army) and two Other Ranks Wounded - twelve Other Ranks
HOLLAND	25	The Bn remained in their positions round ASTEN, wich was now completely quiet. All the civilian population returned to the town and started to clear away the debris. 1 Norfolk moved to HELMOND during the day and 'C' coy took over their sector of the defences round ASTEN.
	26	Civilians reported that small parties of Germans were coming back over the DEURNE Canal into MEIJEL, and so a force composed of the Carrier PL and one PL of 'B' Coy was sent down into MEIJEL to put a stop to this. The Carrier PL engaged a small German Patrol in MEIJEL and killed two and wounded two others without any loss to themselves. The force then returned to ASTEN . Eight other rank re-inforcements were received during the day.
	27	The BN spent a quiet day in ASTEN. The Carrier PL patrolled widely round the town but found no signs of any enemy. Orders were received for the BN to move eastwards to take over a position at LIESSEL from KOSB of 9 Bde the next day. Three Other Ranks re-inforcement received during the day.
	28	At 0900 hours the BN moved to LIESSEL by march route and by 1100 hours the take over from KOSB was completed. A little shell fire in this area. Orders were received from Bde that information about the enemy defences east of the DEURNE Canal was urgently required and during the night three patrols were sent out from 'A', 'B' and 'C' Coys to get this information. All these patrols had small "skirmishes" with enemy defences on the east bank of the canal, and it was established that the enemy was holding the canal in some strenght. Lt. Merryweather of 'A' Coy was very slightly wounded in one of these clashes. Three Other Rank re-inforcements received during the day. Merryweather, H.T.C.
	29	The BN position at LIESSEL was to be taken over during the day by the Americans and the BN moved to a concentration area at LIEROP at 0600 hours by march route; the carrier PL and two Dets of Mortars were left behind at LIESSEL as a screen until the Americans had taken over. The Amercan unit did not take over Liessel until 1830 hours and was considered to be not strong enough to hold the position without some backing up , and so the BN was ordered back from LIEROP to its original position in ASTEN, where it spent the night.
	30	The BN was placed at one hour's notice to move from 0630 hours and remained at ASTEN all day. In the evening orders were issued for a Bde move to a concentration area south east of MALDEN, to take place the following day.

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Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com, transcribing: Theo Vervoort.

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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