| 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: 23rd Hussars | ||
| Month and Year: May 1945 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. R.P. HARDING, DSO |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GERMANY | 1 | 00.01 hours. Just after midnight the 23rd Hussars/8th RB got off the road and prepared to leaguer for the night just north of SCHWARZENBECK. 1/100,000 Sheet L5. We were then ordered to move on to give room for Main Brigade to come up behind and leaguer. "A" Squadron Group, followed by HQ and "B" Squadron moved up the secondary road towards SAHMS, 8551. "C" Squadron Group moved up the main road SCHWARZENBECK - MOLLN, 9563. It was a dark night and progress was very slow. We moved at a snail's pace all night. At dawn as "A" Squadron Group approached SAHMS the two leading tanks were knocked out by what were thought to be two Tigers but they were never definitely located. It was decided to put in a full scale Squadron/Company attack. "C" Squadron meanwhile, unable to move up the main road owing to mines and the blowing of the bridge at 845515, moved westwards and then north across country through GROVE, 8351 - LANKEN, 8453 - ELMENHORST, 8553 with the object of striking the main road to the north of the block and continuing the advance. A small number of PWs were taken in these villages. As "C" Squadron Group approached the main road they were engaged by AP fire from the area of KANKELAU, 8854. Tanks were knocked out. "C" Group were then ordered to move into a position to attack KANKELAU. Meanwhile "A" Squadron Group attacked SAHMS and approximately 60 PWs were taken. "B" Squadron were passed through to to work up to KANKELAU from the south but were unable to get on owing to marshes. 2nd Fife and Forfar Group had in the meantime moved up behind "C" Squadron and pushed on across country by tracks to BORSTORF, 8761 - KOBERG, 8564 and thence to SIRKSFELDE. They made good progress against no opposition. At approximately 15.00 hours "B" Squadron were ordered to advance west from SAHMS up the main road via TALKAU and road junction 897591 to KOBERG, there to harbour for the night. There was a delay from mines which had been laid to cover the demolished bridge. There was also a large number of sea mines which had not been primed. The enemy had luckily not had time. 18.00 hours. Eventually "B" Squadron went through followed by "A" and HQ and got off the road in the area of TALKAU, 8857. Meanwhile "C" Squadron attacked KANKELAU and found one 105mm gun abandoned. Three others were reported to have pulled out. Theleading troop of "B" Squadron, when ordered to move on to the road junction, 897591, was fired on from the area MENDORF, 9058. They engaged the enemy and knocked out one A/Tank gun. It was then decided to turn off at road junction 885578 and thence to BORSTORF. The going was very bad. One of the leading tanks was bogged at approximately 873600. Efforts to bypass it and to pull it out were unsuccessful and the Regiment harboured for the night in situ by squadrons wherever it was possible to get out of the lanes. Four Other Ranks were killed in action and two wounded. One car, the MO's 8-cwt, a Steener - a captured vehicle - was abandoned at M.R. 8302, Sheet M 54, WESTERGELLERSEN, Province Hanover, owing to unserviceability and non-availability of spares. Three tanks, Comets, were destroyed by enemy action. |
Source: Neil Grimshaw.
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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