WO 171/1387 - 2 Royal Warwickshire Regiment - December 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: December 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer:

Place	Date	Summary	Reference
HOLLAND	1-11	During the days from 1 to 10 Dec the battallion remained in its positions along the river MEUSE watching the Germans on the east bank, who were not at all active during the whole period and owing to the floods no contact was made during these days. There was only slight shelling on enemy positions and movement shelling and mortaring them when suitable targets presented themselves. The guns of the Anti Tank Plantoon also took on houses which were known to be arrival of a party of civilians who came over from the German side of the river in a boat and the capture of two blond female spies who were endeavouring to get over to the German side of the river.
	1	Lt. GA Foster and six other ranks joined the battallion
	2	RSM F Bates rejoined the battallion. Lt. FEJ Letheren arrived. Three other ranks to UK (Python Scheme)
	3	Ten other ranks joined the the battallion
	4	CSM Jones MM rejoined the battallion. One serjeant trasferred to 2KSLI. Leave party to BRUSSELS
	5	One other rank joined the battallion. DAQMG & ADOS 3 Br Inf Div and DAQMG 185 Inf Bde visited battallion
	6	Twelve other ranks joined the battallion. Two other ranks posted to 101Rft Gp. Fwd Coys changed with those training. Following awards approved: Maj. F. Bell MM - MC, Lt CH Mavin - MC, L sjt N French MM - Bar to MM.
	7	Three other ranks joined the battallion. Baths arranged for battallion
	8	Lt RC Fox (CDN Army) joined the battallion.
	9	Eleven other ranks joined the battallion. First Officers Day	see programme attached
	9	Orders were received for the relief of the battallion by S Lancs on 12 Dec to enable the unit to go into a rest area in GEMERT. During the day Recce partis from 1 S Lancs came and looked over the area. Fifty-four other ranks joined the battallion. Maj WJ Phillips, Lt. EE Dentith and eleven other ranks to Brussels.
	11	Quit day . Advance parties left for new parties. C-in-C 21 Army Group visited the division and presented medal ribbons to the following :- Brig EL Bols DSO - Comd 185 Inf Bde, , Maj F Bell MM MC, Lt CM Mavin MC ( last two Warwick), this took place in Monastery Theatre, Gemert. Orders for move on 12 Dec issued	See move Instr attached
	12	Quit day. Battallion took over from battallion of E Yorks (2 E Yorks) in GEMERT having been relieved this day by 1 S Lancs. All ranks comfortably billeted in GEMERT for "rest"periode. Thirty other ranks to BRUSSELS under 21 Army Group and 2nd Army schemes.	see programme attached
	13	Baths arranged for the battallion. Brig EL Bols DSO left the Brigade to take over command of 6 airborne Div. Eight other ranks joined the battallion . 'D'Company held a dance in the evening.
	14	Ten other ranks to BRUSSELS under 21 Army Group scheme. Brig HEG Grant DSO MC assumed command of the Brigade. One lance serjeant transferred to 1 Norfolk. "B"Company held a dance in the evening Grant, Eneas Henry George
	15	The battallions 'rest'period in GEMERT was suddenly cut short by orders for the Brigade Group to take over positions on the MEUSE in the HORST area south of 9 BrInf Bde. The take over was to be from 11 Arm Div who were going into reserve to refit. Recce parties left for this area during the day. CSM C Yeates rejoined battallion. Six other ranks joined the battallion.Three other ranks posted away from battallion. 'A'Company held a dance in the evening.
	16	The battallion moved in MT to take over from 8 RB, 11 Arm Div, this being the third time the battallion had take over the positions from 8 RB. The battallion was now disposed as follow:- Right 'D' Coy - on the line of the railway west of GRUBBENVORST with one platoon in GRUBBENVORST, also Carrier Section. Centre 'C' Coy - on the line of the railway about KALDENBROEK (8816), Bn HQ & 'S'Coy - in the area of GRUBBENVORST station (8816), 'B' Coy - in HOUTHUIZEN (8917) with one platoon by night in WEILDER, 'A'Coy - in reserve in farms south of MELDERSLO (8617). 15 Scottish Div Recce Regt were on the right of battallion and 2 KSLI. This gave the battallion a front of four-thousand yards to hold three companies up and our situation was made more difficult by the area being very thickly wooded and there being no floods from the MEUSE to prevent patrols crossing the river, and, in fact, German patrols had been very active and had been carrying out raids at many points on the front. Communications were made very difficult by roads being non-existent and all tracks almost impassable through mud. There was also a very thick mist nearly every day the battallion was in the area cutting visibility down by day to between two hundred and five-hundred yards.	See move Instr attached
	17	A quiet day but it was foud necessary to commit a very large percentage of the battalliion in standing patrols close up to the river to try and ensure that German patrols did not cross the Meuse without being observed. A large part of of the reserve company ('A'Company) had to be taken for this. Lt. CH Mavin MC, Lt KP Withers and ten other ranks to BRUSSELS under 21 Army Group scheme.
	18	A quit day. Mud caused increased difficulty with transport on the tracks. Three other ranks joined the battallion.
	19	Thirty other ranks to BRUSSELS under 21 Army Group and 2nd Army schemes. Baths arranged for the battallion. Considerable amount of SAA fire during the afternoon.. During the early hours of the morning 'A' Company under Lt Tennant clashed with German patrol and killed one. This patrol came behind them and it is thought they have probably been lying up in the woods on our side of the river for some days. Very heavy mist all day.
	20	All companies carried out wood clearing and house searching operations in their respective areas but without result. However, later during the day 'A' company reported two Germans in their area but after a further vigorous search nothing was found. Ten other ranks to BRUSSELS under 21 Army Group scheme. Comd, 2 KSLI killed during the morning by booby trap. Posted 185 IN Bde HQ - one other rank. Posted 101 Rft GP - one other rank. Heavy mist all day.
	21	Mist as uasual all day and by this time companies had established Ops close up to the MEUSE in several places and many enemy positions have been pin pointed and taken on with Artillery and battallion Mortars. Usual patrol activity during the night without any incedent.
	22	A'and 'B 'companies changed position during the morning . DACG ( Lt-Col Wyles DSC MC) visited the battallion in the afternoon. Mist all day.
	23	Eleven other ranks to BRUSSELS under 21 Army Group scheme. Corps Comd visited the battallion in the afternoon. Posted 185 Inf Bde HQ - one other rank, Posted 1 Norfolk - one corporal.
	24	D'Company heavily mortared and shelled in the early morning causing two casualties Warning order received during the day that the brigade would be relieved by 9 Br Inf Bde on 29 Dec 44, 185 Inf Bde taking over 9 Br Inf Bde area around Horst. One coproral transferred to 1 Norfolk. Eight other ranks joined the battallion.
	25	Christmas day spent as well as possible in line. The day was very quiet on both fronts, except from little shelling . The Brigade Commander visited the battallion in the morning and Church Services were held in the morning and afternoon.
	26	Lt G Tennant, Lt DE Flater and thirty four other ranks to BRUSSELS under 21 Army Group and 2nd Army schemes. Communcion services for all ranks during afternoon. The award of Military Cross to Capt M Wood was approved on this day.
	27	Capt M Woods MC , Lt Foster and seven other ranks to BRUSSELS under 21 Army scheme. Recce parties of 1 KOSB (relieving Unit) visited the battalion during the morning and 2 Warwick parties visited 1 KOSB area.
	28	A 'box'barrage and heavy artillery concentration were [ut down on enemy defences over the MEUSE at 0630 hours, with the object of drawing enemy DF fire. However, there was only a very small amount of fire returned. Orders for take over from 1 KOSB issued ( see move instr attached). Op Instr for role carried out in HORST area and orders for the protection of the town issued during the morning ( See attached). Two other ranks posted to 101 Rft Gp. Sjt Hough ( Sniper Serjeant) wounded during the afternoon
	29	Battallion took over during the morning from 1 KOSB in the HORST area ( See move instr attached). Lt EH Morley rejoined the battallion.
	30	Day spent by cleaning up and settling in. Baths arranged for the battallion.
	31	Day considered as Regimental Holiday. Eleven other ranks to BRUSSELS under 21 Army Group scheme. The Brigade Commander visited the battallion during the morning to make presentations to the following personnel. ( see attached list)

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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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