WO 171/5201 - 1 Herefordshire Regiment - February 1945

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: 1st Bn The Herefordshire Regt.
Month and Year: February 1945	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. G.R. Turner Cain.

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
HEEL	1		Day and night quiet. No incidents reported by patrols during the night.
HEEL and WEERT	2	0930	Unit handed over area to the 46 Marine Cdo. Change over completed by mid-day without incident, with the exception of LOCK FORCE, who were relieved at last light. Unit moved to WEERT Bks: for a period of training. LOCK FORCE was relieved by 0130 hours 3 Feb: One deserter (Paratrooper) came over from the Island and was handed over to the Cdo:
WEERT	3		Maintenance, baths, and entertainment.
WEERT	4	1000	Bn Church Parade in the Barracks. Innoculations and baths.Training commenced by Coys including firing on the 30x range by 'A' and 'HQ' Coys. Entertainments.
WEERT	6/7		Companies training.
WEERT	8		Bn moved out of the Barracks to make room for the 6 AB Div: and billeted in the town over a wide area. This presented difficulties of administration and in training space.
WEERT	9		Bn settled in. Concentrated on administration.
WEERT	10		Morning spent on training. Football match arranged in the afternoon with the K.S.L.I., which the Bn won 2 - 0.
WEERT	11		Day of rest. Church service in the morning.
WEERT	12		Serious training commenced again. Representative of the Hereford Times staying with the Bn for seven days to collect material for articles on the Bn's acheivements so far.
WEERT	13/16		Normal training, administration and entertainment.
WEERT and TURNHOUT	17	0800	Bn leaves Weert for Thurnhout.
	17	1300	Bn arrives in Thurnhout and is billeted in the Station area.Normal training continues for its future commitment in the battle for the Rhine.
TURNOUT	18/20		Normal training including inf/tank co-operation on a coy basis.
TURNOUT	21		The commanding officer resumes command of the Bn.
TURNOUT	22		Company training continues.
TURNOUT	23		Bn leaves Turnhout for area SE of CLEVE 9051, to take part in operation "Blockbuster"
SE of CLEVE	24	0200	Bn in position in concentration area.
	24	2100	Division intention to break through the HOCHWALD line as Fourth phase of operation "Blockbuster" and to capture the high ground north of SONSBECK 0635. Operation to commence on the 26th. 4th Armd Bde (Scots Greys, 3/4 CLY and 44 RTR) u/c 11th Armd Div in place of 29th Armd Bde who are still refitting.
SE of CLEVE.	25		Bn remains in concentration area.
SE of CLEVE	26		Bn remains in concentration area.
SE of CLEVE	27	0430	Bn ready to move.
	27	0800	Bn moves to forming up area 9744, preparatory to going through UDEM, (captured by Cdns last night) One 15cwt truck blown up on mines, one OR wounded.
	27	1100	Fresh orders, as opposition is stronger than expected. The Bn with 3/4 CLY u/c will capture GOCHFORT feature 000400.Leading tanks encountered difficulty in crossing A/Tk dotch 982414 owing to gap in road, but at 1300 hrs the advance continued.4th Armd Bde moved across from 977412 to 988402 clearing south of this CL whilst we advanced to GOGHFORT feature. Very difficult going with many vehicles bogged, and combined with heavy enemy opposition, shellfire and mortar fire made the going operation slow.
	27	1900	GOCHFORT feature captured with 'A' Coy at 998402, 'B' 988397, 'C' 995400, 'D' 996397, Bn HQ 993400. Very heavy enemy shelling during the night in the Bn area. PW's taken during the day:-One officer and 58 OR's from 84 Div, 2 and 8 Para Divs. (NB Several more PW's possibly 40 passed through other PW cages)
SE of UDEM	28	0001	3 Mons with 15/19th Hussars u/c pass through to capture BRIDGE xxxxx at 004393 and form bridgehead.
	28		0400 hrs., 'B' and 'A' Coys relieved by two Coys of the R Winnipeg Rifles
	28	0430	Bn prepared to move forward through the 3 Mons. The latter, however are held up and eventually we received orders for a night attack to commence at 1955 hrs.
	28	1955	Bn now with 15/19th Hussars u/c in place of 3/4 CLY advanced through Mons bridgehead and reached 02 Easting. SP's and 88mm's plus heavy small arms fire including panzerfausts prevented any further advance towards the enemy dug defences. Bn consolidated 'D'017387, 'C'019384, 'A'018382, 'B'014380, Mor and MMG Pl vehicles only could pass over bridge as only fascines had been laid. The CO commanded from a tank, and only his carrier accompanied him, forming tactical Cmd Post forward. Remainder of Cmd Post remained in old location, for collection of PW's.Cas: to the unit for the two days (27th and 28th) were as follows:-
	28		Feb: 27th. Killed: Offrs NIL OR's 11 Wounded: " 4 " 40 Feb: 28th. Killed: " NIL " NIL Killed: " NIL " 12
	28		Turner Cain Lt. Col.Commanding Officer.1st Bn. The Herefordshire Regiment. Turner-Cain, George Robert

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Source: 11th Armoured Division.

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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