WO 171/1307 - 1 Herefordshire Regiment - November 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: 1st Bn The Herefordshire Regt.
Month and Year: November 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. G.R. Turner Cain.

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
GRIENDSVEEN	1		Quiet through the 24 hrs: Patrol activity uneventfull. Trip flares laid forward of Standing and DF Patrols.
	2		Nothing to report:
	3		Again all quiet on our front. RE lay shrapnel mines as follows:-Belt of 25 from 710184 to 713183, belt of 25 from 713183 to 713181 (the track being left clear) and a belt of 30 from 714182 to 717181.The whole surrounded by a plain wire fence and marked;
	3	1830	Bn hands over the defence of the area to 2 Bn E.YORKS (3 Brit Div) and moves to rest areain DEURNE in coy groups without incident.
	3	2230	Bn all settled in billets.
DEURNE	4		Maintenance, baths, rest and entertainment.
"	5		Maintenance, baths, and rest. 35 OR's Rfts arrive.
"	6		Maintenance entertainment and rest.The Comd Officer inspects all Coys. Small route marches and drill under Coy arrangements.
"	7		Maintenance, entertainment and rest. Recce party to the KSLI area preparatory to taking over tomorrow. (South East of YSSELSTEYN 7222)
DEURNE and YSSELSTEYN	8	0700	Move to area SE of YSSELSTEYN commences.
	8	0930	Hand over complete and without incident. Coy areas as follows:-'A' 738219, 'B' 735216, 'C' 727226, 'D' 732220, Bn HQ 731222.
	8	1900	Attempted recce patrol to houses 772193 prevented by SA fire and flares at 757197.
"	9		All quiet during the day except for occasional shellfire on road foward of our posns.
	9	1730	-2030 Mine recce patrols went down tracks from X tcks 758216, to X tcks 765205, and from X tcks 744209 to tck june 756204 and thence to ditch at 757197. Found all recce'd tracks clear of mines. Information on ground obtained.
"	10		Occasional shellfire during the 24 Hrs.
	10	1730	-2030 Mine recce patrol from 756204 to 765204 reported tck clear of mines. Recce patrol to BRIDGE 772203 reported tck clear of mines. Recce patrol to BRIDGE 772203 reported Br held by enemy.Information on ground obtained. Three reinforcements arrived.
"	11		Occasional shellfire during the 24 Hrs.
	11	1730	-2130 Mine recce patrol reported ground clear between 756204 and 758197.Information on ground obtained."Going" Patrol (recce) met and enemy patrol at 753196 and returned with task not completed. No casualties.
"	12		No incidents. Patrols uneventful, but further ground information obtained. OP established at ref 744211, to observe any enemy movement on LORBAAN--AMERIKA road.
"	13	0830	Two scout cars of the Inns of Court Regt ambushed at FARM 731204.'B' Coy standing patrol 400x to the NE heard nothing, and thick ground mist prevented observation. Forward standing patrols maintained during the day reported no further incident.Visibility poor until 1030 hrs.
	13	0930	Clearing patrol along track 716197 to 744209 reported area clear.
	13	1630	One pl of the MMG's of 21 Med MG Coy in position.
	13	1830	Patrol sent to ambush at 742203 around burnt out recce car found about 20 enemy already there. They returned to their coy and a pre-arranged "Stonk" was put down on the area by 151 Fd Bty. The same patrol was sent out at 2230 hrs. after a futher "Stonk" and found the area around the car clear.
"	14		Fire from four NBW's on Log Road 744209 to 758217 and particularly on track junc at 758217 at intervals throughout the 24hrs:
"	15		A dead Hun was found by Standing Patrol (7) just in front of their position at 759213. He proved to be a useful identification --a Sgt of 5 Coy II/269 Gren Ers Regt 180 Division.A patrol went to the tck junc at 774195 and heard enemy in occupation. No contact was made. After withdrawing a short distance, a half track vehicle was hard moving North up the road from AMERIKA and it stopped at the tck june: Sounds were also heard at FARM 771187.
"	16		Quiet on the Bn front. There was spasmodic shelling on LOG RD:A patrol was sent out to Fm 771187 to clear enemy heard the previous night, but nothing was seen or heard.
"	17	1600	Heavy fire from NBW's on Log Rd including smoke. It is believed to have been put down to blind our tanks which had been firing during the afternoon.A patrol was sent out to Rd at 775185 and from there North as far as 772202. No contact was made and nothing heard. Ground observation was restricted owing to the extremely dark night.Reinforcements totaling 2 officers and 99 OR's for the unit arrived at DEURNE.
"	18	1230	-1330 Heavy shelling on the X Rds 744209.Intermittent shelling on Log Rd all day.A patrol was sent to clear the buildings at 771188 and then to recce rd running south to AMERIKA from a firm base at 776183 to as far as 776176. On reaching 770186 they were fired on by rifle and automatics. They observed an 8cm mortar and spandau positions to the South of them. No further contact was made with the neemy and the patrol returned by 0315 hrs:
DEURNE	19		Bn moved to Camp at DEURNE. Cleaning equipment, baths and rest was carried out during the remainder of the day.
"	20		Maintenance, baths and entertainment during the day.
"	21	1730	Bn moves to forming up area NE of HELENAVEEN preparatory to attacking AMERIKA, Route DEURNE - LIESEL 6714 - through bridgehead over canal at HELENAVEEN 7311 (made by 15 (S) Div.) to locations as follows: 'A'775140, 'B'773135, 'C'772133, 'D'778130, with Bn HQ South of 'B' Coy area. Troops debussed at HELENAVEEN and from there the tck was poor, and only tracks and four wheeled drive vehicles proceeded. No tanks were allowed through.Close NBW fire on route but no casualties. Intermittent shelling and NBW fire during the night.
HELENAVEEN / AMERIKA.	22	0800	KSLI to the left commenced advance along DEURNE - AMERIKA Ry: to 75 Easting.
	22	0830	Bn first phase of attack commences. Coys reache objectives without seeing any sign of the enemy and consolidated. Coy areas: - 'A' 765158, 765144, 770156: 'C' 758156, 762158: 'D' 765162, 768163, 767162: 'B' 759163, 763161, 759160: No mines met, tcks clear for vehicles but going extremely difficult. BnHQ takes up position at 767154.
	22	1300	With 'A' Coy as firm base 'B' 'C' and 'D' moved to attack AMERIKA. Again no enemy met and coys consolidated: 'A' moved forward.Coys consolidated in area: - 'A' Ry Stn 776168, 'B' 776177, 'C' 785174, 'D' 784180. No mines met on route followed but demolitions caused delay.During this advance, 15th (S) Div Recce Regt moved up on our right in the direction of HORST.
	22	1400	Absence of enemy caused a change of plan, and instead of preceeding in the direction of HORST, this was left to the 15th (S) Div. and we proceeded North.
	22	1430	Carrier patrol recce'd AMERIKA - LORSAAN rd, turned East at 775187, to WOODS area 7818-7819. A few enemy were seen and two were taken prisoner. (Identity II/22 Regt) They stated that they had been left as a thin rearguard, and on seeing British tps were to report back to their unit who had withdrawn to East of the MAAS.
	22	1530	Bn moved to the North and Coys consolidated as follows:- 'A' 785190, 'B' 780190, 'C' 790187, 'D' 784184, BnHQ 783187, meeting wery slight enemy reaction. During the night four PW's were taken - very poor specimens who gavethemselves up. Identity II/22 Regt and 437 Marshe Bn. Continuous rain all day rendered the tracks impassable and supply difficulties very great.All quiet during the night.
	23	1100	(approx) Bn moved to clear tracks and areas and to consolidate in areas:- as follows:- 'A' 795200, 'B'795205, 'C' 800200, 'D' 802203, Bn.HQ 802201. No enemy met and no incidents. Mine boxes seen but no mines in area 802201.KSLI ON RIGHT in area SCHADIJK, 3(Br) Div had moved East to KASTENRAAI and 15(S) Div had moved towards TIENRAIJ, both with little or no opposition thus "pinching" us out.Soft vehicles were able to reach the Bn during the evening thus relieving the supply situation.
	24		Remained in the same location. Div and Corps Commanders paid a visit to the unit in the morning. No incident during the day and night.
DEURNE	25	1440	Bn moves to Deurne Camp.
	25	1700	Move completed without incident.
	26		Maintenance, baths and rest.
	27		Maintenance, baths, rest and entertainment.
Houthuizen – Grubbenvorst	28	0730	Bn recce party moves to recce new area to be taken over from 7 Seaforths, 15(S) Div.
	28	1245	Bn moves.
	28	1600	Bn in posn. Locations, "A" 885156. "B" 897177. "C" 884167. "D" 883172. Bn HQ 885167.
	28	1700	"A" Coy moves to Grubbenvorst area for their night posns.Standing patrols est at 878179. -889179. -903186. -897165.Contact patrols "D" to "B" Coy, and from Grubbenvorst to "B" Coy.No incidents during night apart from periodical shelling E of Grubbenvorst.
	29	0730	Standing patrols returned. N.T.R. Carrier sec takes over from "A" Coy in Grubbenvorst."I" OPs est at 897173 and 889150.
	29	0830	Enemy arty stonk in "B"Coy area. No cas.
	29	1700	Standing patrols est as before, but only 1 pl in Grubbenvorst instead of 1 coy. Spasmodic shelling during 24 hours of Grubbenvorst area.
	30		Same routine as for yesterday, apart from "C" Coy providing pl as firm base at 890163 for standing patrol at 897165. Spasmodic shelling as before.
	30		Turner Cain Lt. Col.Commanding Officer.1st Bn. The Herefordshire Regiment.

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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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