WO 171/1330 - 1 East Lancashire - 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: 1 E. Lan. R.
Month and Year: November 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer:

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
BEEK ZWARTBROEK	1	0800	0800 hrs Recce Parties moved off to ZWARTBROEK and ELL. The bn moved off at 1500 hrs, passing through KINROY and taking over posns, "A" right in ELL 6493, "B" and "C" in ZWARTBROEK 6394, "D" 634950. Bn HQ was est in a fm ho at 627944. "C" Coy were ordered to move fwd to ELLBURG WOODS 6494 to occupy posns there on first light 2 Nov.
	2	0300	At 0300 hrs an enemy patrol armed with bazookas raided ELL causing cas to 10 men of 1 Manch and knocking out 2 carriers and M.M.Gs. The patrol escaped. It was believed to have come in from the South crossing the NEDERWEERT canal between us and the Belgian Bde on our right. Infm was received of suspected minefields and booby traps and the Pioneers deloused a number of these in the morning. "C" Coy moved into posn unobserved. There was some shelling during the day. Patrols went out during the night to the canal but no rafts or boats were seen there. "C" Coys patrol laid A/P mines on the canal bank hoping to trip up an enemy patrol.
	3		Patrols heard and saw enemy on the far side of the canal but only for a few moments. Contact was made with the Belgians before dawn and before midnight. "A" Coy patrol returned from the bridge 654936 at 2300 hrs and encountered a trip wire, suffering three casualties.
	4	0640	Patrols had nothing to report in the early morning. At 0640 hrs a house in "D" Coy area was set on fire by an enemy patrol.
	4	2335	2335 hrs, report was received that Lt. Tidey with a patrol from "B" Coy had encountered enemy on the canal bank at 651940, Lt. Tidey being wounded. Lt-Col. Burden relinquished command of the bn and went to BRUSSELS preparatory to taking up an M.S. appointment in England.
	5		Two patrols each incl an R.E. officer returned stating that bridges across the canal in our area were both mined. There was little shelling during the day.
	6		Pill box at the bridge 68948 was very active and the enemy seemed jumpy with Spandau bursts being reported frequently. "D" Coy patrol to contact 7 RWF on the left met enemy and believed inflicted two casualties.
	6	0400	At 0420 hrs a lone plane dropped one bomb in "D" Coy area causing no casualties. 25 minutes later the same coy was mortared from the area of the pill box. As a result, the pill box was ordered to be shot up at midday by the sqn of tks in sp of us. During the evening the canal bank was again patrolled and the height of the banks from the water discovered in various places. "B" Coy took over "C" Coy posns at first light.
	7		Today was very quiet only one Shelrep being received and little enemy activity was observed. "A" Coy moved fwd at last light and took up posns left and fwd of "D" Coy (having themselves been relieved by a coy of 4 Welch) on the canal bank at 645951.
	8	0845	At 0845 hrs "A" Coy was mortared and suffered five casualties. Mortaring was due to movement of line parties and food carrying parties which were clearly observed from the far bank. Our arty and mors replied. The rest of the day was quiet except for some slight shelling. Lt-Col. F.F.E. Allen assumed command.
	9	1500	"A" Coy was again heavily mortared although we retaliated with 100 rds 3" Mortar. Capt. LeCocq and 4 O.Rs. were wounded.
	9	1700	1700 hrs bn was ordered to resume its original posns at once. This was completed by 1930 hrs. "A" Coy 4 Welch coming back into ZWARTBROEK.
	10		A civilian engineer with knowledge of the canal was found who informed us of the existence of culverts under the canal. The only one in the bn area was investigated at 1800 hrs but found impassable. Advance parties went to WEERT.
WEERT	11		The bn was prepared to concentrate back in WEERT for a few days rest.
	11	1600	Relief was completed at 1415 hrs and the whole bn under cover by 1600 hrs.
	12		Adm was carried out. The whole bn being bathed.
	13		The bn received preliminary warning of an attack across the WESSEM canal. This operation was knows as "Mallard" and was to be carried out by 53 Div in conjunction with 51 Div crossing further North. Regimental Band arrived under Bandmaster A.B. Yule and gave two concerts in "B" Coy area.
	14		Orders were given out for operation Mallard. Bn was to be called fwd from WEERT to a conc area in ELL whence it had to go fwd over the canal into a brhead formed by 160 Bde preceeded by 1/5 Welch. The attack was to start this night and the bn had to be ready to move by 1000 hrs 15 Nov. 2IC, Major C.W. Griffin, reconnoitred the concentration area in ELL. Orders for the operation are attached as Appendix A.	Appx A
	15	1045	Infm was received at 1045 hrs that the brhead was now fairly secure. According to civilian reports received at 1600 hrs, no enemy were West of BAEXEM 7092. Bn moved fwd to ELL without incident.
	15	1330	C.O., Lt- Col. Allen had gone fwd at 1200 hrs and having seen us safely in, followed up 1/5 Welch, remaining in contact with us by W/T.
	15	1600	At 1600 hrs bn was ordered to cross the canal moving via STENWEG to cross by a Class 9 bridge at 664916 following Bde HQ.
ELL BAEXEM	15	1730	By 1730 hrs the bn was across and by 1900 hrs had reached the road ROERMOND – WEERT at 695934 without opposition. Here, however, "R" mines were discovered. The rifle coys moved fwd on foot and by 2000 hrs had reached the line of the railway in 7094. "F" Ech vehs following the road supposed to be clear of mines, were held up when Lt. Nickson in his carrier was blown up. Fortunately, he was only slightly wounded due to the good sandbagging of the vehicle. Two O.Rs. were also wounded. The R.E. pl under comd then cleared a way, however, and the vehicle party arrived in at 0030 hrs. Major U.F. Hussey de Burgh relinquished 2IC of the Bn. w.e.f. 16th.
	16		An 'O' Gp was held just alter first light and orders given for an adv fwd to capture the village of NUNHEM the route lying along a track North of the railway and North of HAELEN.
	16	1130	The bn passed the S.P. (level crossing 706943) at 1130 hrs, "C" Coy leading. In sp of the bn was a Sqn of tks, and a Pl of R.Es.
	16	1400	The advance was completely without incident, no mines or enemy being encountered, and the bn took up a def posn around NUNHEM at 1400 hrs 1/5 Welch on the right at the same time occupied HAELEN.
	17		Patrol was sent out to see whether 51 Div tps had reached NEER on our left flank. This patrol encountered a few enemy and one bn sniper was killed. No sign of friendly troops was seen. There was intermittent shelling on the bn front during the day.
	18		The enemy again shelled fwd of the bn area. 2140 hrs contact was made with 7th Black Watch on our left in NEER.
	19		"C" Coy patrol reported back from area of house 789956 and stated that these buildings went up in flames just before they arrived there. This became known as Bunt Farm. A number of shelreps were passed to Bde during the day. A number of patrols were again sent out during the night but encountered no enemy.
	20		O.Ps. est in area 777956 sent in a number of reports during the day of enemy movement, which was effectively shelled. "D" Coy patrol to Burnt Farm but no incident reported.
	21		Enemy were again seen on the opposite side of the MAAS and were shelled. A number of Shelreps were sent in.
	22		Nothing of note to report.
	23		Arty fire was directed on enemy targets on the far side of the river. At 1930 hrs "D" Coy again est patrol in Burnt Farm area.
	24		Shots were heard from Burnt Farm area at 0500 hrs. Line to the patrol was "Diss". At 0730 hrs patrol returned, one man having been wounded. (Their line being cup, a recce party investigated and was shot up by a German with a machine pistol).
	25		Patrol est that the MAAS had over-flowed its banks and was flooding the surrounding ground rapidly. At 1630 hrs what was believed to be a V.2 was launched from some 10 miles away to the East.
	26		The enemy began to use Rocket Shells on this front but these were not directed at the bn. 2130 hrs the area was attacked by a few enemy aircraft dropping A.P. bombs, but there were no casualties.
NUNHEM	27	0127	Bn area was again attacked by enemy aircraft, some H.E. and A.P. bombs being dropped. The attack was slight, finishing at 0215 hrs and causing only two cas to the bn from A.P. bombs. The attached M.M.G. Pl of 1 Manch however, suffered 2 killed and 6 wounded. Bn prepared to move in accordance with orders received, to take over the area BROEK and KESSEL 8200 from 6 RWF. NUNHEM was occupied by one coy of 1/5 Welch which took over the bn posns at 1300 hrs.
KESSEL	27	1345	Bn moved off at 1345 hrs via HAELEN, ROGGEL (7397) HELDEN to BROEK, occupying posns with three coys fwd - "A" 805900, "C" 813000 "B" 825006, "D" 821009, Bn HQ being est at 806014. Contact was made with 2 Mons on the right at midnight.
	27	1900	Relief was completed by 1900 hrs. There was only some shelling from the enemy.
	28		There was intermittent shelling by 88 mm and 105 mm during the day. C Coy suffered two cas. Patrols had nothing to report.
	29		Again some shelling occurred on the bn front. Bombs dropped in the evening by a single plane turned out to be RAF leaflets, telling the recipients how quickly they could get to England. Advantage was not taken of this offer.
	30		Enemy activity on the opposite bank at 824000 was engaged at 0035 hrs by arty. At 0515 hrs enemy heard at 827996 were mortared. 1415 hrs and again at 2200 hrs, enemy were seen and heard on the opposite bank and were mortared and shelled, direct hits being secured. Bn was warned to be prepared for a 6 ft rise in water level the following day.

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Source: Joris Nieuwint, The Battlefield Explorer, transcribing: Hans Houterman.

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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