War Diary: Inns of Court Regiment - A Squadron

Month and year: September 1944

The Inns of Court Regiment A Squadron September 1944 war diary covers the units movements from Arras through Belgium to the river Meuse near Sambeek

National Archive Reference: WO 171/854

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Page 1 of 6

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
			A Sqn.
	1st Sept.		Sqn ordered to cross R. SOMME at AMIENS by 0900 hrs and to
			follow up 11 Armd Div. moving N.E. in direction of ARRAS. Sqn
			proceeded via PAS - MONDICOURT - SOMBRIN - AVESNES LE COMTE -
			MANNIN and harboured South of ARRAS - ST POL Rd at TILLOY-LES-
			HERMAVILLE at 1930 hrs. RHQ with 11 Armd Div HQ at AUBIGNY.
	2nd Sept.		Sqn ordered to recce the axis of advance for 11 Armd Div
			towards high ground East of CARVIN. Centre-line approx AUBIGNY
			- SOUCHEZ - LENS - CARVIN, with right flank through VIMY and
			left flank through LOOS. Sqn moved at 0500 hrs in heavy rain.
			At 0800 hrs Sqn HQ was in area SOUCHEZ with one troop at VIMY,
			GRENY and on outskirts of LENS from whence sounds of firing
			were heard. Civilians reported 3 German tanks in LENS. Enemy
			infantry contacted on BETHUNE Rd. At 0900 hrs 2 troops

Page 2 of 6

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
			advanced through LENS in direction of CARVIN. Rain continued,
			making wireless reception very poor. Sqn ordered to proceed

			with all speed to CANAL DE HAUTE DEULE and secure and hold
			three bridges on the three routes until relieved by tanks.
			On the left route the bridge at WINGLES was found to be
			blown but not covered by fire. On the centre route the bridge
			at 578188 was constructed of wood and attempts had been made
			to blow it, but it was secure to vehicles of 8-10 tons weight.
			On the right route the bridge at 558194 was found to be intact
			and was used throughout the day until the main rd bridge was
			repaired and opened as a Class 40 bridge in the late evening.
	3rd Sept		Reveille 0415: Sqn moved 0600 hrs. SECLIN strongly held by
			enemy and not cleared until early afternoon. Sqn followed

Page 3 of 6

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
			N.E. route through SECLIN - VANDEVILLE - CHERING - SIN
			TOUFFLERS (Belgian frontier crossed at this point) NECHIN
			- PECQ crossing ESCAUT Canal at WARCOING - CELLES which RENAIX -
			OUDENARDE. Evidence of a hurried German retreat was seen in
			the dead horses, broken guns, tractors and burning houses,
			but no live Germans were encountered.
	4th Sept.		Sqn ordered to recce and seize and hold bridges at WAELHEM
			and BOOM for use by 11 Armd Div. The advance continued through
			ST ANTELLINKX - KERKXKEN - EREMBODEGEM - MERCHTEM -
			WOLVERTHEM and orders were received to endeavour to reach
			ANTWERP ahead of the tanks. 2nd Troop reached centre of the
			town which they reported clear except for a number of snipers.
	5th Sept.		Sqn continued advance towards ANTWERP and eventually harboured
			at CONTICH.

Page 4 of 6

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
	6th Sept.		Sqn rested.
	7th Sept.		Sqn stood by for advance into HOLLAND which was later
			cancelled. In late morning Sqn ordered to recce ALBERT CANAL
			from HERENTHALS to MASSENHOVEN and report on rumoured German
			preparations for counter-attack. All bridges over the canal
			South of HERENTHALS were blown and enemy infantry were in
			position on the North bank of the Canal. The church spire
			at BROECHEM was used as an O.P. but no large scale movements
			of enemy troops were observed.
	8th Sept.		Sqn in reserve: night patrols went out but no incidents
			were reported.
	9th Sept.		Sqn moved to area SPALBEEK. Jacques Van Elewyck, leader of
			the local White Brigade "Attached" himself to the Sqn.
	10th Sept		Sqn engaged in patrolling area N.W. of GENENDIJK - PETITVORST

Page 5 of 6

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
			- EYNTHOUT with the object of preventing any large-scale
			enemy movement South across the ALBERT CANAL without warning.
	11th Sept.		Recced area HELCHTEREN - HECHTEL - HASSALT. Enemy contacted
			at various points. Sqn harboured at a convent West of PEER.
	12th/15th		Sqn in reserve.
	17th Sept.		Sqn visited by Lieut-General Roberts, (G.O.C. 11 Armd Div.).
			Standing patrols on line of the canal from a bridge at
			570800 S.E. of BREE to NEERPELT rly bridge at 397953.
			Enemy inf. contacted on CAULILLE - BOCHOLT Rd. and one car
			which remained in observation for the remainder of the day was
			shelled and mortared continously. Sqn Ldr reported to HQ 11
			Armd Div with full information about the canal line in the
			Regtl area, the information being required by G.O.C. 3rd Br.
			Inf. Div. who was to make assault crossings.

Page 6 of 6

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
	18/19th Sep.		In Reserve.
	20th Sept.		Orders received to move into Holland at 1710 hrs and the
			Sqn crossed the border and recc'd the area DEURNE to HELMOND.
	21st Sept.		Sqn moved to HEEZE. A patrol of the Royals was contacted
			who gave valuable information as to enemy dispositions in
			areas MIERLOO, VAARLE, NUNEN and GERWEN.
	22/24th Sept.		Sqn resting. RHQ at LEENDE.
	25th Sept.		Sqn ordered to move at 0615 hrs and recce all roads out of
			DEURNE to the East, North-East, North, North-West, West and
			South-West.
	26/28th Sep.		Sqn resting.
	29th Sept.		Standing patrols on line of R. MAAS and roads leading West
			from river from SAMBEEK to Rd junc 755458.
	30th Sept.		Sqn resting.

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War Diary: Inns of Court Regiment - A Squadron

Month and year: September 1944

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