23rd Hussars War Diary: September 1944
The 23rd Hussars September 1944 War Diary records the regiment’s advance from northern France into Belgium and the Netherlands as part of the Allied pursuit following the Normandy breakout. The month concludes with the regiment holding defensive canal lines, patrolling against enemy infiltration, refitting, and absorbing replacements.
National Archive Reference: WO 171/847
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War diaries referenced here
This diary mentions 1 units with war diaries for September 1944.
Page 1 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMIENS | 1 | Advance continued 23 H leading on route RAINVILLE - PURCHEVILLIERS - | GSGS 4040 Sheet 73 | |
| to ARRAS | THIEVRES - MONDICOURT - AUBIGNY - LES 4 VENTS 3611 which was reached at 1600 hrs, Advance was entirely unopposed, but much transport was shot up | |||
| on the way and several hundred prisoners were taken. Harboured at LES 4 VENTS. | ||||
| LENS CARVIN | 2 | Break harbour 0730 and adv via SERVINS 3713 - LIEVEN 4714 - LENS to CARVIN. Harboured at 1200 hrs in defensive posns, Except for priseners | Sheet 63 | |
| collected by FFI no enemy encountered. Awards announced. | ||||
| CARVIN TOURNAI | 3 | 23 H leading advance from CARVIN at 0730. Pass through WAHAGNIES 6720 - AVELIN 7025 - BOUVINES 7829 - CYSOING 8029. Cross BELGIAN frontier at | Sheet 64 | |
| WOLVERTHEM | BAISIEUX 8232 at 1030 hrs. Reach TOURNAI at 1100 hrs. Held up until 1300 hrs | |||
| owing to traffic congestion, a U.S. Inf Div and Guards Armd Div both having simultaneously and unexpectedly arrived outside the town. Take up pesns in | ||||
| area 9436 at 1400 hrs. Continue adv at 1500 hrs. Pass through RENAIX 0847 at 1530 hrs, NEDERBRAUEL 1951 at 1630 hrs, NINOVE at 1730 hrs. Shot up | Sheet 53 Sheet 54 | |||
| some transport, take 30 PWs and move on. Reach X rds 4754 at 1900 hrs and move on via ASSHE 5162 to harbour area WOLVERTHEM 5966 at 2100 hrs. 'B' | Sheet 55 Sheet 44. | |||
| Sqn in WOLVERTHEM shoot up transport incl 3 speed boats. Total advance in day 85 miles. | ||||
| VILVORDE | 4 | 23 H on right, 3 RTR on left advance to ANTWERP. Route via VILVORDE 6764 - | Sheet 45 | |
| MALINES ANTWERP | MALINES 7174 (1000 hrs) - CONTICH 6986 to rly line 6891 - 6991. Held up by hy 88 and mortar fire but 3 RTR entered, almost unoppesed, across the main | Sheet 23 and 33 | ||
| bridge into the city which had been saved by the Resistance and pushed right through to the dock area. Withdrew at 1800 hrs to harbour at CONTICH whilst | ||||
| 159 Inf Bde cleared enemy posns. 2/Lt. R.H. EVANS and 3 ORs K.I.A. |
Page 2 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1800 | Move to harbour at PULHOF 6992 for rest and refit, At 1400 hrs 'A' Sqn sent | ||
| to capture bridges and cross ANTWERP CANAL, North of ANTWERP but all adv beyond rly bridge 6898 impossible owing to hy A. Tk and Inf opposition. | ||||
| 6 | Other small enemy activity and infiltrations in Div area make it impossible | |||
| 7 | for the Regt as a whole to take advantage of incredible generosity and enthusiasm of the people. 2/Lt. COTTERALL & 4 ORs KIA, | |||
| 8 | Move via MALINES - AERSHOT 9669 - DIEST 1166 to protect Guards Armd Div right flank and bridgehead over ALBERT CANAL. In posn EAST of X rds 1671 | Sheet 45 Sheet 46 | ||
| at 1600 hrs. | ||||
| 9 | 0800 | Move over BEERINGEN Br 2375 to take up right flank protecting at HEUSDEN 2873. In posn all day. Some enemy activity and infiltrations broken up. Form | ||
| Regt - Bn Group with 8 RB, 1 OR wounded, | ||||
| 10 | 0730 | Move to HELCHTEREN 3575 with orders to move EAST and NORTH. 'C' Sqn - 'H' Coy 8 RB leading bump I Bn HUBNER PARA REGT 500 yds EAST of X rds in | Sheet 47 | |
| P.M. | posn as far as KUNSEL 3673. After hy fighting 'B' Sqn - 'F' Coy group outflanked to left and reached main rd in area 3777 by last light. 200 | |||
| PsW taken, 150 killed. Considered as destroyed incl 3 A. Tk guns. Harbour on ground 360760 in cless leager. 2 ORs KIA, 2/Lt. BOWERS & 6 ORs wounded, | ||||
| 11 | 0800 | Adv via T rds 3977 - PEER 4084 to PETIT BROGEL 4088. Some enemy and one A.Tk | Sheet 26 - 36 | |
| gun encountered in PEER and just EAST of it. Harbour at 1500 hrs with A echs, 'B' Sqn to investigate canal crossing EAST of VAUILLE 4490. Hy A. Tk fire | ||||
| and Arty fire makes all approach impossible. Br blown, 1 OR KIA, Lt.J. H. EVANS & 4 ORs wounded. | GSGS 4336 | |||
| 12-17 | Rest at PETIT BROGEL, first time since LAIGLE. | Sheet 4 | ||
| 18-19 | Move to and rest at GRAND BROGEL 4386. | |||
| Received 8 Shermans, 5 Stuarts, 2 M/cs and 1 3-ton lorry. |
Page 3 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 0530 | Move in reserve via bridgehead LILLE ST HUBERT 4294 - RODENRYDT 4299 - | ||
| COUVENT DE LA TRAPPE 4302 to VALKENHORST 4408. 2 FF from SOUTH, 23 H from WEST take HEEZE 4910. Some inf shot up. Harbour in town. 'C' Sqn destroy | ||||
| Coy of enemy NORTH of MARHEEZE 5004. | ||||
| 21 | 23 H lead adv NORTH via GELDROP to area NUNEN - GERWEN 4924 EAST of EINDHOVEN. 'B' Sqn group leading meet hy A. Tk and tank fire from GERWEN and held up 'A' | |||
| Sqn group lead round via NEDERWETTEN 4624 and again held up short of GERWEN X rds. 'C' Sqn group patrol EAST towards STIPHOUT and bump up to 5 Panthers of | ||||
| which they destroy 2 without loss. Established there are up to 13 Panthers in area of which 8 at GERWEN, belonging to 107 Pz Bde, which had orders to | ||||
| recapture EINDHOVEN. This counterattack beaten off, Enemy withdrew during night to HELMOND, 1, OR KIA, Lt. GARAI & 9 ORs wounded. | ||||
| 22 | 0800 | Patrolled NORTH and EAST as far as WILHELMINA and ALWAATERINGS canals meeting only a few enemy and finding all bridges blown. 3 RTR clear HELMOND WEST of canal. | ||
| 1700 | Move South via GELDROP - HEEZE to conc behind 2 FF bridgehead at | |||
| SOMEREN 5911. | ||||
| 23 | 0800 | Move through 2 FF at. ASTEN 6113, 'A' Sqn group leading held up in and North of OMMEL 6216 all day. 'B' Sqn group lead round right and reach main rd South | ||
| of VLIERDEN 6318. Hy cas inflicted and much eqpt destroyed. Enemy of 65 Trg & | ||||
| Convalescent Bn. 5 ORs wounded. | ||||
| 24 | C' Sqn group leading encounters stubbern \inf resistance at VLIERDEN. "H" Coy tanks and arty attacked and with aid of propaganda loudspeaker netted 60 PsW from | |||
| 30 Eng Bn. By 1430 hrs DEURNE 6521 reached where we halted while 2 FF push through 6 Shermans received. | GSGS 4336 Sheet. 5 |
Page 4 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 1330 | Pass through 2 FF as far as area DE RIPS 6630, Area of responsibility from | ||
| to 30 | canal 6833 to excl MILHEEZE X rds. 'A' Sqn group 6833, 'B' Sqn group 6630, 'C' Sqn group and RHQ at DE RIPS X rds 6629. Patrols maintain contact with | |||
| enemy along line of canal to EAST of rd. 9 Shermans received. | ||||
| Vehicles destroyed by enemy action during month | ||||
| Tanks 15, Sc Cars 1, Lorries 1, M/cs 1 |
Units Referenced in this war diary
The following units are mention in this war diary and have their own September 1944 war diary
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