National Archive Reference: WO 171/1276
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Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Original War Diary for the Month of September 1944 | |||
of 2nd Bn the Cheshire Regt | |||
During the whole of this period the Bn was | |||
commanded by Lt Col S.V. Keeling D.S.O | |||
and under operatical command of | |||
50th (Northumbrian) Division |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
St.Sauflieu | 1st. | 0900 | Left for new location passing through Beauvais and Auteil on the way. |
1330 | Arrived at St. Sauflieu location in a farmyard and the surrounding orchards | ||
Stayed in this, location remainder of the day and night. Moving off again | |||
tomorrow morning. Weather showery. | |||
Coy locns: "A" Coy.M/R 056555. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 113 Amiens. | |||
"B" Coy.M/R 474428. " 1/50000 " 9/F/4 Mantes Gassicourt. | |||
"C" Coy.M/R 158602. " " " 98 Picquigny. | |||
"D" Coy.M/R 067497. " " " 113 Amiens. | |||
Bn HQ. " 054467. " " " " " | |||
Pas en Artois | 2nd | 0830 | Left St. Sauflieu and moved off to new location passing through Amiens on |
the way. Received a grand welcome from the civilian population. | |||
1215 | Arrived at Pas-en-Artois Bn HQ located in a chateau previously used as a | ||
girls school. Bn HQ personnel combed a wood suspected of holding German | |||
stragglers - nil result. Moving off again tomorrow. | |||
Coy loans: - (cont). |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Pas en Artois | 2nd. | (cont). | Coy locns:- "A" Coy no change. |
"B" Coy M/R 223526. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 114 Rosieres. | |||
"C" Coy no change. | |||
"D" Coy. M/R 259861 Ref 1/50000 Sheet 85 Beaumetz. | |||
Bn HQ. 258862 " " " " " | |||
Allemes-les-Marias. | 3rd | 1100 | Move off to new locn passing through Arras and Carvin through last war |
battle fields. Passed famous Vimy War Memorial. Battle raging in | |||
Lille this evening. Three trucks belonging to the Northumberland Hussars | |||
the Divisional A/TK Bn, were brewed up by a German Anti-Tank gun after | |||
taking the wrong turning 200 yds in front of us. Locn in open fields | |||
approx 2000 yds away from Haute Deule Canal behind which enemy is deeply | |||
entrenched with MGs Mortars and A/TK guns. Pln of "D" Coy is detailed | |||
to patrol the bank of the Canal in the area of Don M/R 590278 Ref above map sheet. | |||
Enemy activity throughout the night, spandaus, mortaring and shelling. | |||
Weather showery and blustering. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Allemes-les-Marias. | 3rd cont. | Coy locns:- "A" Coy. M/R 162852. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 84 Doullens. | |
"B" Coy. no change. | |||
"C" Coy. " " | |||
"D" Coy M/R 618262. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 63 Lille. | |||
Bn HQ. " " " " " " " | |||
Marquain. | 4th | 0930 | Moved off to new locn. 15 minutes before Bn HQ was due to move off |
shells began to fall into the village causing casualties on Divisional HQ, | |||
who were treated in our R.A.P. by the Medical Officer Capt. T.G. Owens. | |||
Moved through Seclin - Lesquain and Baisieux to Marquain which is just | |||
outside Tournai, Welcome by the population is truly amazing showers of | |||
fruit, wine etc. The Belgian border was crossed at 1215 hrs this morning. | |||
1230 | Arrived at new locn in a school room. Weather fine. | ||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy. no change. | |||
"B" Coy " " | |||
"C" Coy " " |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Marquain. | 5th. | Remained in the same location most of the day. Moving off again tomorrow morning. | |
Day spent in cleaning, reorganising and vehicle maintenance. | |||
Weather wet. | |||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy. no change. | |||
"B" Coy. M/R 406655. | |||
"C" "D" and Bn HQ. no change. | |||
Ninove. | 6th | 0930 | Move off to new locn. Just before we were due to move off in column. - |
Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery stopped to talk with the Commanding Officer | |||
and presented the Bn with a package of 5,000 cigarettes. Passed through | |||
Tournai - Renaix - Nederbrakel to the accompaniment of an amazing welcome | |||
from the civilian population - who hailed us as "The Liberators of the World" | |||
etc. | |||
1430 | Arrived at Ninove to find that the civilians could do enough for us - the | ||
majority of the officers and men had a soft bed to sleep in - the first in | |||
6 months. Bn HQ located in a paint factory and the surrounding orchards. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Ninove. | 6th cont. | Weather wet. Coy locns:- no change. "A" Coy. | |
"B" Coy. M/R 421719. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 44 Termonde. | |||
"C" Coy. no change. | |||
"D" Coy, M/R 378553. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 54 Grammont. | |||
Bn HQ. " 382554 " " " " " | |||
Beersel. | 7th | 0830 | Move off to new locn. Passed through Malines. Here again an amazing welcome |
was awaiting us. Beer - ice cream - fruit - wine etc. | |||
1245 | Arrived at new locn in a large hotel. | ||
Moving off again tomorrow. | |||
Weather fine but cold. | |||
Coy locns:- "A" and "B" Coys - no change. | |||
"C" Coy. with 231 Bde in area of ANTWERP. | |||
"D" COY. M/R 872788. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 45 Malines. | |||
Bn HQ. M/R 856783. " " " " " |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Averbode. | 8th. | 1000 | Move off to new locn passing through Westmeerbeek and Hersselt. |
1130 | Locn in the Abbey at Averbode. Handed a blue print received from the | ||
Belgian White Army, it was found in one of our crashed Wellingtons. | |||
The crew of five were buried in the Abbey cemetery by the monks. | |||
Blue print showed the complete wiring of the Fortress bomber. | |||
Crew were buried in 1943. | |||
Bn HQ. dispersed in the Abbey grounds and surrounding woods. | |||
Weather fine. Coy locns:- "A" Coy. no change. | |||
"B" Coy. M/R 025820. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 35 Gheel. | |||
"C" Coy. no change | |||
"D" Coy M/R 093727. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 46 Diest. | |||
Bn HQ. " 068741. " " " " " | |||
Averbode. | 9th | Same locn all day. "C" Coy have now caught up with us having been | |
withdrawn from Antwerp this evening. | |||
Weather wet. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Averbode. | 9th (cont) | Coy locns:- "A" Coy no change. | |
"B" Coy " " | |||
"C" Coy. M/R987764. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 45 Malines. | |||
"D" and Bn HQ. no change. | |||
Averbode. | 10th. | Day spent in the same location. Monks were only too eager to show us round the | |
Abbey and grounds which amongst other things had its own Printing Works. | |||
An order has been issued by Higher Authority that buildings will not be used | |||
for cover, but why are the men not issued with bivouacs to counteract this. | |||
Hardly a day passes without the men getting wet through and the heavy dew | |||
at night doesn't help a great deal. Weather wet and windy. | |||
Coy locns : unchanged. | |||
Averbode. | 11th | Remained in this location all day. Weather fine but cold. | |
Nothing of interest to report. | |||
Coy locns: "A" Coy. M/R 043854. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 35 Gheel. | |||
Other coys no change. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Averbode. | 12th | Still in the same location at the Abbey. | |
Weather still very cold - rained most of the day. Moving off again | |||
tomorrow. | |||
0930 | C.O. visits A and B Coy Posns and also Brigade HQs. | ||
1340 | Returns to Main HQ. | ||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy. M/R 045797 Ref 1/50000 Sheet 46 Diest. | |||
"B" Coy. no change. | |||
"C" Coy. M/R 2074 " " " " | |||
"D" and Bn Hq. no change. | |||
Klitsberg. | 13th | 1000 | Left for new location. Passed through Deurne - Blankelaer and arrived |
at Klitsberg, where the Bn was dispersed in 3 or 4 open fields at 1200hrs. | |||
Evening was quite interesting, Jerry dropped a large number of flares | |||
over the Beeringen bridgehead also one or two bombs. Bn HQ was a little | |||
disturbed at the amount of shrapnel falling into the area. Several trucks | |||
were hit but fortunately no damage was caused. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Bourg Leopold | 14th | 0900 | Left Klitsberg and proceeded to Bourg Leopold. Bn HQ. located near |
remains of Belgian Barracks - reduced to a rubble by our bombers. | |||
Bn HQ. is now forward of all coys. | |||
Weather fine but cold. | |||
Coy locns :- "A" "B" and "C" Coys no change. | |||
"D" Coy. M/R 268824. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 25 and 35 Turnhout and Gheel. | |||
Bn HQ. " 272824. " " " 25 & 35 Turnhout and Gheel. | |||
Bourg Leopold | 15th | 0930 | C.O. to Divisional HQ to attend a conference. |
1130 | Returns to Main HQ. | ||
"A" and "C" Coys move up and take up posns South of the Escaut Canal. | |||
Weather fine. | |||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy. M/R 318918. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 26 & 36 Valkenswaard & Bree. | |||
"B" Coy. no change. | |||
"C" Coy. M/R 336936 " " " " " " " | |||
"D" and Bn HQ. no change. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Bourg Leopold | 16th | Still in the same location. With "A" and "C" Coys forward on the | |
Escaut Canal and "B" Coy in reserve. | |||
Weather fine but cols. | |||
Coy locns: unchanged. | |||
" " | 17th | Force of bombers over this morning plastering the A/A sites preparatory to | |
the launching of the Airborne attack. | |||
Airborne attack launched this afternoon Paratroops dropped at six points | |||
along the main rd between Valkenswaard and Arnhem - no details yet. | |||
Air activity all day. Numerous allied fighter sweeps. Moving off tomorrow | |||
over the Escaut Canal. Raining in the evening. | |||
Coy locns:- No change except "C" Coy M/R 391039. | |||
S of Eindhoven | 18th | 0900 | Moved from Bourg Leopold locn in some pine woods just off the rd to Eindhoven. |
2000 | Enemy aircraft over dropping A.P. bombs on the rd and bridges and surrounding | ||
woods. Some A.P. bombs falling within 100 yds of this HQ. "B" Coy suffered | |||
11 casualties during this attack. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
S of Eindhoven | 18th | cont. | Coy locns:- "A" Coy. no change. |
M/R 353898. | "B" Coy. M/R 346908. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 26 & 36 Valkenswaard & Bree. | ||
"C" Coy. no change. | |||
"D" Coy. M/R 339893. " " " " " " " | |||
Bn HQ. M/R 353898 " " " " " " " | |||
" " | 19th | Remained in same location all day. | |
Enemy aircraft again bombing bridge over the Escaut Canal. Dropping bombs | |||
very near Bn HQ area. Dakotas going over this afternoon to supply Paratroops | |||
at Arnhem, who are having a tough time of it. | |||
Weather fine but cold. | |||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy "C" "D" and Bn HQ no change. "B" Coy no change. | |||
" " | 20th | Same location all day. Airborne supplies over again this afternoon. | |
Enemy bombing during the early hours of the evening - no damage caused. | |||
Weather fine but cold. | |||
Coy locns : unchanged. except for "A" Coy M/R 357976. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
" " | 21st | Same location all, day. Airborne supplies going over all day. | |
Quiet night N.T.R. Coy locns: unchanged except for "A" Coy M/R 446260. | |||
" " | 22nd | Same location all day. Moving off tomorrow to just North of Eindhoven. | |
Raining most of the day. Some bombing during the early hours of this | |||
evening. Coy locns:- unchanged. | |||
M/R 442227 | 23rd | 1000 | Moved off to new location through Valkenswaard and Eindhoven to locn just off |
the main rd about 2 Kilos outside Eindhoven. locn in orchards moving off | |||
almost immediately. | |||
1230 | Formed up to move off only to learn move cancelled at the last moment. | ||
Airborne supplies and gliders over this evening. Weather fine. Moving | |||
tomorrow. | |||
Coy locns :- "A" Coy no change. | |||
"B" Coy. M/R 694678. Ref 1/100000 Sheet 5. | |||
"C" Coy. " 451261. " " " " |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
23rd cont. | "D" Coy M/R 440228. Ref 1/100000 Sheet 5. | ||
Bn HQ. " 442227 " " " " | |||
M/R 463308 | 24th | 1100 | Moving off to just North of Zon over the Canal. Some confusion on the roads |
this morning due partly to conjection over the bridge at Zon. Arrived at | |||
new locn in pinewoods. Enemy doing some shelling of area during the | |||
afternoon. Towards evening and throughout night enemy continually | |||
shelled area with 210's 105' s and 88's. Very little sleep. Bn HQ had also | |||
to man defence posts as some enemy tanks and infantry were swanning about | |||
on our side of the road approx 3000 yds away. Weather fine. | |||
Enemy pocket has broken rd about 2 miles north of our present locn. | |||
Coy locns: "A" Coy M/R 562405. Ref 1/100000 Sheet 5. | |||
"B" Coy. no change. | |||
"C" Coy. M/R 522363. " " " " | |||
"D" Coy. M/R 463312. " " " " | |||
Bn HQ. M/R 463308. " " " " |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Same locn. | 25th | Some enemy shelling during the early hours of this morning. Arnhem force | |
has been reached by elts of 43 Div. Enemy pocket across rd South of Veghel | |||
is still not cleared up. Quiet day. Raining. | |||
Coy locns:- unchanged. | |||
" " | 26th | 1400 | C.O. to 231 Bde and "C" Coy using road through Donck - Erp. |
1600 | C.O. returns to Main HQ. | ||
1615 | Main rd Eindhoven - St. Oedenrode - Nijmegen now. clear. Enemy lost 100 Inf | ||
and 2 SP guns. | |||
Some shelling throughout the day. Effectively stonked by our Artillery. | |||
Weather fine. Moving forward tomorrow. | |||
Coy locns:- unchanged except "C" Coy M/R 558415. Between Uden and Voekel. | |||
" " | 27th | 1130 | Moved off to new location through Donck - Beek - Gemert and Boekel to |
area in open fields. Raining during evening. Everyone busy digging | |||
defence posts. Force at Arnhem is being evacuated. | |||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy no change. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
" " | 27th cont | Coy locns:- "B" and "C" Coys no change. | |
"D" M/R 546360. Ref 1/100000 Sheet 5. | |||
Bn HQ M/R 552358. " " " " | |||
" " | 28th | Day spent in this location. | |
1630 | C.O. and L.O. visit "A" and "O" Coys 231 Inf Bde and 151 Inf Bde. | ||
1830 | Returns to Main HQ, | ||
Some ack ack and aircraft over Nijmegen Bridge this evening. Day showery | |||
and cold. Enemy air-craft caused no damage. | |||
Coy locns:- unchanged except for "A" Coy M/R 694658. | |||
" " | 29th | Bridge over River Waal at Nijmegen has been breached by a parachute bomb. | |
All traffic restricted. "B" Coy is with 69 Bde on the North side of the bridge. | |||
Coy locns unchanged. Weather wet and cold. | |||
" " | 30th | Still in the same location possibility of move tomorrow to just South of Nijmegen | |
Day quiet - weather wet. Routine restricted to visits to "A" and "C" Coys by the | |||
C.O. Coy locns: unchanged. |