War Diary: 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment

Month and year: October 1944

The 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment October 1944 War Diary covers the units time in the Netherlands in the area around Oeffelt, Overloon

National Archive Reference: WO 171/1334

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Page 1 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND	1	0830	Advance Parties under 2IC went forward to new concentration area at
			HAPS (7045).
		1900	Main body of Battalion crossed start line. Start was postponed for one hour
			owing to congestion on the roads leading forward.
			The move itself was uneventful and concentration was completed by 2400 hrs.
			Battalion occupied buildings in the Village with tactical alarm posts dug
			for occupation if necessary,
	2	1230	"D" Coy moved to OEFFELT (7545) already occupied by "B" Sqn 3 Recce. The
			object of this move being to clear the area WEST of the RIVER MEUSE at
			7645 of small parties of enemy.
		2200	A number of German sympathisers were rounded up by local patriots and sent
			back for investigation by civil authorities.
			The Battalion was now within six miles of the German Frontier and every
			precaution had to be taken to prevent civilians obtaining information of
			value to the enemy. Although the local inhabitants appeared to be friendly

Page 2 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND			disposed towards the Allies, it was very probable that many of them were
			pro-German.
		1100	Comd of 8 Corps visited OP in HAPS Church. During the night of 2/3
			Oct, patrols located 20 enemy in possession of a fortified house on river
			bank at 769458.
	3	0900	"B" Coy moved to OEFFELT and joined "D" Coy.
		1100	2 SP A tk Guns from 45 A tk Bty RA moved up to engage enemy in house
			769458 but before they could get into action the house had been set on
			fire by 3" Mortars and 37 mm Guns of "B" Sqn 3 Recce. Several enemy were
			seen to leave the building and withdraw towards the RIVER MEUSE.
			"B" Sqn 3 Recce were withdrawn from OEFFELT. Disposition of Battalion
			in OEFFELT was "B" and "D" Coys with FOO 33 Fd Regt RA - 2 Sections Carriers
			1 section Mortars - 1 Section A tk Platoon. The rest of the Battalion
			remained in HAPS.

Page 3 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND.	4	1100	"A" Coy relieved "D" Coy in OEFFELT.
		1500	2 sections of Mortar Platoon engaged targets EAST of RIVER MEUSE.
	4/5		Patrols from forward Coys heard MT movement EAST of river. "A" Coy patrol
			contacted enemy who had crossed the river at 769459. The enemy were
			engaged and two believed hit. Our patrol suffered two casualties - 1 OR
			killed and 1 OR wounded.
	5	0900	3 SP A tk Guns (M.10) engaged enemy OP in factory chimney at 762481. 36
			shots were fired and the chimney was demolished. "C" Coy relieved "B" Coy
			at OEFFELT.
	5/6		During the night our patrols fired on two enemy patrols. Result of action
			not known.
	6	1500	SP Guns engaged house at 769458 and enemy OP at 778456. Direct hits were
			observed on both targets and enemy were seen running from the OP. Both
			targets were then engaged by Arty and MGs.
	6/7	1800	A patrol from "A"Coy went to house at 769458. About 30 yards from the

Page 4 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND			house a booby trap exploded wounding 1 OR and an enemy MG opened up from
			area 769459. Two other MGs were located in this area and our patrol
			returned the enemy fire. At 2400 hours our patrol returned to Coy lines.
	7	0400	Another patrol went out and by first light was in position near the house
			which now appeared to be unoccupied. After dawn it was discovered that
			the enemy were occupying trenches between the house and the river. The
			patrol was withdrawn at mid-day.
	8	0400	Strong patrols from "A" and "C" Coys took up positions SOUTH and NORTH
			respectively of the ferryhouse to watch enemy movement. One German shot
			believed killed, but the body could not be recovered.
		1200	"D" Coy relieved "A" Coy at OEFFELT. Major Shaw took over "S" Coy and
			Capt Hill was transferred to "C" Coy as 2IC. Plans were made for 1 KOSB
			to relieve forward Coys in OEFFELT.
			During the evening, news, was received that a Battalion from 185 Bde would
			relieve us in OEFFELT.

Page 5 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND.		0600	Advance parties arrived from 2 KSLI - 185 Bde.
		0845	An unidentified Jeep drove through the forward positions at OEFFELT and
			although attempts were made to warn the driver, he continued towards the
			enemy. A few seconds afterwards MG Fire was heard from the enemy positions
			A strong patrol was sent out to within 30 yards of house at 769459 but no
			trace of the Jeep could be found.
		1800	Forward Coys were relieved by 2 KSLI and the Battalion concentrated in HAPS.
			Major EEHG Dawson (wounded at CAMBES wood in July) rejoined the Battalion
			and assumed Command of "D" Coy.
	10		Major Clarke was transferred to HQ Coy and Capt Curnow to be 2IC "A" Coy.
			Orders were given for the Battalion to move to forward concentration area
			near St.ANTHONIS 7138 on 11 Oct.
		1900	Move postponed owing to bad weather delaying future operations.
	11		Uneventful. Battalion remained in HAPS.
	12		Today the Battalion moved to concentration area near ST ANTHONIS 7138.

Page 6 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND.			Concentration was completed by 1430 hours.
	13	0545	Recce party under Major LHB COLVIN moved to forward concentration area 7233.
		0700	Main body followed and concentration was complete by 1100 hours.
		1400	Recce party under Major LHB COLVIN moved to 1 KOSB position 7432.
		1615	Main body of Battalion followed taking up position with "A" and "B" Coys
			forward and "C" and "D" Coys in reserve. During the move Bn HQ suffered
			casualties by an 88 mm shell. Major EDWARDS RA and 2 ORs were wounded and
			1 OR killed. Battalion remained in this position overnight.
	14	0600	"A" and "B" Coys plus forward Command group moved forward and took up
			positions in area 7431 followed later by "C" and "D" Coys and remainder
			of Bn HQ. During the night 13/14 "B" Coy were moved to the rear of the
			wood held by the RUR with the intention of moving to the forward edge of
			the wood at 753299 and sending out at 0600 hours a Recce patrol to find out
			if (a) the stream in front was passable to tanks and (b) if the NORTH
			EASTERN corner of wood to the SOUTH was held by the enemy. Guides from the

Page 7 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND			2 RUR were late and took much longer to guide the Coy through the wood than had
			been allowed for. Consequently it was almost 0700 hours and daylight
			by the time the Coy reached the forward edge of the wood and the patrol
			was cancelled. H hour was to have been 0700 but was postponed until
			0730. At 0730 the Coy crossed the start line which was the forward edge
			of the wood occupied by the RUR. Order of advance was 12 Platoon left
			11 Platoon right 10 Platoon behind 12 Platoon and Coy HQ behind 11 Platoon.
			The Coy advanced under a 10 minute concentration of Arty. Before the
			Coy had advanced 100 yards the enemy opened fire from a track about
			another 100 yards ahead. The advance continued and the track cleared of
			the enemy. This yeilded about 10 prisoners and a few dead. As soon as
			the prisoners were clear, enemy DF came down on the Coy and four or five
			MGs opened up from the left flank. 12 Platoon were ordered to advance
			under covering fire from 10 Platoon but in so doing lost about half their
			number. The 2IC of Coy went back to the start line to the gunners OP to bring

Page 8 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND.			down fire on the houses to the left of the Coy but the rounds fell short
			and were not of much assistance. The Coy Comd decided that to advance
			would be at great loss and so under cover of smoke he withdrew his Coy
			to the area of the two forward Coys of RUR and dug in. During this part
			of the action the Coy lost Lt Burton (wounded) and 34 ORs killed and
			wounded. It was now decided to launch an attack by the Battalion and
			plans formulated accordingly. The Commanding Officer held his 'O'
			Group at 1300 hours and following his orders Coy Comds under the Commanding
			Officer made a quick recce of the ground. The order of Battle was "D"
			Coy left - "A" Coy right - Advanced Bn HQ and "B" Coy following "D" Coy
			and "C" Coy following "A" Coy. During this recce several of the enemy
			were seen moving in the area of the stream in front of the wood. It was
			appreciated that the enemy holding the Battalion objective were probably
			a Coy strong and that the most troublesome feature of the defence would be
			the DF. H hour was fixed for 1530 hours and at 1515 hours the

Page 9 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND.			Battalion moved to the FUP which was just behind the start line. At
			1530 hours the Battalion supported by Arty and a Sqn of tanks crossed the
			start line. Immediately the Battalion came into the open it was
			subjected to intense Arty and Mortar fire but in spite of heavy casualties
			pressed steadily on to the objective. During the advance "D" Coy located
			two Spandaus at 743294 and these were successfully dealt with by 17 Platoon
			who killed the enemy. Another MG was located in area 754294 and
			supporting fire from tanks was directed against this position until the
			enemy ceased to fire. On reaching the objective "D" Coy re-organised in
			area 752283. At 'Stand To' in the evening (1700 hours) one Platoon was
			pushed forward and dug in on the forward edge of the wood. Soon after
			"C" Coy had consolidated their position a number of enemy were seen trying
			to escape from the rear of the wood. Immediately fire was brought to
			bear on them and a number of casualties were inflicted. During this
			action the Battalion suffered very heavy casualties, our losses being :-

Page 10 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND.			Killed :- Major Dawson, Major Smith and Capt Sutbon.
			Died of Wounds - Capt Mander.
			Wounded - Lt Burton, Lt Pogson, Lt Munton and Capt Curnow who refused to
			be evacuated.
	15		During the day the Battalion maintained its position. More casualties
			were caused by "R" and Schu Mines. Lt Gosling and Lt Gration rejoined
			the unit.
	16	1215	Battalion moved back to area 7431 to re-organise. Remainder of day very
			quite.
	17		Very quite day. Troops rested and cleaned equipment and weapons.
	18		Spent in preparation for move forward.
	19	0745	Recce Party under Commanding Officer moved to the area occupied by
			1 NORFOLKS between OVERLOON and VENRAIJ
		1400	Battalion moved forward to take over positions of 1 NORFOLK, the change
			over being completed by 1700 hours.

Page 11 of 12

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND	20	Day spent in improving positions. Active patrolling commencing.
	21	Spasmodic shelling and mortaring on flanks, otherwise uneventful.
	22	Today yeilded two POW. Gradually compiling knowledge of front from
		information brought in by patrols.
	23	Two deserters were brought in today but information very vague. System of
		patrolling maintained.
	24	List of Awards to Officers and men was published in Orders.
	25	Snipers brought in two POW who gave us useful information.
	26	Four civilians passed through our lines in the morning and four more in the
		afternoon. These people told us of the location of German mines and MGs.
	27	Today there was an increase in shelling, a number of shells falling in
		OVERLOON.
	28	Further shelling by Med Guns.
	29	Standard of patrolling maintained. Bde G.3 wounded by shell fragment.
	30	Very quite, "D" Coy relieved forward Carrier sections.

Page 12 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
HOLLAND.	31		Another quite day, troops in very good spirits.

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War Diary: 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment

Month and year: October 1944

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