War Diary: 4th - 7th Dragoon Guards

Month and year: December 1944

The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards December 1944 War diary covers the units time in the area of Geilenkirchen, Germany.

National Archive Reference: WO 171/838

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Page 1 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	1		C. in C. 27 Army Group (Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery KCB, DSO.,
			MC.,) visited HQ 8 Armd. Bde at 1015 hrs.
			The Commanding Officer and the following ORs of the Regiment were presented
			to the C. in C.
			Tpr.MacKillopp - "A" Sqn Tpr.Millbrook "B" Sqn. - Sergt.Harris 56 "C" Sqn.
			Brigadier Essame DSO, Comd. 214 Inf. Bde. called in the morning to see the
			Commanding Officer on our departure from 43 Div.
			Squadron Recce parties visited the new area at SCHIMMERT during the day and
			were allotted their areas.
	2		The Regt. moved to area in 30 Corps reserve at SCHIMMERT (six miles W. of
			BRUNNSUM) for rest (10 days approx.). 147 Regt.RAC relieved us of our
			commitments with 214 Inf. Bde. Move accomplished without incident except
			that "C" Sqn. (leading Sqn.) mistook the route at the start and never even
			passed the S.P. joining in the column at SCHINVELD.
	3		The Commanding Officer and the Adjutant walked round Sqn. areas in the

Page 2 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	3 Contd		morning. All ranks appeared to be in quite comfortable billets. The
			Padre visited Sqns. and held Services during the day.
	4		The Commanding Officer and 2nd-in-Comd, attended conference at Bde.H.Q. in
			the morning when accommodation and forthcoming Operation "SHEARS" were
			discussed, and as a result of this the Commanding Officer held "O" Gp. in
			the afternoon at which forthcoming Operations were outlined.
	5		The Commanding Officer and the Adjutant visited "B" Echelon in the
			afternoon and the Commanding Officer spoke to members of the Echelon on
			recent Operations and GEILENKIRCHEN battle. At tea time order was received
			for "B" Echelon to be clear of their billets by to-night and they therefore
			moved up into the Regimental area. Two new Officers joined the Regiment
			to-day - Captain J.M. Shelley and Lieut. N. Andrew and are posted to "B" Sqn.
	6		The Commanding Officer held conference in the morning and also attended
			"O" Gp. at Brigade in the afternoon of the forthcoming Operation "SHEARS".
			Preparations were made for Exercise LINNEY HEAD (field firing exercise) with

Page 3 of 12

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
6 Contd.		157 Bde. of 52 (L) Div. We were to co-operate with the Glasgow Highlanders,
		and Officers and men came over in the afternoon, were addressed by the
		Commanding Officer and had a look round our tanks.
7		"A" Squadron with "A" Sqn. SRY, some flails and crocodiles carried out
		rehearsale of Exercise Linney Head on some ground South of VALKENBURG. The
		object of this Exercise being to introduce the Inf. Bns of the 157 Inf. Bde.
		52 (L) Div. to the Regts. of this Bde. which will be working with them in the
		next Operation "SHEARS".
		The exercise consisted of a battle run with our tanks shooting the Inf Coys.
		on to their objectives.
8		"B" and "C" Squadrons carried out Exercise Linney Head with 1st Glasgow
		Highlanders in the afternoon, 13/18 H having used our tanks for similar
		Exercise in the morning, when their Army Comd. and Corps Comd. paid a visit.
	1800	The Commanding Officer attended Conference at 157 Inf.Bde. on Op. "SHEARS".
90		Snow fell in the afternoon.

Page 4 of 12

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
9 Contd.
	1400	The Commanding Officer held "O" Gp. at which the Squadron Leaders of the
		617 Assault Sqn. REs and all "B" Sqn. Officers and Lothian and Border
		Horse (Flails) also attended.
	1800	The Commanding Officer attended conference at HQ of Glasgow Highlanders.
		The Commanding Officer of the 52nd Recce Regt. (Lt.Col.J.Hankey) who spent
		a week with the Regiment in 1941 when we were at Edgecote called in the
		morning to discuss Operation "SHEARS" as affecting our "C" Sqn. which were
		to support them at one stage during the battle.
10		The Commanding Officer attended all day Conference at HQ 52 (L)
		Div. on Operation SHEARS which was scheduled to come off within
		the next three or four days.
11	1000	The Commanding Officer held "O" Gp. for Operation SHEARS, holding
		separate one in the afternoon for the supporting Arms (i.e. the
		Crocodile Sqn. 1 Fife and Forfar),Flail Sqn. (Lothian and Border

Page 5 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	11 Contd.		Horse) and AVRE Squadron.
			Operation SHEARS was a Corps Operation designed to destroy and
			clear all the enemy in the HEINSBERG pocket and then drive N.W.
			to link up with the British forces in the area of ROERMOND.
			The Intention of the Regiment was to form mobile trains with
			the Glasgow Highlanders and later the 52 Recce Regt. and that
			they should break out from the "Gate" just N. of Tripsrath.
			Capture of SCHLEIDEN and then SCHAFHAUSEN dominating ERPEN.
			That would be done the first day and on D plus 1 the Regiment
			less "A" Squadron would be in support of the 52 Recce Regt.who
			would go through the villages NW of ERPEN as far as BRAUNSRATH
			and HONTEN while the 13/18 H and S.R.Y. together with their
			Infantry from 52 Div. having captured HEINSBERG on first day
			would drive on N.W. up the valley, and the Guards Armd.Div.
			carry out an attack due N. from area of SITTARD-GANGELT leaving

Page 6 of 12

Date	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
11 contd.	the 7th Armd. Div. to take over the line previously held by the
	Gds.Armd.Div.
	Method: (This is only a Summary). Plan NO.1. would consist
	of "B" Sqn. with Company of Glasgow Highlanders in Kangaroos,
	2 Tps. of Crocodiles, 1 Tp. Flails, 2 Tps. AVRES were to pass
	through 43 Div. who would before train set off have advanced
	their line to include WALDENRATH - HOOVENWOODS. This train
	would capture SCHLEIDEN and dominate ERPEN. The second train
	would consist of the Regt. less "B" Sqn. the Glasgow Highlanders
	less one Coy. with the remainder of the supporting arms, with
	the task of capturing SCHAFHAUSEN.
	Other trains consisting of 13/18 H. and S.R.Y. and remainder of
	52 Div. were to follow, 13/18 H, having the task of capturing
	HEINSBERG on night of D-Day. The Regt. were to harbour at
	DORATH. No wheeled vehicles would be allowed at all for D Day.	Day.

Page 7 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	11.Contd.		Therefore replenishment was planned to be done by turretless
			Honeys and ARVs. operation dependent upon the ground hardening
			as at present tracks would be bogged on leaving the roads. All
			the trains would form up on roads S. of GEILENKIRCHEN, and it
			was our responsibility once Train No.1 had got through the "Gate"
			which would probably be mined in addition to the crater already
			in the road there, to inform Bde. whether or not the second and
			successive trains could start. To enable the Commanding Officer
			to give this decision, the Commanding Officer would follow "B" Sqn.
			closely as far as the "Gate" and then await the second train and
			join up with RHQ.
	12.		Ground still muddy. Operation SHEARS postponed owing to weather.
			The Regiment would now operate with the 6th Cameronians of 156
			Bde. instead of the Glasgow Highlanders who have moved up into
			the line. Officers and O.Rs of the 6th Cameronians visited the

Page 8 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	12 contd.		Regiment in the morning and after a short talk by the Commanding
			Officer they all had a look at the tanks.
	18		Operation SHEARS cancelled owing to further rain and very bad mud.
			8th Armd.Bde. reverted under comd. 30 Corps. The Commanding
			Officer held a conference in the afternoondealing with domestic
			points.
	14 & 15		Time spent in "B" vehicle inspections and a dig out of the tanks.
			It was learned that we together with the rest of 30 corps would
			go into the rest area for re-training prior to Spring offensive,
			and that we would not have to go into action for the rest of the
			Year. Thus the first six months Operations were concluded
			during which our casualties for these six months were Killed,
			Wounded and Missing - Officers 33. O.RS. 254, and tanks knocked
			out by enemy weapons 76. Despite these casualties the Regt. is
			still up to strength in total personnel, but not quite in tank

Page 9 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	14 & 15 contd.		personnel. The tank state for to-day, 15th December, 1944
			showed we had 58 tanks on the road.
	16		NTR.
	17		The Commanding Officer held a conference in the morning dealing
			with future training system which would involve short term
			training of tradesmen, such training being completed by 7th Jan.
			Advance parties proceeded to EINDHOVEN where we were to move.
	18 & 19		All Sqns. fired from their tanks at Linney Head.
			The Commanding Officer held Conference on 19th December. The
			enemy launched a big counter attack on the 1 US Army front S.W.
			of LIEGE, and it appeared to have broken through. The total
			enemy forces engaged appeared to be about 20 Divs. and the
			Americans seemed to have little hope of stopping them until they
			reached NAMUR - LIEGE on the Maas. 8 Armd.Bde. had now to plan
			local Defence Scheme ready to deal with any enemy paratroops, and

Page 10 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	18 & 19 Contd.		a scheme was drawn up for the defence of SCHIMMERT. The
			Regiment was to stand to every day at Dawn and Dusk.
	20 & 25		Many Recces carried out for Anti penetration role which we are now
			doing in the 52 Div area - WABAUCH - BRUNSSUM - SCHINVELD, and
			also in the 102 U.S. Div. area EAST of GEILENKIRCHEN and SOUTH
			of PUFFENDORF. The Americans reacted very quickly to the
			Bosche attacks and despite bad weather in the first few days
			which hindered air operations the Bosche did not reach LIEGS.
			or NAMUR, but advanced elements did reach the MAAS in one drive
			SOUTH of LIEGE. Our move to EINDHOVEN was definitely cancelled.
			on the 23rd December the weather cleared and for a number of days
			our aircraft had a marvellous time in shooting up enemy vehicles
			and enemy AFVs. The Regiment was able to observe Christmas Day
			in customary manner despite being at half an hours notice, and
			the Christmas dinner was far better than that of last Christmas

Page 11 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	20 - 25 Contd		which we had spent at Fort George. The Commanding Officer as
			usual visited all Squadrons during their christmas dinners.
			Fortunately we did not have to turn out on Christmas Day.
	26 - 28		The big picture now looked definitely better and the Americans
			had definitely held the shoulders of the German salient and had
			beaten back elements of Pz. Divs who were threatening the
			MAAS. The Commanding Officer held a Conference on 28th December.
			It was still appreciated that the enemy might put in quite strong
			but limited attacks on the 12 Corps front to prevent any British
			Troops being withdrawn to go to the assistance of the Americans
			in the SOUTH.
	29 - 31		Ground hardened with frost and snow fell. Enemy spoiling attacks
			were put in on Gangelt and Tripsrath front but were beaten off
			with very heavy losses for the enemy and no ground was lost.
			The Regiment did not have to move out on any occasion, and was

Page 12 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	29 - 31 Contd.		still static at SCHIMMERT.

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War Diary: 4th - 7th Dragoon Guards

Month and year: December 1944

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