View MapView MapThe 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment's October 1944 war diary covers defensive operations and patrolling in the Nijmegen bridgehead. The period focused on holding positions north of the Waal around Snodenhoek, alongside alternating spells of rest and training in Nijmegen, reflecting a static but attritional front with regular unit reliefs
National Archive Reference: WO 171/1398
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The 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment are mentioned in 1 other war diaries from October 1944.
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOLLAND | 1 | After quiet night area 730676 with bn NOT in contact an enemy attack | B.1 | |
| Reference 1:100,000 | developed against 7 GREEN HOWARDS and bn ordered to prepare to counter-attack. 7 GREEN HOWARDS succeeded in halting German thrust and | |||
| Map Sht 5 | were relieved by bn at last light. Enemy remained actively aggressive but no major threat developed during night. | |||
| 2 | Bn relieved by 1 HAMPS (231 Bde) and concentrated in NIJMEGEN708607 for period of rest and training. Weather cloudy. | B 2, C | ||
| 3 ) 4 ( | ||||
| 5 ( 6 ( | Bn remained same location. Training, administration, entertainment. | |||
| 7 ) | ||||
| 8 | Bn moved 1230 hrs NORTH of R. WAAL to take up defensive position area SNODENHOEK6971. Bn in position by 1730 hrs. NOT in contact. | B3 | ||
| 9 | After last light Bde dispositions readjusted and bn moved to area 6975 in close contact with enemy. Dull cloudy weather continued. | B 4-5, D | ||
| 10 ) | Bn remained same location in contact with enemy to EAST and NORTH. | B 6 | ||
| 11 ) 12 ( | Enemy generally NOT aggressive and activity on both sides confined to patrolling. Weather very wet, causing difficulty with vehicles which | B 7-10, E 1 B 11-14, E 2-3 | ||
| 13 ( 14 ( | could only move by night owing to excellent observation which enemy had over all bn area from high ground WEST of ARNHEM. Enemy line held by | B 15-19, E 4-5 | ||
| 15 ) 16 ) | FESTUNGS bn throughout this period, stiffened by 60 P.G.R. | |||
| 17 | Bn relieved by sqn Recce Regt. after last light and moved to area NIJMEGEN708607 for period of rest and training. | B 20, E6 | ||
| 18 ) | ||||
| 19 ( | Bn remained in NIJMEGEN. 21 Oct visit by Comd 30 Corps Lt. -Gen. HORROCKS | |||
| 20 ( 21 ) | who addressed all officers and N.C.Os. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOLLAND | 22 | Bn moved over R. WAAL into NIJMEGEN bridgehead to relieve 9 D.L.I. in | ||
| Ref Map 1,100000 | positions 7072, 7073. Bn cadre of N.C.O.s left in NIJMEGEN for course under Major J. G. GIBSON. Relief complete 2230 hrs. | |||
| Sheet 5 | 23 ) 24 ) | Bn remained same locations, conducting inter-coy reliefs every two days. Enemy in close contact and movement by day in forward coy areas restricted. | B 21-24, E 7 B 25-28, E 8, F | |
| 25 ) | Active patrolling carried out both by bn and by enemy. Weather mostly cloudy and | B 29-32, E 9-10 | ||
| 26) | wet with two fine sunny days on 26 and 27. Conditions in forward areas | B 33-36, E 11-12 | ||
| 27 ) 28 ) | improved by duckboards and corrugated iron. Own minefields laid by troops previously occupying area were NOT marked or registered and caused | B 37-38, E 13 | ||
| 29 ) 30 ) | casualties to bn. Platoon every third day given a rest out of the line in NIJMEGEN, 48-hour leave to ANTWERP started during this period, first | |||
| 31 ) | party leaving on 24 Oct. |
The following units mention the 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment in their war diaries from October 1944:
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