65th Norfolk Yeomanry Regiment - 257 Battery War Diary: October 1944
The 65th Norfolk Yeomanry Anti Tank Regiment's 257th Anti Tank Battery
October 1944 war diary covers the units time in Holland to the East of
s-Hertogenbosch and Tilburg
National Archive Reference: WO 171/921
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Page 1 of 9
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| As stated in Text | 1 | The BC and 2 IC visit all guns at Stand-To as a result of which certain changes in lay-out are made. At 1200 hrs the BC is called to a conference | |
| with 1/6 QUEENS the result of which is a complete change in our deployment. "A" Tp is back under our comd and 1/7 QUEENS are coming in on our Right to | |||
| link up with 22 Armd Bde. The complete lay-out will now be roughly as follows:- (1) An AMERICAN airborne Bn around HEESWIJK (4241) (2) 1/6 QUEENS | |||
| in area on their Right 4244 (3) 1/7 QUEENS on Right of 1/6 QUEENS in area 4246 (4) 22 Armd Bde on right 1/7 QUEENS and responsible for the area from | |||
| the bridge at VINKEL (423473) to OSS (4754). We have one tp ("A" Tp) in support of 1/7 QUEENS and two tps ("B" & "C") in support of 1/6 QUEENS. | |||
| Final dispositions are not completed until dusk and there probably will be slight revisions to be made at first light to-morrow. Tp HQs are now as | |||
| follows:- all in farm bldgs, "A" 427457, "B" 436445 and "C" 423438. We bed down early the night is punctuated with Arty fire - most of it ours. | |||
| Reveille is ordered for 0500 hrs with Stand-To at 0515 hrs. | |||
| as above | 2 | Further slight alterations in lay-out are made but on the whole we remain | |
| in our previous general areas. One Tp of 258 is placed under our comd and is sited in our Right locality in area 1/7 QUEENS. So also is a Tp | |||
| of 260 Bty placed under comd and is sited on our left flank in support of 1/6 QUEENS. Intermittent Arty fire from both sides throughout the day | |||
| but nothing very serious from either side. Night patrolling on an offensive scale is carried out by both the enemy and our own infy. | |||
| as above | 3 | The weather to-day shows signs of deterioration and of winter setting in. | |
| The rain is heavy and the resultant mud is very deep. One gun of "B" Tp is moved out to a depth posn but otherwise the dispositions remain the same. | |||
| Arty active - mostly enemy to-day, but well to our Left flank. Night patrolling again continues on a largish scale. |
Page 2 of 9
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| As stated in Text | 4 | Nothing to report to-day. Rather quieter than usual from the arty aspect and patrolling is on a small scale only. The weather continues to be wintry | |
| with rain and cold winds. | |||
| as above | 5 | The Med Regt and Bty of Heavy Guns (155 mm s) were very active last night. | |
| They are sited immediately behind us and many of the windows of the bldg we occupy are either broken or cracked. Patrolling on quite and extensive | |||
| scale is again undertaken by the opposing infy but apart from the odd exchange of fire nothing developes. The weather is slightly better to-day | |||
| and the sun shows itself. | |||
| as above | 6 | Stille there is no change in the situation. Weather is again poor and with tk patrol activity the tracks are very bad. Fortunately our guns are sited | |
| near farmhouses and the detachments are able to take cover from the rain. The detachments which are not sited near houses have dug themselves in and | |||
| waterproofed the dug-outs. Digging in this soil is very easy, the soil being very light. | |||
| as above | 7 | We learn that 1/6 QUEENS are being relieved by 1/5 to-morrow but existing | |
| localities are remaining unchanged except for a few odd platoon sections. Throughout last night enemy arty was again active but still on our Left | |||
| and mostly falling in the DINTHER area. It seems that we are liable to remain here for a further seven to ten days just holding the area. | |||
| Patrolling is to be continued on an offensive scale. | |||
| as above | 8 | The relief of 1/6 QUEENS by 1/5 takes place during the afternoon and we are obliged to alter one of our gun posns and this however fits in with our | |
| general plans for the BC decides that our fwd guns must now be moved to alternative posns. Tp Comds are instructed to take the necessary action | |||
| at last light to-night. Alternative posns are being dug during to-day. Arty activity is on a smaller scale and patrols less extensive. |
Page 3 of 9
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| As stated in Text | 9 | We dedide that it is time to move our own HQ and find a suitable farm bldg in the LOOSBROEK area at 455450. Tac HQ moves amidst rain at 1600 hrs. | |
| We learn to-day that we might be required to do some night firing in the form of harassing fire. One gun per Tp will do this on successive nights | |||
| out targets being fixed by HQ 131 (QUEENS) Bde. This is good news and the detachments are all very keen to "let fly". | |||
| As above | 10 | Arty fire from both sides was very plentiful last night. Patrolling was less | |
| extensive. Tonight we are to carry out our first harassing fire task on the road from S HERTOGENBOSCH (3246) to cross roads 3645. We are assisted by | |||
| the surveyors of 3 RHA who select a gun site for us at 444428. "C" Tp provide a gun and detachments. A programme is constructed which indludes | |||
| both AP and HE amn and which commences at 2000 hrs and finishes at 0500 hrs 11 Oct 44. We evolve a drill for night firing and give instruction to the | |||
| detachments on the use of the Fld Clinometer. | |||
| as above | 11 | Last night's shoot went off very well indeed and increased the morale of the | |
| detachment concerned 100 % Whilst we cannot claim any "brews up" it must have been very unpleasant at the receiving end judging by the resounding | |||
| bang of the HE exploding and the weird noise created by the AP whisling over. Apart from this, there is little fresh to report. All guns in the | |||
| Bty have now been moved to alternative posns and the more fwd detachments changed round to have a spell on a depth gun. We are again to carry out another harassing shoot to-night. | |||
| above | 12 | "A" TP provided the gun and detachment for last night's shoot and the gun posn used was the same as before and the target the houses in the area of | |
| BEKLIEUM which is known are occupied by enemy tps. The shoot, on this occasion commenced at 2015 hrs and terminated at 0335 hrs 13 Oct. HE and AP | |||
| were again fired and a total of 68 rds in all. A most successful shoot. |
Page 4 of 9
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| As stated in Text | 12 (Cont) | A most successful shoot in which we were able to claim at least one "brew | |
| up "of a fairly large size. A further shoot is to take place to-night with "B" Tp providing the gun and detachment. Again there is nothing | |||
| fresh to report. | |||
| 13 | Another successful shoot from a posn which was surveyed for us by a "pukka" survey section. We had three targets - rd junctn 368462, road from 375457 | ||
| and road from 378455. Our posn is at 437460. Altogther 63 rds were fired, including both AP and HE. Although there were no "brews up" seen there was | |||
| plenty of noise and it must have caused the enemy another unpleasant night. There is no fresh developement on our front during the day. Offensive patrolling is again to carried out during the night by both 1/5 and 1/7 QUEENS. | |||
| 14 | We have one offr and five ORs attached to-day from 63rd (Oxfordshire Yeo) A tk Regt RA for a period of nine days for "battle innoculation". The offr, | ||
| a Capt, is to remain on Tac HQ whilst the ORs are attached to the three Tps. They are apparently to take over from a Corps Regt in due course and are | |||
| at the moment concentrated in the area of LOUVAIN without any equipment. We are visited by the 2 IC of 259 Bty., who are to continue the good work of the | |||
| harassing fire, and the visit is to get the shooting fixed up. We hear also that the 1/6 QUEENS are likely to relieve the 1/7 QUEENS on the Right of our | |||
| area. | |||
| 15 | 1/6 QUEENS do in fact relieve the 1/7 QUEENS during the evening of to-day. During the morning 1/7 QUEENS sent out a very successful fighting patrol | ||
| which bumped into a strong enemy patrol or patrols and succeeded in inflicting 12 casualties on the enemy without loss to themselves. A carrier section of | |||
| this Bn also had a good shoot against an enemy patrol during the early hours of this morning, killing 1, wounding 3 and taking 1 PW. "A" Tp's gun posns |
Page 5 of 9
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| As stated in Text | 15 (cont) | "A" Tp's gun posns are re-organised to-day as the S.P. Tp of 258 Bty deployed in this area are to be withdrawn out of the posns and used as a | |
| mobile reserve in the event of an alarm. Fresh posns are dug during the day and will be occupied at first light to-morrow morning | |||
| 16 | Nothing fresh to report - a quiet day. "A" Tps new posns are occupied at first light. We are given vacancies for two ENSA shows at UDEN (5242) which | ||
| are allotted on the basis of four per Tp - 2 Tac HQ and 2 A Ech. Shelling is intermittent throughout the day and some 88s or 75s drop in "A" Tp's | |||
| area causing no damage or casualties. | |||
| 17 | Tac HQ again moves - only if matter of a 100 yds - but better accomodation is found in another bldg. Nothing fresh to report. | ||
| 18 | 258 Bty HQ moves into our area during the day and their Tp under our comd | ||
| reverts to their own comd. Also a Tp of this Bty relieves a Tp of 260 Bty on our Right. We hear rumours of a forthcoming attack in the | |||
| S HERTOGENBOSCH area but so far they are not in any way confirmed. Arty activity again heavy but again to our Left in the DINTHER area. | |||
| 19 | We learn that an attack is definitely going to take place with a push | ||
| towards S' HERTOGENBOSCH area and that it is likely to start on SUNDAY 22 Oct. No orders have yet been received but there are elements of the | |||
| 15 SCOTTISH Div and 53 (W) Div in our area and it is obvious that something is about to happen. Activity along the front is not great apart | |||
| from a small amount of mortaring during the night. | |||
| 20 | BC attends an "O" Gp at 260 Bty where our CO gives the general picture. 131 (QUEENS) Bde is to attack towards S' HERTOGENBOSCH on SUNDAY 22 Oct. | ||
| Objectives are limited. On our Right will be 53 (W) Div and on our Left |
Page 6 of 9
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| As stated in text | 20 (Cont) | and on our Left 51 (H) Div. 53 (W) Div is to put in an attack at the | |
| same time as us but an attack by 51 (H) Div will not take place until MONDAY. We shall be in support of 131 Bde and probably in reserve as 258 | |||
| Bty will do the actual support whilst the attack is materialising, apart from this, there is nothing further to report. | |||
| 21 | The BC is called to an "O" Gp with the Colonel at 1200 hrs. During the | ||
| morning there is much movement in our area with Fld Guns, Tks etc., moving up in preparation for to-morrows attack. BC calls his own "O" Gp at 1415 hrs | |||
| from which we learn that the attack is to be made in four phases. First an advance by 1/7 QUEENS to take MIDDELRODE (3943) - followed by 1/5 QUEENS | |||
| on their Right directed on DOORNHOEK (3844). If these two attacks are successful 1/6 QUEENS will follow through on Right 1/5 QUEENS. This Bty | |||
| will become Bde reserve and 258 (SP) Bty will support the attack with one Tp with 1/5 QUEENS and two Tps with 1/6 QUEENS. The arty programme is | |||
| large and commences with CB on a known enemy gun areas at 0200 hrs to-morrow. | |||
| 22 | We are awakened early with the sounds of heavy gunfire as our guns start their pre-arranged shoot at 0200 hrs. 1/7 QUEENS attack commences at | ||
| 0630 hrs and progresses slowly but surely. 1/5 QUEENS start operations at 0900 hrs and also gain quite a lot of ground but the advance is delayed | |||
| by extensive mining which has been carried out by the enemy. 1/6 QUEENS do not start operations to-day therefore but concentrate in area 403452 to | |||
| commence their attack to-morrow morning. There posns on the ground have been taken over by 1 Sqdrn 8 Hussars and "A" Tp who are principally concerned | |||
| are to leaguer with 8 Hussars to-night. Our remaining 2 Tps will remain on the ground as infy are now well in front of them. Tac HQ remains in same | |||
| posn though BC will spend the night at Tac HQ 8 Hussars. |
Page 7 of 9
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| As stated in Text | 23 | The attacks by 1/5 and 1/6 QUEENS proceed well and by mid-day both Bns have tps on their final objectives. We learn too that the attack by the 53 | |
| (W) Div on our Right is going along very well and that their line is at least level with ours if not ahead. The arty preparation for the attack by 51(H) | |||
| Div on our Left started this morning. The attack seems to be going along | |||
| very well and there does not seem to be quite such heavy opposition as was, at first, expected. Our own activities change little - "B" and "C" Tps | |||
| are leaguered about 1600 hrs in their own areas. A Tp remains in posn with 1 Sqdn 8 Hussars who are to be relieved by 1 Coy of Royal SCOTS FUSILIERS | |||
| of 15 (Scottish) Div. This Coy does not arrive however until about 2100 hrs so that 8 Hussars remain in posn and "A" Tp leaguers with them on the same | |||
| basis as last night. 2 IC sleeps at 8 Hussars' Tac HQ. The night is quiet. | |||
| 24 | "A" Tp remain in posn until 1230hrs when the Infy Coy is withdrawn. "B" and "C" Tps are concentrated in the area of LOOSBROEK with Tac HQ and are joined by | ||
| "A" Tp at 1500 hrs. At 1600 hrs "B." Tp is sent out on a job with 1/7 QUEENS. 1/7 QUEENS are to come under comd 22 Armd Bde on the next stage of the | |||
| operations. They expect to move at first light to-morrow. Otherwise, maintenance and general cleaning up becomes priority jobs for HQ "A" and "C" | |||
| Tps. | |||
| 25 | We spend a quiet night. At 1000 hrs we receive a warning order to move. The Regt., less 260 Bty and "B" Tp of this Bty are to move at H plus 532 | ||
| H Hour being provisionally fixed for 1000 hrs. As the day wears on, however, H Hour becomes gradually more delayed as the bridgehead established by | |||
| 51 (H) Div across the river DOMMEL is meeting strong local resistance. Finally 8 Hussars do go across on recce but find the opposition strong. | |||
| 22 Armd Bde, therefore, find crossings elsewhere farther South and cross during the late hours of the afternoon. 1/7 QUEENS with "B" Tp under comd |
Page 8 of 9
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| As stated in Text | 25 (Cont) | with "B" Tp under comd move out just before last light. In the meantime, | |
| the Regt, less 260 Bty and "B" Tp concentrate in our area at LOOSBROEK for | |||
| the night. The C.O. dines at Tac HQ. | |||
| 26 | Another quiet night with NTR. Recce parties are called for at 0830 hrs and proceed to a new area just NORTH of BOXTEL (3234). A suitable leaguer | ||
| area is found around house at 320363 where Tac HQ is established. The Bty moves about 1300 hrs and arrives in the new area about 1530 hrs. We | |||
| are not required this night and settle down again. Route used by the Bty is as follows:- DINTHER (4341) HEESWIJK (4241) SCHUNDEL (4137) - | |||
| cross roads 3736 - BOXSTEL (3334) - new area 3236. | |||
| 27 | No orders for a move are received so we continue with maintenance. The battle is going well büt it seems that there are no enemy tanks in our | ||
| area. We remain in present situation with NTR. | |||
| 28 | Another quiet night with an equally quiet day. Maintenance and general cleaning up continues. "B" Tp remain under comd 1/7 QUEENS who to-day are just outside | ||
| LOON OP ZAND (1440) They have two guns in action as civilian reports indicate two tanks in the area. These later turned out to be SP guns as | |||
| was thought in the first place. | |||
| 29 | Recce parties go off at 0900 hrs to find a new leaguer area for the Bty. Lieut HEPPEWHITE takes over comd of "B" Tp from Lieut ARNOLD who is | ||
| proceeding on a course at the School of Arty LARKHILL. BC proceeds on two days leave to BRUSSELS. We finally move out at 1340 hrs and proceed via | |||
| the following route to area ENSCHOT (1934) BOXTEL - BEST - OIR ESHOT (3215) MOERGESTEL (2230) OISTERWIJK (2234) cross roads 223360 road junc 200338 | |||
| Tac HQ is established in the area 193340 with "A" and "C" Tps and "A "Ech concentrated around it. |
Page 9 of 9
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| As stated in Text | 30 | Lieut HA ARNOLD R.A. proceeds to join his course in ENGLAND via 33 RHU. | |
| The Bty remains in its present location and is not committed operationally, less "B" Troop who remain under comd of 1/7 QUEENS. They are deployed in | |||
| an area short of OOSTERHOUT. One of their gun detachments took a PW this morning - they found him cowering in a farm bldg. | |||
| 31 | "B" Tp revert to the comd of the Bty to-day and come back into the Bty | ||
| concentration area at ENSCHOT, The whole Bty had baths to-day at the No. 1 Mobile Bath Unit, this included "B" Tp on their way back to the Bty. | |||
| A slight alteration in billets is made and Tac HQ moves to the Vicarage at 198343 - this makes an excellent BHQ. The BC returns from his short | |||
| leave at BRUSSELS. Maintenance continues throughout the day. 50 ORs are permitted to attend a picture show at TILBURG. |
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