75th Anti Tank Regiment War Diary: October 1944
The 75th Anti Tank Regiment (Royal Artillery) October 1944 war diary covers
the units actions in The Netherlands
National Archive Reference: WO 171/925
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Page 1 of 7
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemert | 1-6 | All Btys resting and maintenance. 117 Bty at MORTEL. | ||
| 5 | C.O. inspected all Tps. | |||
| St Anthonis 423391 | 7 | 11 Armd Div relieved 7 U.S. Armd Div in area SOUTH of ST ANTHONIS facing | ||
| OVERLOON. 117 Bty u/c HQRA and placed in Div Reserve still at MORTEL. | ||||
| De Rips | 118 and 338 Btys u/c 159 Inf Bde. 119 Bty u/c 29 Armd Bde. | |||
| One Tp 338 Bty u/c of each Inf Bn of 159 Bde. Tps of 118 Bty deployed in | ||||
| ST ANTHONIS area covering approaches to village from EAST. E.Tp NORTH of | ||||
| village. D Tp covering BOXMETR road. F.TP supplied forward listening post at | ||||
| HALFWEG (on road to BOXMEER) 118 & 338 Bty H.QS and RHQ on EASTERN outskirts | ||||
| of ST ANTHONIS. 119 Bty in DE RIPS area. | ||||
| 8 | No change in positions. Nothing to report. | |||
| 9 | SPs of 119 Bty engaged pill boxes on canal EAST of MILHEEZE, range 2300 yds | |||
| several hits obtained bad visibility made observation difficult. | ||||
| 10 | A quiet day. 119 Bty reported shooting impossible owing to pouring rain and | |||
| bad visibility. |
Page 2 of 7
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Regiment less the two SP Btys reverted to comd CRA wef 1200 hrs. | |||
| 117 Bty placed u/c 159 Inf Bde and moved to ST ANTHONIS, | ||||
| Gun detachment of L.Tp had amazing escape when salvo of "moaning minnies" | ||||
| landed in Tp area. One shell landed at side of weapon slit, but, due to | ||||
| soft nature of ground dug itself in and exploded harmlessly blowing in end | ||||
| of weapon slit. Another landed directly on weapon slit of supporting infantry. | ||||
| The shell penetrated the chest of one infanteer killing him immediately. | ||||
| Another man occupying the same trench merely suffered from concussion. | ||||
| 119 Bty engaged pill boxes again - range 2400 yds - many hits and | ||||
| considerable damage. | ||||
| 12 | Op "CONSTILLATION" commenced. 3 Brit Div passed through 11 Armd Div to | R.A.11 Armd Div O.O.No.1 | ||
| attack OVERLOON. Btys deployed as before. Capt Smalley posted to 117 Bty | ||||
| as Capt "G" Lieut Swiney took over command of H.tp (119 Bty) | ||||
| 13 | Some shelling in 119 Bty area - no casualties, otherwise nothing to report. | |||
| 14 | D & E Tps (118 Bty) came u/c 3 Div. Recce Regt. F.Tp u/c Inns of Court |
Page 3 of 7
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D.Tp area 7634 E.Tp 7636. F.To 7638 each with one Sqn Recce Regt. Role - | ||||
| flank protection. | HQRA Addendum to O.O.No.13 | |||
| 338 Bty positions slightly modified to meet changing conditions due to 3 | ||||
| Brit Div advance. 119 Bty resting at De Rips. | ||||
| 15 | 159 Bde responsible for the protection of the left flank of 3 Brit Div, | |||
| clearing the area to the EAST of 3 Brit Div. A.Tp u/c 4 KSLI B.&.C.Tps with Tac BHQ | ||||
| employed in follow-up role. Country most unsuitable for A.tk. guns, | 159 Inf Bde O.O.No.9. | |||
| OVERLOON area | 16 | Sgt Taylor's S.P. (117. Bty) K.O'd at MR 794313. Believed hit by enemy tank | ||
| or SP gun from SW direction. Nothing seen of enemy gun. Three killed, | ||||
| Sgt Taylor, Bde Franklin and Gnr McLachlan G.S. Two wounded D/Mech Hoare and | ||||
| D/Op Day. Gun was well camouflaged and position may have been given away | ||||
| when the gun went in at 1730hrs the previous evening, or by tanks of F.&.F. | ||||
| Yeo which were firing nearby at the time and may have attracted close study | ||||
| and return fire. Sgt Brettle attempted to get Sgt Taylor out of the K.O'd | ||||
| SP while ammunition was still exploding, succeeded but Sgt Taylor was almost dead. |
Page 4 of 7
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sgt Brettle badly burned on hands but did not report fact. Targets engaged | ||||
| by the Tp at SMAKT and MARSHEES one a very high factory and two church towers | ||||
| at SHAKT, almost certainly enemy O.Ps, destroyed by 17pdr AP and HE at 3800 | ||||
| yds and 1600yds respectively. Huge explosion heard at MARSHEES at same time | ||||
| suspect HE fell in ammunition dump. Area in which Tp was deployed was | ||||
| very sandy country, making going very difficult, sometimes through 2 and 3 | ||||
| ft of sand. Heavy shelling and mortaring of area. C.Tp (117 Bty) u/c 1 | ||||
| HEREFORD - not deployed. | ||||
| 119 Bty in 29 Armd Bde ops - u/c 23 Hussars. No action. I Tp carrier blown | R.A.11 Armd Div O.O.No.15 | |||
| up by mine. Gnr Childs killed D/Op Barnes slightly wounded. At 1700hrs Bty | ||||
| reverted to comd 29 Armd Bde. 118 Bty. Readjustment of positions D.Tp | ||||
| moved during evening to MERLINGSBEEK 7934. E.TP to MULLEM 7736. F.Tp unchanged. | ||||
| 17 | 29 Armd Bde advance continues. 119 Bty spend a very wet night at HEERSELO | |||
| 117 Bty moved back to OPLOO area. | ||||
| Bakel area | 118 & 338 Btys pulled out of action and together with RHQ moved to BAKEL (6124) |
Page 5 of 7
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| area ( BAKEL - MILHEEZE road), 98 A.tk. Regt R.A. took over area from 118 Bty | ||||
| During the morning 2 Jeeps of 118 Bty hit mines. Major A.G. D. Durnford, Lieut R. | ||||
| A.E. Hine and two ORs were all slightly injured. One OR badly wounded and | ||||
| evacuated. Two further casualties of 118 Bty, injured by falling masonry | ||||
| and evacuated. | ||||
| IJSSELSTEIJN | 18 | 117 Bty with 159 Inf Bde having moved over to RIGHT flank of 29 Armd Bde Gp | ||
| advanced to IJSSELSTEIJN area. B.Tp (117 Bty) engaged in their first tank | ||||
| action. On going into village of VEULEN 7622 in support of 4 KSLI O.C. Tp | ||||
| was informed that there were some enemy tanks to the SOUTH. The SP commanded | ||||
| by Sgt James J. deployed from the road into an orchard from where the cupola | ||||
| of a Panther was seen moving behind a haystack. The Panther was then engaged | ||||
| at approx 800 yds and was set on fire by the first round. A second stationery | ||||
| Panther was engaged and hit but this tank was claimed by an Armd Regt. | ||||
| 119 Bty at MEERSELO, 118 and 338 Btys resting and maintenance in BAKEL area. | ||||
| 48 hrs leave to BRUSSELS and ANTWERP started. |
Page 6 of 7
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 117 Bty Guns in static positions consolidating ground gained. | |||
| HEIDE | 119 Bty advanced to HEIDE | |||
| 20 | No change. Nothing to report | |||
| MILHEEZE | 21 | 119 Bty out of line. Moved to concentration area at MILHEEZE BAKEL-MILHEEZE | ||
| Rd). 117 Bty as before - B.Tp with 4 KSLI. C.Tp with 1 HEREFORDS. | ||||
| 22 | 119 Bty reverted under command CRA. Resting. | |||
| 117 Bty C.Tp came u/c 3 MONS who took over from 1 HEREFORD. A.Tp u/c | ||||
| 1 HEREFORDS at VEULEN, having relieved B.Tp now back with BHQ as Bde Reserve | ||||
| 23 | 117 Bty as before. Other Btys resting and maintenance. | |||
| 24/25 | No change | |||
| 26 | A.Tp with 8 RB at 736218 B.Tp with 4 KSLI at VEULEN 735220 C.Tp as Bde Reserve | |||
| back at DEURNE 656207 with 117 Bty A. Ech. | ||||
| "TOD FORCE" formed - 1 Subaltern and 30 ORs. to guard Bailey Bridge at 699332 | ||||
| because enemy patrols had become aggressive in area. | ||||
| 119 Bty report :-"2300hrs "SAMMY" our famous feathered friend passed away and |
Page 7 of 7
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| was buried with full military honours." | ||||
| DEURNE | 27 | Germans attack on right flank of Div. MEIJEL taken by enemy. LEISEL threatened | ||
| 338 Bty deployed by CRA to meet the threat. J.Tp across road DEURNE-ASTEN | ||||
| K.Tp across road DEURNE-LEISEL. L.Tp u/c 1 HEREFORD area GRIENDTSVEIN. F.Tp | ||||
| (118 Bty) deployed as local protection to 159 Inf Bde HQ in an infantry role | ||||
| 722226. D.Tp takes over Bridge Guard with two Guns. | ||||
| 28 | No change. Enemy halted just short of SLOT 6713. Son and heir born to Lieut Watkins. | |||
| ZIJLBERG | 29 | E.Tp (118 Bty) u/c EAST YORKS (3 Div) deployed in ZIJLBERG area 679186. G.Tp | ||
| area | (119 Bty) u/c 15/19 Hussars in ZIJLBERG area south of railway. H.&.I.Tps | |||
| ordered to ASTEN area by HQRA, escort duty. Returned to MILHEEZE at dusk. | ||||
| 30 | E.&.D Tps (118 Bty) relieved by K.&.J Tps (338 Bty) respectively. F.Tp | |||
| relieved at defence of 159 Inf Bde H.Q. G.Tp (119 Bty) still u/c 15/19 Hussars | ||||
| insame area. | ||||
| 31 | C.Tp (117 Bty) took over local protection of 159 Inf Bde HQ at IJSSELSTEIJN. |
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