War Diary: 75th Anti Tank Regiment

Month and year: September 1944

The 75th Anti Tank Regiment (Royal Artillery) September 1944 war diary covers the units actions advancing from Amiens, through Belgium to Gemert in The Netherlands

National Archive Reference: WO 171/925

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Page 1 of 8

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
AMIENS - LENS	1	Advance continues with probable axis LENS - ANTWERP.
		119 Bty with 29 Armd Bde reached area NW of ARRAS. H Tp having captured 60
		prisoners en route. 338 Bty with 4 KSLI reached TILLOY and 118 Bty AUBIGNY
		both without incident. RHQ harboured at TILLY-LES-HERMAVILLE with 159 Bde
WINGLES, VIMY RIDGE	2	11 Armd Div advance directed on ANTWERP with Gds Armd Div advancing on	RA. 11 Armd Div O.O. No.9.
- ANTWERP		BRUSSELS. 119 Bty reached WINGLES without encountering opposition. 159 Bde
Axis		Gp reached VIMY RIDGE. Harboured in area of SOUCHEZ. 117 Bty now in front of
		159 Bde Gp reached LENS leagering to NORTH of MAIN DIV HQ on the outskirts of
		town.
	3	A memorable day. By nightfall the Div had covered over 90 miles despite a
		certain amount of opposition by the armour. 119 Bty crossed the BELGIAN
		frontier at 1200 hrs and finished up by nightfall about 12 miles SW of ANTWERP.
		During the day G.Tp shot up some horse drawn transport near SELLIN and H Tp
		captured a further 60 prisoners at FRETIN.
		Regiment less 119 and 117 Btys, advancing from VIMY RIDGE on RIGHT route passed

Page 2 of 8

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
		through LENS and crossed the BELGIAN frontier near BILIEUX. Reached area about 30
		miles, SOUTH of ANTWERP and due WEST of BRUSSELS during night. Since crossing
		the frontier we have passed through TOURNAI, RENAIX and numerous villages and
		have encountered scenes of extraordinary enthusiasm everywhere.
ANTWERP	4	Leading tps of DIV entered ANTWERP. 119 Bty advanced to ANTWERP area. SW
		of Town, still.u/c 8 RB. 338 Bty entered outskirts of town with 4 KSLI.
		118 Btys Tps deployed SOUTH of Town.
		RHQ harboured about 7 miles SOUTH of ANTWERP with 159 Bde HQ
RUSY BROECK		117 Bty having left LENS at 1900hrs yesterday and crossed the frontier at
		0010hrs reached RUSY BROECK 10 miles SOUTH of ANTWERP having continued their
		march throughout the night.
ANTWERP	5	338 Bty moved into the centre of ANTWERP after a skirmish over R. SKELDE,
		during which one 88 mm gun was KOd and over 100 prisoners taken by the Bty.
		The latter were handed over to the White Brigade. 2 ORs were severely
		wounded. 118 Bty moved to EAST of city. Tps deployed. 117 and 119 Btys

Page 3 of 8

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
ANTWERP	5	resting and maintenance.
	6	4 KSLI advanced to ALBERT CANAL. Only two guns of 338 deployed covering
		ground towards far side (MERXHAM) side of canal.
		RHQ moved to Central Park in centre of city with 159 Bde HQ.
	7	118 Bty moved to Fort £ WEST of City. G Tp (119 Bty) who have been covering
		bridge approaches from MERXHAM into ANTWERP brewed up a barge on canal.
		4 KSLI relieved by bn of 50 Div at night.
	8	119 Bty u/c 8 RB left ANTWERP area at 1400hrs for DIEST. The intention of
		the Div is to cross the ALBERT CANAL at BERRINGEN - the original plan (see
		RA 11 Armd Div OO. No.10. dtd 6 Sep 44) having been altered on account of
		the strong opposition around MERXHAM.
BERRINGEN -	9	119 Bty crossed ALBERT CANAL at BERRINGEN encountering increasing opposition
HELCHTEREN		118 Bty u/c 1 HEREFORDS with 29 Armd Bde (less F Tp with 3 Mons) crossed
		Canal and moved fwd to HELCHTEREN area. Remainder of Regiment left ANTWERP and
LUMMEN		harboured for night in area of LUMMEN (about 5 miles from BERRINGEN) - 338 Bty

Page 4 of 8

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
		u/c 4 KSLI. 117 Bty with Rear Div HQ. RHQ Harboured in Chateau at LUMMEN with
		159 Bde HQ.
HELCHTEREN	10	119 Bty encountered considerable infantry opposition in HELCHTEREN area
WYCHMAEL		118 Bty in contact with enemy at WTCHMAEL. RHQ and 338 Bty crossed ALBERT
		CANAL, the Bty deploying at X rds 2773 and Rd jnc 3978. RHQ harboured night
CHY		at colliery in Village of CHY. 117 Bty moved into Chateau at LUMMEN.
PEER	11	Advance continued to PEER where 119 Bty protecting HQ 29 Armd Bde and 118 Bty
		still with 1 HEREFORDS D & E Tps deployed. 338 Bty advanced with 4 KSLI to
		give flank protection to Div C.L. and deployed at Rd junc 3978. RHQ harboured
		night at HELCHTEREN.
	12	117 Bty crossed canal and leagered at 302742. RHQ moved with 159 Bde to
		village of WYCHMAEL.
PEER-WYCHMAEL	13	Div static. Period of refitting, maintenance and protection of present areas.
Area		Tps u/c and deployed as hitherto. 117 Bty moved to area 3979 five miles
		SOUTH of PEER. One Tp deployed at a time.

Page 5 of 8

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	16	C.O. attended conference of Army and 30 Corps Comdrs. Coming operation outlined.
		11 Armd Div came under command 8 Corps at 1200 hrs.
	17	30 Corps Op. "GARDEN" and Airborne Op. MARKET commenced. 8 Corps will	See 11 Armd Div Op. Instr
		provide Right Flank protection for 30 Corps.	No.14 (Extract)
	18	338 Bty with 4 KSLI occupied GERDINGEN near BREE J.Tp deployed with D.Coy
		at BOCHOZT 4988.
	19	118 Bty less E Tp came u/c 3 MONS and moved to WYCHMAEL E Tp u/c 1 HEREFORDS
		with 29 Armd Bde Gp.
BELGIAN-	20	11 Armd Div commenced advance on two routes - 29 Armd Bde Gp LEFT, 159 Bde	R.A. 11 Armd Div O.O. No.
DUTCH Frontier		Gp RIGHT.	dtd 19 Sep.
		119 Bty with 1 Bull-dozer u/c crossed Dutch frontier at 1400hrs and spent
		night at LEENDE. 118 and 338 Btys crossed Dutch frontier in the evening and
		harboured at SOENERBONCK and BUDEL (4999) respectively. Tps of 338 deployed
		1 O.R. of 118 Bty wounded and evacuated. RHQ harboured night with 159 Inf
		Bde Gp about two miles WEST of HAMONT. 117 Bty crossed ESCAULT CANAL in

Page 6 of 8

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
		evening and harboured in area of COUVERT 4302 close to Dutch frontier near
		KLUISSCHEOF.
	21	119 Bty less I Tp u/c 3 RTR G. Tp u/c 29 Armd Bde HQ at MIERLO H. Tp had two
		guns brewed up by enemy AP in the evening. Sgt Roberts badly wounded four men
		missing. 118 Bty moved to MARHEEZE and came u/c 159 Bde less E T.p with
		1 Herefords at ZOMEREN. RHQ moved fwd to MR 5511 ( on main road between HEEZE and
		ZOMEREN. 338 Bty advanced and deployed at VAARSEL 5711
ZOMEREN	21/22 night	Major R.L. Crouch MC. R.A. (2 i/c) i/c Bridge Control for crossing of the
		S.WILLEMS VAART Canal at ZOMEREN by the Div. Class 40 bridge constructed
		by Div R.Es after 1 HEREFORDS had made an assault crossing covered by arty
		sp. E Tp deployed on near side of canal in action in inf role during determined
		by unseccessful enemy attack on bridgehead. L/Sgt Marten wounded by S.A. in
		spine and evacuated.
ASTEN	22	338 Bty with 4 KSLI crossed canal and captured ASTEN 1114 holding it against
		repeated enemy counter attacks.

Page 7 of 8

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
HELMOND	22	HELMOND liberated by 29 Armd Bde Gp. 119 Bty spent night just outside town.
		118 Bty(less E Tp) and RHQ moved to outskirts of ZOMEREN. 117 Bty still at
		KLUISSCHEOF. One Tp deployed to NORTH to protect Div C.L.
LIESEL	23	119 Bty advanced to LIESEL area u/c 29 Armd Bde. Three O.Rs of 338 Bty
		wounded by H.E. from enemy S.P. gun at ASTEN. L/Bdr Hattersley (118 Bty)
		wounded in neck and evacuated. 117 Bty moved to LEENDE 4808.
DEURNE	24	119 Bty advanced to DEURNE. Heavy shelling but no casualties. 338 Bty
		advanced with 4 KSLI to two miles NW of DEURNE where Tps deployed. 118 Bty
		and RHQ crossed canal and harboured night at VLIERDEN.
ST ANTHONIS	25	119 Bty advanced against very slight opposition and leagered night at St.
		ANTHONIS. 338 Bty advanced to BAKEL where two Tps deployed in sp of 4 KSLI
		before noon. Later they continued advance with 4 KSLI and a Sqn of 15/19 H.
		via GEMERT to ST ANTHONIS. Tps deployed there.
	26	119 Bty in area OPLOO with 29 Armd Bde.
		338 Bty deployed around ST ANTHONIS. Responsible for anti-tank protection

Page 8 of 8

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			of village u/c 4 KSLI. RHQ and 118 Bty in 4 KSLI area on outskirts of St.
			ANTHONIS. E.Tp. u/c 1 HEREFORDS at LAMPERSTRAAT about two miles NW of
			ST ANTHONIS.
			117 Bty moved to village of MORTEL 695289.
	29		11 Armd Div relieved by 7. U.S. Armd Div RHQ moved to GEMERT. 118 Bty just
			outside town.
	30		Regiment reverted to command CRA Btys concentrated in GEMERT less 117 Bty
			remaining in MORTEL. E Tp. rejoined 118 Bty.

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War Diary: 75th Anti Tank Regiment

Month and year: September 1944

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