8th Infantry Brigade HQ War Diary: October 1944
The October 1944 war diary covers 8 British Infantry Brigade's advance from the MOOK–HEUMEN defensive line to the capture of OVERLOON and VENRAIJ in Holland. The period focused on Operation AINTREE, including the assault on OVERLOON on 18 October and the subsequent crossing of the MOLENBEEK to take VENRAIJ, alongside a change of brigade command after its commanding officer was wounded by a mine.
National Archive Reference: WO 171/611
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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOOK 7251 | 1 | The Bde continued to hold a small part of the line in area MOOK, | ||
| HOLLAND | with 2 E YORKS and 1 S LAN R in reserve in area HEUMEN and | |||
| 1 SUFFOLK in MOOK. The 82 US Airborne Div were on left flank. | ||||
| 2-4 | No enemy activity on front. Tentative planning for an attack | |||
| by the Bde on the REISCHWALD sector. | ||||
| 5 | 8 Br Inf Bde Admin Order No. 20 issued. | Appx 'A' | ||
| 2 E YORKS relieved a Bn of the 82 US Airborne Div in the area | ||||
| OSTBERG and went under 185 Inf Bde. 2 KSLI coming under comd | ||||
| this Bde in the HEUMEN area. | ||||
| 7 | 350 Lancasters bombed the CLEVE area. | |||
| 8 | 2 E YORKS were relieved by 2 KSLI and reverted to command 185 | |||
| Inf Bde. | ||||
| 1215 | Advance parties went forward to recce new area. | |||
| 1420 | Move to new area near WANROIJ. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WANROIJ | 8 | 2200 | Bde in new concentration area with 1 SUFFOLKRIJIEVORT, | |
| 6741 HOLLAND | 2 E YORKSPEELSTRAAT, 1 S LAN RWANROIJ, Bde HQ WANROIJ. | |||
| 9-10 | Bde planning for attack on OVERLOON and VENRAIJ. | |||
| 11 | Bde moved to forward assembly area, 1 SUFFOLK and E Yorks | |||
| concentrated along northern edge of wood immediately NORTH | ||||
| of OVERLOON, 2 E YORKS in reserve and Bde HQ established near | ||||
| VIERLINGSFEEKSCHE HEIDE. Op Instruction for "AINTREE" issued. | Appx 'B' & 'C' | |||
| Admin Order No.21 issued. | Appx 'D' | |||
| N of OVERLOON | 18 | 1200 | Attack on OVERLOON commenced, 1 SUFFOLK right and 1 E Yorks | |
| 7634 HOLLAND | left supported by intense arty barrages. by 2200 hrs forward | |||
| troops had reached general line 746311 - 748313 - 760315 - | ||||
| 765321 - 767322 - 768324. SITREP No. GO 67 issued. | Appx 'E' | |||
| Many 'Schu' mines encountered by forward troops during the | ||||
| advance and considerable mortar and artillery fire encountered | ||||
| an start line. The enemy finally withdrew in some haste |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N of OVERLOON | 12 | towards VENRAIJ and a new advance was contemplated for this | ||
| 7634 HOLLAND | operation. | |||
| OVERLOON | 14 | 0940 | SITREP No. GO 78 issued | Appx 'F' |
| 7631 HOLLAND | ||||
| 1800 | SITREP No. GO 79 issued | Appx 'G' | ||
| 8th Br Inf Bde Admin Order No. 22 issued | Appx 'H' | |||
| 15 | 1 SUFFOLK moved down through woods SOUTH WEST of OVERLOON into | |||
| area BEEK preparatory to crossing the MOLENBEEK that night. | ||||
| During the evening 1 SUFFOLK forced a crossing at 757280 | ||||
| meeting considerable small arms fire and Schu mines. However | ||||
| the enemy were driven back and the 2 E YORKS passed through | ||||
| 1 SUFFOLK to a position near DE HIEP. | ||||
| 16 | Order for priority of vehicles across MOLENBEEK issued. | Appx "I" | ||
| 1000 | The attack on VENRAIJ commenced with 2 E YORKS left and 1 | |||
| SUFFOLK right. Very little enemy opposition encountered during |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OVERLOON | 16 | 1000 | advance and 2 E YORKS penetrated VENRAIJ quickly with 1 SUFFOLK | |
| 7631 HOLLAND | clearing woods to SOUTH WEST. | |||
| Both Battalions mopped up pockets of resistance as they moved | ||||
| forward. | ||||
| 17 | Defence position round VENRAIJ organised. 1 S Lan R moved to | |||
| SOUTH of the town and 2 E YORKS to the EAST. | ||||
| 18 | Brigade HQ moved to MEERSELO. | |||
| 21 | 8 Br Inf Bde Operation Instruction No.7 issued. | Appx 'J' | ||
| MEERSELO | 22-24 | Patrol activity only. | ||
| 746273 HOLLAND | 24 | SITREP GO 31 issued. | Appx 'K' | |
| 8 Br Inf Bde Operation Instruction No.7 (Amendment No.1) issued. | Appx 'L' | |||
| 26 | Brigade relieved by 185 Brigade Group, the Brigade moving into | |||
| reserve area OVERLOON. | ||||
| Warning Order to move GO 34 issued. | Appx 'M' | |||
| Brigadier EE CASS, CBE, DSO, MC, sustained injuries from a mine | ||||
| and was evacuated. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Battalion tasks in new area issued. | Appx 'N' | ||
| 27 | Brigadier EH GOULBURN, DSO, assumed command of 8 British | |||
| Infantry Brigade. | ||||
| OVERLOON | 28 | 2 E YORKS moved to area DEURNE under command 11 Armoured | ||
| Division. | ||||
| 29 | No activity. |
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