National Archive Reference: WO 171/854
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Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
A Sqn. | |||
1st Sept. | Sqn ordered to cross R. SOMME at AMIENS by 0900 hrs and to | ||
follow up 11 Armd Div. moving N.E. in direction of ARRAS. Sqn | |||
proceeded via PAS - MONDICOURT - SOMBRIN - AVESNES LE COMTE - | |||
MANNIN and harboured South of ARRAS - ST POL Rd at TILLOY-LES- | |||
HERMAVILLE at 1930 hrs. RHQ with 11 Armd Div HQ at AUBIGNY. | |||
2nd Sept. | Sqn ordered to recce the axis of advance for 11 Armd Div | ||
towards high ground East of CARVIN. Centre-line approx AUBIGNY | |||
- SOUCHEZ - LENS - CARVIN, with right flank through VIMY and | |||
left flank through LOOS. Sqn moved at 0500 hrs in heavy rain. | |||
At 0800 hrs Sqn HQ was in area SOUCHEZ with one troop at VIMY, | |||
GRENY and on outskirts of LENS from whence sounds of firing | |||
were heard. Civilians reported 3 German tanks in LENS. Enemy | |||
infantry contacted on BETHUNE Rd. At 0900 hrs 2 troops |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
advanced through LENS in direction of CARVIN. Rain continued, | |||
making wireless reception very poor. Sqn ordered to proceed | |||
with all speed to CANAL DE HAUTE DEULE and secure and hold | |||
three bridges on the three routes until relieved by tanks. | |||
On the left route the bridge at WINGLES was found to be | |||
blown but not covered by fire. On the centre route the bridge | |||
at 578188 was constructed of wood and attempts had been made | |||
to blow it, but it was secure to vehicles of 8-10 tons weight. | |||
On the right route the bridge at 558194 was found to be intact | |||
and was used throughout the day until the main rd bridge was | |||
repaired and opened as a Class 40 bridge in the late evening. | |||
3rd Sept | Reveille 0415: Sqn moved 0600 hrs. SECLIN strongly held by | ||
enemy and not cleared until early afternoon. Sqn followed |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
N.E. route through SECLIN - VANDEVILLE - CHERING - SIN | |||
TOUFFLERS (Belgian frontier crossed at this point) NECHIN | |||
- PECQ crossing ESCAUT Canal at WARCOING - CELLES which RENAIX - | |||
OUDENARDE. Evidence of a hurried German retreat was seen in | |||
the dead horses, broken guns, tractors and burning houses, | |||
but no live Germans were encountered. | |||
4th Sept. | Sqn ordered to recce and seize and hold bridges at WAELHEM | ||
and BOOM for use by 11 Armd Div. The advance continued through | |||
ST ANTELLINKX - KERKXKEN - EREMBODEGEM - MERCHTEM - | |||
WOLVERTHEM and orders were received to endeavour to reach | |||
ANTWERP ahead of the tanks. 2nd Troop reached centre of the | |||
town which they reported clear except for a number of snipers. | |||
5th Sept. | Sqn continued advance towards ANTWERP and eventually harboured | ||
at CONTICH. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
6th Sept. | Sqn rested. | ||
7th Sept. | Sqn stood by for advance into HOLLAND which was later | ||
cancelled. In late morning Sqn ordered to recce ALBERT CANAL | |||
from HERENTHALS to MASSENHOVEN and report on rumoured German | |||
preparations for counter-attack. All bridges over the canal | |||
South of HERENTHALS were blown and enemy infantry were in | |||
position on the North bank of the Canal. The church spire | |||
at BROECHEM was used as an O.P. but no large scale movements | |||
of enemy troops were observed. | |||
8th Sept. | Sqn in reserve: night patrols went out but no incidents | ||
were reported. | |||
9th Sept. | Sqn moved to area SPALBEEK. Jacques Van Elewyck, leader of | ||
the local White Brigade "Attached" himself to the Sqn. | |||
10th Sept | Sqn engaged in patrolling area N.W. of GENENDIJK - PETITVORST | ||
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
- EYNTHOUT with the object of preventing any large-scale | |||
enemy movement South across the ALBERT CANAL without warning. | |||
11th Sept. | Recced area HELCHTEREN - HECHTEL - HASSALT. Enemy contacted | ||
at various points. Sqn harboured at a convent West of PEER. | |||
12th/15th | Sqn in reserve. | ||
17th Sept. | Sqn visited by Lieut-General Roberts, (G.O.C. 11 Armd Div.). | ||
Standing patrols on line of the canal from a bridge at | |||
570800 S.E. of BREE to NEERPELT rly bridge at 397953. | |||
Enemy inf. contacted on CAULILLE - BOCHOLT Rd. and one car | |||
which remained in observation for the remainder of the day was | |||
shelled and mortared continously. Sqn Ldr reported to HQ 11 | |||
Armd Div with full information about the canal line in the | |||
Regtl area, the information being required by G.O.C. 3rd Br. | |||
Inf. Div. who was to make assault crossings. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
18/19th Sep. | In Reserve. | ||
20th Sept. | Orders received to move into Holland at 1710 hrs and the | ||
Sqn crossed the border and recc'd the area DEURNE to HELMOND. | |||
21st Sept. | Sqn moved to HEEZE. A patrol of the Royals was contacted | ||
who gave valuable information as to enemy dispositions in | |||
areas MIERLOO, VAARLE, NUNEN and GERWEN. | |||
22/24th Sept. | Sqn resting. RHQ at LEENDE. | ||
25th Sept. | Sqn ordered to move at 0615 hrs and recce all roads out of | ||
DEURNE to the East, North-East, North, North-West, West and | |||
South-West. | |||
26/28th Sep. | Sqn resting. | ||
29th Sept. | Standing patrols on line of R. MAAS and roads leading West | ||
from river from SAMBEEK to Rd junc 755458. | |||
30th Sept. | Sqn resting. |