War Diary: Inns of Court Regiment

Month and year: October 1944

The Inns of Court Regiment October 1944 HQ war diary details the locations of units throughout the month as well as details of casualties, reinforcements and awards.

National Archive Reference: WO 171/854

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WO 171/854 Inns of Court Regiment

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WO 171/854 A Squadron

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Aug Sep

Oct

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Dec

WO 171/854 B Squadron

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Aug Sep

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WO 171/854 C Squadron

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WO 171/854 D Squadron

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Page 1 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	1st Oct.		C Sqn patrolling area DEURNE - MEIJEL.
			D Sqn patrolling West bank of River MAAS from inclusive
			railway crossing 759453 to MAASHEES 8231.
			C Sqn HQ at VLIERDEN.
			D Sqn HQ at WANROIJ.
			A & B Sqns in reserve.
			RHQ & A Echelon I St ANTONIS area.
	2nd Oct.		A Sqn relieved C Sqn area DEURNE - MEIJEL.
			B Sqn patrolling area BEUGEN - BOXMEER - SAMBEEK on W.
			bank of R. MAAS.
			C & D Sqns in reserve.
	3rd Oct.		A Sqn patrolling DEURNE - MEIJEL area.
			B Sqn same area, W. bank of R.MAAS.
			C & D Sqns in reserve.

Page 2 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	4th Oct.		B Sqn in same area, W. bank of R.MAAS.
			C Sqn patrolling area DEURNE - MEIJEL - LIESEL. Heavy
			enemy shelling during day.
			D Sqn patrolling W. bank of R.MAAS and rly crossing 795453
			to MAASHEES.
			A Sqn in reserve.
	5th Oct.		B Sqn W. bank of R.MAAS - BERGEN - SAMBEEK.
			C Sqn DEURNE - LIESEL - MEIJEL.
			D Sqn MAASHEES area.
			A Sqn in reserve.
	6th Oct.		A Sqn area DEURNE - MEIJEL. Enemy shelling during day.
			B Sqn BERGEN - SAMBEEK, W. bank of R.MAAS.
			C & D Sqns in reserve.
	7th Oct.		A Sqn DEURNE - MEIJEL area.
			B Sqn BERGEN - SAMBEEK area W. bank of R. MAAS.

Page 3 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			C & D Sqns in reserve.
	8th Oct.		A Sqn DEURNE - MEIJEL area.
			D Sqn patrolling W. bank of R. MAAS from BERGEN to VORTUM.
			B & C Sqns in reserve.
	9th Oct.		C Sqn relieved by 7th U.S. Armd Div and moved to WANROIJ.
			D Sqn area BERGEN - VORTUM holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			A &c B Sqns in reserve.
	10th Oct.		B Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER.
			A Sqn moved to area BOEKEL 6136.
			C & D Sqns in reserve.
	11th Oct.		A Sqn in area BERGEN - VORTUM holding W. bank of R. .MAAS.
			B, C & D Sqns in reserve.
	12th Oct.		B Sqn area BOXMEER - VORTUM holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			C Sqn area BERGEN - CUYK holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			A & D Sqns in reserve.

Page 4 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	13th Oct.		B Sqn area BOXMEER = VORTUM holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			D Sqn area BERGEN - CUYK holding W. bank of R. .MAAS.
			A San in reserve at VENHORST.
			D Sqn in reserve at BRAKKENHOF.
	14th Oct.		C Sqn area BOXMEER - VORTUM holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			A, B & D Sqn's in reserve.
	15th Oct.		C Sqn area BOXMEER - VORTUM holding W. bank of .MAAS.
			A, B & D Sqn's in reserve.
	16th Oct.		B Sqn area BOXMEER - VORTUM holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			A, C & D Sqns in reserve.
	17th Oct.		B Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R. NAAS.
			A, C &c, D Sqns in reserve.
	18th Oct.		C Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			A, B & D Sqns in reserve.
	19th Oct.		A Sqn at 30 minutes notice in area DEURNE.

Page 5 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			C Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			D Sqn at 30 minutes notice in area DEURNE.
			B Sqn in reserve.
	20th Oct.		A Sqn patrolling area S. West of DEURNE - VENRAY, keeping
			contact between 11th Armd Div and 7th U.S. Arnd Div.
			C Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			B Sqn in reserve.
			D Sqn in reserve DEURNE.
			A Echelon moved to GEMERT.
	21st Oct.		A Sqn patrolling area DEURNE - VENRAY - LEUNEN 7824.
			B Sqn in area VORTUM and BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			C & D Sqns in reserve.
	22nd Oct.		B Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			D Sqn patrolling area DEURNE - VENRAY
			keeping contact between 11th Armd Div and 7th U.S. Armd Div

Page 6 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			A & C Sqns in reserve.
	23rd Oct.		C Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			D Sqn patrolling DEURNE - VENRAY area.
			A & B Sqns in reserve.
	24th Oct.		A Sqn holding line E. of VELLUM 7825.
			C Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMIER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			B & D Sqns in reserve.
	25th Oct.		A Sqn holding line in area VELLUM.
			C Sqn area VORTUM - BODMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			B & D Sqns in reserve.
	26th Oct.		B Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			D Sqn holding line VELLUM area.
			A & B Sqns in reserve.
	27th Oct.		B Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W bank of R. MAAS.
			D Sqn holding line VELLUM area.

Page 7 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			A & C Sqns in reserve.
	28th Oct.		A Sqn holding line VELLUM area. German counter-attack
			against 7th U.S. Armd Div on right captured LIESEL.
			C Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			B & D Sqns in reserve.
	29th Oct.		A Sqn holding line VELLUM area.
			C Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			B & D Sqns in reserve.
	30th Oct.		B Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R.MAAS.
			D Sqn holding line VELLUM area.
			A & C Sqns in reserve.
	31st Oct.		B Sqn area VORTUM - BOXMEER holding W. bank of R. MAAS.
			D Sqn holding line VELLUM area.
			A & C Sqns in reserve.

Page 8 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			The west bank of the R. Maas was held by forward patrols,
			provided by two Squadrons in rotation, the remaining two
			Squadrons being located a short distance in rear as a
			tactical reserve. By day Armoured Car patrols were maintained
			in each village with O. Ps in church towers, windmills and
			convents. By night these patrols were withdrawn behind the
			railway line about 1,000 yards back from the river and the
			villages became "No Man's Land" in which both sides patrolled,
			the Germans coming over the river by boat to steal food or
			renew amorous connections (occasionally the bolder spirits,
			unable to break off their amorous connections before first
			light, were caught by the incoming morning Armoured car
			patrols) ("with their trousers down"). Spasmodic shelling of
			the villages was carried out by the Germans, but our
			superiority in artillery enabled us to "give back two for

Page 9 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			every one" at enemy positions, which were early pin-pointed
			by our O.Ps.; during the first two weeks Regimental officers
			acted as O.Ps. for the artillery.
			On the Deurne front the two Squadrons, who moved there
			from the Maase in the middle of the month, had the general
			task of maintaining touch between the 11th Armd Division
			(on the left) and the 7th U.S. Armd Division (on the right)
			by holding a line of observation behind a stretch of wet
			marshy land, passable to Infantry but not to tanks except .
			down the roads.
			Subsequently they also held a post with half a Squadron
			in a factory outside Venray linking the left of the 11th
			Armd Division and the right of the 3rd British Division.
			At times there was heavy shelling along this sector of
			the front.

Page 10 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			A cinema projector was purchased and installed in a hall at
			ST ANTONIS and afforded considerable enjoyment to personnel
			both of the Regt and other units.
			Casualties.
			During the month the following casualties were suffered:-
			Killed.
			7930069 L/Sgt Crouch, H.
			Wounded.
			Lt. E.C. Sim
			14403747 Tpr Black, I. 7955877 Tpr Bone, C.
			14306290 " Osborne, H. 14261049 " Parker, F.
			14213869 " Beer, J. 317510 Lt Jones, R.
			6352153 Tpr Allen, G.
			Reinforcements.
			During the month the following officer rfts were

Page 11 of 12

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			received by the Regt:-
			W/Lt. I.L. Forsyth 2/Lt. D. Barragwarrath
			W/Lt. D.G. Wye 2/Lt. T.A. Birrell
			W/Lt. W.S. McLaughlin 2/Lt. J. Fellingham
			2/Lt. W.S. Chantler 2/Lt. K. Hill
			W/Lt. L.H.C. Brown 2/Lt. W.P. Neville
			W/Lt. A.F. Hunton 2/Lt. J.A.D. Rofe
			W/Lt. A.K. Iles 2/Lt. H. Skelton-Smith
			The following officers were S.O.S. of the Unit owing to
			sickness :-
			T/Capt. B.C.H. Eves
			W/Lt. D.B. Archer
			W/Lt. Webster.

Page 12 of 12