National Archive Reference: WO 171/864
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Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
LUCHEUX | 1 | 20 X 3 ton lorries under Lt. MACKICHAN left on G.T. duties; a total journey of approx 350 miles. | ||
2 | Regt under comd 31 Tk Bde (CROCODILES) at 6 hrs notice to move. LO sent to HQ 31 Tk Bde. | |||
1700 | Warning Order to move all tracks on transporters, no destination given, | |||
3 | All tanks and ARV loaded on to tptrs left to area ALBERT CANAL (ANTWERP) to arrive AM 5 Oct 44. No orders received except to comply with instrs | |||
held by RASC tptr coy. | ||||
1800 | Lt. MACKICHAN and lorries returned | |||
4 | 0900 | Balance of Regt left for BEERINGEN (K2475) arriving 2200 hrs. | ||
BEERINGEN | 5 | Lt. Col. W. Y. K. Blair Oliphant MC moved to HQ 8 Corps with Tac HQ, to comd all | ||
79 Armd Div Tps in sp 8 Corps with assistance of 2 IC 42 ARE. Major J.M. Sidey moved to HQ 30 Corps with Tac HQ 42 ARE to comd all 79 Armd Div tps | ||||
in sp 30 Corps. A Sqn with Capt D.S. Squirrell RTA moved to E6246 near MILL and B Sqn with EME Capt D.J. Prior to 30 Corps E6258. C Sqn remained in res | ||||
with RHQ and moved to AALST E4415 near EINDHOVEN. B Echelons remained with RHQ. | ||||
AALST | 6 | A Sqn moved to LANGENBOOM E6246 and B Sqn to WIDTCHEN E6258. | ||
7 | 0010 | Warning Order for C Sqn to join A Sqn in sp 8 Corps. | ||
0200 | 31 Tk Bde ordered C Sqn to join A Sqn 0900 hrs, both Sqns being in sp 3 (Brit) Div. | |||
A Sqn moved to HEUMEN 7153 and B sqn to WINSEN 6167 for advance by 8 and 30 Corps on the RUHR between R. RHINE and R. MEUSE. | ||||
Regt now disposed as follows, all under Comd 31 Tk Bde. | ||||
8 Corps, 30 Corp.s | ||||
Tac H2 W Dgns (Lt. Col. W. Y. K. Blair Tac HQ 42 ARE (Major Sidey) (at HQ 8 Oliphant MC) (at HQ 6 Gds Tk Bde) Armd Bdo) | ||||
In sp 3 (Brit) Div A Sqn less 1 Tp In sp 8 Armd Bde - B Sqn. C Sqn less 1 Tp |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
8 Corps. 30 Corps. | ||||
In sp 15 (s) Div 1 Tp A Sqn. 8 Corps res 1 Tp C Sqn (remains with C Sqn). | ||||
8 | 48 hrs standfast ordered for whole op, and this changed to advance by 3. (Brit) Div with very strong arty sp towards VENLO E90. | |||
9 | 0900 | RHQ Main moved to E 610482 near ZEELAND | ||
1400 | A and C Sqn moved to E625477 and B Sqn to 600656 near WINSSEN. | |||
Nr. ZEELAND | 11 | 1400 | A Sqn moved to conc with 6 Gds Tk Bde at OPLOO 7136 and C Sqn in res to 7040 | |
12 | A Sqn allotted in sp COLDM GDS and C Sqn GREN GDS of 6 Gds Tk Bde for attack on OVERLOON E7631. | |||
13 | OVERLOON taken. Lt. Sutton with two CRABS of A Sqn flailed along rd, into village but no mines were found. On return journey Lt Sutton's | |||
CRAB struck one mine when crossing ground not previously covered and was | ||||
halted. Lt. Pear with one tp C Sqn led GREN attack for about 1, 000 yds without cas and blew approx 40 mines. All mines in this area were R Mi 43 | ||||
and not the usual Teller or Holz mine. They had less effect on tracks and | ||||
bogies but two rotors of C Sqn CRABS were bent by blast. This had not previously been experienced. A and C Sqns then move to area OVERLOON. | ||||
A right and C left leaving A Echelons 6 - 7 miles behind Sqn Echelons were always comd by an officer, usually 2 IC or 3 IC Sqn. | ||||
14 | Two tps A Sqn under Lts. Cooper and Hall moved up with COLDM GDS but were not used. Res Tp (Lt. Sutton) called in by Comd 6 Bde Tk Bde to flail rd | |||
746318 to 743314 and rd 746318 to 745313. Five mines were blown. No. 1 | ||||
Tp C Sqn under Sjt Barnes moved with No. 1 Sqn GREN GDS and blew 16 mines at 777326, No.2 Tp with 3 Sqn GREN GDS remained in res at 751316 and were not employed. No.3 Tp (Lt.Pear) remained 745334 for maintenance and refit. | ||||
HQ 30 Armd Bde stated they could not provide tpt to send up rotors and replacement Flail Chains from HQ OFP at BURST near BRUGES. 4 Regt 3 ton |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
lorries unloaded on to ground and sent off. | ||||
15 | B Sqn carried out practice flail by "artificial moonlight" by tps, with CROCODILE co-operation. A Sqn maintenance and refit all day. 1 Tp C Sqn | |||
det to 11 Armd Div, and balance of Sqn maintenance and refit. Comd 6 Gds Tk Bde expressed his gratitude for the excellent sp of the Regt. | ||||
16 | Attack launched on VENRAIJ 7826. A Sqn in sp COLDM GDS from wood 7630 to BRABANDER 7728. No mines were blown but 4 CRABS bogged and one Z cas | |||
from shellfire. C Sqn sp GREN GDS from wood 749286 to HIEPT 764275. Scattered mines were blown. 3 CRABS bogged and one capsized into dyke when | Transcription note: 749286 was corrected from 949286 | |||
crossing on an AVRE fascine. It could not be rec and was written off. | ||||
1800 | C Sqn reverted in sp 11 Armd Div and moved to area RIPS 6630. | |||
269 Fwd Del Sqn now working in conjunction with 264 Sp Del Sqn (as Corps Del Sqn) located at GELDROP with four CRABS under Lt. INGRAM. | ||||
Replacements demanded from 31 Tk Bde 2100 hrs. | ||||
E 641321 | 17 | B and C Sqn did not operate. No. 2 Tp A Sqn-attacked with GREN GDS and | ||
No. 3 Tp with COLDM GDS. Two CRABS of 2 Tp were halted by mines at 768278 and 3 Tp flailed in area 7828, but mines were met. VENRAY was | ||||
was finally taken at midday. | ||||
18 | A and C Sqns were reduced to half tank strength mainly by bogging. RTA | |||
borrowed an ARV from Bde Wksps to assist recovery. ALL Crab spares were still drawn from 30 Armd Bde OFP at BURST near BRUGES 150 miles away, and | ||||
these always had to be collected in unit vehicles. Lt. D C. Bright with 1 Tp C Sqn in sp 1 Sqn 23 H (29 Armd Bde, 11 Armd Div) | ||||
knocked out one 75 mm A tk gun and took 60 prisoners after killing 30 - 40 in attack on VOLEN. | ||||
19 | Four flails of A Sqn flailed back areas. Planning for operations west- wards in sp 12 Corps now in progress and this Regt was provisionally | |||
allotted as follows by HQ 31 Tk Bde. All special devices in sp 12 Corps were placed u/c Lt. Col. SAVAGE 42 ARRE assisted by Maj J.M. Sidey. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
19 (Cont) | 7 Armd Div - One Tp B Sqn. | |||
53 (W) Div - One Tp B Sqn | ||||
51 (H) Div - A Sqn | ||||
12 Corps Res - B Sqn less two tps. | ||||
11 Armd Div - C Sqn. | ||||
20 | Lt. Gen Sir Richard O'Connor, KCB, DSO, MC Commanding 8 Corps published an Order of the Day congratulating all tps in the operation, and personally | |||
thanked and congratulated the Commanding Officer for the work of A and C Sqns and remarked upon their fine fighting spirit. | ||||
21 | A Sqn moved to 4531 ST OEDENRODE in sp 33 Tk Bde - 51 (H) Div. B Sqn HQ remained at REEK, with No. 1 Tp with Major J. H. Buckingham and Lt. A.R. Poston | |||
in sp 7 Armd Div at VEGHEL and No.2 Tp with Major Sidey, Capt Taylor and Lt. Moore in sp 53 (W) Div at 468527. C Sqn in sp 11 Armd Div remained | ||||
at DEURNE, | ||||
22 | Attack an S'HETOGENBOSCH began. All Flails were held in res, except a tp | |||
of B Sqn under Lt. POSTON, B Sqn with 131 Bde 7 Armd Div was killed in his tank by a sniper and was buried at HEESCH Cemetery 23 Oct. The tp blew | ||||
20 mines clearing approach to an enemy posn 404444 for the Crocodiles. | ||||
23 | Weather getting very cold. Anti Freeze and winter clothing not yet issued. | |||
One tp of B Sqn with 7 Armd Div moved to NISTELRODE E 5046. One tp of B Sqn with 160 Bde 15 (S) Div flailed 50 yards of track but blew | ||||
no mines. Lt. Col. W. Y. K. Blair Oliphant MC left to comd 31 Tk Bde in absence of Brig Knight on compassionate leave. | ||||
24 | No Crabs went into action. | |||
25 | C Sqn still in res in sp to 11 Armd Div moved to billets at BAKEL 6124. | |||
26 | C Sqn reverted in sp Second Army in res remaining at BAKEL. A Sqn HQ at ST MICHAELS GESTEL 360405 and B Sqn at ROSMALEN 355492. | |||
29 | A Sqn reverted in sp Second Army. Recce of NISTELRODE E 5046 as Regt conc | |||
area. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
31 | RHQ Main moved 1166 hrs to NISTELRODE E5047 and Tac joined Main. | |||
C Sqn placed in sp 6 Gds Tk Bde u/c 15 (S) Div for ops against enemy threat from VENLO and moved to VLIERDEN 6217, No.2 Tp under Lt. Hubble moved to | ||||
VREEKWIJK E6518 in sp 4 Tk COLDM GDS. A Sqn remained in res at E372480. | ||||
B Sqn less one tp with 7 Armd Div conc E325384. Det Gp knocked out one S.P. 7.5 mm gun, in sp 1 RTR but did NOT flail. |