Chotie Darling

'C' Squadron Patrol

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 9th       Place HERVELD area

‘ “B” & “C” Squadrons positions were reviewed and improved during the day.  “C” Squadron’s outpost on the Island SOUTH of HIEN 5769 reported movement on a number of barges which are moored in the creek SOUTH of DODEWAARD (west of Herveld on the Waal).  Intermittent shelling of the whole area throughout the day increased to heavy concentrations SOUTH of 17 Troop’s positions on the railway at 1800 hours.  This was followed by an attempted penetration of the American Forward Defence Lines further WEST at 1820 hours.  Two SP juns and a few infantry were employed by the enemy, though it is difficult to see just what he hoped to achieve by this abortive mission.  Though some American outposts were withdrawn the whole situation was stabilised by 1900 hours.

15 Troop of “C” Squadron have confirmed the number of barges in the DODEWAARD as being 15.  The night was quiet.’  

 

 WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 10th     Place HERVELD area

‘At 900 hrs “C” Squadron sent out a Recce patrol on foot to investigate the barges at 555693.  The patrol – consisting of 2 NCOs – had not returned by 1000 hrs so the to commander – 2/Lt J. ARNOTT – and 1 OR (Other Rank) set off to investigate.  The OP covering them heard the sound of shots and subsequently saw a figure being pulled along the ground by some Germans.  It is feared that all have been made PW (Prisoners of War).  On the rest of the front the day has been generally quiet with a noticeable decrease in enemy shelling.’

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:

          Corporal Roy George Whitehouse (age 23) formerly of the North Staffordshire Regiment who is mentioned on the Groesbeek Memorial (south-east of Nijmegen).

            Trooper John William Gridley (age 20) of Ilford Essex, formerly of the 61^st Training Unit who is laid to rest in the Assisi War Cemetery, south-west of Perugia in Italy.(?) 

who is laid to rest in the Mierlo War Cemetery, east of Eindhoven. (See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.) 

We will remember them.

 

 

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 11th     Place HERVELD

'Today has been generally quiet with only intermittent shelling of the Forward Defence Lines.  “A” Squadron relieved “C” Squadron  during the day without incident.

Some news of the missing personnel has been received from an American Outpost in the HIEN area (west of Herveld near Dodewaard).  The first patrol was apparently surprise by a party of Germans and taken prisoner.  The second was ambushed and both members wounded.  The Officer was subsequently seen limping away with his captors and 2 SBs (subordinates?) carrying a stretcher.'

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:

          Trooper Maurice Raine (age 19) of West Hartlepool, County Durham    

who is laid to rest in the Utrecht (Soestbergen) General Cemetery (Utrecht is south of Amsterdam). PoW.

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)  

We will remember them.

The ‘Koynell’ - Monday 9th October 1944

There are a few US 101st Airborne Colonels that Dick could be referring to in this letter (more if the Lieutenant-Colonels are included).  Colonel Gerald J. Higgins was HQ Chief of Staff, Acting Colonel Ewell was commanding Officer of the 501^st Parachute Infantry Regiment from 8^th October, Colonel John Michaelis was CO of the 502^nd PIR, Colonel Robert F. Sink of the 506^th PIR and Colonel Joseph Harper was CO of the 327^th Glider Infantry regiment (from the Paratrooper Research Team.) 

 

61^st Recce Regt RAC, BLA.

Monday Oct 10^th (sic)

Chotie Darling,

                                                Many thanks for letters received this morning dated the 5^th and 3^rd (?).  I sent you a field post card yesterday as I was rather pushed for time and expected to be even more pushed today.  However, thing’s seldom turn out as expected and today I have plenty of time, as I’m working as Liaison Officer with an American Colonel.

            Sorry to hear you just missed meeting your father in Bristol – better luck next time.  Also sorry to hear of your move back to Bristol area, as you had your feet so well under* in the farm!

            Things are just beginning to look Autumnal here though it’s much later in these parts.  A lot of trees have been shot-up of course which is rather misleading.

            I didn’t know Bluain’s husband was an airborne type.  Glad to hear he got out OK – also that Ted is still alive and kicking.

            Colston Hall* is certainly a consolation for returning to Bristol – I haven’t heard a thing for ages.

            I shouldn’t volunteer to go abroad as you’ll probably go to Egypt or somewhere and you’ll never get demobbed.  However it’s up to you, of course.  I believe Diller was toying with the idea.

            Weather has been very pleasant here for the last few days – genuine October weather in fact.  The countryside is deadly flat but quite picturesque owing to such pretty farmhouses and windmills.

            I’m desperately short of tobacco at the moment as my supply from home is still in the post – 9 wks!  Brinner sent me some from Base but he’s not able to get much himself, and I’m smoking quite a bit these days – needless to say.  If you could possibly send me some duty-free it would be very welcome Darling (….) and I’ll send you a cheque as soon as my new cheque-book arrives.

            I must have spoken too soon about the weather as it’s just started to rain.  I’ve now retired into my armoured car where I started this letter.  It’s frightfully cramped for this sort of thing.  Hope it doesn’t last.

            Spent three days with a very nice family in a large town recently.  We were harboured in an orchard and Geoff Winser and myself were offered a room and a bed apiece.  Needless to say we soon had our feet under** and spent a very enjoyable time there.

            Must close here, as I have to meet the ‘Koynell’.                         

                                                All my love,ChotieDarling                                                               

                                                                                    Dicker.

 

In early October Chotie appears to have moved back to the Bristol area

Her address was now:

W/242328 Pte Chalkley B.E. .

“B” Troop

462. “Hy” M. A.A. Bty. R.A.

Woodlands Camp

Almondsbury

Bristol

Almondsbury is north of Bristol and Woodlands appears to be an area west of here, now the junction of the M4 and M5.

* http://www.colstonhall.org/ Bristol’s concert hall.

**short for ‘feet under the table’ meaning comfortable and welcomed in someone else’s home. Dean Farm near Cheltenham had obviously been hospitable to their ATS lodger.

  © Chotie Darling

 

 

The Screaming Eagles

The 101^st Airborne Division, ‘the Screaming Eagles’, is renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, Operation Market garden and the Battle of the Bulge.  It has since paid a prominent role in many military campaigns and is one of the most highly decorated units in the US Army.

 

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 8th       Place HERVELD (west of Elst)

‘The Regiment – less “A” Echelon – crossed NIJMEGEN bridge at 1030 hours and came under command of 101 US Airborne Division.  We are based on HERVELD 6369 and RHQ and “A” Squadron are located there.  “B” & “C” Squadrons are forward.  The area lends itself easily to defence and Squadrons are mainly behind the American FDLs (Forward Defense Lines?) with the armoured car and some carrier troops forming mobile outposts looking WEST and NORTH over the NEDER RIJN.  In addition “C” Squadron assault troop and “B” Squadron Anti-tank Battery have formed a block on the railway at 580714.  The area was taken over from 52 Recce Regiment* and the relief completed by 1600 hours.  The remainder of the day was fairly quiet with only intermittent shelling of the FDLs.’

*Dick’s future regiment

 

Dick was now on ‘the Island’ again.

The regiment remained near Herveld until 13^th October 1944.

 

Eric Brewer’s diary for 8^th October records: “two counter attacks also shelling which has increased.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

Sandy Handley recalls “After the Arnhem do we was used for line holding, watching long stretches of river or open ground for which our mobility and communications were well suited.  We were sometimes supporting the 101 American Airborne.  Later we had a series of ordinary infantry positions in the lowland between Arnhem and Nijmegen.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

 

Field Service postcard sent to Chotie by Dick on 8th October 1944.

With the Yank Airborne

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 6th       Place ELST area        NIJMEGEN

'The regiment moved from divisional reserve SOUTH of the River Waal to our old harbour SOUTH of NIJMEGEN.  By 1400 hrs “A” Squadron were the only sub-unit NORTH of the river.  Efforts were made to have “A” relieved, but the relief was not completed until 2200 hrs.  The day has been generally quiet with some slight shelling of NIJMEGEN at last light.'

 

Dick was now south of Nijmegen again,

away from the front line.

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 7th       Place NIJMEGEN

'Today has been devoted to bathing, maintenance etc.  We have been warned that we return to the ‘Island’ tomorrow, it is believed to the WESTERN sector.'

 

Reg Harper tells of trying to back to Nijmegen to have a bath where Regional HQ ‘had their feet under the table in civvy billets’ by pretending he needed to take a truck back.  Unfortunately he encountered the legendary ‘Towrope’ Captain Joe Meredith, the Technical Adjutant who had organised the water-proofing of vehicles for D Day and who wasn’t to be fooled. Corporal Harper was sent packing, back north over Nijmegen Bridge to ‘the Island’.  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 Tony Rampling remembers just how important a bath might seem: 

Washing and Shaving

“Well we obviously didn’t wash very much.  They tried to get us to shave, which we did under pressure.  I actually grew a moustache to make myself look a bit older because I looked quite a boy I think.  By and large we stank so much, that, well you wouldn’t have come near us.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

 

On 6^th October Eric Brewer of 61^st Recce’s ‘B’ Squadron Assault Troop wrote in his diary:  “Moved to Arnhem.  Prisoners are only 15 years old with about 6 weeks’ service in.   Plenty of spando fire.  Our guns have been firing all the time.  We are with the Yank Airborne.”

On 7^th October he was:  “Still at Arnhem, east of it” (and remained there until the 9^th). “Gerry put in 4 counter attacks today, also plenty of shelling.  We are with the Yank airborne – they are a fine lot of chaps.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

Roy Howard explained: ‘Owing to manpower shortages in the British 2^nd Army, US 82^nd and 101^st Airborne Divisions were moved north of the Waal to the ‘Island’ to hold the tip of the salient with 61^st Reconnaissance regiment; and remained there until the end of November.  In this period their losses equalled those taken during the Airborne phase.  They became a much blooded Division’.    

The 101^st Airborne Division spent 72 days in combat in the Netherlands from the start of Market Garden  to late November 1944.  They suffered 1,682 casualties in the defensive fighting on ‘the Island’ alone.

(From “March to Victory: Guide to World War II Battles and Battlefields from London to the Rhine” by John T Bookman and Stephen T Powers, published by Haynes in 1986 and “Race for the Rhine Bridges 1940 1944 1945” by Alexander Mckee, published by Souvenir Press 1971.)

 

61st Recce War Diary

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 1^st. Place MILL (south of Nijmegen and Grave, Netherlands)

‘The dawn of another month finds the Regt’s location unchanged.  RHQ still at MILL 6545 with “B” & “C” Sqns East of the village and “C” Sqn patrolling the WEST bank of the R. MAAS.  The Armd Cs are now the only troops committed and the enemy is remaining quiet.

Orders were received from Division that the Regt is to move tomorrow to the NIJMEGEN area and adv parties from 3^rd (Br) Div arrived during the afternoon.  Sqns started to thin out during daylight and by 2200 hrs the relief was complete.  The relief has been on a generous scale – an inf bn relieving one of our armd c patrols at CUYK 7249.’

 

According to his diary Eric Brewer was already on his way: “Shifted to Nijmegen. Passed over the bridge the first airborne captured*…..50 of squadron allowed out to Nijmegen so we tossed up but was not lucky.”  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

*Nijmegen bridge was captured by the US 82^nd Airborne and XXX Corps on 20^th October 1944.

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 2^nd.       Place MILL (then) NIJMEGEN

‘Most of the early part of today has been spent preparing for the move NORTH.  “A” Sqn are still under comd 69 Inf Bde NORTH of NIJMEGEN and it looks as though the Regt may be complete again before long.  The move took place at 1700 hrs and Sqns were in the new locn – SOUTH of NIJMEGEN – by last light.  RHQ was est at 702585.

 

Eric Brewer describes some action on 2^nd October: “Attack went in today – Yanks and British.  Plenty of fighting going on, also plenty of bombs going over.  Shelling and mortar, 4 hrs, heavy, also a few spando active.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

 

Dick crossed the Maas and moved to south of Nijmegen.

 

Eisenhower, Monty and Browning

“Monty stood up in his car,

Having espied from afar

‘Chutes in trees and gliders wrecked,

Arnhem: he gave cigarettes.”

(From ‘Destination Berlin’ by Major Frank Harding MC, in ‘War echoes over thirty years’ published by Arthur Stockwell, 1970)

 

On 25^th September Eric Brewer recorded “Monty and Eisenhower also Chief of the Airborne ('Boy' Browning) stopped and spoke to us today; asked if we were getting our food OK, also if there were any complaints.  He gave us 2,500 fags between us and also told us we were being transferred from being called the 61^st recce to the 50^th.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

Don Aiken’s account of 61^st Recce and Market Garden mentions a similar incident:

“17th September - Advance on left flank of 30 Corps to Mol and Valkenswald
18th September - Hasselt and Eindhoven (link up with US 101st Airborne)
19th September - Grave (link up with US 82nd Airborne)
20th September - Cross Nijmegen Bridge over the River Waal
22nd September - Elst
24th September - South bank of Rhine (west of Arnhem)
Until 17th October - Continuous patrols on "Island" (between Arnhem and Nijmegen)

September 1944
It had been decided to strike up through Holland on a narrow front in an attempt to seize a corridor which would reach over the Rhine and into Germany; opening up the way to Berlin.
Airborne Troops were dropped on a line up through Holland with the objective of capturing all the bridges on the line of advance.
XXX Corps would quickly create the corridor and take over from the airborne troops. The first line of smaller bridges was to be captured by the US Airborne; and the last one (at Arnhem) was to be taken by the British Airborne Troops.
Initially everything went quite well. The advance progressed rapidly; and it was during this time, whilst we were moving up behind the Guards Armoured Division, and in a period when our advance had been cut off by a German attack, that Monty stopped his staff-car, had a few words with us and handed out some packets of fags.
Very welcome !

In a few days XXX Corps had arrived at Nijmegen and captured the large bridge over the Waal. When we arrived at Nijmegen the battle for Arnhem, a few miles up the road, was taking place. This was doomed to failure, as history knows, and I won't add to it here.
The result was that the whole advance bogged down and, with the approaching winter, conditions would soon be unfit to make a further assault to cross the Rhine. We took up various defensive positions along the perimeter of our territory and a few minor successes were achieved up and down the line but it became obvious that we weren't going anywhere for a while.”

(Extract  republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine' by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Sandy Handley recalled:

“We eventually went over Nijmegen Bridge.  By that time the airborne drop had turned out very badly, so many casualties.”

(From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Casualties

24^th September – Urquhart’s wounded are evacuated under medical truce leaving him with 1,800 troops of the 10,000 that landed.  315 men of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Dick's first regiment ) cross the Lower Rhine and briefly hold part of Westerbowing, near Heveadorp (south-west of Oosterbeek). 200 are captured but two reach Urquehart with the plans for evacuation the following night.

At nightfall on 25th September Urquhart’s men are evacuated crossing the Lower Rhine in little boats under heavy fire (Operation Berlin - Arnhem).  Many of the Airborne who made it to the other side of the river were met by former comrades who had, like Dick, joined 43rd Recce from the Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron.  (From From ‘Operation Market Garden, Netherlands 17th – 25th September 1944’ and ‘Only the Enemy in Front Every other beggar behind…’ The Recce Corps at War 1940-1946’ by Richard Doherty, Tom Donovan Publishing Ltd 1994)

Eric Postles records that 61st Recce's 'B' Squadron was supporting the 43rd Division Infantry in this rescue: "When it became clear that the Arnhem Bridge was beyond 30 Corps reach our squadron was moved to join 43 Division infantry where we protected their right flank as they advanced to the Waal, crossed it and helped the Airborne survivors back from the Osterbeek area.  The crossing place was just downstream from Driel and the attack took place at night using moonlight (searchlights on cloud) and Bofar gun tracer to mark the boundaries.  43 Division crossed the river and surviving Airborne troops were brought back but the cost in lives of the 43 Division infantry was heavy.  I remember seeing a field full of parachutes of different colours used to identify the contents of the containers, which had been dropped on the wrong side of the river."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Of the 10,000 British troops that had landed in Market Garden that ‘bridge too far’ had lost almost 8,000.  Only 2,163 were safely evacuated in Operation Berlin (1,741 from British 1^st Airborne and 422 from the Glider Pilot Regiment) with 160 Polish paratroopers and 75 Dorset infantry men. 240 escaped later with the help of the Dutch resistance.  1,485 were killed in action or died of wounds while 6,525 were captured or missing. Less than 8% of the supplies intended for the British Airborne had reached them.

The American airborne had approximately 3,200 casualties (2,100 for the 101^st and 1,100 for the 82^nd).

Market Garden had involved over 20,000 paratroopers and more than 13,500 glidermen.  862 aircraft crew were lost.

On the ground XXX Corps had taken 1,480 casualties.

 

On 24^th September Roy Howard of ‘A’ Squadron notes that 61^st Recce were on the south bank of the Rhine, west of Arnhem, and kept up continuous patrols on ‘the Island’ until 17^th October. 

Eric Brewer, who had been in the section of 61^st Recce left behind when the Germans intercepted the XXX Corps salient, recorded that 61^st Recce “shifted to the flank, plenty of mortar shelling and spandos.  A few Gerry prisoners taken today. Also woman.”

(From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 24^th September 1944:

          Major Stanley George Alexander (age 34) of Tetbury, Gloucestershire     

who is laid to rest in the Mierlo War Cemetery, east of Eindhoven. (See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

 

There were other 61^st Recce casualties from Arnhem – Major Rayor lost a leg when he stepped on an anti-personnel mine on ‘the Island’ during the advance towards Arnhem.

Tony Macotta, who had been Colonel Mount’s Adjutant planning for the invasion, took over Major Alexander’s role as commander of 61^st Recce’s HQ Squadron (see Colonel Brownrigg’s obituary for Tony in ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’).

Across the river

 23^rd September – Urquhart’s paratroopers and airlanding men at Oosterbeek are increasingly pressed by the surrounding Germans who are held off by the guns of XXX Corps across the river. Another 200 Polish paratroopers join the beleaguered troops north of the Lower Rhine. (From From ‘Operation Market Garden, Netherlands 17th – 25th September 1944’)

 

50^th (Northumbrian) Division were tasked with capturing Bemmel, a village on the ‘Island’ between the Lower Rhine and the Waal, south-east of Elst, where the Guards were still embattled.  By 25^th September they had achieved this but were kept under heavy artillery fire by the Germans.  (From TT 50th Infantry Division.) 

 

Anthony Rampling remembers watching Germans north of the river:

Attics at Arnhem

“When we got near Arnhem we got up into the attics of houses on the side of the river and took some tiles off the roof and could see the Germans the other side, scuttling around.  We didn’t obviously fire at them because that would have drawn fire back onto us – just observed from the attics.  I always remember in the attics there was tobacco leaves hanging up.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

 

According to Roy Howard the supply line for XXX Corps had again been cut, this time at Sint Oedenrode, south-west of Veghel.  Eric Brewer records: “Shelled to where Gerry broke through but not much doing, plenty of shelling through the night.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

Dick’s future regiment, 52^nd (Lowland) Recce, now east of Grave near Oss, were also engaged in heavy fighting to defend the corridor as the Germans pressed in hard from both sides.

Chotie becomes a PT Instructor

Chotie qualified as a PT Instructor on 22^nd September.

 

Her ‘Statement of Service’ and ‘Service and Casualty’ form state:

Attended Initial P.T. Course at No. 2 A.T.S. PT School w.e.f. 30 Aug to 22 Sept 44. 

Result : - “AX”.

 

Meanwhile in the Netherlands the Guards were still prevented from reaching Arnhem bridge by determined German resistance at Elst

The XXX Corps lifeline was severed by the Germans between Uden (south-west of Grave) and Veghel cutting off the front of the advance with the US 82^nd Airborne and part of 61^st Recce. 

 

43^rd (Wessex) Division was brought up across the River Waal and attacked towards Driel, on the south bank of the Lower Rhine, where they linked up with the Polish Airborne. Dick’s former unit, 43^rd Recce protected the left flank of the Division on ‘the Island’. Some of the Polish troops succeeded in crossing the Rhine in small boats and joining Urquhart’s Airborne at Oosterbeek, who were still holding their besieged position.

Ted's crowd - Thursday 21st September 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

B.L.A.

Thursday Sept 21^st

Chotie Darling,

                                    Just a few lines (as there’s no news*) to let you know I’m OK and still fighting fit(?)

            I hope your course has softened down a bit (as you should be more used to it by now) and that you’re enjoying your first visit to Scotland.  I never managed to get to Edinburgh when I had my course in Scotland, though I managed to get to Glasgow.

            My hand’s still shaking from testing a new armoured car we’ve received.  It’s funny how driving a car fast makes the old hands so wobbly.

            Heard from Diller this morning from home, where she’s on leave – including a footprint (in ink) of Michael*….Heavy nostalgia!

            Very pleasant house I’m in, writing this – a well-to-do surgeon’s town-house, English Georgian style – front-door on the pavement.  Some very good prints of the Flemish masters.  The countryside here is very dull, being quite flat but the small towns and villages we visit from time to time are very interesting. 

        Managed to buy a fountain pen yesterday for 100f. (10/-) – really very cheap.  I’ve saved about £100 since D-day so I must have a fling occasionally.

        My mate Geoff Winzer hasn’t yet caught us up again nor Jimmy Waddell, who’s still in England.  There’s only about 50% officers with us now – which makes life much duller.  To compensate this however, the area we’re now in is much more interesting, more people, shops & BEER!

        Ted’s crowd*** are the originators of this new push, though I haven’t yet met him.  Is he still in action?

                Must close here, Darling, for tea

                                    Much love

                                                            Dicker

*Dick had to censor the letters of his men and so would have censored his own as he wrote them, leaving out anything that would indicate his unit was involved in Market Garden and possibly trying to put any interceptor off the scent.

**The Williams family dog – I think.

***Ted Lewis, married to Chotie’s sister Margaret, was in the Grenadier Guards who had charged Nijmegen bridge.  By this stage of the war he’d had two tanks shot out from under him.  As a Sergeant he was the vehicle commander so stood up in the tank to give directions and could leap out if the tank was ‘brewed up’.  The rest of his crew in Operation Goodwood (to take Caen in Normandy) were less fortunate.

 © Chotie Darling

If Dick was in Nijmegen he was certainly being deceptive – much of the northern part of the town was burned out and artillery shells were still landing in the town.  It’s possible he was still in Eindhoven and his troop was still together.

 

Although the 101^st US Airborne secured Schijndel, the town west of Veghel, they told the inhabitants not to celebrate in case they were successfully counter-attacked by the Germans.  To the south even their base at Sint Oedenrode was under attack, requiring re-inforcements.

50^th (Northumbria) Division, having crossed the Wilhelmina Canal on the 20th September, was back defending the column west of Eindhoven from 21^st to 23^rd September, although their 69th Brigade were pushed forward to the Nijmegen area on Thursday 21^st.  

Eric Brewer of 61st Recce ‘B’ squadron is moving up Hell’s Highway:  “Moved at 4.30 in the morning to Holland.  Went through to Andover (Eindhoven?) to a place called Halover.  Went out on Recce but things quiet, a few vehicles knocked out here.”  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

52^nd Recce, Dick’s future regiment, arrived in Son en Breugel on the Wilhemina Canal, coming under the command of 101^st Airborne Division.  They then moved up to Grave on the north-west tip of the salient.

‘Hell’s Highway’ between Eindhoven and Grave, was under constant attack from the east and the west.  The Household Cavalry had discovered a large German food store at Oss (west of Grave), which was now important for supplementing disrupted supplies. Neither side could spare troops to take Oss so the store was in ‘no-man’s land’, with the British taking German rations in the morning and the Germans in the afternoon.

 

By dawn on 21^st September the Germans had established a defence line north of Nijmegen from the village of Oosterhout (near the Waal to the west) to Ressen (north of the Allies bridgehead) and across to Bemmel, cutting off access to ‘the Island’ and Arnhem.  Major Julian Cook’s  paratroopers pushed forward but came up against this line.

When the Irish Guards advanced their tanks along the narrow road above the polderland their tanks were shot out ‘like ducks in a fairground booth’. 43^rd (Wessex) Division, who were now defending the Guards’ left flank north of the 50^th Division, was sent ahead instead and had a hard fight.

82^nd US Airborne were facing strong German attacks on their positions from the Reichswald, the German forest to the east, and at night German bombers were now attempting to destroy the precious Njmegen bridge.

 

On Arnhem bridge, although fighting had continued through the night, the airborne troops were over-run and forced to scatter through Arnhem.  Most were taken prisoner including Freddie Gough (who later escaped in 1945).  German traffic was now able to cross the bridge to engage to halt the advancing column of XXX Corps heading for Elst (between Arnhem and Nijmegen).

At Oosterbeek the German infantry attacked with shells, mortars and machine-guns.  Snipers, tied into tall trees, shot into the perimeter. The British still had field guns and PIATs (Projector, Infantry, Anti-tank) to see off the tanks that arrived in the afternoon but the fighting everywhere was fierce and often cruel - one group of Pathfinders (the elite group who landed first to mark out drop zones) shot a section of surrendering Germans.

The British were exhausted, short of ammunition and desperately hungry. The battle smoke meant most supplies brought in by the RAF missed their position while others were useless, containing berets, battledress, berets and blanco!  The shortage of water meant medical staff could not wash their hands or the bodies of the wounded. They were also running out of bandages (begging sheets from the citizens trapped in their cellars) and morphine.

Major-General Urquhart at last managed to make radio contact with a regiment of 43^rd Division in XXX Corps.  By the end of the day the 1^st British Airborne at Oosterbeek held only a box-shaped area of land, one and a half miles square, with the Neder Rijn river along the southern edge.

 

The 1^st Polish Parachute Brigade, delayed for three days by bad weather, dropped at Driel, on the south bank of the Nederrijn (Lower Rhine), under heavy fire from the Germans.  Their anti-tank defences had been landed north of the Rhine but on 20^th September plans changed and Major General Sosabowski’s remaining forces were to drop on the south side, crossing the river by ferry to re- inforce the British at Oosterbeek.   Unfortunately the ferry was destroyed by a German attack on the morning of the 21^st and 46 of the 72 aircraft delivering the Poles had to turn back again because of poor weather.

Two troops of household cavalry from XXX Corps made it through the German defence line to Driel and Captain Zwolański, Urquhart’s Polish liaison officer, swam the Neder Rijn to tell Sosabowski that rafts would be sent to bring the Polish paratroopers across but they failed to appear that night.

 

On 21^st September the second Dumbarton Oaks Conference in Washington begins to set out guidelines for the United Nations.

In Italy the Allies’ 8^th Army takes Rimini on the Adriatic Coast, east of Florence, and occupies the neighbouring microstate of San Marino.

The Estonian government is forced to flee after publishing their State Gazette (Riigi Teataja) in defiance of Soviet forces.

Charles of Flanders becomes Prince-Regent of Belgium because his brother, King Leopold III, is suspected of collaboration with the Germans.

In the Pacific the US Navy attacks Manila, the capital of the Phillipines under Japanese occupation.

Onto 'The Island'

At Arnhem Colonel Frost and Major-General Urquhart at last had radio contact but the news was not good.  Frost’s troops were almost out of ammunition, medical supplies and water while Urquhart’s position was also besieged.  There was no recent news on XXX Corps.  After a night of savage fighting the Germans were gradually smoking out Frost’s troops from the buildings defending their position and by evening they were on the ramp to the bridge to the bridge.  Frost, badly wounded by a mortar bomb, handed command to Major Freddie Gough (Dick’s former commander in Airborne Reconnaissance) telling him to move out any fit to fight or able to walk (only one hundred of the 740 who’d made it to the bridge) and then arrange a truce, handing the 400 wounded over to the Germans. Frost removed his badges of rank before being taken prisoner with them.  

The remnants of Brigadier Lathbury’s 1^st Para Brigade, combined with 11^th Para battalion and now totaling less than 450 men, had retreated to Oosterbeek.  The rest of Brigadier Hackett’s 4^th Parachute Brigade, west of Oosterbeek, were almost surrounded and had a terrible fight to break out. Leaving their wounded behind only about 70 men reached the Hartenstein HQ area. 

German forces were now closing in around Oosterbeek and had taken the St Elisabeth hospital at the centre of the battle west of Arnhem.  Here wounded from both sides were being ably treated by the British, Dutch and German medical teams, even when the hospital was under fire.  Patients in Oosterbeek, at the makeshift Hotel Schoonoord hospital or the operating theatre in the Tafelberg, were in a worse position, under mortar and machine gun fire, despite their red crosses.

 

The 82nd Airborne sector was now under attack from the east, threatening not only their offensive at Nijmegen but also the XXX Corps supply line over the Heumen bridge through Mook.  Allied counter-attacks were eventually successful.

At Nijmegen the plan was for Major Julian Cook’s 3^rd Battalion of the 504^th Parachute Infantry Regiment to cross the Waal in small boats west of the road bridge and proceed to the north end of the bridge.  Then the tanks of the Grenadier Guards would charge across.  The Guards had to first fight their way through the town to the south end of the bridge, attacking the well-defended Valkhof fortress next to the road bridge.

Only 26 of the canvas wooden-framed boats made it intact along Hell’s Highway to Cook’s position further west on the south bank. This had been cleared by the 504^th with the Irish Guards that morning and their tanks provided a smokescreen for the assault. The first wave paddled across through incessant firing from the north bank, with 13 men in each open boat.  Only eleven boats remained intact to return and collect the second wave.  This small force fought their way heroically east to the north end of the bridge guarded by the moated fortress of the Hof van Holland.  Capturing this, they reached the bridge by dusk.

The Valkhof was at last taken and troops of Grenadier Guards rushed the bridge in their tanks.  The joy of the 82^nd US Airborne meeting up with them turned to dismay when the British refused to advance further to Arnhem without orders.  Their semi-suicidal boat crossing in daylight was intended to relieve their Airborne colleagues at Arnhem without delay.  They were only 8 miles from Arnhem but they were on ‘the Island’, low-lying land between the Lower Rhine (Nederrijn) and it’s distributary the River Waal. ‘The fields are too soft for tanks and the roads are on dikes that split the fields which make the tanks very easy targets since there is no room to manoeuvre and they can be spotted from miles.’ (See ‘Operation Market Garden, Netherlands 17th – 25th September 1944’ and  Market Garden 1944-2014.) 

Hearing the Allies had crossed the Waal Generalfeldmarschall Model was angry and embarrassed that he had refused requests to blow the Nijmegen road bridge. 

 

Soon to follow them were some of the men of 61st Recce but not all. The Germans were attacking Hell’s Highway north of Eindhoven in the 101^st Airborne sector, at Son (where a Bailey Bridge now crossed the Wilhelmina Canal) and Veghel, with artillery bombarding the recently liberated little town.

Colonel Brownrigg’s account of 61^st Recce has only a brief reference to Market Garden:

“Next we were involved in the dash towards Arnhem.  ‘A’ Squadron made early acquaintance with the Nijmegen Bridge while the rest of the Regiment was temporarily cut in two when German tanks cut the one road north.” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

Sandy Handley just says: “Our A Squadron was the first of the 61^st Recce to cross Nijmegen Bridge.  Our part of the convoy was cut off, held up by enemy tanks” (from Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished).

However, Don Aiken also appears to have crossed the River Waal over Nijmegen Bridge that day. 61^st Recce went through Nijmegen via Sint Annastraat and Keizer Karelplein in the centre and Max Murphy, Lt Jonny Heitman’s batman in B Squadron was wounded in the town.

Eric Postles recorded:

"The next objectives were at Grave, Nijmegen and Arnhem, which involved American and British Airborne Operations.  The operation was codenamed Market Garden.  82 American Airborne Division captured the Nijmegen Bridge and the Guards Armoured Division tanks crossed and helped them to hold it.  The tanks moved on to the Arnhem road towards Elst, trying to get to the Arnhem Bridge where British 1^st Airborne Division and the Poles had dropped to capture it.  Our squadron moved up with the tanks and infantry but progress was slow.  The Germans had reinforced the area, the road was above ground level with ditches and flooded ground on either side and the weather deteriorated preventing us getting air support.  I remember our Divisional heavy machine gunners (the Cheshires) lined up pouring fire from their steaming guns.  We were regularly getting cut off and some troops from the regiment had to help 101 US airborne keep our lines intact by counter attacks."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Meanwhile Eric Brewer was:  “Still at base taking it easy, expect to move tomorrow. Went out in the village tonight and had tea in a girl’s house. Moving tomorrow.” 

His 20th September letter home reveals: “I have got two films which I found on a Gerry lorry and have borrowed one of the lads camera, and I am going to take some of the films tomorrow and today when I have taken them all I will send them home and if you take them to Boots or Jordan’s or somewhere else you will be able to get them developed for me….

                         Your loving son, Eric XXXX

*Cameras were strictly forbidden among the troops of north-west Europe.

 

Hell's Highway

19^th September 1944 – the Moscow Armistice is signed between the Soviet Union and Finland, ending the Second Soviet-Finnish War.

US First Army liberates the French city of Nancy in eastern France, near Germany.

 

In the Battle of Arnhem Major General Urquhart managed to escape from his hideout when the Germans briefly pulled back their blocking line by St Elisabeth Hospital.  Brigadier Lathbury had been wounded and was taken to the hospital, disguised as a Corporal. 

Back at HQ in Oosterbeek they’d found a BBC radio could send messages back to London.  This provided the only reliable radio contact with the outside world for the next two days.

1^st Para Brigade had been decimated trying to get through to the bridge and a new attack by 11^th Parachute Battalion was forced to retreat after savage encounters. The rest of 4^th Para Brigade tried to get round to Arnhem from the north but had to rapidly withdraw to avoid being trapped by German Wehrmacht (regular army) units assembled under General von Tettau and advancing from the west.  The landing zones were now battle sites and the third lift, with the Polish anti-tank squadron, arrived in the confusion of the fight, battered by flak.  The Airborne’s vital supply drop mainly landed in German positions.  Soon the last defending forces at the landing zones were also in retreat, heading for Oosterbeek.

Lt. Colonel Frost’ s men, at the north end of the Arnhem road bridge, are under increasing pressure. Low-flying RAF transport planes trying to support the airborne forces receive many casualties. The departure of the Polish Parachute Brigade, due to land near the south end of the bridge in the third lift, was delayed by weather in England and, in one of their few successful radio transmissions, the beleaguered forces on the bridge learnt that the Nijmegen bridge was yet to be captured, blocking their hoped for relief by XXX Corps.  Although they still fought savagely to maintain their position they were short of ammunition and bombs were raining down on the buildings they occupied, setting them on fire.  By midnight much of Arnhem city centre was ablaze.

 

The Grenadier Guards, now leading the XXX Corps column, passed over the Wilhelmina Canal at Son on the Bailey Bridge constructed overnight and made good progress to Grave, where they met up with Brigadier General Gavin of the US 82^nd Airborne and Lt. General Browning.  The Guards’ commander was shocked to hear they had not yet captured the Nijmegen bridge.  A plan was hastily put together with members of the Dutch underground and the tanks headed into the city, attempting to reach the bridge through the burning buildings where there was fierce hand-to-hand fighting.  The Guards also joined with the 82nd to defend their positions against heavy attacks from the east.

As XXX Corps advances the US Airborne Divisions come under General Horrocks'  command.   (See ‘Operation Market Garden, Netherlands 17th – 25th September 1944’.) 

 

The company of 101^st Airborne isolated by the blown bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal at Best were taken prisoner but then released when the Guards’ tanks were heard approaching. The battle at Best was dominated by the Allies’ tanks and some 2,600 prisoners were taken (although hundreds of Germans were killed before they could surrender).

Son and the new Bailey Bridge were also under attack and required strong defences, assisted by tanks that had found another crossing over the Dommel where it was separated from the Wilhlmina Canal in a culvert.  The Germans pincer movement failed to cut the line but Hell’s Highway ( as the Guards ‘Club Route’ was becoming known) was vulnerable, from both sides and above. VIII and XII Corps, which should have been flanking XXX Corps, were both delayed, the former by the fuel crisis and the latter by heavy resistance.

Eindhoven, rejoicing in its second day of liberation, was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe that night, blasting the centre with explosions.  Apparently 107th Panzer-Brigade had reached the outskirts of Eindhoven but were deterred from crossing the river Dommel by a gardener who told them the bridge would not hold tanks.

(From ‘Arnhem – the Battle for the Bridges 1944’ by Antony Beevor, published by Penguin 2019)

 

‘A’ Squadron of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment, with the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division, were protecting the left flank of the Guards Armoured Division as far as the town of Grave, and were then with the 101^st Airborne. (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

‘B’ Squadron of 61st Recce appears to have been split; while Don Aiken reached Grave and linked up with the US 82nd Airborne, Eric Brewer (of the Assault troop) was

“Still in base and waiting for big push again. We have been sent a personal message from Dempsey* on the job  done at Vire, also for the 2000 prisoners taken in the Falaise gap.”  Eric wrote home on 19^th September saying he was “still taking it easy” with a “PS  Will be having some good news for you soon but then again you might hear some before me."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.

*Lt. General Sir Miles Dempsey, Montgomery’s deputy.

 

Anthony Rampling remembers:

The route up to Arnhem was terrible – the 101^st Airborne called it ‘Hell’s Highway’.

Hell's Highway

“When the paras landed at Arnhem it was soon realised that it was going to be a disaster and we were ordered to get up to Arnhem as soon as possible.

We went along a route from Antwerp to Arnhem, getting over bridges etc, which were being shelled by the Germans and this route is now called ‘Hell’s Highway’ because of the incessant fire from mortars and shells.  As we got to these bridges we had to go across very quickly and they had a break in between because the bridges were being shelled all the time.

As we got to Arnhem we managed to get to the landing zones which were littered with smashed up gliders, parachutes everywhere, on a place called Ginkel Heath (sic*) which was about a 3,000 acre area of shrub and gorseland – ideal landing zone.  Everybody jumped out of their armoured cars, cut bits out of the parachutes to put round their necks.  After having this coarse uniform it was some comfort to have a silk scarf.”   From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

*Tony may be referring to the Polish drop zones, south of the Neder Rijn.  Ginkel Heath, which is north of the Lower Rhine did not come into Allied hands until much later.   He says:  “I remember British equipment, and a huge expanse of land with broken gliders and parachutes.”

 

The ‘Hell’s Highway’ route was cut by the Germans several times.  The planned route, Highway 69, was two lanes wide, generally raised above the surrounding flat terrain of polder. The ground on either side of the highway was often too soft to support vehicles movement and there were numerous dykes and drainage ditches. Observation was seriously restricted because the dykes tended to be topped by trees or large bushes and roads and paths were lined with trees.  The single road caused enormous logistical difficulties and Allied intelligence was unaware of the crack German troops in the area. (From Market Garden 1944-2014 and Wikipedia).

Leading vehicles could be quickly taken out by enemy anti-tank weapons causing a complete standstill for about 40 minutes before they could start moving again.

‘This latest Airborne effort’ - Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th September 1944

18th September 1944 - the US 9th Army finally take Brest, an important port on the Atlantic coast of Brittany. It was in a tragic state after 6 weeks of siege.

 

In Operation Market Garden more British Airborne troops landed late in their drop zone on Ginkel Heath after weather delayed them in England.  By then German anti-aircraft guns were focused on their flight pathway and those airborne troops already landed were engaged in fierce fighting and gradually being surrounded.  Major General Urquhart was still out of contact so Brigadier Hicks, now in charge of the Division, made his HQ in the Hotel Hartenstein in Oosterbeek (now the Airborne Museum).  The Tafelberg (which Field Marshal Model had left rapidly the previous day) and Schoonord Hotels were also taken over by the Division, filling with wounded tended by Dutch volunteers. All troops approaching Arnhem were now pinned down near the St Elisabeth Hospital, just west of the town, where the Germans had the advantage of high ground.  Airborne HQ didn’t know this had become an impenetrable choke point. The newly arrived 4^th Para Brigade were all heading towards Arnhem, with 11^th Para battalion charged to push through to the bridge.

Colonel Frost’s troops on Arnhem bridge had begun the day by successfully stopping a column of German reconnaissance from returning across the bridge.  They were heavily engaged in street fighting to hold houses north of the bridge but could not secure the south end of the bridge and remained isolated.  Difficulties in radio contact persisted so no-one back in Britain, or in the ‘Garden’ ground advance, knew what was happening to the British Airborne in Holland.

 

Field Marshal Model urgently ordered German re-inforcements and arms for Arnhem.  9th Panzer SS Division focused on preventing more British Airborne from reaching the town while 10^th SS Panzer were sent to retake the Arnhem bridge and (forced to cross the Neder Rijn in ferries further east) to protect the Nijmegen.  Almost all of the German 15^th Army, who had escaped across the Scheldt estuary north of Antwerp were now directed against the west flank of Market Garden.

 

82^nd Airborne secured all its bridges except the Nijmegen road bridge where the Germans now hold firm positions.  With bitter street fighting in the town they begin to set fire to many areas.  General Browning is with the 82^nd Airborne and prioritises defence of the high ground south of Nijmegen and land to the east facing Germany and the Reichswald Forest over taking the bridge.

 

A small company of 101^st Airborne who made it to the other bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal, at Best, fight helplessly and unsuccessfully to prevent the Germans destroying it. The Division secures four bridges over the river Dommel and begins the liberation of Eindhoven.

 

The Guards Armoured Division had a leisurely start from Valkenswaard, although they were 24 hours behind schedule (Brigadier Gwatkin had advised there was no hurry because they could not cross the Wilhelmina Canal but various excuses have been given for the delay including a battalion who said they were waiting to be replaced by infantry from 61^st Recce’s 50^th Division!  After heavy losses the Irish Guards were also unwilling to advance without air cover, which was cancelled due to ‘poor flying conditions’).

British armoured cars speed through Eindhoven that evening at 6pm, believing it to still be occupied by the Germans.  The Guards' tanks arrive to a rapturous welcome a couple of hours later.  At last work began on constructing a Bailey bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal – the engineers and equipment appear to have been stuck behind the Guards along the narrow route. 

 

61^st Recce were involved in finding routes from Valkenswaard for the tanks; they passed through villages to the east of the main route including Leende, Geldrop and Helmond, meeting up with 101^st Airborne at Veghel.  (The Household Cavalry were first to meet up with 101^st Airborne Division at Woensel, between Eindhoven and Son). (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004, ‘Arnhem’ by Anthony Beevor, Viking 2018 and Don Aiken.)

 

Sandy Handley, of Dick's No 5 Troop, recalled an incident at Eindhoven “where Phillips factory were making radios.  I shall not forget the civilian populations bringing their barrows and loading up with radios and not only civilians but us, we had several of these brand new radios on board but the laughable part was when we got back to camp we found there were no valves in them so they were useless.  One of our conscientious officers ordered us to take them back at once; this is pillage he said or pilfering.  However none were taken back.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished).

Eric Brewer, also of B Squadron was “now in Corp grouping area (near Hasselt in Belgium) watching for big push. Just been told by C.O. that Dempsey* is very pleased with the 50^th Recce work we have done and especially the counter attack we have been the key to stopping.  He also told us that we were three days ahead of the 7 Armoured Corps (in Normandy) and were waiting outside Vire for them.”

*Lt.General Miles Dempsey, commander of the British Second Army and Montgomery's deputy.

 

Whether Dick was with the Guards Armoured Division in the advance or still in Belgium like Eric Brewer, he managed to find time to write to Chotie:

Letter written on Monday 18^th and Tuesday 19^th September 1944

 61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA

Monday Sept 18^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your letter received a couple of days ago.  There’s nothing much of any real interest to tell you – no current news, anyhow.

            We’ve been much luckier of late in getting into some towns instead of the old perpetual fields and orchards.  Have spent several days recently in or near a small town (Wimborne* size) and been able to get a harbour and several other necessities.

            There are plenty of pubs here, and although they are still called cafés, they correspond much more to our conception of a pub.  They also have the excellent idea of having the barbers inside the pub itself so that you can have a pint or two whilst waiting your turn.  Altogether a very happy solution to this queueing problem.

            A lot of my troop have bought scent and powder with enticing Paris labels – but personally I’ve avoided buying any as I don’t trust them.  One of my blokes bought three bottles which cost him 1000 f (£5) which is obviously Black Market stuff.  Maybe I’m sceptical – as usual.

            I’ve been trying to read my Mozart, which is pretty heavy going, being in French.  It’s an excellent book, however, so I’m persevering.  I also have a copy of ‘Gentlemen prefer Blondes**’ in French, which is quite amusing but less instructive.

            Have met a lot of Ted’s crowd*** but haven’t yet contacted him.

            Brinner is still at Base as far as I know – he’ll probably still be there when we get the final ‘cease firing’. 

             I imagine Johnny Jones is with this latest Airborne effort.  Did you hear anything of him when you were on leave?  I haven’t heard a thing.

            We now manage to get a better variety of food, than hitherto – eggs & tomatoes**** (hundreds of them) instead of the endless run of sausage-meat.  We also get a few mushrooms from time to time.  Must close here to do some work.

                                    All my love

                                                Darling

                                                            Dicker

Will write some more tonight.

 

Well, Darling, I couldn’t finish this letter last night because we moved during the evening.

I’ve found out where Brinner is but as he’s some 60 miles from me at the moment there seems no chance of contacting him. 

I’m afraid I can’t write any more as I have a full day ahead fitting new wireless sets to my cars.

                All my love Precious

                                                Dicker.

 

*a small town in Dorset.

**the American novel by Anita Loos published in 1925.

***the Grenadier Guards in the Guards Armoured Division.

****Uncle Ted told me he once had to hide out in a tomato field behind enemy lines and just lived on tomatoes for a couple of days - he couldn't bear to eat them after that (Chotie’s Daughter).

© Chotie Darling

Market Garden begins

Chotie Darling

 

Dedicated to the memory of my mother

and all those who hold the forever young of war in their hearts.

 

Part 4        Only the Enemy in Front   

 

Chapter 13      Market Garden and the Netherlands

 

17^th September 1944 – Field Marshal Montgomery launches Operation Market Garden to reach Germany via the Netherlands, skirting the well-defended Siegfried line.

On 17^th September 1944 50th (Northumbrian) Division watched as one of the largest air armadas of the war passed overhead.  The planes were heading for drop zones behind enemy lines so airborne forces could seize vital targets for Montgomery’s 'Market Garden’.  This was a plan for the Allies to advance into the Netherlands on a narrow front, avoiding the defences of the Siegfried line by punching their way into Germany from the north-east and making the most of now very-overstretched supplies. The 50^th’s field artillery and mortars took part in the 1:30pm opening barrage to punch a way over the border from Belgium.

In XXX Corps, the Guards Armoured Division (Ted's unit) were to lead the ‘Garden’ advance on the ground with 43^rd (Wessex) Division following up behind, then the 50^th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division. 61^st Recce operated on the west flank of the Guards.

 

‘Market’ represented the airborne forces – 35,000 men to be landed over three days by parachute or glider. To ‘lay a carpet’ for the Guards advance US 101^st Airborne Division, (the ‘Screaming Eagles’) were to take the nearest bridges between Eindhoven and Veghel; those crossing the Wilhelmina Canal at Son and Best, the river Dommel at St Oedenrode and the Zuid Willems Canal south-west of Veghel.  Meanwhile the (‘All American’) 82^nd Airborne Division needed to seize the bridge over the Maas at Grave, those between Grave and Nijmegan over the Maas-Waal Canal and the road crossing over the Waal at Nijmegen. British 1^st Airborne Division had been assigned the furthest Neder Rijn bridges at Arnhem. 

Lieutenant General Frederick Browning (see 1st Airborne), deputy head of the 1st Allied Airborne Army, devised the ‘Market’ plan on Montgomery’s orders and famously remarked that 'we might be going a bridge too far'. There were too few planes to carry so many airborne in one lift so they would need to drop over three days, defending the landing and dropping zones while advancing on the target.  These zones were also some distance from the target bridges because of anti-aircraft defences.  Major General Robert Urquhart, commander of the British 1^st Airborne, had only seven days to come up with a plan to “take Arnhem Bridge and hold it” and told Browning on 15^th September that he regarded it as a suicide mission. Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski, leader of the Polish Independent Brigade, which were to be landed south of the Neder Rijn two days after the first British landing, was equally sceptical 

The Guards Armoured Division was meant to reach Eindhoven in 2-3 hours and Arnhem in 60 hours, a distance of 103 kilometres up a single road with polderland flood plain on either side broken only by woods and plantations.

 

The first drift of the Airborne units were landed successfully in their drop zones but because these were not close to targets some of the vital element of surprise was lost.  This was critical for the 82^nd US Airborne who were held up in the town of Nijmegen and failed to take its vital road bridge. They also had to man defensive positions facing Germany and the Reichswald Forest.  A small group of men from the 82^nd’s Easy company did, however, manage to rapidly secure the bridge over the Maas at Grave, south-west of Nijmegen. The paras also took one intact bridge over the Maas-Waal canal at Heumen.

Beyond Nijmegen the British Airborne were to encounter far stronger German opposition than anticipated: 1^st SS Panzer Corps’ 9^th and 10^th Divisions were in the area to refit, a battalion of Waffen SS was based near their landing zone at Wolfheze and Field Marshal Walter Model (successor to Rommel as commander of Army Group B - the north-west front in Europe) had made his HQ in the Hotel Tafelberg at Oosterbeek, a village to the west of Arnhem. Forces heading for the town on three routes from the drop zones on Ginkel Heath all met firm resistance.  The Waffen SS had rapidly established a defensive line across the two main roads into Arnhem (the British ‘Leopard’ and ‘Tiger’ routes) and the railway line.  Radio failure meant the two commanders, Major-General Urquhart and his Brigadier Lathbury (of 1^st Parachute Brigade), had to meet in person. Urquhart and Lathbury were then cut off from their HQs for two days, which led to considerable confusion. 

Lt.-Colonel John Frost’s (see The Bruneval Raid) 2^nd Parachute Battalion (following the southern ‘Lion’ route) found their objective, the Arnhem railway bridge, had been blown but they secured a defensive position at the north end of the road bridge.  This was the destination assigned to another of Dick’s former units, Major Freddie Gough’s Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron, who had bumped into an SS battalion. Nevertheless Gough and some of his men also reached the bridge. (See ‘Operation Market Garden, Netherlands 17th – 25th September 1944’.).  By the next morning they’d been joined by 110 men from their 1^st Parachute Brigade’s HQ, fifty assorted others including glider pilots and 45 men from 3^rd Parachute Battalion, giving Frost 740 men under his command.

The advance on the ground from Belgium was not as smooth as anticipated.  Having secured the vital bridge over the Bocholt-Herentals Canal (known as Joe’s Bridge in their honour) at Pelt on 10^th September the Irish Guards were tasked with leading the column.  They entered Holland but by the end of the day had only reached Valkenswaard, south of Eindhoven, after fighting for every kilometre against re-grouped German forces.  (The 50^th’s 231^st Brigade were clearing woods on the left of the Guards advance).  They were already behind schedule. About 15 miles to the north, on the other side of Eindhoven, the first major bridge at Son en Breugel had been blown up in the face of the 101^st Airborne paratroopers sent to secure it.  (Apparently one troop of 61^st Recce got across the bridge at Son before it was blown.) By nightfall the 101^st had secured St Oedenrode and Veghel, north of Einhoven.

It seems the Guards delayed, waiting for the Royal Engineers who would build a Bailey Bridge* over the Wilhelmina Canal.

*the British portable, pre-fabricated truss bridge invented during WW2 and developed in Christchurch, Dorset.

 

61st Recce's Anthony Rampling recalls:

“In Market Garden we were trying to get up to Arnhem to get the paras out.  We saw the paras dropping – the sky was full of them.  The British dropped too near the Germans who were well fortified.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

 

Roy Howard’s book outlines some of the difficulties faced by XXX Corps in their advance (page 83 of ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’, Brewin Books 2004).  His ‘A’ Squadron were leading 61^st Recce’s advance on the left flank of XXX Corps, advancing at 14:35 (H-Hour) from Mol (between Geel and Joe’s bridge) on the Bocholt-Herentals Canal in Belgium towards Valkenswaard in the Netherlands, on the left flank of the Irish Guards.  They entered the town just after dark.

On 17^th September Eric Brewer, of B Squadron’s Assault unit, was: “Still in same position (on the Bocholt-Herantals Canal?).  Watched Gerry still messing around.  Gave details of blown bridge to R.E. (Royal Engineers).  We left this position so that a barrage could be put down to allow the R.E. to put up bridge.  Infantry crossed over the barrage and took up position so that a barrage could be put down to allow the R.E. to put up bridge.  Infantry crossed over the barrage and took up positions while the R.E. made a bridge.  Big push coming off - going to push on the Zuider Zee.”

Eric then headed for the ‘core grouping area waiting for big push’ (probably Hasselt, south of Lommel and Leopoldsburg) but remained there until 21^st September, according to his diary.

Another reconnaissance regiment (Dick’s future regiment) the 52^nd (Lowland), were at Heusden-Zolder, just south of Burg Leopold near Ghent, on 17^th September waiting to join the frontline behind the Guards.

 

 Sandy Handley remembers the excitement of it all – and the frustration as ‘brewed up’ tanks blocked the single highway impeding progress:

“Later by September we were told that a big air drop was going to take place in Holland.  Our job was to meet up with the airborne troops. 

Off we went up what they called the corridor, so many vehicles going up one main road it seemed.  On a personal note we was really excited about the airborne drop, Market Garden as they named it. We thought not much longer now.  But the stopping and starting for miles, everywhere it was chocker block, all going one way. 

One day we was going fairly steady and another Armoured Recce, caught us up - may have been the Household Cavalry.  As their cars went by I looked over to a Daimler armoured car, and there looking out of the top of the turret was a chap I hadn’t seen since 1940 when he was in the West Kents.  I couldn’t remember his name.  He shouted over to me “What are you doing up here?”  “Same as you mate.”  We grinned and waved.  That was the last time I saw him.”  (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

Army List for October 1944

Army List for October 1944 (corrected to 16^th September 1944)  see Recce Mitch's post of 7^th June 2013 – thumbnail (13 of 15 or page 368) for Army List with R.K. Williams entered as an Officer - 2^nd Lieutenant but (W.S./Lt. 1/5/44) i.e War Substantive Lieutenant.  The British Army List is a list (or more accurately seven series of lists) of serving regular, militia or territorial British Army officers, kept in one form or another, since 1702.

 

16^th September 1944 – Kythera, an island off the Peloponnese, becomes the first Greek territory to be liberated after a British and Greek force land there unopposed.

The Russian Army enter Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

52^nd Reconnaissance Regiment (Dick's future regiment) arrive at Heusden in Belgium, just east of Gent.

 

Eric Brewer was already involved in the preparation for 61^st Recce’s next engagement - Operation Market Garden:

Sept 15^th – “Moved on to another canal where we took up outpost.  Stayed very quiet but about 2 o’clock in morning there was quite a few Spandaus fishing to see if there was any one on the other side. We just kept low and let the bullets whim over our heads.   Plenty of voices can be heard, also vehicle movements."

Sept 16^{th - "}Still in same position can see Gerry walking about; also thirty of them in a slit trench no more than 100 yards away. Wish we could fire but cannot as it would let Gerry know that he was being observed and he must think no one is on the other side of canal. Saw a chap come up with bucket and bring food and mail, also heard plenty of movement." (From Eric Brewer’s diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

The Siegfried Line

13^th September 1944 – US troops reach the Siegfried line in western Germany.

Romania signs an armistice with the Russians.

 

14^th September 1944 – Maastricht, in the south of the Netherlands, becomes the first Dutch city to be liberated.

The Russian Baltic offensive begins with an attack on Riga, the capital of Latvia.

Russia begins limited support, with humanitarian and military air drops, for the Polish Home Army in Warsaw where the Poles have been fighting the German occupiers since the Warsaw Uprising of 1^st August.

 

15^th September – US First Army reaches the Siegfried line east of the German town of Aachen.

Nancy, across the Moselle river in eastern France, is liberated by the US Third Army.

The German battleship, Tirpitz, is severely damaged by an RAF bomb attack.

The battle of Peleliu in the Pacific Islands begins.  After two months the US Marines had secured the island and airfield from the Japanes but suffered 10,000 casualties.

 

Eric Brewer wrote home on13^th September 1944:

“I am pleased to hear that the blackout has been lifted and I expect it was very welcomed. What did it look like in the streets with the lights on? I expect a lot of young children were wondering what was happening…

……I still manage to go out for a walk to the local village and if you go in any of the cafes over here 10 to 1 they have got that record playing: ‘We’re going to hang out the washing on the Siegfreid line’.  They have had them since 1940 and they don’t seem to get tired of hearing it as, of every three records which go on, one is always that…

Your loving son

Eric XXXX

PS I’m still being treated well by the people out here, also being asked for tea or supper etc. In fact the people could not do anymore for us -a woman bought us out hot milk while we were on guard at two o’clock in the morning."

 

The Siegfried line was a defensive system of fortifications along the German western frontier.  Almost 400 miles long it ran from the border with the Netherlands to Switzerland.  The popular song ‘We’re going to hang out the washing on the Siegfried line' was first published in 1939.

 

On 14^th September Eric was “Still in same place, nothing doing today. Rained a lot but luckily we have some tents.”

(Extract from Eric Brewer’s letter and diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

From 14^th to 16^th September the 50th (Northumberland) Division underwent three days of re-organisation, near Beringen, to be ready for Operation Market Garden.

The Baroness and the Countess - Tuesday 12th September 1944

Sunday (sic) Sept 12^th

Chotie Darling,

                          Have a few hours to spare (I hope) so here goes for a few more lines.

            We’ve had it really very cushy for the past few days so I’ve been able to write a number of letters (which I dearly owe) and catch up on my maintenance and sleep. 

            We were in the grounds of a very old and famous château for some days and as the people were kindness itself we had an excellent time of it.  The woman was a Baroness and her sister, who had a summer house for the holidays, was a Countess.  They were both French speaking so of course I made the most of it.

            The Countess had hidden five British pilots who pranged there in October of last year and wished to write to them.  She therefore tackled me on the subject and I made a fair copy of her letter in English and despatched it through the normal channels.  From then of course I had my feet right under*.  Had several dinners there and I was shown round the Château.

            I’ve written to Jan & Madeleine**, but expect to wait some time for a reply as they will have to send it to my home address for re-direction.

            It’s a lovely sunny morning – everyone’s in the pink.

            Have heard no recent news of Brinner but mother tells me Diller is expected home for 9 days as from the 9^th inst.

            As regards something for your 21^st*** we’ll go out and buy something when I get home – which won’t be long now.

            I’ve just had a long conversation with three monks of the local monastery, almost medieval in its quality – an hour well spent.

            Must close here, darling for lunch.  Will write again as soon as I can

                                                                        Love

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S.  Don’t do anything too strenuous in Scotland, will you?

                                                                                                                        R

*’under the table’ – Dick uses this to mean he was a welcome guest.

** Jan and Madeleine Gervaert (link to last letter) from the town in Belgium Dick’s troop liberated, where he had to guard the two bridges.

***Chotie was 21 on the 6^th September 1944.

© Chotie Darling

 

Chotie takes up the story:

“Prior to all this I was sent on a P.T. course at Dalkieth, Scotland, where I spent my 21st Birthday.  Dicker sent me a lovely powder compact which I still treasure. 

While I was there, Dicker was fighting the war in Europe in the Reconnaissance Corps.  He had to lie amongst the German dead to gain information and was awarded the Oak Leaf for being mentioned in dispatches:

 

 

‘BY THE KING’S ORDER, THE NAME OF LIEUTENANT R. K. WILLIAMS RECONNAISSANCE CORPS, ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS, WAS PUBLISHED IN THE LONDON GAZETTE ON 10TH MAY 1945, AS MENTIONED IN A DESPATCH FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE.  I AM CHARGED TO RECORD HIS MAJESTY’S HIGH APPRECIATION.

                             SIGNED P. J. GRIGGS, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR’

I have an exact copy of this, so proudly kept.  He was a very brave soldier.” 

(From ‘Chotie’s Story’, unpublished.)

Commanders-in-Chief in the field submitted periodical lists of officers and soldiers who were 'mentioned in despatches'. Award of a 'Mention' ranked below Military Cross or Military Medal and could be for gallantry in action or for a wide range of services on and off the battlefield and was known as ‘a little bit of gold’. (National Army Museum)

 

Eric Brewer also wrote home again on 12^th September:

"Dear Mum Dad and all

Just a few lines to let you know I am still keeping fine and doing nothing as per usual.  I see that at last we are actually fighting on German soil. I don’t expect Gerry likes that and he must be getting a shake on...

…….I saw a half track going along and on the front was painted Grays*.  Out here the drivers generally paint on their vehicles where they come from, so if anyone comes from there they will be able to find out (because of the town's name) if the know them..."  (Extract from Eric Brewer’s letters by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*Grays was Eric’s home town, near Tilbury docks on Thameside, Essex.  He’d met Glover and Coyston from Grays, both attached to the 50^th Division.

 

On 12th September the 'badly battered' 50th Division is withdrawn from the Geel bridgehead to relieve the Guards at 'Joe's bridge' over the Maas-Scheldt canal near Pelt.  Their replacements, the 15^th (Scottish) Division, were able to enter Geel unopposed on 13^th September, the Germans having fled.

 

12^th September – Liberation of Le Havre, the major port on the Normandy coast by Canadian forces.

US troops cross the German frontier with Belgium at Roetgen, east of Liège.

Bombing raids result in a firestorm in Stuttgart causing 957 deaths.

The Germans evacuate eastern Mediterranean islands including Rhodes.

At the Octagon Conference in Quebec Churchill and Roosevelt agree to advance again Germany on two western fronts instead of pursuing a concerted drive by the British.  They discuss the Morgenthau plan and proposals for the post-war division of Germany.  Churchill’s offer of a British fleet for the Pacific is accepted and Lend-lease agreements are to continue.

The Geel Bridgehead

9th September 1944 – The Guards Armoured Division crosses the Albert Canal at Beringen.

In France de Gaulle forms a Provisional Government of the Republic.

In Bulgaria the pro-communist resistance known as the Fatherland Front takes power and declares war on Germany. The next day Russia enters the capital Sofia.

 

10^th October 1944 – the Irish Guards take an intact bridge at over the Maas-Scheldt canal at Neerpelt, which they call 'Joe's bridge’ after their commander.

Montgomery meets Eisenhower and obtains approval of his plan for Operation Market Garden. (‘Market’ for the airborne element and ‘Garden’ for the ground attack.)

 

Luxembourg is liberated by the US First Army.

 

11^th September – US troops are the first Allies to cross the frontier into Germany, crossing the River Our from northern Luxembourg.

The RAF ‘terror bomb’ the Medieval city of Darmstadt near Frankfurt in central Germany.

Liberation of Dijon in Burgundy, France.

 

Battle of Geel: on 9^th September the Durham Light Infantry, supported by 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment and the tanks of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, push forward from the bridgehead towards Geel.  They capture the city the next day despite German resistance and counter-attacks, which cut off part of the regiment and drive them back to the south of Geel.  German resistance continues on the 11^th with fierce fighting and losses and the  British are ordered to withdraw.

 

Eric Brewer of B Squadron’s Assault Troop was at the Albert Canal on 9^th September: "Still in same position. Gerry patrols came across on Recce but turned back when coming into contact with our fire.   Gerry mortars and shells still coming over, also a few bombs dropped in the night.   Plenty of refugees coming into our lines from Gerry side".

10^th September: "Still at Canal position. Same as usual except a few shells." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

Lt-Colonel Brownrigg continues his account of 61^st Recce:

“Our next real engagement was in the Gheel bridgehead. ‘C’ Squadron under the command of the Durham Light Infantry Brigade was ordered to go over the smaller of the two bridges and reconnoitre some miles beyond.  As they crossed the bridge they came under heavy machine-gun and 20mm fire from close range.  All the Squadron Headquarters vehicles were holed, and soon afterwards the bridge was broken.  The enemy had been reinforced during the night, and the bridgehead was only 300yds or so deep here, the infantry holding it having been continuously counter-attacked.  They were overjoyed to see our armoured cars, which fought their way forward like tanks throughout the day, shooting off all their ammunition. The whole squadron did a great day’s work, but the casualties were heavy.”  (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.) 

Squadron Sergeant Major Robert Dudley Page was in charge of 'C' Squadron HQ vehicles in their offensive across the Albert Canal south of Geel. When the bridge was broken SSM Page ferried casualties across the canal by boat under heavy fire.  He personally converyed essential ammunition supplies to the fighting troops throughout the day under mortar and machine gun fire.  SSM Page earned the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his 'energy, enterprise and great personal courage'.

Lieutenant Joseph Graham Pilsbury earned the Military Cross for his part in the action that supported the Durham Infantry Brigade in enlarging and maintaining the Geel bridgehead.  Lieutenant Pilsbury, having inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy in fierce fighting, was wounded in the closing stage of the battle.

Capitaine-Commandant B. del Marmol's valuable work as Belgian Forces Liaison Officer with 61st Recce at Olen, west of Geel is mentioned on his MC citation.

(See 61st Recce Battle honours.) 

 

According to a 15^th Recce report on 11^th September the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment were south of Herenthals (west of Olen) and, although enemy were seen north of Herenthals, they no longer appeared to be holding the canal in great strength.

B Squadron’s Eric Brewer and Eric Postles moved to Harbour.

September 11^th: "Shifted to Harbour, going out on Recce tomorrow. Things quiet in harbour."  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

Eric Postles recorded under 11th September 1944: "After further skirmishes we finally reached Bourg Leopold, a former Belgian Army training area.  We found a food depot and among other things were frozen peas.  At times both the Germans and ourselves were getting food from it.  While there we were brought up to strength in men and equipment.  Our new troop leader was Lt Cutler (ex 59 Recce).  The 'Swan' had come to an end.  We had taken over 4,000 prisoners during the regiments drive from the Seine."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

Don Aiken was also at Bourg Leopold or Leopoldsburg on 11^th September.  Bourg Leopold was across the Albert Canal, north of Beringen (where the Guards Armoured Division had forced a crossing).

To the north two Household Cavalry Lieutenants undertake a daring reconnaissance of the road to Eindhoven in the Netherlands, driving through the frontline under fire to obtain information on the bridge over the river Dommel south of Valkenswaard.

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 9^th September 1944:

          Trooper Albert Edward Matthews (age 28) from Brislington, Bristol

            Lance Sergeant Sidney Smith (age 26) from Newbury, Berkshire

and    Trooper Reginald Robinson (age 25) of Oxford, who died on 11th September 1944.    

All are laid to rest in the Geel (Stelen) War Cemetery, east of Antwerp. 

Also        Trooper Stanley Stamp (age 19) from Dagenham, Essex who died on 10th September 1944

and is laid to rest in the Brussels Town Cemetery. 

 (See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

 

Jan and Madeleine Gevaert - Friday 8th September 1944

 61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA

Sept 8^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Once again a few more lines to let you know I’m still OK and a little of what’s going on at the moment.

            Hope you are enjoying yourself in Scotland* – I think you will so long as the weather’s reasonable – I certainly did.  That is, of course, provided the course isn’t too strenuous, though as you say, they usually start off fairly easily and gradually work up to more spectacular things.

            I’ve received your letter, written just before you left home – always rather a miserable business.

            I’ve been having a much more pleasant time lately – that is, pleasant as far as war can be of course.  The town** I mentioned in my last letter (where I had to hold the main bridge) turned out to be the best yet.

            The first person to great me was a chap of about 16 years of age, dressed (as they usually do here) in a plus four suit (or rather plus six) in overcheck with the inevitable ankle-socks.  He later introduced me to his sister (19) who turned out to be very charming.

            The girls dress amazingly well – they’ve saved all the best stuff to greet us.  Everything tends to tweeds and brogues, needless to say, and at least 75% wear knee-length white socks.  This is easily the most predominating feature of dress.  They never wear slacks – think that they are much too masculine.

            Clothes here are a fabulous price – you can’t buy women’s shoes (anything wearable) under 2000f. (£10) – though of course women do buy them. 

            I spent three days and two nights on the aforesaid bridge and knew everyone in the town after the first 12 hours.

            This girl and her brother (Jan and Madeleine Gervaert) were very, very pleasant and did everything possible to make things as comfortable as they could for us.  After I’d expressed an admiration for Balzac and Mozart, Madeleine brought me five of his works and Jan brought me an exceptionally good book on Mozart.  I’ve swopped addresses with them and hope to see them again after the war.  There were countless others of course, but they remain the predominant.

            Last night we had a little party in a country house where the officers of the squadron were invited.  It was a lovely place and luckily had no electric light, so we all sat round by the light of a large wood fire and some candles.  We drank, champagne, claret, Graves and Hock, and as I was the only one present who could speak French, I had the job of entertaining the daughter of the house – which I think I managed pretty well as she also had a taste for Balzac & Georges Sand, two of my favourite authors.

            The general countryside and towns here are much more like England than what we have previously visited.  And, of course, they have pubs here – honestly!  And, what’s more, they have some excellent beer – something like Stout.  There isn’t much of it though.

            I try to get as much conversation in French as possible as I won’t get the chance again.

            Well Darling must close here as there’s work to be done as usual.

            I don’t know when I’ll be able to write you again – things are rather fluid at the moment.

                        All my love, Chotie Darling,

                                                Dicker

P.S  Please excuse this wretched paper but I haven’t yet had a chance to replace the stuff I lost some time ago.  R.

 

*Chotie had started a PT course at No 2 PT School in Scotland on 30^th August, training to be an Instructor.

**Oudennarde/Audenarde, between Lille and Brussels.

© Chotie Darling

 Message (in French) from Madeleine Gevaert on her father's address card. The Gevaert family have a quarter in Oudenaarde named after them in honour of the textile business they developed in the town.

 

Although 50^th Division was still centred somewhere between Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels their Battle for Gheel had begun.  In the early morning of 8^th September 69^th Brigade’s Green Howards crossed the Albert Canal in collapsible boats to establish a bridgehead by the blown road bridge to the town with the East Yorks.  That evening the 151^st Brigade’s Durham Light Infantry cross the Canal to the south-east near the village of Stelen.  A Bailey bridge is erected across the canal overnight.

 

Apparently in Stelen church war cemetery there is a large notice:

‘On the 8^th September 1944 began from here the Battle for Geel by 50^th Northumbrian Division.’

 

Eric Brewer’s diary entry for 8^th September reads:  “Shifted to the Albert Canal, guarding a bridge.  Gerry mortaring and shelling it; a few prisoners taken today.  C Squadron and the HQ surrounded but later on Gerry forced to retreat.  Altogether he put in 14 counter attacks today.  55 captured: two carriers, also crews.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

8^th September: The Belgium government returns from exile in London.

US forces liberate Liège in eastern Belgium and Canadian troops liberate Ostend on the Belgium coast, north of Lille.  In France Beaune and Chalon-sur-Saone in Burgundy are liberated.

Germany successfully launches V2 rockets for the first time, hitting London and Paris from the Netherlands.

 

Eric Brewer in Brussels

On 6th September Eric Brewer's diary continued:  "Shifted at 7 o’clock to a place just outside Brussels. Went into town by train.  Had as much as we wanted of everything off the civvies.  Also met a girl named Yvonne.” 

The next day he “shifted to other side of Brussels. Went there again at night.  Still getting plenty to eat off the people, especially front ones.  Also have been asked into the houses.  Not much activity today.  Met girl named Laura.  Found out the Airborne* are being landed tonight.”

* German paratroopers arrived on 6^th and 7^th September, having been commissioned by Hitler on 4^th September ‘to build a new defence line along the Albert Canal and hold it indefinitely’.  There were a number of Allied plans drawn up for airborne landings prior to Market Garden. Operation Comet - which evolved into Market Garden - was planned by Montgomery to use the first Allied Airborne Army to seize the Rhine bridges between Arnhem in the Netherlands and Wesel, north of the Ruhr in West Germany, on 6^th or 7^th September but was postponed and then cancelled to be expanded to Market Garden.  (From ‘Arnhem’ by Anthony Beevor, Penguin Books 2018). 

He wrote home that day: "Things are still the same for me, plenty of shifting about to keep near where we can be at hand if needed.  I don’t think we shall ever be needed as Patton seems to be doing very well with his Corp  so God help Gerry when he feels the whole weight of the British Army…

These people out here are still treating us well; we are still being asked to dinner in the houses, for a drink and even being offered the houses to sleep in.  They can't get over it because we do not force our way into the houses as Gerry used to.  The most unusual thing they can't make out is that the officers don’t come to the houses and demand to sleep there but instead sleep in the fields with us which the German officers would never do…" (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

50^th Division re-assembled between Brussels and Antwerp on 7^th September to continue XXX Corps’ drive towards the Dutch border. The plan was for the Corps to force a crossing of the Albert Canal with the Division attacking towards Geel while the Guards Armoured Division advancing across the Canal to the south-east.  The Albert Canal is a broad waterway running from north of the port of Antwerp to Liège in eastern Belgium.

Between the Escaut and Albert Canals Trooper Harry Buxton and Max Murphy, an anti-tank gunner, waited a few hours in Nederzwalm (on the east side of the Escaut Canal/Scheldt)  for the rest of ‘B’ Squadron to catch up.  They were sitting on the steps of a pub next to a crossroads when one of the little girls in the village gave them a photo of herself and her sister.  He kept the photo as a souvenir and, visiting the pub many years, discovered the pub landlady was the same little girl.

 

On 6th September 1944 the 52nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment disembarked at Arromanches.  The regiment had been formed in 1941 from the brigade reconnaissance group of 52nd (Lowland) Division - ironically the Scottish lowlanders then trained in mountain warfare for fighting in Norway but plans for a campaign there were abandonned.  52nd Recce crossed the Seine at Les Andelys, drove to Lens on the Belgian border and then to Alost joining XXX Corps.

 

7th September 1944: Romania, having left the Axis, declares war on Hungary in collaboration with the Allies.

On 6th September Eric Brewer's diary continued:  "Shifted at 7 o’clock to a place just outside Brussels. Went into town by train.  Had as much as we wanted of everything off the civvies.  Also met a girl named Yvonne.” 

The next day he “shifted to other side of Brussels. Went there again at night.  Still getting plenty to eat off the people, especially front ones.  Also have been asked into the houses.  Not much activity today.  Met girl named Laura.  Found out the Airborne* are being landed tonight.”

* German paratroopers arrived on 6^th and 7^th September, having been commissioned by Hitler on 4^th September ‘to build a new defence line along the Albert Canal and hold it indefinitely’.  There were a number of Allied plans drawn up for airborne landings prior to Market Garden. Operation Comet - which evolved into Market Garden - was planned by Montgomery to use the first Allied Airborne Army to seize the Rhine bridges between Arnhem in the Netherlands and Wesel, north of the Ruhr in West Germany, on 6^th or 7^th September but was postponed and then cancelled to be expanded to Market Garden.  (From ‘Arnhem’ by Anthony Beevor, Penguin Books 2018). 

He wrote home that day: "Things are still the same for me, plenty of shifting about to keep near where we can be at hand if needed.  I don’t think we shall ever be needed as Patton seems to be doing very well with his Corp  so God help Gerry when he feels the whole weight of the British Army…

These people out here are still treating us well; we are still being asked to dinner in the houses, for a drink and even being offered the houses to sleep in.  They can't get over it because we do not force our way into the houses as Gerry used to.  The most unusual thing they can't make out is that the officers don’t come to the houses and demand to sleep there but instead sleep in the fields with us which the German officers would never do…" (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

50^th Division re-assembled between Brussels and Antwerp on 7^th September to continue XXX Corps’ drive towards the Dutch border. The plan was for the Corps to force a crossing of the Albert Canal with the Division attacking towards Geel while the Guards Armoured Division advancing across the Canal to the south-east.  The Albert Canal is a broad waterway running from north of the port of Antwerp to Liège in eastern Belgium.

Between the Escaut and Albert Canals Trooper Harry Buxton and Max Murphy, an anti-tank gunner, waited a few hours in Nederzwalm (on the east side of the Escaut Canal/Scheldt)  for the rest of ‘B’ Squadron to catch up.  They were sitting on the steps of a pub next to a crossroads when one of the little girls in the village gave them a photo of herself and her sister.  He kept the photo as a souvenir and, visiting the pub many years, discovered the pub landlady was the same little girl.

 

On 6th September 1944 the 52nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment disembarked at Arromanches.  The regiment had been formed in 1941 from the brigade reconnaissance group of 52nd (Lowland) Division - ironically the Scottish lowlanders then trained in mountain warfare for fighting in Norway but plans for a campaign there were abandonned.  52nd Recce crossed the Seine at Les Andelys, drove to Lens on the Belgian border and then to Alost joining XXX Corps.

 

7th September 1944: Romania, having left the Axis, declares war on Hungary in collaboration with the Allies.

Flowers all the way - Tuesday 5th September 1944

Sept 5^th 1944

Chotie Darling,

                                    Must apologise for the long gap in my correspondence but it’s been virtually impossible to write as we’ve been moving too fast for the outgoing mail to be collected.

            It’s impossible to describe the last 10 days – it’s simply been a case of flowers all the way.

            I got the job to guard two bridges in the middle of a large town* – and we were the first Allies in the town!  The welcome we had was amazing – and quite impossible to relate in writing.  We were already covered in flowers – we were soon to be covered with fruit and wine.

            The girls here (and there are many) are all very smart, despite the fact that a pair of women’s brogues (they call them “Swing”) cost upwards of £10 (2000 francs).  They’ve been living very badly for four years, but they had hidden wine and food for us, as they knew we’d arrive eventually.  I’ve got hundreds of addresses to visit after the war – quite hopeless to accept them all.

            I’m afraid this is the only ‘writing’ paper** I have as I lost all my other stuff in a bit of a scramble we had some time ago, and I haven’t been able to replenish them yet.

            All the ‘best’ people here speak French so I’m still OK on that score, though I’ll be scuppered soon, I imagine.

            There are some very charming girls here – one of whom presented me with the complete works of Balzac***, after I’d expressed my admiration for him.

 

Well, Darling it’s now evening and getting too dark to write.

            Had a very happy time ‘on guard’ with scores of civilians around to ask the usual barrage of questions.  My French is improving immensely and I hope to achieve fluency before the war is finally ended.

Must close here Darling – my only wish is that you were here with me.  I should get less conversation from the local girls though…..

 

                                                            Goodnight, my Darling

                                                                        Dicker

 

*Oudenaarde/ Audenarde on the Scheldt / Escaut Canal south of Ghent, liberated on 5^th September.  Dick received many visiting cards from here including those left in his diary: Monsieur & Madame Louis van Eycken of 10, Jules Lacroixstraat; Gaston Gevaert of 6 Meerschpoort, Bevere; Walter van Lantschoot-Colpaert of 45 Baarstraat and Monsieur André Torrelle of 98 Rue de Tournai.

**the letter is written on German Army accounting paper.

***a French novelist and playwright of the nineteenth century.

© Chotie Darling

 

Sandy Handley remembers Oudenaarde:

“The stretch of 35 miles where we held the line of the Escaut Canal, from Ghent to a bridge south of Oudenaarde, was bridges all along.  I remember our car was on one of these bridges in Oudenaarde and some of the residents here had got into a collaborator’s house and proceeded to smash up all the furniture.  As the enemy had almost left the town people went after the collaborators and smashed everything.  Earlier on we had seen some girls, who had been friendly with the Germans, having all their hair cut off. 

In some of the towns and villages the civilian population came out to cheer us on, they seemed really pleased to see us.  Several times a toddler was held up for us to kiss, it was quite moving some times.  It had to be seen to know what you felt like.  To see all those people clapping and cheering, I will always remember this.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Eric Brewer witnessed worse scenes:  "Still at Berchem. Saw the free Belgium people set a collaborator's house on fire, also cut their hair and took them away.  We took some SS back to RHQ and the villagers caught some more but before we knew it they had strung them up...Had tea in one of the local houses.  Also taken to dance by the people at night."

He wrote home: "I don’t think I shall Learn any more French or even see any more French people for a while as we have become all Belgian fans.  I don’t expect I shall have to tell you where I am but the buzz bombs are a decent way from us, I don’t mean in front but behind…

We have had a lot of offers to tea, dinner and supper or been asked to come in and have a drink. If we accepted a quarter of the offers I would always be drunk so what we generally do is say that 'we are full up or had plenty already' but sometimes they won't take that for an answer and we finish up being pulled in for a drink…

Your loving son

Eric XXXX"

(Extract from Eric Brewer’s letter and diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

50th Division was now centred on Brussels, while the Guards Armoured Division took a brief rest after their high speed advance to the city.

 

5^th September 1944: in France Lille, Poitiers and Saint Étienne are liberated.  Le Havre is heavily bombed by the Allies.

 Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg governments in exile sign the London Customs Convention, the foundation of the Benelux economic union.

 Russia declares war on Bulgaria and Soviet forces enter the country.

Belgium

4^th September – Finland and the Soviet Union agree to a ceasefire.

In the Battle of the Mons Pocket US First Army trap and take prisoner more than 25,000 retreating Germans near the French border in Belgium, south of Brussels.

In the Netherlands the Germans declare a ‘state of emergency’ with the disruption of retreating German soldiers and the dangers of a Dutch uprising.

British 11^th Armoured Division, at the head of the XXX Corps advance, takes Antwerp and thanks to the Belgium Resistance the docks are undamaged.  However, the German 15^th Army took up positions along the Scheldt Estuary limiting use of the port.  The advance of XXX Corps in Belgium halted due to a shortage of fuel. 

50th Division's 231st Brigade (Dorsets, Devons and Hampshires) entered Brussels behind the Guards and took part in the ceremonial liberation parades on 4th September.

 

Anthony Rampling was with ‘B’ Squadron as they advanced into Belgium

Flowers and retreating Jerries

“As we went through villages people were stopping us, covering the vehicles with flowers, giving us bread, wine.  As soon as we could we had to ditch the flowers.

            I remember getting up into a church steeple and you could see the Jerries running and the vehicles retreating into the distance.  This was a very pleasing sight.”

But not all of the Germans were running:

Belgium SS snipers

“We were travelling along a typical Belgium Road, lined with poplar trees and banksides, with cuttings in the banks for entrances to the fields.  At this time I was in the leading armoured car, gunner in a turret, when two Germans ran across the road some way ahead.  These were crack SS soldiers left behind as snipers, intent on delaying us.  They ran into a cutting to a field and when we got there the armoured car backed into the cutting so I was ready to fire at them.

            I thought they would hold up their hands and surrender but they started to fire at the turret, which had an opening for my machine gun, so I had to fire at them.  Whether they were wounded or killed I shall never know as our ground troops took over and we carried on.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

 

“The next day the rest of the Regiment, less ‘A’ Squadron, caught them up (B Squadron) as their anti-tank guns were knocking out soft vehicles at long range on their left flank, and a carrier troop was beating-up an enemy party that had come to blow a bridge on our route.

            By now it was plain that there were a great number of enemy on our left flank, and as we were making for Alost at top speed, Corps Headquarters began to feel alarm that the Germans might try to cut across the Corps route behind the tanks.  We were therefore ordered to stop our advance, and hold the line of the Escaut Canal from Ghent to a bridge south of Oudenarde, a stretch of thirty-five miles with more bridges than we had troops.  In fact, until we were relieved to the south we were covering fifty miles with two squadrons." (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

61st Recce watched the line along the Scheldt/ Escaut Canal from Avelgem to beyound Audenarde / Oudenaarde (Lt-Col Brownrigg's DSO citation).  In 2 or 3 days over 2,000 prisoners were taken and heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy as they tried to break out across the waterway.

61^st Recce’s B Squadron covered more than 15 miles of the Canal including five bridges (Major Harding’s MC citation). C Squadron, at the north end of the stretch, had more freedom to patrol occasionally crossing the canal and entering the outskirts of Ghent.  Although the town was not fully liberated until 8^th September the squadron took out German outposts and liberate local villages including Bottelare.

 

Eric Postles of B Squadron recalled: "30 Corps headquarters was anxious to protect the left flank from attacks by enemy troops trying to get away from the Channel coast and ordered the regiment to seize and hold the bridges on the River Escaut Canal instead of pushing further north into Belgium.  We covered 35 miles of the canal, which was about as wide as the Manchester Ship Canal, from Ghent in the north to south of Oudenarde." (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Lieutenant Albert R.V. Stone of ‘B’ Squadron received the Military Cross for his part in the capture of an important bridge over the Escaut Canal and destruction of the enemy who were trying to prevent the squadron’s advance. (See Lieutenant Stone’s citation in 61st Battle Honours.)

Eric Brewer wrote: "Pushed on again to Berchem (Kluisbergen, on the Scheldt/Escaut Canal). Came across Gerry convoy in flight. Knocked out 6 but was ordered to leave the rest and push on. We went about 2 mile outside Berchem and came to bridge that Gerry was trying to blow up so we had to guard it.   The people are very nice here. Have had tea and other food in houses." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Across the Frontier

61^st Recce earned their Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Philip H. K. Brownrigg, the Distinguished Service Order for their role in the advance of XXX Corps through Belgium (which led to the capture of Brussels and Antwerp). The citation also refers to the 'conspicuous and very gallant part' played by the Regiment watching the line of the Douai to Lille Canal in the Wavrin and Haubourdin area (south-west of Lille).

 “There followed some easy liberation with flags and kisses, and only an occasional stray enemy.  Then a convoy drive to about twenty miles short of Lille; from there we were sent off again on our own route, which was so difficult that it might have been chosen for a map-reading exercise.  The advance had outrun the supply of maps from England, and all we had were a few half-inch maps, which scarcely marked the side roads we were supposed to use.  However, we managed to borrow a German map, with which we guided ourselves to Houplin, a village short of Lille.  Here, with his mind possibly more on map reading than on the enemy, the leading troop commander advanced confidently on the bridge.  When he was about a hundred yards from it an anti-tank shell broke off his aerial.  The one map showed the vestige of a bridge on the right; the leading troop, made at once for this, found it passable, and were over it and infiltrating into the village in a matter of minutes.  But the opposition was stronger and more determined than we had thought.  ‘A’ Squadron were occupied here for three days, and eventually a battalion and some tanks were needed to clear the village."(From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

On the night of 3^rd/4^th September at Houplin half of Lieutenant Griffiths' ‘A’ Squadron troop were killed or wounded when attacked during the night.  He and the remainder of his troop held their position and in the morning drove the enemy off the bridge. Trooper John Traynor received the Military Medal for his role in ‘A’ Squadron’s capture of Houplin on 4^th September. John (Jack) Jordison, travelling in Cpl. Billingham's carrier with Trooper W. Phillips, received a serious head injury and was returned to England and medically discharged in October. Sgt. Alex Young (later killed) was also wounded and recovered in England. 

 Acting Sergeant Robert Smeaton was awarded the Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star for “great and continuous devotion to duty” both in Normandy and on the advance through France when he volunteered to rescue wounded from his troop under fire, successfully recovering two and the body of a third.  (See Croix de Guerre citations for Lt C.R. Griffiths, Trooper J. Traynor and  Corporal, Acting Sergeant R. Smeaton in 61st Recce battle honours.)

 

Colonel Brownrigg continues:

"Meanwhile, ‘B’ Squadron bypassed this trouble, ran into some more and did great execution, and then went off the air. That night a faint but cheerful voice came up on the radio to say that they had crossed into Belgium.  Only later did they reveal the details of their reception.”  (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

‘B’ Squadron had crossed the frontier some 30 miles ahead of the rest of the Regiment and the Division despite constant enemy resistance. (From Major Frank Harding’s Military Cross citation - see 61st Recce battle honours.)

Eric Postles remembers this and some unwanted action in Lille:  "Our ‘B’ Squadron’s armoured cars were moving fast and reported that they had crossed into Belgium being one of the first units to get so far.  A degree of black humour occurred when we came to Lille.  We had to by-pass the town and the carrier troops achieved this.  However, the huge crowds lining the roads wanted the town liberated and directed our B echelon (cooks etc) vehicles, which were some way behind us, to the town centre where they met up with German troops and the Sergeant Major had to organise a hasty retreat, much to our amusement.  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

Eric Brewer wrote in his diary for 3rd September:  "Passed through Lille. Gerry in some parts of it but not to much trouble. Got plenty of food and drink off the French. Left Lille and every one all the way to Belgium are giving us stuff. Went across the border into Belgium, pushed on 10 miles and harboured the night in a field." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

Don Aiken recalled: "We were the first troops to cross the border into Belgium and at that point we were relieved by the Guards Armoured Division who passed through us and took up the spear-head.
We were then used to protect the Northern flank of the narrow corridor which was being made through Belgium, and to prevent the escape of the remnants of the 9th German Army which had been cut off between the corridor and the Northern coast.”  (Extract  republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine'by kind permission of Don Aiken)

On 3^rd September 1944 the Guards Armoured Division, having liberated Arras, pushed forward covering 70 miles through enemy-occupied territory and liberated Brussels, the capital of Belgium.  US First Army liberates Tournai, a Belgium town near the border of France (Sergeant 'Posh' Price of HQ Squadron's mortar troop recalled being the first Englishman in Tournai and Don Aiken was also there that day.)

Montgomery and his Lt-General, Miles Dempsey, head of British 2^nd Army meet Bradley, the commander of chief of US 12^th Army Group (the US 1^st and 3^rd Armies, now no longer under Montgomery’s control) and Lt-General Hodges, commander of US 1^st Army, to discuss future operations towards the Ruhr.  Bradley and Monty both favoured fast narrow-front advances over Eisenhower’s agreed broad-front strategy.  They would be competing for supplies, which were still being transported by Normandy by road (most of the rail infrastructure had been destroyed and air supply was very limited) but Monty was relying on the Canadians to free-up closer Channel ports.  Critically, the Supreme Commander Eisenhower was unable to make the meeting, having injured his leg and Lt-General Crerar, who led the Canadian First Army in Monty’s 21^st Army Group was at a memorial service for the raid on Dieppe.  (From ‘Arnhem – the Battle for the Bridges 1944’ by Antony Beevor, published by Penguin 2019)

 

French and US forces liberate Lyon, the second largest city in France.

Unfortunate Incidents

2^nd September 1944 – Canadian troops cross the border into Belgium and Canadians fighting with the British 8^th Army in Italy break through the Gothic line by the coast east of San Marino.

The Germans, already moving north out of mainland Greece (to avoid being cut off by the Russian advance in the Balkans) begin to evacuate the Aegean Islands.

Soviet forces secure Bucharest, the capital of Romania, and the vital Ploesti oilfields.

The Germans cease launching V1 'buzz-bombs' from France.

Many prisoners were being taken as 61st Recce pushed forward across France, advancing from Amiens to Arras.

Eric Brewer wrote on 2^nd September: “Pushed on again to a place called Farrius (Arras?).  Got moved and every one in village came to see us; they sang ‘Marseillaise’ and were very pleased. Captured a good few Gerrys round here: one a Sergeant-Major and he cried his eyes out.  Saw them in a corn field - a burst off the Bren soon brought them out.  Passed by Pollen(?) bridge - saw all the graves of English and Canadians." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Colonel Brownrigg recorded:

“There was a pause on the Somme, then ‘C’ Squadron went over a small bridge, and continued to work their way forward on the left flank against fairly stiff opposition.

Here Lieutenant Laing’s troop of armoured cars was caught on a long, open road by a Panther, which put a round through the mudguard of his second car.  They threw out their protective smoke and fired off all their weapons, none of which could damage the Panther except with a very lucky hit.  This persuaded the Panther to withdraw, though it had them at its mercy; and Lieutenant Laing drove on to the village and captured forty prisoners.  It was then evening, and as he had to get back to his squadron harbour he handed the prisoners over to the local French.  ‘Hang on to them for me’, he said in a firm Scots accent.  I’ll collect them in the morning.’  When he went for them the next day he found that the French had hanged them.  ‘That’s what you told us, wasn’t it?’ they said.”

(From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

Eric Postles remembers another unfortunate incident:

“On the late afternoon of 2nd September we pulled into a field to refuel etc.  The troop had been picking up prisoners and all but my lead carrier had them on board.

 Lieutenant Soul’s carrier suddenly blew up in a mushroom cloud and flames.  We got out of the carrier but were shocked to find Lieutenant Soul badly wounded, together with the gunner (from Yorkshire).  Worse still Jock Buchan, our wireless operator, and Digger Day, who transferred from the Gloucester Regiment when the regiment was formed in Ireland, were dead.  All the prisoners were killed or injured by the explosion. 

We never heard the outcome for Lt Soul or the gunner.  We deduced that the explosion was caused by a prisoner putting too much pressure on a pannier of primed anti-tank mines causing them and petrol etc to ignite.  We wrapped Jock and Digger in blankets and buried them at the end of the field beneath some trees beside a stream, marking the graves with the traditional method of a stick with their helmets on top. 

As our officer would normally write to the next of kin, the Troop Sergeant asked me to do so, as I had been with them since D-day.  I wrote to Jock’s mum and dad near Peterhead and Digger’s girlfriend near Cirencester.  I exchanged several letters with her, in which she asked for more details and I was able to send her the photograph from Ailly which Digger was on.  Unfortunately I couldn’t do the same for Jock’s family as he, like me, was not on it.  Their final resting place is at the London Cemetery and Extension at Longueval, a WW1 cemetery in the Somme.”  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Sandy Handley seems to have recalled the same incident:

“One day on this long journey (swan) up to Belgium, the Regiment suffered a very bad accident on the way.  The Regiment were collecting prisoners – we couldn’t accommodate any as there was no space on our Humber.  Mainly the Bren Carriers were able to carry 4 or 5 prisoners. 

The accident occurred when we turned off the road through a gap in a hedge to harbour for a while.  We parked under a tree, the Bren Carriers and Humbers continuing to come through this gap in the hedge.  The prisoners were being searched for any arms and placed in a semblance of order, several of the lads were detailed to keep an eye on them, although some of the prisoners looked too tired to run away or try anything stupid.  All of a sudden we heard a loud explosion and a series of smaller bangs.  We immediately dived for cover in a ditch, we thought we were being mortared and attacked.  We soon found out the cause of the racket as the vehicles were still coming through this gap.  A Bren Gun Carrier had blown up, this had been caused by a mine.  Sadly we witnessed four of the crew of this Bren Carrier along with four of the German prisoners, they had literally been blown yards away.

This was about 50 yards from our Humber now under the trees.  Some of our lads had tried to drag the injured away from the exploding small arms but I don’t think any of the four crew of the Carrier survived, or the unfortunate German prisoners who were riding on it.  I think of the casualties – one was a young lad who had, a few months before in April of that year (’44) walked down from the camp near Romsey with me to Southampton, that being his last walk out in England as later on the camp was sealed.  As you can think this tragic accident left us all very sad and stirred up – some things one can never forget – it could have been any of us coming through that gap, which we had done just minutes before.”  (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

61^st Reconnaissance Regiment took about 4,000 prisoners in their advance into Belgium. Their handling was a constant problem.

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:  

          Trooper John Hendry ‘Jock’ Buchan (age 20) from Inverallochy, Aberdeenshire

          Trooper John ‘Digger’ Day (age 31) from Cirencester, Gloucestershire

who are laid to rest in the the London cemetery and extension, Longueval north-west of Amiens. 

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

Anthony Rampling and Sandy Handley at John Buchan's grave.

Remnants of the British Expeditionary Force

1^st September 1944 – Eisenhower takes command of all Allied troops in North-West Europe while Montgomery reverts to command of 21^st Army Group (the British and Canadians), instead of all land forces, but is promoted to Field Marshal in recognition of his achievements in Operation Overlord and the Battle for Normandy.  Montgomery’s tactical headquarters and caravan were in the park of the Château de Dangu, east of Gisors (halfway between Vernon and Beauvais).

The Canadian 2^nd Division liberate Dieppe two years after their failed invasion attempt here and Patton’s US Third Army take Verdun, near the north-west border of France and scene of the famous WW1 battle and memorials.

British forces cross the River Somme in France.

 

50th Division were still centred south-west of Beauvais on 1st September but 61st Reconnaissance appears to have advanced to Amiens and beyond with the Guards.  The Regimental HQ was established west of Amiens.

Don Aiken continues his account of 61^st Recce’s ‘B’ Squadron:

“Now the advance was in full flow. Our Regiment was put in as the spear-head of the advance which we did at rate of 60 miles in one day, and passing through towns whose names had been made familiar to me from stories of the First World War, which took place here thirty years earlier. Amiens, the Somme, Cambrai (south-east of Arras), Arras, Lille and Armentières (on the Belgium border north-west of Lille). Places which had been fought over for months, even years. We passed them by in a few days.
Often the advance was slowed by the enthusiasm of the local populace of the small towns and villages as we passed through. They were overjoyed to see Allied troops after years of oppression. Sometimes we were temporarily halted by the French Resistance who had cornered German troops in woods etc., and were asking our assistance. We had to refer them to our follow-up troops as speed of advance was paramount.
The Germans tried to slow down our progress in any number of ways, such as mines across the roads, or even sods strewn on the roads to simulate mines.
On one occasion when my Armoured Car was leading the advance along a narrow road lined with trees, I suddenly noticed a thin wire which had been tied across the road at head height between two trees. We managed to stop in time to investigate it and found that one end was fastened to the trigger of a Panzerfaust aimed at the centre of the wire and loaded with a rocket grenade." (Extract  republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine'by kind permission of Don Aiken)

Eric Brewer’s diary for 1^st September reads: “Pushed on to near Amiens. Went out on Recce, came across a camp with chaps captured in 1940 - they had been their Guards prisoners - and also a few more Gerry, must be about 200. Funny chaps as they salute us and stand to attention. Also bags of Gerry kit here and lorries.  Also officer quarters - they had left plenty of kit.”

Eric Postles writes: "1 September 1944:  We passed around Arras” (between Amiens and Lille) “and Amiens, although the crowd did their best to get us to go into the town centres.  Many of the locals took photographs of us.  The only one I had was some of the troop when we liberated Ailly” (5km north-west of Amiens on the Somme).  “A young girl named Joselyn who we met there posted it to me later.  We came across a crashed RAF bomber, which was reasonably intact, in a wood but there was no sign of the crew. 

Near Amiens a most interesting event occurred when a civilian came down the road and threw a smart salute to Lieutenant Soul” (Eric’s Troop Commander) “and said he had been hiding in France since 1940 when he was serving in the Guards with the BEF*.  He said he had valuable information and was rushed on the back of our despatch rider’s bike to RHQ.  There was a great feeling of euphoria during these days as we crossed Northern France and the feeling grew that the war would soon be over.”           *the British Expeditionary Force were the British Army in Western Europe from September 1939 to the French surrender and their evacuation in June 1940.

61st Recce's 'B' Squadron 10 Troop at Ailly-sur-Somme - Eric is missing from this photo.  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

It wasn't all plain sailing however: on 1^st September 1944, near Conty, south-west of Amiens Lieutenant Christian Ronald Griffiths of 61^st Recce was sent to an isolated patch to guard the left flank of the advance to Amiens.  He held his position “and inflicted casualties on the considerable enemy force”.  (From the Croix de Guerre Silver Star citation for Lt. Griffiths in 61st Recce battle honours.)

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 1^st September 1944:

         Corporal Arthur Richard Barnett (age 26) of Moston, Manchester

who is laid to rest in the London cemetery and extension, Longueval north-west of Amiens.

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

Amiens and the Somme

31^st August 1944 - liberation of Amiens on the Somme by 11^th Armoured Division

 

Eric Brewer wrote in his diary: “Pushed on again to near Amiens.  Stayed there the night. Captured about 60 prisoners; plenty more dead about.  Also have seen a B.B.* site. Heard that 5 have been taken today.  Came across load of Gerry kit - trucks, tanks, lorry and horses; also plenty of dead Gerrys.  Rounded up some Gerry from woods." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*Buzz-bomb - there were V1 launch sites west of Amiens.

 

Sandy Handley saw a bit of action near Amiens:

"Near Amiens our CO detailed the squadron Sergeant Major to scout out a rendezvous for harbouring all the squadron’s vehicles.  The main armour, tanks of the guards I think, had made a breakthrough at Amiens.  The 61^st Recce Sergeant Major sat himself on the bonnet of our Humber (not really Army orders) and away we went through the main street of Amiens.  There was no imminent danger so I sat back on my turret with a mouth full of an apple.  All of a sudden some French civilians waved frantically and shouted the Boche (Germans) was in their street, could we do something. 

The Sergeant Major, who was still clinging on to the bonnet of our armoured car shouted to me to aim at some windows in the street.  I still had the apple in my mouth and got into the firing position, then someone shouted “Over there, over there”.  Over on our left there were 6 Germans running like mad to get to their field gun cannon, whatever it was.  I was told to fire away at these fleeing Germans but what with a mouthful of apple and the Sgt. Major blocking my view I couldn’t let go (fire).  The Sgt. Major leaned over to let me have a good field of view but by that time the Germans had gone to ground.  If the Sgt. Major hadn’t been stuck on our bonnet in the first place no doubt I could have done a bit of damage.

We found a good harbour and returned to base but I never saw the Sergeant Major so far up the front again, well not sitting on our vehicle anyway.  Nice chap though." (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Waking the Guard

When the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment advanced from the Seine to cover the left flank of XXX Corps Major Harding’s ‘B’ squadron (including Dick's No 5 Troop) led the regiment for the greater part of the way.  (From the citation for Major Frank Harding in 61st Recce battle honours.)

 

 

 

61st Recce Humber Armoured Car - Beauvais © IWM

 

Anthony Rampling remembers ‘the great swan’:

65 miles ahead

“As we continued past the Falaise Gap and approached the Low Countries the Germans were in full retreat and my Regiment, the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment were some 65 miles ahead of the main army.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).  

 

Sandy Handley recalls a less than glorious incident:

“Later the Regiment had the job of protecting 30 Corps, left of tank.  We really got going then.  At one time our Armoured cars were 70 miles in front of Division HQ.  We were moving now towards Belgium.  Once we had drove 40 miles before breakfast.

We had scarcely any sleep.  One evening, after a long day’s motoring, we came to our harbour for the night.  We was all dog tired. 

Before we rested we had to have everything ready for the next day.  Our guns and ammunition - that was my job.  The driver had to make sure he had petrol, oil and water topped up and the NCOs and Officers had a conflab what was to happen the following day. 

Then we thought we was all set for a little shut eye but the Troop Sergeant, Bert Wheeler, came over to us and said “I know you’re tired but I’ve got a detail and vehicle guard tonight.” 

So we took our turn, two hours each but it was pitch black.  Me and another trooper kept stumbling over our sleeping mates – they had just dropped down where they were and gone to sleep.  At the end of our two hours we found the next two to go on vehicle guard and woke them and we wandered off and flopped down where we stood. 

Of course, whether the two troopers we woke up went back to sleep and if they did their stint (guard) we don’t know.  The orders were 5 o’clock reverie to be on the road by 6 am but the inevitable happened.  Everyone was so flaked out that nobody woke the Guard Commander.  The Sergeant had to get the troops up so there was a big row.  All the Guards were put on a charge pending Court Martial for being asleep on duty in the field.  What a shambles we all looked when it got light! Fortunately it was summer time and at least no rain so we had laid in the open, although this wasn’t usual.

Later as we approached Belgium, the Sergeant who had been Guard Commander that night had to see the Commanding officer who said “This is a very serious charge.  Remember we are leading the 50^th Division but I realise the troops have been going on non-stop for days and are obviously weary.  We will forget the charge.” 

That is a brief account but maybe someone was due to lose a stripe or two.  Of course, myself just a trooper, I had no stripes to lose.”  (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

31^st August 1944 – the Soviet Army takes Bucharest, capital of Romania.

Nice and Verdun are liberated by the US third Army.

A Bomb less for England

On the night of 29th August 61st Recce crossed the Seine at Vernon using the pontoon bridge built by the engineers.  Once across the Seine the Allied armies moved rapidly across France in what became known as the ‘great swan’. (From ‘The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II’ by Richard Doherty, Osprey Publishing 2007)

Eric Brewer wrote in his diary for 30^th August : “Crossed the Seine last night and now about 20 miles inland. Plenty of prisoners coming in: about 100 taken today.  Pushing on to Elbeuf *.  We got to about 3 mile from there, harbouring the night. Had a whiskey...also rum.  Moving tomorrow at 4.30.  Monty said in a message to us to make every kilometre a bomb less for England.”

*Elbeuf is downstream along the Seine near Rouen. The town, on the other side of the river, had been liberated on 25th August by a mixed force of Americans (heading north-east along the south bank of the Seine, across XXX Corps' projected sector), Canadians and British and the Canadians had crossed the Seine near here on 26th and 27th August.

Eric's letter home that day included: "The Yanks seem to be doing very well at the moment, especially Patton’s men. I dare say the next I hear of him he will be in Germany or even Berlin. I am just beginning to catch on to this French language and hope to know enough to get me around by about two months' time, anyway I hope so. I don’t think I will have to ask you about the BB in a short while as the Yanks will soon be cutting that part of France off.  Then you will have no need to worry about them: that is how things seem to be or, or who knows the British might even make a dash forward."  *Buzz Bombs  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

On 30^th and 31^st August 50^th Division were based east of Vernon. 61^st Recce HQ was also east of Vernon, following the Seine crossing, then moved to ‘St Denis’ – possibly St Denis-le-Ferment near Gisors – and then to ‘Tilloy’ – possibly Beauvais-Tillé just north of Beauvais? (From Library of Congress frontline maps and 61st Recce regimental dinner menu.)  

Eric Postles continues: "Once over the river opposition was patchy and we moved very quickly ahead of the Division accompanied by French Resistance fighters who tagged onto us.  I remember us passing through a big forest and prisoners giving themselves up from out of the trees.  We carried as many as we could but they became such a problem that we handed them to the French who took them out into the woods and shot them. 

We shot up a German horse drawn artillery party, which was trying to cross the line of advance. 

We were overwhelmed when we passed through villages and towns by the welcome from huge crowds who lined the roads.  They were kissing us, throwing flowers and we were given so many bottles of wine that the carrier bottom was lined with them."   (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Colonel Brownrigg's account of 61^st Recce records:

“So to the Seine and over, and the most exhilarating days of the campaign.  Our task was to protect the left flank of XXX Corps in their armoured dash to the Somme and beyond.  We were on our own on a virgin route, anything up to seventy miles ahead of Divisional Headquarters.  One beautiful morning we drove forty miles before breakfast.  There were several engagements, some of them quite sharp, and we collected an enormous number of prisoners.”  (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

From the Seine to the Somme 61st Recce were covering the left flank of XXX Corps on a virgin route. B Squadron led the regiment for the greater part of the way in the advance from the Seine to Belgium (Major Harding's MC citation) and Don Aiken of B Squadron was in Beauvais (between Vernon and Amiens) on 30^th August, the day it was liberated by XXX Corps’ 8^th Armoured Division.

This was the beginning of the British ‘Race for Amiens’.  On the morning of 30^th August General Horrocks’ XXX Corps were 20 miles beyond the River Seine with 50 miles to go to Amiens on the next big river – the Somme.  2^nd Army needed to cross the Somme before the Germans could muster their defences along this natural barrier to the Allies’ advance.

11^th Armoured Division, now attached to XXX Corps, raced on to Amiens overnight, taking the town and its bridges at dawn.  Their prisoners included General Heinrich Eberbach, the commander of the beleaguered German Seventh Army.  At the same time the Guards Armoured Division crossed the Somme further south and succeeded in holding the bridgehead.  The German Army charged with holding the Somme was forced to withdraw.

 

The US 3^rd Army liberates Reims, east of Paris.  Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy east of Le Havre on the River Seine, is liberated by the 1^st Canadian Army now advancing along the north coast of France.

 

Eisenhower now set 21^st Army Group four main objectives – to cross the Somme, to occupy the Pas de Calais, to capture Belgian airfields for use by Allied forces and to take Antwerp.  Canadian First Army was tasked with taking the Channel ports while Second British Army, led by XXX Corps (including 50^th Division and the 61^st Recce) was to advance inland on the axis Amiens-Arras, able to cut off any German forces opposing the Canadians.  The right (southern) flank of the British was in turn protected by the 1^st US Army.    (From ‘The Advance from the Seine to Antwerp’.)

 

 

 

 

Big Battles to Come - Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th August 1944

28^th August 1944 – the ports of Toulon and Marseilles in the south of France are liberated by French forces who take more than 50,000 German prisoners after heavy fighting.  US 3^rd Army enters Épernay, the capital of champagne country, east of Paris and south of Reims.

 

On 28^th August Eric Brewer recorded that they “Moved to near Seine* getting ready for a push toward the Belgium border.  Think we shall move tomorrow.  Went down village along the Seine.  Got asked into a house by a man and his wife; had champagne cognac, and also a few eggs from her.  She told us to come and see her again - hope to go tomorrow.  Came across big German military barracks”.

*Regimental HQ was based at Bonnières-sur-Seine, a small industrial town upstream from Vernon, before 61st Recce crossed the river (Regimental HQ location list on re-union dinner menu 1946).  

The next day he: "Went to see the people near the Seine again; we had some champagne. They have a business in Paris. Told us to come and spend our leave there if we get any; also we could spend a holiday there after the war.  She gave me her address and wanted us to stay the night but could not as we are moving tonight across the Seine."

In his letter home on 28th August Eric wrote: "Today I have been in a French woman’s house and she woke her husband up to come and have something to drink with us.  We had a couple of nips of Cognac and a glass of cider, also she gave us an egg each and a souvenir which I am sending on.  The pattern is supposed to be the Eiffel Tower.  She was a very nice woman to speak to: she even wanted us to stay to dinner but we had to refuse as the French people don’t even get enough for themselves let alone anyone else.  She did not like the idea until we told her the reason, then she tried to tell us that she ha sufficient for all of us, but anyway we left and she asked us to return and see her which we hope to do tomorrow."  Writing again two days later he continued:  "The other day I went and saw that lady who gave me the souvenir.  She told me that her business was in Paris - they were in the clothes trade - and she told me we could come and see her whenever we want to.  As she could speak English we had a good talk with her.  Before we left her house she gave us a few eggs and while there we had two bottles of champagne between four of us.  We have been invited to come and stay for a while whenever we have the time off; she said that if it was not while the war was on she would like to see us after." (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

 

61^st Recce RAC,  BLA

Monday Aug. 28^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your letter dated the 23^rd which I’ve just this moment received. 

            Glad to hear you’re home at last if only for six days, and the prospect of a month’s course is quite a pleasant one to look forward to.  Don’t do anything too strenuous will you?  The first course I had was a P.T one and they gave me a bending all right….

            I’ll send this to your home address and they can forward it as soon as they hear from you in Scotland.

            I imagine it’s pretty crowded at Parkstone at the moment now that the coastal ban has been lifted – mother says it’s pretty bad in Bognor.

            Sorry to hear about the pubs* – especially the Sloop.  It’s Dad’s pet grouse, of course, at present, though you’d better be in training for Scotland.

            Very sorry to hear about Adrian – I didn’t realise he was over here.

            I may have a chance to contact Ted in the next few weeks though it’s very difficult.  I spent over two hours trying to find Brinner today but without success.  Apparently he’s still at Base, Somewhere.  At any rate it’s safer there.

            I’ve had a fairly quiet time lately but can’t guarantee it will last.

            I’ve been in many villages first hand and have had a great welcome from the people.  We’re lucky this way of course – it’s one of the few compensations of being in front all the time.

            I’m very fit and still very happy here – I suppose the ability to chat with the people wherever you go helps a lot.

            I wish I could see you again, Darling, but I’d sooner get this business over, than go on leave and have to come back again.

            I think we’ve got the worst of it over but I can’t pretend there aren’t big battles to come.  We’ve beaten a complete army now, but we’ve had precious little time to rest on our laurels.  They still have armies left, but I think we can beat them also.

            I’ve just heard the good news of a day’s rest tomorrow so I’ll write some more then.

            Goodnight, my Darling.

 

Well, Precious, Tuesday has arrived after a wretched night.  I’ve never experienced such a storm as we had last night – simply torrents of rain with added accompaniment of thunder and lightning.  I got soaked through and haven’t yet dried out.

            It’s rather a pity as we’re in very fine country, as I heard it aptly expressed – country that was never meant to hear more than the song of the birds or the pop of a Champagne cork….

            Aren’t the radio programmes wretched?  We have a radio on all day (in harbour) and the stuff they pound out is chronic.  I get heartily sick of the whole thing.

            I’m writing this in a barn full of new-mown hay, very pleasant indeed.  The rain outside is pretty steady and doesn’t look like stopping today at any rate.

            I don’t suppose I can write another letter to reach you before the 6^th, so here’s wishing you all the very best for your 21^st.  As soon as you can give me the address of an account you can use I send on a cheque – ‘fraid it’s all I can do out here.

            Must close here but will try to write you again tomorrow

                                   All my love, Darling

                                                Dicker

           

P.T.O

P.S.  Found the enclosed mags. in Villers Bocage some long time ago.  The magazines were quite indifferent so I just cut out the best.  The rest of the stuff were third-rate patterns.  I thought the kiddies stuff the best.  Am I giving you ideas?                     

                                  R.

*Not sure what was happening to the pubs around this time but alcohol was at it’s scarcest in Christmas 1994/45 on the home front (see Christmas under Fire).

This letter was forwarded to:

W/242328, Pte Chalkley B.E.

Primary Course, No 2 T.J. Wing

New Battle Abbey, Dalkeith, Mid Lothian, Scotland.

 © Chotie Darling

Chotie attended a P.T. course at Newbattle Abbey from 30^th August 1944.

 

 

29^th August 1944 – Slovak resistance forces began an armed insurrection against the collaborationist government.  Initially successful the German counter-offensive in late September and October eliminated the rebel gains and perpetrated many atrocities.

 

Paris and the Seine

Chotie Darling

 

Dedicated to the memory of my mother

and all those who hold the forever young of war in their hearts.

 

Part 4        Only the Enemy in Front   

 

Chapter 12          Across France and into Belgium

 

25^th August 1944 – Paris is liberated by the Free French Forces, Leclerc's 2ème Division Blindée, and the US 4^th Infantry Division and General De Gaulle enters Paris.   The German Garrison Commander surrenders having disobeyed Hitler’s orders to burn the city.

De Gaulle makes a speech to unite France against the Germans at the Hôtel de Ville:

“Paris! Paris outraged! Paris broken! Paris martyred! But Paris liberated! Liberated by itself, liberated by its people with the help of the French armies, with the support and the help of all France, of the France that fights, of the only France, of the real France, of the eternal France!”

The next day the Free French parade down the Champs-Elysees led by General de Gaulle despite shots from German snipers.

 

Avignon is liberated by the Allies in the south of France.  In Italy the Allies commence Operation Olive to crack the German’s ‘Gothic line’ across the hills and mountains north of Florence.

 

25th August 1944 - 43rd (Wessex) Division reached Vernon, on the west bank of the Seine,tasked with making the first assault crossing here. (The town had been liberated by French Resistance a few days earlier, the Germans retreating to the east bank at Vernonnet.)  The first attempt failed when the wind changed blowing away smoke barrage created to cover the DUKWs crossing at dawn.  However, a bridgehead was established on the 26th August with the support of a Folding Boat Equipment bridge using pillars from the bomb destroyed bridge and a Bailey Bridge built the next day.

*DUKWs (known as ‘Ducks’) were amphibious trucks that could be used to make a crossing or quickly assemble a bridge.  They were also used in the Normandy landings.

 

61^st Recce were beginning to assemble in the Vernon area ready for their Seine crossing.

Don Aiken recalls:  “25th August - Vernon and Seine crossing
The Free French Armoured Division was ordered to advance on Paris, and we moved on to the Seine, in the vicinity of Vernon, and there we indulged in the luxury of a short bathe in the river.” ( ‘From the Breakout to the Rhine’ from the BBC People’s War website http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/35/a5791935.shtml by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Eric Brewer wrote in his diary: “Shifted to two miles off Seine.  People are very nice.  Went out and found Gerry barracks, which had been abandoned, also loads of vehicles knocked out round here. Think we are moving tomorrow and hope to get well across the Seine, so they say.”

A letter to his family said: “We have had a few more eggs lately and it is getting quite a habit to have at least one a day. All the lads in the section have had a bath today, one of those self-made ones, and we had plenty of water as there is a well in the farmyard near us. Also there are some good apple trees round here so we are having a good share of them.

How are you keeping? Alright I hope and also hoping that the war job is going fine.  I see in the local rag that ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ is on at the Ritz so I expect you have seen it?” (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Eric Postles recalled:  "Short of the River Seine 43 Division passed through us and on 25 August successfully forced a crossing of the river on the north side of Vernon and established a bridgehead.  Their engineers constructed a pontoon bridge over the river (later supplemented with a stronger Bailey bridge) and troops poured over day and night.  The “Swan” as we termed our advance began in earnest with orders to capture Antwerp in order to provide a supply port and try to stop the launching of V1 rockets to London and the south-east by capturing the Channel coast region from where they were being fired.

The Guards Armoured Division replaced 7^th Armoured Division in 30 Corps and our division (50^th) took over transport from 43 Division to enable the infantry to keep up with tanks and provide extra supplies."   (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

End of the Battle of Normandy

23rd August 1944 – elements of the US 3rd Army link up with Free French Forces from the south near Bordeaux.  On 24^th August 1944 – German forces evacuate Bordeaux.  The Allies in southern France have liberated Cannes, Grasse and Grenoble while the US 1st Army in the north liberates Evreux, west of the Seine at Vernon.

23^rd August 1944 – ‘The Royal Coup’ staged by  King Michael of Romania and others removes the fascist leader Ion Antonescu from power and establishes a new government who make peace with the Allies and declare war on Nazi Germany on 25^th August 1944.

 

Eric Brewer of 61^st Recce was having a quieter time:

23^rd August 1944 - “Moved back to base.  Plenty of refugees round here.  Have found out that we are going to make a bridgehead over the Seine.  The people round here are very pleased with us; also they gave us wine, eggs and fruit.  Spoke to a woman who could speak English – she said that the Germans had thrown them out of their house and took it.”

24^th August – “Still at same place.  The French woman I spoke to yesterday was sleeping on straw with her children and husband.  Gave them some fags and soap.  Told us that the Germans allowed them three cigs a day if they work.  Also they say soap is impossible to get - have not had any for two years.”  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

‘The race to the Seine was achieved in a little over 20 hrs with only light opposition as the retreating Germans were not given any time to regroup.  One of the main causes for delays was the local population wanting to greet the advancing Allies and celebrate their liberation.  The 61^st Recce came to a halt just short of the Seine near Vernon where 43^rd Division passed through them to force a crossing over the river.’  Extract from ‘From One Learn All: the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment’ by Dave Dennis 2017.

61^st Recce’s RHQ had moved from Chambois, near Argentan and the Falaise Gap, to Verneuil-sur-Avre and then advanced to Bonnières-sur-Seine, an industrial town by the river and near Vernon (Regimental HQ location list on re-union dinner menu 1946).

50th Division initially spearheaded the breakout to the Seine from the Falaise Gap while 43rd Division moved up on their right flank to lead the river crossing at Vernon.  The 50th cleared a pocket of German resistance with 11th Armoured Division before reaching the plateau above the river. Their role in the Battle of Normandy was over. 

Since the D Day landings Monty’s 21 Army Group had suffered 83,000 casualties including 16,000 dead.  (From ‘Only the Enemy in Front Every other beggar behind…’ The Recce Corps at War 1940-1946’ by Richard Doherty, Tom Donovan Publishing Ltd 1994)

Falaise

Falaise was unforgettable for all of 61st Recce.

Don Aiken takes up the tale:  “22nd August - Falaise.

The American Army had now fully broken out of their less defended sector of the front, almost all the German tank forces having been thrown against the pivot point of Caen. This allowed them to partly encircle the German army from the South and a simultaneous pincer movement by our troops from the North entrapped thousands of enemy troops who were trying to flee through the only gap left at a village called Falaise.
This now became a killing field, with all the Allied gun-fire and the concentrated attacks by our rocket-firing dive-bombers (Typhoons) being rained down on the fleeing Germans. Thousands of the enemy were killed and, as we passed through the devastated area in pursuit of those who had managed to escape, I remember seeing bodies piled on top of bodies to a height of several feet.”  (Extract republished from ‘Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’  by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Eric Postles writes “… after the capture of Falaise on 23 August the gap was finally sealed but some German tanks and troops escaped to the river Seine.  All the time the Germans were being attacked from all sides by RAF rocket firing Typhoons…

The scenes of destruction were unbelievable.  Tanks were blown off the roads turretless, hundreds of vehicles were wrecked, dead bloated horses were everywhere, often still in the shafts and dead soldiers littered the area.  It was the first time that we realised how much the Germans used horse-drawn equipment.  Prisoners wandered aimlessly waiting to be rounded up.  This ended the Normandy campaign which had been costly to the Allies but more so for the Germans whose forces were shattered including Field Marshall Rommel, who was badly wounded by RAF planes.” (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Sandy Handley said “After the Falaise Gap episode….. We wondered if the Germans had got any army left.”

 

Anthony Rampling remembers:

Falaise

“When we got to Falaise this area was surrounded by the British, Americans and Polish and they encircled a German Army and they were bombed from overhead, shelled from all round and there were a massive amount killed and over 100,000 prisoners taken...The roads were full of dead bodies, dead horses (dead horses in their harness).  Very difficult to get through the roads for the chaos.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

Anthony told me that even the planes going overhead at 10,000 feet above the Falaise Gap could smell the dead.

 

Eric Brewer wrote for 22^nd August - “FALAISE.  In different harbour.  Slept with two Gerry prisoners*: one Pole, the other German, age 20.  He says his father is fighting.  Also that he has had nothing to eat.  The Pole says he was forced by Gerry prisoner to fight - would have nothing to do with him.  Name is Joseph.  Gerry's name is Karl.  We fed them in the morning and you would think they had nothing to eat for weeks."  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*Lt-General Dempsey later told 61^st Recce that they’d taken 2,000 prisoners in the Falaise Gap (See Eric Brewer’s diary for 19^th September)  

 

50th Division had now moved up to the Gap and was centred between Argentan and Trun.

Dumbarton Oaks

21^st August 1944 – representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States meet at Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown, Washington for the ‘Washington Conversations on International Peace and Security Organization’, which result in proposals for the United Nations Charter.

 

The Falaise Gap is closed when the Canadians link with the Poles at Coudehard, east of Trun, and secure St. Lambert and the northern passage to Chambois (61st Reconnaissance Regiment were in action just east of here).

 

On August 21^st Eric Brewer wrote in his diary:  "Pushed on again today, plenty of prisoners. We have passed through the town of Ruco les* (sic). First English they have seen - got mobbed and could not move for about 10 minutes. Came across blown up bridge - had to send R.E.** to lay down bridge. Waited until it was done then moved on again advanced 30 miles today in harbour near large village."  Amazingly he wrote home on the same day that he was "getting quite used to lying in bed in the morning.  All the chaps do now in the day time is play cards, write or rest.  Some of the boys are getting tired of doing nothing and it would not surprise me if they began knitting comforts for fighting lads or even start their own garden near the half-tracks as the position we are in is as good as static." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary and letters by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

* Rugles, north-east of l'Aigle, 40 miles east of Argentan and 61^st Recce’s Regimental HQ (Regimental HQ location list on re-union dinner menu 1946).  Rugles was officially liberated by the Royal Dragoon Guards on 23rd August 1944.

**Royal Engineers

 

The Battle for Normandy had cost the German Army a total of 1,500 tanks, 3,500 guns and 20,000 vehicles.  They had lost 450,000 men, 240,000 of these killed or wounded.  The Allies had achieved this with 209,672 casualties, 39,976 of these killed.  British and Canadian losses amounted to two-thirds of those suffered by the Americans.  Some 28,000 Allied aircrew were also lost over Normandy or during the preparatory bombing and the Point Blank programme (designed to pave the way for Overlord). Liddell Hart, in a 'History of the Second World War' described Normandy as "an Operation that eventually went according to plan but not according to timetable." (See ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition.)

 

Into the Falaise Gap

20^th August 1944 – Allied planes at last begin to bomb IG Farben’s methanol plant at Auschwitz III (see ‘Hell’s Cartel’ by Diarmuid Jeffreys, Metropolitan books 2008) because it could be used in synthetic fuel production.  The Poles had asked Bomber Command to target the railway lines to Auschwitz in January 1941 and reports confirming the gas chambers in June 1944 renewed the request.  Auschwitz-Birkenau was now the last major Nazi death camp in operation and thousands of Jews continued to be killed there.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

US 3^rd Army secure the first crossing over the Seine at Mantes-la-Jolie (north-west of Paris) to Gassicourt.  In Paris , while the communist resistance encourages uprising on the streets with the cry "Tous aux Barricades!", a Gaullist group seize the Hôtel de Ville.

Argentan, south-east of Falaise, is now fully in Allied hands after eight days of violent combat.

61^st Recce appear to have left the Argentan area on 20^th August - Eric Brewer wrote“Pushed on today through the gap.  Took 200 prisoners, also plenty of vehicles have been knocked out round this area and bags of dead Gerry.  We are the first English boys the civvy have seen...Made advance of 20-30 miles today.  Took field hospital with wounded harbouring in woods for night”. (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

The Big Push begins

On 18^th August 1944 Eric Brewer records that they “moved to Argentan for push with 11^th Armoured Brigade (who were now moving towards Putanges from Flers)…Gerry’s route is through the Paris Road.  According to the higher ups we should not meet much opposition as he is supposed to be just about demoralised to give in.  Also they cannot have much arms left because of supplies being unable to reach them…I counted 56 lorry and half-tracks knocked out and 6 tigers* on the road.”  The next day they "Moved forward to Argentan.  In harbour waiting for orders and out on recce.  Think we shall be moving tomorrow by the way the 11th Brigade are moving forward.  Yanks have crossed the Seine and bypassed Paris in the north-west.  They're also 50 mile inland on the South France invasion."(From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*German heavy tanks

61st Recce advance to Argentan via some action just east of Putanges on the River Orne and afterwards east of Chambois (north-east of Argentan) where Lt. Griffiths "led his troop with the greatest of boldness against forces far superior in numbers"  (see the citation for Lt. Griffiths in 61st Recce Battle Honours).

 

18^th August 1944 – after four days of fighting the city of Chartres, between Le Mans and Paris, is liberated by the American army.

 

On 19th August 11th Armoured Division was involved in pushing the Germans back north of Argentan and captured more than 900 prisoners.

19^th August 1944 - The Falaise pocket is closed when Canadian 1^st Army and the US 3^rd Army link up at Chambois.  However, the Allied blocking position - apart from the unsupported 1^st Polish Armoured Division at Coudehard (isolated in the middle of the gap on Hill 262 and attacked from both sides by escaping and escaped German tanks) - is unable to hold back the tide of escaping German forces.  The gap is held open by II SS Panzer Corps fighting a furious battle with the Poles and Canadians of the 4th Armoured Division.  Approximately 40,000 German troops manage to escape from the encirclement but leave behind more than 3,000 vehicles.  The concentration of German columns moving in broad daylight is subjected to relentless attack from the air by the Allies.  The dead were piled high and the area between Trun and Chambois, south-east of Falaise, became known as ‘The Shambles’.  More than 10,000 Germans die in the Falaise pocket and about 50,000 are taken prisoner. The remains of German Army Group B withdraw to the northern bank of the River Seine.

19th August 1944 - The Battle for Paris begins with an uprising by the French resistance against the German occupiers.  Parisian police, already on strike in protest against the German occupation, take over the Préfecture de la Police and hoist the tricolore - France's national flag.

The Soviet offensive in the Balkans begins with an attack on Romania.  The German Army Group South Ukraine, thinly stretched from the Black Sea along the Rivier Dnestr and east of the Carpathian mountains, lose more than 350,000 men killed or captured and many Romanian formations disintegrate or desert.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

Condé-sur-Noireau

On 16^th August the 50^th Division were at Condé-sur-Noireau, north of Flers.

“Our Division was involved in actions at Anctoville (north of Villers-Bocage), Aunay, Pontécoulant, Condé-sur-Noireau and St Pierre (du Regard, south of Condé), where the Germans fought desperate rear guard action attempts to delay the advance.  In the meantime British troops advancing from the Caen area and Americans from the west, began to encircle the Germans …We led the Division from Conde to and beyond Falaise on the way to Vernon on the Seine.” (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

"The 61st Recce Regiment over-ran a German column including its Regimental Pay Office.  The Paymaster and his staff promptly started tearing up their bank notes, scattering them to the wind.  A couple of enterprising 61st Recce HQ lads managed to 'rescue' some French 1,000 franc pieces, then spent all night piecing them back together, using rubber solution and cellophane strips off biscuit tins."  (Extract from ‘From One Learn All’ by Dave Dennis, published September 2017)

Eric Brewer records that on the 15th August he was still in the "Same place - mortar time" on 15th August (ie "a forward position on the encirclement") and on 16th "Same place, mortar fix bombs.  56 Eggs (sic) moved out."  On 17th August he was“in base waiting for big push”  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

17^th August 1944 – Americans take the citadel of Saint-Malo (a port on the north coast of Brittany) after heavy fighting and the Canadians capture Falaise in Operation Tractable.  Condé-sur-Noireau and Flers (west Of Falaise and Argentan respectively) are liberated by the 11th Armoured Division, now attached to XXX Corps.

Field Marshal von Kluge, Commander-in-Chief of the German Army West declines an order from OKW (Hiter's Army High Command) for a counter-attack and issues orders for a full-scale retreat from Normandy.  He is instantly replaced by Field-Marshall Walter Model and kills himself on his way back to Germany to face Hitler.  Model orders the Seventh Army and Panzer Group West to escape through the gap in the Falaise pocket held by II SS Panzer Corps on the north side (against the British and Canadians) and XLVII Panzer Corps to the south (against the Americans).  (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition.)

The leaders of the Vichy regime flee east and set up a government–in-exile in Sigmaringen, south-west Germany.  Marshall Petain, the French World War 1 hero who became Chief of State in the Vichy government, refuses to leave Vichy and is arrested by the Germans on 20^th August.

'This new landing in the South' - Wednesday 16th August 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Wed Aug 16^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Sorry I haven’t written to you before, but I’ve really been very busy and could only manage a Field post-card which I trust you received.

            I’ve got a spot of rest now – two days at least.  So I’ve started by writing to you straight away.

            I’m in the proverbial orchard needless to say, which is full of baby horses and cows – all very pleasant.  The calves keep coming up to suck your fingers, though the mares won’t let you get near their respective fillies.

            Weather here still keeps pretty good – misty and cool up until about 10 in the morning when the sun breaks through.

            We’re in some very lovely country now – more open and rolling, something like the Sussex Downs though more wooded.

            I’m still waiting patiently for the rest-camp, being the next officer on the list.  This, as I believe, involves three days on the coast with swimming, riding, golf and boating, etc not to mention the chance to browse round the town & cathedral all day.  However, we must wait and see.

            Had a long letter from Brinner.  He’s been officially notified he’s on draft, though he doesn’t know where.  It appears it’s not Burma as we feared at first.  I’ll probably be seeing him out here before long.

            Very nearly had my third bath today – but someone else went instead.  I did have my third beer, however which makes 3½ pints since we landed.  The last was Bass – very good but only ½ pint.

            Sorry to hear you lost your game of tennis.  Never having played the wretched game in my life I can’t sympathise.

            Hope you didn’t pass out at your anniversary dance – or start singing….

            Cheltenham’s quite a pleasant town but like Brighton enjoyed its greatest boom in Regency days.  It’s now become the butt of many jokes with reference to retired Colonels, etc.

            This new landing in the South* must be a picnic I should imagine.  Hope to get down that way eventually – weekend in Nice….

            Must close here, Darling as there’s work to do as usual.

            All my love, Precious

                                                Dicker

*Operation Dragoon

© Chotie Darling

 

Turf kicking

14^th August 1944 – Operation Tractable begins to close the pincers around the German 7^th Army, Fifth Panzer Army and Panzer Group Eberbach.  The 1^st Canadian Army, hampered by 'friendly fire' bombing and the Germans' possession of their plans for the advance, moves forward east of the Caen to Falaise Road (avoiding the strongly held German position at Quesnay, on the road north of Falaise).  The US 3^rd Army swings north from Le Mans and Alençon to Argentan, where it is held awaiting the closure of the 'short hook' by the Canadians.  XXX Corps (including 50^th Northumbrian Division and 61^st Recce) with Second British Army advance towards Condé-sur-Noreau, north of Flers, pushing at the base of the ‘Falaise pocket’.  By 15^th August the ‘pocket’ was well formed although German forces could still escape through a 10 mile ‘neck’ around Trun.

(See 'Progress of the Front' for the Allies’ front line in Normandy and ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition.)

 

Having been 'Still at base in reserve' on the 13th August Eric Brewer “Moved to forward position on encirclement” on the 14th (from Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family).

 

After the account of Le Plessis-Grimault Colonel Brownrigg continues:

“Just further on Lieutenant Williams (later killed) overtook some armoured cars of a rival regiment halted short of some suspicious-looking grass turves in the middle of the road.  ‘We can’t get on,’ they said, ‘Mines.’  Without a word Williams threw the turves in the ditch and drove on.” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.).

Turf Kicking

“We were moving along this country road and we stopped because there were some quite large turves in the road and people suspected they were covering up mines and Lieutenant Williams got out of his armoured car and kicked the turves away and we carried on.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

Rest Day - Saturday 12th August 1944

12^th August 1944 – the Americans liberate Nantes, a large city and critical port on the River Loire near the west coast of France, and Alenҫon, north of Le Mans, becomes the first French city to be liberated by the Free French Army under General Leclerc.

 After testing across the Bristol Channel the first ‘Pipe Line under the Ocean’ (PLUTO) is laid between Shanklin on the Isle of Wight and Cherbourg in France to supply fuel for the allied Liberation armies in North-West Europe.  (See PLUTO http://www.shanklinchine.co.uk/pluto.php Shanklin Chine website.)

 

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Saturday 12^th Aug.

Chotie Darling,

                        Have just received your letter of the 8^th, for which many thanks.

            I was sorry to read of your leave postponement – I take it that’s all it is, however.  Is this ATS only or does it affect the whole Army?  If it does I would imagine Diller will get hers, though I don’t know when she last went on leave.

            You appear to like the county you’re now in, though I suppose you’ll move back before long.  The last time I was in Cheltenham* was during the Sandhurst racket when I created a rumpus by spinning a Bren Gun carrier round in circles in the main street.  Happy days!

            You certainly seem to get your feet under the table at the slightest opportunity.  As usual I suppose it’s your tummy that dictates.

            I’m having the odd days ‘rest’ at the moment after a pretty busy time, so once again I can start getting organised.  Actually the ‘day’s rests’ involve a vast amount of work as all the armoured cars have to be maintained,  all guns taken down and cleaned and all ammo, food, water, etc replenished.  It’s a good six to eight hours job, when you consider that my crews have to do their own cooking as well.  However, we usually get the late afternoon and evening free which isn’t to be sneezed at.

            Quite a pleasant spot here though our artillery is pretty shocking…we’re living in a continual barrage.

            I was presented with a bottle of first rate brandy this morning so things are looking up.  Unhappily I haven’t been able to make any local purchases for over a month so I’m milkless and butterless at the moment.

            Haven’t had a chance to contact Ted** yet though I’ve been pretty near him at times.

            Must close here, Darling, to have some lunch.

                        All my love, Chotie Dear                          

                                                Dicker

 

* Chotie had moved to Deans Farm, Hunt Court, Shurdington near Cheltenham – although Shurdington, a village south-west of Cheltenham is heavily crossed out the first time Dick uses this address and not used subsequently (possibly because it revealed the anti-aircraft unit’s location).

The V1 and V2 rocket launching sites on the Cherbourg Peninsula, which had been prepared to fire flying bombs at Bristol, were now safely held by the Allies, as were airfields where Luftwaffe attacks had been launched on the city.  Gradually Bristol’s air raid defences were stood down – by December 12^th all anti-aircraft weapons in the Bristol Gun Defended Area had been declared non-operational. (From 'Bristol and the Blitz' by John ).

** Ted Lewis, Chotie's brother-in-law, was in the Coldstream Guards with the Guards Armoured Division. They landed in Normandy at the end of June, taking part in Operations Goodwood and Bluecoat and, at the time of this letter were working with the 11th Armoured Division north-east of Vire.

© Chotie Darling

Aunay-sur-Odon

11^th August 1944 - Florence, in Italy, is liberated by the British 8^th Army

 

Major Frank Harding’s citation for the Military Cross includes this account from Normandy:

“On 11^th August he was ordered to capture a hill, pt 266, north of Condé-sur-Noreau, thereby protecting the left flank of the main attack by 231 Brigade.  He carried out this attack with great skill, and in spite of heavy MG and 88mm* fire he destroyed, or captured all the enemy on the hill and held it until relieved.” (See 61st Recce battle honours.)

Major Harding was commander of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment's 'B' Squadron, which included Don Aiken, Eric Brewer in the Assault Troop, Eric Postles in 10 Troop and Tony Rampling and Sandy Handley in No 5 Troop with Dick Williams as their lieutenant.

*The 88 mm was a German anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun.

 

Eric Brewer was "On Recce near same place, plenty of mortars, shells and spandoes" but still found time to write home re-assuringly that there was "nothing to do except sleep and write or listen to the radio; we seem to be getting some good programmes lately...heard some Sinatra and Bing last night...PSS The Yanks seem to be doing fine don't they?"  The next day he was "Back at base - shell killed one chap, injured two." (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

According to Don Aiken they were somewhere near Aunay-sur-Odon,which occupies a vital crossroads position between Caen, Vire, Bayeux and Falaise.  The town had been completely destroyed by Allied bombing in the middle of June.

Don describes how 61^st Recce lost another of the 1060 boys that day:

“On the 11th August we moved into an apple orchard close to a cross-roads, at Aunay-sur-Odon, which was under shell-fire.  The Troop H.Q. armoured car had positioned itself in the corner of the orchard and they had dug a trench underneath it, filling in the gap below the car with a sheet of corrugated iron that they had found.  The driver, down in the slit trench, had then begun to brew up tea for the troop. 

          We were given the signal that it was ready and I climbed out and crossed over towards the H.Q. car, along with a lad from another car, when suddenly a German shell fell short of its target and made a direct hit on the corrugated iron sheet.  The blast blew us both underneath another car and we lay there with hearts in our mouths.  

          Then I said “I'm going to dash for it”, and as I stood up and took a couple of steps I heard another shell whistling its way towards us.  The next thing that I remember is being reseated in the turret of my car.  A member of another crew, who had been watching through his periscope, swore that I had leapt from the ground, straight into the top of the turret (a height of almost 6 ft.) without touching the sides!
          The tragedy was that Henry Ansell, a popular young man, had caught the full blast of the explosion which had blown the corrugated iron into large pieces and torn him apart. Corporal Mulchay lost an arm and Trooper Alan Penn was wounded in the head.”

(Extract republished from ‘Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’  by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 11^th August 1944:

          Trooper Henry Edward George Ansell (age 22) of Totton, Hampshire,

who is laid to rest in the St. Manvieu War Cemetery, west of Caen, near Cheux.  Trooper Ansell was one of the 1060 Boys mentioned in Major Frank Harding’s poem of that name.

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

The Short Hook

8^th August 1944 – Eisenhower, Bradley and Montgomery agree on a plan to surround the German front in Normandy with American forces swinging east, south of the Germans to meet the British and Canadian armies at Argentan (south of Caen and Falaise) and close the circle.  The move would be a ‘short hook’ (as opposed to a longe envelopment, blocking the Paris-Orleans gap between the Loire and the Seine).  (See also Closing the Falaise Gap.)

Patton’s 3^rd Army, now advancing rapidly south and east take Le Mans - a major city between Rennes and Paris, south of Argentan.

Vire is finally liberated by US XIX Corps following the failure of Operation Bluecoat.

 

In China the Japanese Ichi-Go offensive captures Heng-Yang in the in the south of Hunan province from Nationalist troops who had defended the city for more than six weeks.  American air-bases at Kweilin and Liuchow (on the south coast of Kwangsi province) are now threatened.

 

 10^th August 1944 – with the liberation of Guam all of the Marianas Islands are now in Allied hands.  Almost 2,000 Americans were killed in the Battle of Guam but also over 18,000 Japanese.

Angers, south-west of Le Mans, on the River Loire is liberated by the US 3^rd Army on 10^th August.

 

Meanwhile 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment were preparing for their role in ‘the Short Hook’.  Although Eric Brewer was in “Reserve again, taking it easy” on 9^th August  the next day he “Moved to the River Orne* in Villers Bocage area. Brought in  six prisoners.” (from Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*east of Evrecy and Aunay-sur-Odon.  On 10^th August the Allies' front-line across the Orne in Normandy was just north of Thury-Harcourt (liberated 14^th August).

The American Liberation Army

The 3^rd US Army liberates Le Mans, a major city between Rennes and Paris on 8^th August and Angers, further south by the River Loire, on 10^th August.

10^th August 1944 – with the liberation of Guam all of the Marianas Islands are now in Allied hands.  Almost 2,000 Americans were killed in the Battle of Guam but also over 18,000 Japanese.

Lüttich and Totalize

On 6^th August 1944 German Panzer Divisions in Normandy launched an initially successful counter-attack at Mortain, south of Vire.  This was the beginning of launch of Operation Lüttich, a German counter-offensive to re-take Avranches and cut off the Americans advancing into Brittany from the rest of the Allies.  Fighting continued in the Mortain area (east of Avranches) for several days but the initiative was unsuccessful and led to the outflanking of western German forces in the Falaise pocket.  The American commander, Bradley, was warned of the attack by Ultra (British Intelligence) and saw it as an opportunity to destroy the German armoured forces.

British and Canadian forces push towards Falaise in Operation Totalize. On the night of 7^th August the Canadian 1^st Army began to advance south of Caen towards Falaise.  After initial success, assisted by a heavy bombardment by RAF and USAAF planes, they were blocked on 11^th August by the strong German defensive positions around Quesnay on the Caen to Falaise road.

 

The advance of British VIII and XXX Corps had slowed at the end of Operation Bluecoat although 59^th (Staffordshire) Division in XII Corps succeeded in securing a bridgehead over the River Orne at Grimbosq, north of Thury-Harcourt. (From 'The Final Battle for Normandy'.) 

Eric Brewer (and possibly the rest of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment) was "Still in reserve, taking it easy waiting for orders" (from Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

7Able

4^th August 1944 – Anne Frank, whose diary came to symbolise the plight of the Jews under German occupation, and her family are arrested by the Gestapo in Amsterdam, Holland, after two years hiding with other Jews in a secret Annex.  Anne died of typhus in Bergen-Belsen in March 1945.  (Ted Lewis, Chotie’s brother-in-law, was among the British forces that liberated Belsen a few weeks later.)

Stalin meets a delegation of the Polish government in exile ('the London Poles') led by Stanisław Mikołajczyk but installs a 'Polish Committee of National Liberation' (the 'Lublin Poles') - a Soviet puppet government in waiting.  Churchill sends weapons and supplies to the Warsaw insurgents in bomber planes from Italy with the BBC Polish service playing 'Let's dance a mazurka again' to announce the drops.

 

Rennes, the capital of Brittany in north-west France, is liberated by the US 3^rd Army's 4th Armoured Division. 

Villers-Bocage “which we last saw during the ill-fated attack in June” (Eric Postles) was finally liberated by a patrol of the 1st Battalion Dorset Regiment (Dick’s original Regiment), 50th Northumbrian Infantry Division, on 4 August 1944.  The town was in ruins: Eric Brewer wrote home a few days later "if you could only have seen Villers-Bocage you would think that there had been an earth quake; why London is not touched compared to Villers-Bocage.  You are lucky if you see a side of a house standing... There must be about 5,000 craters and there isn’t one more than 5 yards away from the other...think of a thickly planted orchard and a bomb crate for every apple tree.  The town looks as though it's been standing for a thousand years and age has made it decay away... nothing could get anywhere in the town until they got the bulldozers busy, now only a single line of traffic can get through."  Villers-Bocage has now been almost completely rebuilt.

Évrecy, east of Villers-Bocage, was liberated on the same day as well as Aunay-sur-Odon, to the south, where only the the church steeple remains standing.

On 4th August Eric Brewer was "In harbour waiting for orders" with time to write another letter home: "Well here I am in an orchard cleaning my equipment".  Then his diary records: "On Recce 2 miles from V Bocage."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

In ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ (Brewin Books, 2004) Roy Howard of 61st Recce's ‘A’ Squadron describes how his troop (7Able) were divided into two patrols.  The other patrol, led by Sergeant Joe Dunnington investigated a building with radar masts which appears to have been wired with explosives. Sgt. Dunnington bled to death from a severed artery, dying the next day. Corporal Ronnie Washburn was severely injured losing the right side of his skull and Trooper Bill Mathews lost his right arm.  Ernie Brobbin (who found the foxcub) was there to give First Aid and saved Corporal Washburn's life. 

          Roy Howard was subsequently promoted to Troop Sergeant following in the shoes of Bill Abbey (killed 1944 on 23^rd June) and Joe Dunnington.  Ronnie Washburn was left physically and mentally handicapped, ending his days in a Royal British Legion home.  Only three of the original 7Able had survived in the troop by February 1945.

We will remember them

 

Villers Bocage (again)

"Second Army continued to push forward south-east of Caumont, gaining a few miles a day by hard labour and hard fighting...For the men among the corn and hedges, each morning seemed to bring only another start-line, another tramp through incessant mortar and shellfire, coated in dust, to another ruined village from which the Germans had to be forced by nerve-racking house clearing...The fields at evening were landmarked with upturned rifles jammed in the earth to mark the dead."  (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition.)

 

Don Aiken of ‘B’ Squadron takes up the story of 61^st Recce - on 3^rd August 1944 61^st Recce was again approaching the town of Villers-Bocage (south of Bayeux), which had been a key objective on D Day:

 “1944 August
There then began a gradual crumbling in the German defences as more and more pressure was exerted.

3rd August
          We began probing again and one day as we approached the small town of Villers Bocage, on a broad front, we drew to a halt as we approached an obvious ambush point between the hedge-rows. This was a sharp bend in the road which was dominated by a farmhouse facing straight up the road. At this moment the Assault Troop*, which had been making its way through the fields and hedgerows on our right, came under fire from German infantry and sustained some casualties.
          My car was leading the patrol on the road, and every nerve was tensed for any eventuality. I was astounded when a small wicket gate, in a garden wall at the side of the house, suddenly opened and six big German S.S. troops emerged and ran across the front of the house. It was exactly like a shooting gallery at the Fairground with the ducks bobbing along from one side to the other. However, I didn't get a prize off the top shelf because I couldn't turn my turret fast enough, probably due to the turret ring having been invaded by sea water, sand and dust, and my bullets merely splattered the brickwork behind them before they disappeared round the corner.
          We sat there on the road, about 50 yards in front of the house, for about an hour. My light-armoured car was in the lead, and the Troop officer’s armoured car was sat about 20 yards further back. I don’t know to this day what we hoped to gain by standing there, but I felt terribly exposed in my open fronted, open topped turret, with the enemy lying in wait ahead. The feeling was later justified as a phosphorus grenade landed on the road a few feet to the left of my car, spitting and fizzling spitefully as it lay there.

          As it happened the unit of S.S. troops up ahead must have been merely an outpost, without any heavy weapons, or we would otherwise have paid dearly for such senseless tactics.”

(Extract republished from ‘Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’  by kind permission of Don Aiken)

*Eric Brewer, of 'B' Squadron's Assault Troop, was “Still Recceing – found mortar sites. Corporal Bater killed.”  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 3rd August 1944:

          Corporal Horace Edmund Bater (age 24) from Lee, London

          Lance Sergeant Robert Grant Ell (age 27) from Harrow Weald, Middlesex

          Trooper William Henry Heaton (age 33) from Malvern, Worcestershire

          Trooper Robert George Stevens (age 21)       

All are laid to rest in the Bayeux War Cemetery.  (See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

 

'The Devouring'

Europe’s gypsies were also targeted by the Nazis for total destruction. In the Porrajmos (‘The Devouring’) over 200,000 Roma and Sinti (Gypsy) were murdered or died as a result of starvation or disease.   Of the 23,000 Roma and Sinti sent to Auschwitz by the Nazis some 21,000 died or were murdered in the gas chambers and on 2^nd August 1944 - when the Gypsy Camp at Auschwitz was liquidated - 2,897 were exterminated in the gas chambers. (From 'The Porrajmos'.) 

On 2nd August American forces in Normandy liberate Villedieu-les-Poêles between Vire and Avranches when the Germans withdraw.

 

3^rd August 1944 – Chinese and American forces under General Joseph Stillwell capture the strategic town of Myitkina in North East Burma (now Myanmar) from the Japanese.

 

 

Amayé-sur-Seulles

On 2^nd August Eric Brewer says in his diary “Yanks made attack with infantry – bags of prisoners”. Eric's letter home of 3rd August is more elucidating:

"We saw about 120 prisoners coming in, giving themselves up yesterday;  one of our troops of 15 men and an officer brought in 11 of them.  One of the chaps could speak English and he said “I have been walking for five years but never thought that I would get a ride when I was taken prisoner” - he was speaking about the transport which was taking him back to the POW camp.  Most of these prisoners were smiling because they had been taken prisoner.  The third lot that came in had about five officers with them; they were walking at the back and one of the officers had about five medals and was of very high rank.  He'd come from the Russian front (one of the medals was the Russian front medal).  They were nearly all out of the Africa Corps and had seen service in Africa judging by the medals on them.

One chap here had rag round his foot in place of socks.  They looked like they had consumption, thin and dirty...it made you think how ever they managed to live under such conditions... anyway, they were as pleased as a man who had won a fortune (but instead of money it's being a prisoner to a German soldier)...  Most of these chaps are about 16-22 but some of them I bet my last penny weren’t 14...

Practically all the chaps have German revolvers as souvenirs even some of the cooks...

I suppose you have heard on the wireless about the advances our troops are making...we were doing a Recce yesterday, about 2-3 miles in front of our front line, when we were about 200 yards from a village (I can't tell you the name but I bet you have heard it on the wireless); well all of a sudden we came up against some stiff opposition and were held up for about 1 hour.  Our CO came down and told us to stay in position as the tanks and infantry were going to come up... about ½ an hour later all you could see were tanks and infantry...loads of them... We let them take over and went back about 400 yds to make our dinner but not before we had taken the prisoners back on the half track….."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

The report recommending Major Frank Harding, CO of ‘B’ Squadron, for the Military Cross details Dick’s squadron’s involvement at Amayé-sur-Seulles:

    On 2^nd August ‘B’ squadron were ordered to recce forward into Amayé-sur-Seulles.  When the leading troop were held up two miles short of the town the CO, Major Frank Harding , left them to contain the enemy and manoeuvred the rest of the squadron round the left flank, and “so pressed forward that the leading troops engaged enemy in the middle of the town, despite the enemy’s superiority in numbers.”

Lieutenant Philip Benson Truman appears to have been involved in the same action to liberate Amayé-sur-Seulles (although his citation for the Military Cross is dated 3^rd August - see 61st Recce battle honours) with his troop taking out an enemy observation post and containing the enemy until the town was taken later in the day by 50th Division's 69th Infantry Brigade.

Colonel Brownrigg gives this account:

“From Briquessard, ‘B’ Squadron, led by Lieutenant Truman’s carrier troop, carried out a textbook reconnaissance into Amay-sur-Seulles, by-passing strong opposition about a mile this side, and then moving in from a flank to take a number of Boches very much by surprise.  This was followed by a series of reconnaissance actions, usually on a troop scale, as the area of operations was still restricted." (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

However, despite the efforts of 61^st Recce Operation Bluecoat was not successful in breaking out of the Normandy bridgehead.  As British forces approached Vire on 2^nd August there was some confusion and the German Army was were able to re-inforce the town and close the gap between their 7^th Army and Panzergrüppe West.  11th Armoured Division approached the town on 2nd August when it was virtually undefended but were ordered to turn south-east.  By the time the US XIX Corps moved against it the Germans had rushed in to plug the gap and Vire was not liberated until 8th August.

The Commander of British Second Army, Lt-General Miles Dempsey, later told 61^st Recce* that they’d been 3 days ahead of the 7^th Armoured Division in Operation Bluecoat and had to wait for them outside Vire - 7^th Armoured Division was meant to be in reserve behind 50^th (Northumbrian) Division on the eastern flank of the XXX Corps attack.  Monty had ordered Dempsey to 'throw all caution to the winds and step on the gas for Vire' but XXX Corps and 7^th Armoured Division 'performed feebly' (from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition).

The XXX Corps Commander Lt-General Gerard Bucknall was dismissed and replaced by General Brian Horrocks - ‘a man who really led, a general who talked to everyone, down to the simplest private soldier’ and Eisenhower called him ‘the outstanding British general under Montgomery’. 

The Polish Home Army

1^st August 1944 – the Polish Home Army (the main resistance organization in Poland) stages an uprising in Warsaw to liberate the Polish capital from the occupying Germans before the arrival of the Red Army, now within 10 miles of Warsaw.  Collaboration between the AK (Army Krajowa or Home Army) and Soviet partisans in Poland had been difficult after the discovery of the Katyn Massacre.  On 30^th November 1943 the AK had launched Operation Tempest, aimed at securing control of Polish cities and had some success, although the AK were taken prisoner by the Red Army as they advanced. 

The Warsaw Rising was initially successful in taking control of large areas of the city and liberating 350 Jews from the Gęsiόwka concentration camp, which was in process of ‘liquidation’.  However Himmler still managed to send most of the 67,000 Jews still remaining in the ghetto at Łódź, south-west of Warsaw (the second largest ghetto in German-occupied Europe), to their deaths in Auschwitz.  Isolated from and unsupported by the Soviet Army and suffering a fierce response from the Germans including many atrocities (some 30,000 non-combatants were slaughtered in the Old Town alone), the AK finally capitulated at the beginning of October.  Although on 30th July Radio Moscow had called on the citizens of Warsaw to rise up and 'join the struggle against the Germans'  Warsaw was not liberated by the Soviets until 17th January 1945 – by then the Germans had destroyed 85% of the city’s buildings. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

On 1^st August Soviet troops captured Kaunas, now the second largest city in Lithuania but then the capital.

End of the Battle of Tinian in the Northern Marianas Islands.  US troops landed on 24^th July and defeated a 9,000 strong garrison of Japanese.

 

The US 3^rd Army under Lt-General Patton becomes operational on the Allies western flank, tasked with liberating Brittany and seizing the ports on the Brittany coast.  Lt-General Courtney Hodges now commands the US First Army Group while General Omar Bradley is Commander-in-Chief of the US forces in France - 12th Army Group.

Montgomery's VII and XXX Corps are attacking on an axis south-east from Caumont.  In Operation Bluecoat Le Bény-Bocage, south of Caumont, is liberated virtually undamaged by the British 11th Armoured Division.  "Most of Second Army were very tired by now, above all the infantrymen of 15th Scottish, 43rd Wessex and 50th Northumbrian Divisions" (from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition).

61^st Recce continued its role supporting the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division in Operation Bluecoat - according to Eric Brewer, of ‘B’ Squadron’s Assault Troop, on 1^st August they had“Recced for the Divisional attack, met stiff opposition 2 miles forward of there” although he started a letter home including "At the present moment I am listening to the radio.  I heard Victor Silvester* this morning on music while you work so you can guess I am taking it easy..."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 *A popular English bandleader.

Operation Bluecoat

30^th July 1944 – Operation Bluecoat begins.  This offensive was conceived at short notice when it was realised that only a single German infantry division defended the sector of the front near Caumont (61^st Recce were in this area at Briquessard).  The 50^th (Northumbrian) Division, with 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment, were part of this attack but were held up at Amayé-sur-Seulles (south-east of Briquessard).  However, by 31^st July the advance of British VIII and XXX Corps had secured a vital crossing over the River Soulevre about 10 miles south of Caumont, near Le Bény-Bocage and 11^th Armoured Division were advancing towards Vire, 15 miles south of Caumont.  61st Reconnaissance Regiment protected the left (eastern) flank of XXX Corps during the advance.

On 30^th July Eric Brewer’s diary says: “Sniper and rifle fire followed by mortar, but got – lucky.” In the margin Eric wrote “HARDING” (the Commander of 61^st Recce’s B Squadron) and also “INFANTRY ATTACK” – presumably a reference to Operation Bluecoat. (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Colonel Brownrigg’s account of 61st Recce welcomes a return to reconnaissance after the trenches of Briquessard:

          “Soon after (Briquessard) we were back to reconnaissance again, as the great surge forward began.  We went through Briquessard, and were glad to see that there were quite a number of fairly ‘high’ German corpses about, which we attributed to our mortars, and the quick £300 ‘stonks’ the Essex Yeomanry used to put on for us at night.  Their Liaison Officer at our Regimental Headquarters regularly worked out for us the cash value of their bombardments." (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

*World War II British slang for a massed artillery bombardment on an enemy position.

 

Eric Postles remembers resuming patrols: “The desertions from the German Army started.  First of all came East Europeans who had been willing to fight for it and then German soldiers. We often got useful information from them about their positions by giving them food, as they were always hungry. 

We were now involved in constant patrolling and once, when we were checking on a farm area in a valley, we ran into heavy fire from a German position and the first couple of our men were wounded.  We were penned in by buildings and walls.  We could not recover our men and only got out by jumping through a hole in the wall accompanied by German bullets.  One of our infantry units captured the German position later in the day and rescued our two injured lads who had been taken prisoner.  One of them, Corporal Davey, had a broken leg and both were no doubt happy that it ended as it did. 

One of the most stressful jobs was checking road surfaces where we suspected mines had been laid.  The headphones of the mine detectors cut outside sounds.  Nobody volunteered for this task. 

We passed through a heavily damaged Briquessard, deserted apart from a number of dead Germans.”   (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

 

Don Aiken also has a tale to tell from around this time:

          “We were then used on small Reconnaissance foot patrols; and during one of these night patrols we were sent to try to make contact with the Germans who were thought to have infiltrated into the grounds of the nearby churchyard. The night turned out to be extremely misty and crawling through the gravestones was, in itself, a creepy business. The thought that, at any moment, a German machine gun could rattle away into your face was even more disturbing. However, we completed our search of the area without contacting any Germans, although we found a dugout which they had recently vacated. You could always tell where Germans had been by the smell; it wasn't a repulsive smell, just strongly different - probably due to the food that they ate; German sausage perhaps.
          Then we pulled back to take up defensive positions. Along with another young Trooper, I was positioned in an old German slit-trench in a hedgerow alongside a path, armed with a Bren machine-gun. We alternately manned the gun and rested.
          During my rest period I was suddenly 'brought up sharp' by a burst of fire from my companion's gun. When I asked him what was wrong, he said that he had seen something move across the path. I looked for a long time (trying to suppress my fear) and then realised that the 'something' was a twig on the hedge, a few inches away, which had been disturbed by a sudden breeze in this otherwise still, dark and misty night.

30th July — Caumont.”  (Republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

The end of Briquessard

Don Aiken recalls the end of Briquessard: “After a week or two in this position we were relieved by an Infantry Regiment.  Apparently Lieutenant General Horrocks*, the Commander of XXX Corps, had noticed that we had been placed in this defensive position and ordered that we be withdrawn. He was a very experienced General, who knew how important it was to prevent his future spear-head troops from developing a defensive attitude to the war.” (Republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

* At the end of July XXX Corps was still led by Lieutenant-General Bucknall.  He was replaced by Lt. General Brian Horrocks in August 1944.

 

Colonel Brownrigg noted that “Whenever our General* visited us he was most upset about our casualties.  ‘This isn’t really your job,’ he said.  ‘I want you for recce-ing the crossings over the Seine.’” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

*Brownrigg may have been referring to Lieutenant-General Bucknall of XXX Corps or Major-General Graham, the popular Commander of 50^th (Northumbrian) Division.

 

Eric Postles says “We were even more pleased than the Americans to be relieved as it was so restrictive.  We watched a large force of RAF heavy bombers raiding Caen, which was quite awesome.  With some movement at Caen and by the Americans on our right, the German positions at Tilly became less secure for them.  Panzer Lehr, the armoured division, had to withdraw to check the Americans.” (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Sandy Handley remembers coming out of his trench:

“As this ten days came to an end and this area got quieter we risked a little stroll along to the next slit trench.  Lt. Williams was seen calmly smoking his pipe.  He asked if we were OK. 

      Well after ten days in that cramped slit trench I found it difficult to climb out, with the stiffness of the joints.  I was twenty four years old* but felt much older.  I thought about those boys in the 14-18 war in the trenches, not 10 days and nights but months and months in the mud and hell.  What a wicked war they had, terrible.  Our ten days in this situation was nothing compared with what they had to endure.  We should never forget them.  At least in that ten days at Briquessard it hardly rained so goodness knows what it would have been like knee deep in mud.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

*Dick was 23 on 28th July 1944.

 

However, the 61st Recce were still not safe from attack according to Anthony Rampling:

A visit from Tony's brother

“When we came out of these trenches after 10 days my brother, who was a Liaison Officer in the 4^th Armoured Brigade, saw my regimental signs and he came up to see if he could see me.  And he came to the back of Briquessard Wood in his Dingo Armoured car and I actually waved to him but he couldn’t stop because the Germans saw the dust that the armoured car had raised and they started mortaring the area …. so we were pleased to see the back of him.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

Tony remembers the only time he disobeyed one of Dick’s orders, at the end of Briquessard:

Disobeying an order

“Dick Williams, or Lieutenant Williams, was my Officer and I found him quite quiet.  He never chased us around.  He gave us the orders, one of which I had to disobey.  When we came out of Briquessard we hadn’t slept for 10 days and he said “You’re on guard”.  I said “Sorry Sir, I couldn’t keep awake” and I couldn’t have done.  I never heard any more about it.

Tony liked Dick as an Officer: “He never interfered with us much.”

 

On 28^th and 29^th July, Assault Trooper Eric Brewer was out on patrol again:

“Went on patrol. Three of us met two Gerry patrols – they threw grenades at us but luckily we are in a dip with spandaus*.” 

His letter home on the 29^th is, however, characteristically good-humoured and re-assuring: “they haven’t got anything for the Recce to do out here as Gerry is right in front of you…it’s impossible to Recce because you know where he is so the 50^th kindly put us out of the way or on the shelf until we are needed.” “…roll on the next two or three months; then I will be enjoying steak and chips with onion instead of tinned something – I’ve eaten so much in tins since I’ve been over here that I seem to rumble when I walk.” (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)-

*The British name for the German machine-guns, which were manufactured in the Spandau district of Berlin so had plates of that name on the guns.

 

 

29^th July 1944 – a series of bombing raids on Stuttgart by the RAF come to an end.  73,000 bombs have been dropped and 900 people killed in the city in south-west Germany.