WO 171/1257 - 3 Irish Guards - October 1944

Place	Date	Summary
AAM	1	At about 0500 hrs, a strong counter attack began to develop from the NE and Eastern flanks. In one place the enemy succeeded in infiltrating into the area held by No. 3 Coy and into a copse North of No. 4 Coy. After hard fighting and a liberal use of arty sp, the enemy eventually started to crack about 1400 hrs and by evening the posn was once more stabilized. 91 PW were taken by the Bn during the counter attack and came for the most part from 9 Pz Div. During the early hours of darkness, No. 2 Coy relieved No. 1 Coy in the most northerly posn, with their leading elements across the embanked rd running Westwards to ELST at 722717 (Sheet 6 NW, Scale 1/25000). Late in the day a coy of 1 WG was sent up to assist us and was placed by the CO North of Bn HQ area at 717723. Contact patrols from 4 Som L.I. who were in the area of ELST failed to make contact owing to enemy infiltration between themselves and us. A recce patrol which investigated the area of RIJKERSWAARTD 7272, reported no enemy seen.
AAM	2	At dawn a counter attack began again in some strength, this time directed from the North on to the area of No. 2 Coy. It consisted of inf, sp by tks and flamethrowers and succeeded in over-running the lefthand pl posn. This compelled No. 2 Coy to withdraw from their isolated posn to the rd parallel with No. 4 Coy at 719708. Very hy arty sp succeeded time and again in breaking up their enemy inf attacks before they were ever able to get properly under way, and by 1200 hrs the attack had proved itself a failure and the enemy were withdrawing. Another coy of 1 WG was placed under comd during the morning and positioned on the NW flank at 712705. At noon we were informed that 5 Gds Armd Bde was to be relieved by 32 Gds Bde the ensuing night, and shortly afterwards the recce parties from 5 Coldm Gds arrived to recce their new area. The hand-over was completed without much difficulty and during the early hrs of darkness, the Bn withdrew to a conc area South of NIJMEGEN br at 656556
NE of GRAVE	3	The Bn settled into its conc area and received visits from the Comd and from the Div Comd, to congratulate the Bn for the performance it had put up in the br head. In the conc area we were to rest, re-fit and train the men who had arrived, or were expected as rfts. There was also an op rele of counter attack on either the GRAVE or NIJMEGEN bridges in the event of airborne landings.
NE of GRAVE	4/13	Conc area
	14	The Corps Comd (Lt. Gen. Horrocks) gave a lecture to Offrs, WOs and 8jts in the div club in GRAVE. He congratulated the Div on its performance of the battles of the past and explained in detail the course that ops had taken and the reasons which lay behind various moves which we had been compelled to make. Finally he concluded with a brief forecast of future ops, which now depended entirely on the clearing of the harbour at ANTWERP, which was the only means of getting adequate supe for a final thrust into GERMANY itself.
NE of GRAVE	15	Conc area
	16	Towards evening the Bn received a warning order that it would be required on the morrow to take over the def of the brs over the R. WAAL at NIJMEGEN from 1 Dorsets who were moving up into the br head.
NIJMEGEN	17	During the morning recce of the new area was carried out and the take over was completed at 1400 hrs .the rele was one of static defence and permitted the continuation of trg programmes which had already been started. The day was uneventful except for one light bombing attack on search light installations to the East of the bridges. During the continuation of this op role the Bn was under comd of 100 AA Bde.
NIJMEGEN	18	The Bn was visited in the morning by the 5 Gds Bde and Div Comds who gave a forecast of ops which were to take place, on our Western flank. Otherwise the day was uneventful.
NIJMEGEN	19/30	The Bn remained in the area of the NIJMEGEN bridges and carried out a role of local protection. The period was quiet and uneventful and from time to time the Bn was visited by the Corps, Div and Bde Commanders for the purpose of inspecting the defences. On 29 Oct 44, we were visited by the G.O.C., London District. , Lt.Gen.Lloyd, Maj General Commanding Bde of Guards, who had come from IRELAND to see units of the Gde Armd Div.
MALDEN	31	During the day the Bn was relieved by 1 WG and went to MALDEN 698555. Here we were at six hours notice to move with an operational role of counter-attack to the Eastward. It was expected that we should be here for some days and preparations were made for as much trg as possible to be carried out in these comparatively peaceful conditions

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