WO 171/1372 - 4 Somerset Light Infantry - October 1944

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
ELST, Holland	1	0940	- 1000 Shelling on bearings of 20° and 54° Mag.
	2	1520	- 1545 Heavy shelling of fwd areas, causing some damage to houses.
	3	1545	- 1550 Shelling - 50 to 60 shells in Bn Area.
	3	1630	6 PWs (one wounded) 6/PGR.
	3	1900	Enemy strong point at br destroyed by shell fire. Tks left in B Coy area for the night.
	3	2000	'C' Coy moved over to right flank 706716.
	3	2100	'C' Coy cleared wood at 710716 – no sign of enemy.
	3	2200	Enemy patrol moving WEST from 718708.
	3	2350	'D' Coy reported shelling 340° Mag.
	4	0040	'D' Coy failed to contact 1 WG owing to heavy shelling & mortaring.
	4	0320	'D' Coy contacted 1 WG.
	4	0548	Movement reported by affiliated tks, taking place on rd running NE from 'A' Coy area.
	4	0720	'A' Coy report enemy pl strength dug in 712721.
	4	1300	Pl attack started on emey 712721 ('A' Coy).
	4	1310	10 PWs being brought in – closely followed by 16 more.
	4	1328	'A' Coy one casualty, and short of .303 amn – sent by 'S' Coy.
	4	1450	'C' Coy 5 casualties.
	4	1530	- 1815 Shelling in 'C' Coy area.
	4	1945	'C' Coy report tracked veh heard at 724714 – confirmed by Gds – ' stonk' arranged.
	4	2015	'C' Coy report noice at 733713 and 730714 moving North.
	4	2045	Enemy movement reported at 705750. Enemy digging in at 709722.
	4	2245	Inf and tks forming up at 710724.
	4	2300	'A' Coy cleared enemy from 711721 – 37 PWs. 'A' & 'D' Coys changed posns.
ELST, Holland	5	0110	Sentry at Bn HQ reported flares in 'D' Coy area – 3 white 1 red
	5	0500	Inf & tks at 709722 dispersed by arty fire – one or two tks at large.
	5	1030	'D' Coy captured PW who assisted FOO with arty fire on enemy posns.
	5	1930	Mortars reported they had moved out – the first sub unit out on relief bn – relieved by USA Airborne RCT and Bn HQ est at 661643 West of NIJMEGEN.
West of NIJMEGEN, Holland	6-7		In rest area.
	8		Bn moved to 703549, MALDEN, and took over from 2 E Yorks – except for occasional shell, all quiet.
MALDEN, Holland	9-12		Static.
	13		Took over from 7 Som LI – Bn HQ est at 725517 (MOOK). Fwd coys mortared during night. 'D' Coy 1 casualty.
MOOK, Holland	14		Quiet day. 'B' Coy recce patrol found 4 enemy at 754517 and heard 1 veh and some digging. 'A' Coy fighting patrol found 8 enemy and mortar at 739494. After short battle withdrew successfully.
	15	1145	Enemy inf gun shelled Bn HQ Area – slight damage, no casualties.
	16	2030	PW from 91 Tech Arty Abt captured area HENVEL 7369.
	16-17	2230	- 0500 Fighting patrol under Lt. P.N.L. Priani ('C' Coy) found disused trenches 759481 - no one seen in factory area - Motor veh heard at 763485 at 0230 hrs - Excavator at 755482 blown by 75 grenades. Flares fired by enemy posn area 770479. This patrol involved a river crossing which was satisfactorily carried out without mishap.
	18	0930	'D' & 'A' Coys changed posns.
	18	0130	Lt J.B. Alliban ('B' Coy) + 1 NCO returned from deep penetration recce patrol, observing Reichwald Forest area – found 6 mortars.
Holland	18-19		Patrol of carr pl – MG fired on them – much movement at 759519 – unable to penetrate SE of 753514 to 761520 owing to booby traps and mines by 5 Dorsets and US Airborne Div. Fighting patrol of 'D' Coy (Lt. J.W. Jary) challenged at 738484 followed by 12 x 8.1 cm mortar bombs. Enemy sec 740483 dug in. 4 enemy secs located at area 738484 – 740483 – Verey lights fired from area Ho 739484 – Patrol successfully fought its way out of enemy cas 1 killed and 1 wounded.
	19-20		Still static.
	20-21		'D' Coy fighting patrol – boats failed to cross river owing to high wind and strong current – decoy party under Lt J.W. Jary drew MG fire and mortar fire – enemy also use illuminating flares and one green verey light.
	22-23		'B' Coy recce patrol – enemy heard 756518 – 5 enemy walking near house 763517 – MG opened up 760514 – trenches and trip wire found – m/c and 2 half tracks heard 770527. 'B' Coy fighting patrol – MG posn reported area 739487 – covering party drew shelling and mortaring.
	23	1600	Bn HQ est 719528.
	24-27		Static in rest area.
	28	2015	Moved to 754538 and took over from 7 SOM LI – right fwd bn on Bde sector.
	29		Bare flat country dotted about with houses – great test of observation – main interest 'stonking' and burning occupied houses. Contact made with us by 4 Dorsets (LtCol Roberts now CO) on arrival right and we linked up with 5 Wilts on our left. Enemy tactics were to come fwd and occupy posns at night and go back during day.
	29	1535	Nebelwerfer on fwd posns.
	29-30		Quiet night – some enemy movement reported. 'C' Coy put 16 2” Mortar HE and 10 PIAT into bldgs 545556.
	30	1045	'A' Coy report American War Correspondent shooting pigs in front of Coy HQ – shots fired over him to stop him.
	31	0220	'A' Coy HQ attacked by 25 enemy set alight and fighting inside house after pole charge had blown large hole in wall. 5 enemy killed and 4 of ours missing. Tpt and amn burnt in house.
	31	0350	2 DRs wounded in accident on way back to 'A' Ech.
	31	2350	Bde warned us of enemy attack forming up at 773546, strength about 1 coy.

Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.