WO 171/1322 - 6 KOSB - December 1944

Place	Date	Summary
NEERKANT 698095	1	Trg in house fighting and clearing took place throughout the day. In the evening the CO held an O Gp and gave out final orders for the attack on BLERICK 8908, 8909, which is due to take place on 3 Dec and is to be done by 44 (L) Inf Bde. Weather fair
NEERKANT 698095	2	Tps made final preparations for the attack to-morrow and carried out trg in the use of KANGAROOS (Armd Tp Carriers) which are going to be used in the op. The Div Comd called to wish success to the Bn and the Bde Comd addsd all ranks. CO saw all Coy Comds in evening and gave final instrs. Weather wet
BLERICK 896086	3	Leaving NEERKANT at approx 0730 hrs the Bn proceeded to an assembly area WEST of MAASBREE 8207, to await the success of the first phase of the attack, after which it would be launched. Bn HQ set up at 843087. At 0745 hrs the initial stages of the attack took place. This consisted of an attack by tks, flails and AVREs and the creation and bridging of 6 gaps in the wire and ditch obstacle defending the town. A gigantic arty programme accompanied this phase. This part of the attack went well and at about 0930 hrs 8RS on right and 6RSF on left were launched with objectives in the centre of the town. They encountered some opposition but soon overcame this, and at about 1300 hrs 6 KOSB on right and 7 Seaforth on left were launched on similar axes to clear the SOUTH and NORTH parts of the town respectively. B Coy led the Bn adv and, passing through a gap in the obstacle, reached and consolidated on its objective. Bn HQ followed and set up at 896086. D and A Coys came next and cleared the SOUTH end of the town. By nightfall the whole town was in hands of the Bde. The Bn took 49 prisoners. The total number of PsW taken by the Bde. Weather showery
BLERICK 896086	4	7 Seaforths and 8RS pulled out in the early hrs of the morning and 6RSF and 6KOSB occupied the whole town, 6RSF on NORTH and 6KOSB on SOUTH. Bn HQ remained at same place, with Coys located as follows:- A Coy 897089; B Coy 095084; D Coy 893083. Intermittent shelling and mortaring took place throughout the day. Weather wet
BLERICK 896086	5	Noise of vehs heard and lights seen area factory 894072 during the night and this area was engaged with arty. Intermittent shelling took place during the day but in gen things were quiet on both sides. Weather wet
BLERICK 896086	6	CO attended conference at Bde HQ. Shelling throughout the day light. Some enemy was seen rd junc 903083 and houses 902079. Considerable civ mov in VENLO which may indicate that they intend to evacuate the town. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	7	Situation quiet again. B Coy moved to HOUT BLERICK and occupied posn there previously held by 8RS. A and D Coys modified posns slightly to cover gap so created. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	8	Shelling was light during the day. Enemy mov took place in ones and twos around rd 903083 and further mov was seen at 904073. There was some further shelling in the evening. A patrol from 10 HLI on right trying to contact B Coy encountered enemy patrol and sustained cas. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	9	Bde Comd visited B Coy. Enemy fired single shells throughout the day along river bank. Enemy now seen areas 903083 and 900073. Patrol from B Coy sent to 877067 but did not contact enemy, though a number of mines were discovered. A draft of 27 ORs arrived at B Ech. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	10	An enemy post was definitely located at 903083. Enemy were also observed digging mor posns at 898072. These were engaged by our mors and arty. Mov was also seen round house 904073 and a Spandau was located 904088. Weather wet
BLERICK 896086	11	Pl of 8RS at 867062 came under comd B Coy. Very little was seen, though a certain amount was observed at 903083. An MG fired from 893074 and was engaged by arty. Light sigs seen during the night and fired at. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	12	An enemy mor was located firing from 899071 and was successfully engaged by arty. Enemy moving areas 899071 and 901074 were also engaged. The effectiveness of this shooting was verified by the appearance of an amb shortly after. Cam screens were seen to have been erected across entrance to struct 905085. Slight shelling throughout the day. Weather fair.
BLERICK 896086	13	An increase in enemy shelling took place to-day, mainly caused by SP guns firing from VENLO indiscriminately into BLERICK. Houses on the river edge were systematically fired at during the morning. Enemy mor at 898071 was again active and again dealt with by arty. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	14	Again there was more shelling than usual, but in other respects the front was quiet. Noise of half tracks and vehs was heard in the area 898074. It was assumed that the anticipated relief by 2 Glas H, which was to have taken place on 19 Dec, would not now occur. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	15	There was little activity other than some shelling. An enemy 88 mm was located 919089 and fired at by our arty. At 1500 hrs the arty fired on an Uncle target at 910071. In the evening sounds of vehs were heard in area factory immediately opposite D Coy and engaged. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	16	Little took place during the day other than some spasmodic mortaring. In the evening about 2300 hrs sounds of a motor boat on the river were reported, but boat was not located. The ballot for leave was held in the afternoon. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	17	At approx 0430 hrs an enemy patrol made contact with some fwd posns of D Coy. The patrol threw grenades at houses, but dispersed on being engaged by D Coy. In the morning it was observed that a house at 891078 was flying the Nazi flag. Shelling throughout the day was rather less than usual but there was a certain amount of mortaring in the afternoon. Slight activity was observed after dark, including the use of a signalling lamp on the far bank. There was slight aerial activity after dark. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	18	There was very little activity other than odd shelling and mortaring during the day. After dark lights were observed across the river and sounds of hammering heard. Weather dull
BLERICK 896086	19	Various noises from across the river were heard throughout the night, and several artillery shoots carried out. By day activity was reduced to a minimum. After dusk mines were laid by RE in D Coy area. Throughout the night sounds of continuous hammering were heard on the other side of the R MAAS. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	20	The front remained quiet throughout the day and there was little shelling or mortaring. In the evening BBC recorders recorded the sound of shelling on the R MAAS. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	21	During the night B Coy had a brush with an enemy patrol but successfully beat it off. At 0300 a post of the recce sqn at 894129 was over-run by a strong enemy patrol. During the day there was slightly increased mortaring but no further incident until evening when a further enemy patrol entered B Coy area and had a clash. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	22	Certain adjustments to disposns took place as a result of which 6KOSB becomes responsible for the whole of BLERICK and HOUT BLERICK. C Sqn 15 (S) Recce Regt comes under comd for this op. Considerable activity took place after dark and there was increased shelling. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	23	Bn HQ moved to new location at 895090, to be more centrally positioned. The CO attended an O Gp in the afternoon and held a Bn O Gp on his return. A German attack is expected on Christmas Day and preparations are to be made accordingly. The A/tk pl fighting in an inf role is to take over from A Coy 8RS at 894100. Shelling was more active than usual during the day. Weather fine
BLERICK 896086	24	Recce sqn reported 4 enemy seen in area of house at 878067, at 1000 hrs. Patrols went out to locate these but were unsuccessful. There was considerable movement and noise heard from across the river after dark, but little shelling or mortaring took place. Weather fine
BLERICK 896086	25	A very high degree of alertness was maintained, and efforts were made to decoy the enemy into making an attack, but without success. The Bde and Div Comds visited the Bn during the day. Enemy activity was slight. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	26	Considerable enemy activity noted during the day and early part of the night, incl sound of tracked vehs and marching personnel. Shelling and mortaring activity was not great. Weather dull & cold
BLERICK 896086	27	Little to report apart from usual sounds of activity by night. Shelling and mortaring not great. Some verey lights seen by night and thought to have been dropped by enemy aircraft. Weather dull and foggy
BLERICK 896086	28	Conditions were quiet during the day, and actuated by a dense fog which remained over the area most of the day. In the early part of the night a considerable "stonk" of mor bombs came down on C Coy area. The mor in question was pinpointed at 911099 and dealt with by arty. Weather foggy & cold
BLERICK 896086	29	5 civilians crossed the river and were apprehended by the A/tk pl. Conditions remained quiet during the day but in the early evening a salvo of bombs from a multi-barrelled 30 cm mor fell on A Coy area. No damage was done. Weather foggy & cold
BLERICK 896086	30	There was some shelling and mortaring during the day including a further salvo from the 30 cm mor which caused damage to houses but no cas. Weather fair
BLERICK 896086	31	There was little activity during the day. In the evening a "hate" programme was arranged and included arty, MMG and mor fire. This continued until 2200 hrs when there was a period of quietness lasting till midnight. Weather fair

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