| Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. and the Staff Manual respectively Title pages will be prepared in manuscript. |
WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY |
Army Form C.2118 |
| Unit: 8th Bn. The Rifle Brigade | ||
| Month and Year: November 1944 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. J.A. Hunter. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YSSELSTEYN | 1 | CSM Clifton appointed RSM in place of RSM Lumley and succeeded as CSM of H Coy by Sjt Millwood. | ||
| LEUNEN | 2 | Relief of 3 Mons at LEUNEN and SCHEI. H. Coy to LEUNEN. F to SCHEI and G in the centre. 3 ORs wounded. | ||
| HATERT | 4 | Bn relieved at LEUNEN by 5 Coldstream Guards. Night move to HATERT near NIJMEGEN, coming under command of 32 Guards Bde for a rest. Capt. Bond, Lieuts Sedgwick, Neill, and Fyffe rejoined the Battalion and returned to their old companies. Lieut. Hughes-Onslow and Lieut. M. Becke joined the Battalion and went to G and F Coys respectively. Bn Strength: 37 Officers and 763 Other ranks. | ||
| 10 | Officers and Serjeants Football Match. Battalion Concert directed by Sjts Robbshaw and da Costa. | |||
| LEUNEN | 11 | Return of the Battalion to LEUNEN and SCHEI. | ||
| 12-18 | This period will be remembered for the regularity with which LEUNEN and SCHEI were mortarted and shelled and for the mud. Extensive use made of weasels. 1 OR killed. 2 ORs wounded. | |||
| 17 | E Company engaged enemy-occupied farms and likely OP's with MMGs throughout the day. Lieut. Painter wounded by German night patrol. | |||
| 19 | 2 R. Warwicks relieved the Bn at LEUNEN & SCHEI, Moved to YSSELSTEYN under command 159 Bde. | |||
| YSSELSTEYN | 20 | Orders and preparations for the clearing of the VENLO pocket West of the River Maas. | ||
| 21 | Enemy withdrew before 15 (S) Div across the River Maas, the assistance of the Battalion not being called upon. | |||
| 22 | Capt. E.P. May & Lieut E.R.C. Yetman awarded the M.C. and Cpl. Kingsmill the MM. | |||
| 27 | Major Liddell joined the Bn as 2 I/c. | |||
| YSSELSTEYN | 27 | The following awards were announced MCs, Majors Bradford and Bell. Capts Starker, and Willcox, Lieut Coryton, Rev J.L. Taylor. DCM L/Sjt Pratt: MM Cpl Shutz, Rfn Bennett. | ||
| SWOLGEN | 28 | Bn relieved 2 Gordons of 15 (S) Div on a sector of the R. Maas and again came under command 159 Bde. E. Coy in LEGERT, F. Coy in BROCKHUNGENVORST, G. Coy in GUNN, H. Coy in the Castle at OIJEN, Bn HQ at SWOLGEN. Assault boats were used to reach H Company in view of the extensive flooding of the river. | ||
| 30 | BROCKHUNGENVORST heavily shelled in the evening. Lieut. M. Becke Killed. 1 OR wounded. |
Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.
