| 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: HQ 3 Army Group RA | ||
| Month and Year: October 1944 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Brig F.C.F. Cleeve DSO, MC |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOKERE | 2 | Orders received for reversion of HQ 3 AGRA, 67 & 72 Med Regts to under comd 12 Corp | Appx "D" | |
| NOKERE | 3 | HQ 3 AGRA leaves NOKERE. Stages area LOUVAIN. | ||
| NIJMEGEN | 4 | HQ arrives NIJMEGEN, and is est at 742602, as RA 1 Airborn Corps, to take over in that capacity from about 7 Oct, with (it is expected) under comd 59 AGRA (incl 67 & 72 Med Regts) RA 101 US Airborne Dov (three bns( RA 83 US Airborne Div (one bn) 79 Fd Regt (from 52 Div), 4 RHA (4 Armd Bde). Above to take over from RA 30 Corps. also to be under comd:- A Tk: 304 A/B Bty (52 Div): 86 A Tk Regt: One bty of 17 prs (towed)354 bty (52 Div) :502 LAA Bty: 2 A/L AA Bty. HQ 3 AGRA to act as Corps RA until RA 12 Corps able to come fwd. | ||
| NIJMEGEN | 6 | Orders received for relinquishment ofrole as RA 1 Airborne Corps and resumption as HQ 3 AGRA. 72 Med moves of R WAAL. | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 7 | 0930 | HQ 3 AGRA crossed R. WAAL and is est at 647676 near LOENERSEN. 67 Med crosses rover in early morning. | |
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 7 | 0915 | CB programme fired 67 & 72 Med on arrival. 6 Fd crosses river. Locations as per statement. | Appx 'J' |
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 7 | Several targets engaged by 67 & 72 Med, incl a factory occupied by the enemy at 673759 on the S bank of the NEDER RHINE WEST of ARNHEM, and which had been giving considerable trouble. Also Arrival of medium and heavy arty, greatly welcomed by Americans, having the means of counteracting it. | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 8 | 3 AGRA Adm Order 22. | Appx 'G' | |
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 8 | 59 Med and 23/59 Hy Bty arrive in area. One section of A Flt 653 AOP Sqn put on call to 3 AGRA. Further targets incl the tks and SP gun engaged on call of 59 AGRA and in sp of 101 US A/B Div holding WESTERN half of spear-head. Enemy continually probing from WAST and occasionally infiltrating into our fwd localitie. Some impending attacks brocken up by Arty fire on forming up places." | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 9 | Revised location statement. 3 AGRA Op Instr No 7 issued, setting out tasks and grouping of fmns and arty. One bty 107 HAA Regt placed at disposal 3 AGRA whenever available. Victor Targets engaged at call of 50 and 53 Div. 59 AGRA. " | "Appx 'J' Appx 'D'" | |
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 10 | 2300 | -530. HF tasks engaged during night in ARNHEM area. Main activity during the day bombards, Y and V Targets on enemy forming up, general enemy locations and Ops. AOP succesfully used for several shoots. Enemy counter-attacks frustrated by arty fire. | |
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 11 | Very quiet through day. Bombards and concs fired but less activity than previous day. Very wet,visibility poor. | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 12 | Some CB and HF activity.Comparative calibration of 155 mm guns of 23/59 Hy Bty. Enemy activity confined to shelling, mortaring and small scale attacks at isolated points. | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 13 | Increased arty activity. Several shoots observed by AOP, regimental Ops and Svy Ops, on enemy mortar area, tks and tk harbours, enemy HQs (direct hits reported), and column of enemy MT (rds reported on target). Limitation of amn prevents full advantage being taken of latter shoot. | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 14 | Guns calibrated by 155mm bty and 67 Med. | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 15 | Daily Victor targets on enemy localities, HQs, mortar areas. Victor targets being used in nature of HF each morning and afternoon." | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 15 | Nothing unusual. Arty activity similar to previous days. Little change in position of our fwd troops, and, apart from withdrawal of some enemy formations from this front to assist in AACHEN area, there is at present no apparent prospect of any change." | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 16 | Activity mainly bombards and HF. Several observed shoors, showing that good concs are regularly achieved, though synchronisation is nog good. | ||
| NW of NIJMEGEN | 17 | Similar to previous day. Orders now received for change of role. HQ 12 Corps move SW to-day. 3 AGRA comes temporarily under comd 30 Corps and will move to new area to-morriw tp sp ops on present front of 7 Armd Div to capture s'HERTOGENBOSCH and TILBURG. 3 AGRA Op Instr no.8. | Appx 'D' | |
| ZEELAND UDEN | 18 | 1500 | HQ 3 AGRA moves to hide area ZEELAND 5746. | |
| ZEELAND UDEN | 19 | 1300 | HQ 3 AGRA moves from hide area and deploys area SW UDEN 500404. Op Instrs No 9 issued, amplifying instrs given in Op Instr No 8" | Appx 'D' |
| ZEELAND UDEN | 20 | 3 AGRA Adm Order No 23 Location Statement. | Appx 'G' and 'J' | |
| ZEELAND UDEN | 21 | Preparations for Op "PHEASANT". 3 AGRA Op Instr No 10. | Appx 'D' | |
| ZEELAND UDEN | 22 | 3 AGRA supports op "ALAN I", carried out by 7 Armd Div and 53 (W) Div to prepare way for capture of s'HERTOGENBOSCH. Time programme, concs at call and CB fired. | ||
| ZEELAND UDEN | 23 | 3 AGRA supports op "COLIN I" by 51 (H) Dov to clear area SOUTH of op "ALAN I", and SOUTH of ZUID WILLEMS VAART Canal. Op notes issued for future ops. | ||
| ZEELAND UDEN | 24 | 3 AGRA supports op "ALAN II" by 53 (W) Div to adv to and Control NORTHERN outskirts of s'HERTOGENBOSCH. 3 AGRA Op Instr No. 11. | Appx 'D' | |
| ZEELAND UDEN | 25 | 3 AGRA supports op "COLIN II" by 51 (H) Div to adv WEST and NORTH towards s'HERTOGENBOSCH and est CL 40 route through ST MICHIELS GESTEL 3540. Also gives sp to 53 Div on right flank. 13 Med come under comd 7 Armd Div." | ||
| UDEN | 25 | HQ 3 AGRA moves to BROEKSTRAAT 365389. Regts move up into area GEMONDE 3538. | ||
| BROEKSTRAAT | 26 | 3 AGRA supports attack by 154 Bde (51 (H) Div) to adv from rd s'HERTOGENBOSCH - BOXTEL to rd VUGHT - TILBURG. | ||
| BROEKSTRAAT | 26 | 1430 | HQ 3 AGRA moves into BOXTEL. Office est on station platform. | Location Statement: Appx 'J' |
| BROEKSTRAAT | 26 | 2315 | Owing to speed of adv orders received from GCRA tp move regts forward as soon as possible on 27 Oct. | |
| BOXTEL | 27 | Bombards fired on HB harrassing our bridging parties. HF for 53 Div on area to SW of s'HERTOGENBOSCH. HQ 3 AGRA moves to RAAM 252380. Two med regts moved fwd. One Med and the Hy regt remain behind. | ||
| RAAM | 27 | Victor Targets fired in sp of 7 Armd Div attack towards LOON OP ZAND 1540, | ||
| RAAM | 28 | 3 AGRA supports attack by 51 (H) Div on area LOON OP ZAND 1540. | ||
| RAAM | 28 | 2200 | 13 Med reverts to comd. | |
| RAAM | 29 | 3 AGRA supports ops by 51 (H) Div and 7 Armd Div to clear area LOON OP ZAND 1540 and to NORTH and WEST, and ops by 53 (W) Div to clear area WEST of s'HERTOGENBOSCH. | ||
| LOON OP ZAND | 30 | 0830 | HQ 3 AGRA move up to position at 156380 SOUTH of LOON OP ZAND. Ops going well, and all regts (less 53 Hy) brought up into area WEST and NW of LOON OP ZAND. | |
| LOON OP ZAND | 31 | 1200 | 63 Med reverts to comd 8 Corps. 13 and 59 Med stepped up to provide concs on brs over R. MAAS. One 7.2(?) bty moves to area 3 Brit Div. Hy opposition WEST of RAAMSDONK 0547 overcome by stonks fired at request of 51 (H) Div. HF fired on brs and ferries over R. MAAS, and on enemy transport jammed on approaches to river. |
Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.
