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September 1944

DateWar DiaryNotes
1Advance continued. 23rd Hussars on route Rainville - Purchevilliers - Thievres - Mondicourt - Aubigny - Les 4 Vents, 3611 which was reached at 16.00 hours. Advance was entirely unopposed, but much transport was shot up on the way and several hundred prisoners were taken. Harboured at Les 4 Vents. GSGS 4040 Sheet 73. 23H Story Page 129+.
2Break harbour 07.30 hours and advanced via Servins, 3713 - Lievin, 4714 - Lens to Carvin. Harboured at 12,00 hours in defensive positions. Except for prisoners collected by F.F.I. no enemy encountered.

Awards announced:-

MILITARY MEDAL

MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES

Sheet 63. 		23H Story Page 133+.
3 23rd Hussars leading advance from Carvin at 07.30 hours. Pass through Walagnies, 6720 - Avelin, 7025 - Bouvines, 7829 - Cysoing, 8029. Cross Belgium Frontier at Baisieux, 8232 at 10.30 hours, reach Tournai at 11.00 hours. Hold up until 12.00 hours owing to traffic congestion, a U.S. infantry Division and the Guards Armoured Division both having simultaneously and unexpectedly arrived outside the town. Take up positions in area 9436 at 14,00 hours. Continued advance at 15.00 hours. Pass through Renaix, 0847. Sheet 64 and 53.
16.30 hours. Nederbrakel, 1951, 17.30 hours. Ninove. Sheet 54. Shot up some transport, take 30 P.W.s and move on. Reach X roads 4754, Sheet 55, at 19.00 hours and move via Asshe, 5162 to harbour area Wolverthem, 5966 at 21.00 hours. "B" Squadron in Wolverthem shoot up transport including 3 speed boats. Total advance in day 85 miles. Sheet 44. 		23H Story Page 133+.
4 23rd Hussars on right. 3rd RTR on left, advance to Antwerp. Route via Vilvorde, 6766 - Malines, 7174 (at 10.00 hours) - Contich, 6986, to railway line 6891. Held up by heavy 88 and mortar fire but 3rd RTR entered, almost unopposed, across the main bridge into the city which would have been saved by the Resistance, and pushed right, through to the dock area. Withdrew at 18.00 hours to the harbour at Contich whilst 159th Infantry Brigade cleared enemy positions. 2/Lieut R.H. Evans and 3 Other Ranks killed in action. Sheets 45, 23 and 33. 23H Story Page 137+.

RIP DIED THIS DAY
5 18.00 hours. Move to harbour at Pulhof, 6692 for rest and refit.
14.00 hours. "A" Squadron sent to capture bridges and cross Antwerp canal north of Antwerp but all advance beyond railway bridge 6898 impossible owing to heavy Anti/tank and infantry opposition. 		23H Story Page 141.
6 & 7 Other small enemy activity and infiltrations in the Division area make it impossible for the Regiment as a whole to take advantage of the incredible generosity and enthusiasm of the people. 2/Lieut Cotterall and 4 Other Ranks killed in action. 23H Story Page 143+.

RIP DIED THIS (7th) DAY
8 Move via Malines - Aershot, 9669 - Diest, 1166 to protect Guards Armoured Division right flank and bridgehead over the Albert Canal. In position east of X roads, 1671 at 16.00 hours. Sheets 45 and 46. 23H Story Page 144.
9 08.00 hours. Move over Beeringen Bridge, 2375 to take up right flank protection at Heusden, 2873.
In position all day. Some enemy activity and infiltrations broken up. Form Regimental - Battalion Group with 8th R.B. One Other Rank wounded. 		23H Story Page 144.

RIP DIED THIS DAY
10 07.30 hours. Move to Helchteren, 3575 with orders to move east and north. "C" Squadron plus H Company 8th R.B. leading, bump into 1st Platoon Hubner Para Regiment 500 yards east of X roads in position as far as Kunsel, 3673, sheet 47.
P.M. After heavy fighting "B" Squadron plus F Company Group outflanked to the right and reached the main road in area 3777 by last light. 200 POWs taken and 150 killed. Considered as destroyed 3 x A/Tank guns. Harbour on ground 360760 in close leagure. 2 x Other Ranks killed in action. 2/Lieut Bowers and 6 Other Ranks wounded. 		23H Story Page 145+.

RIP DIED THIS DAY
11 08.00 hours. Advanced via T Roads 3977 - Peer, 4084 to Petit Brogel, 4088. Some enemy and one A/Tank gun encountered in Peer and just east of it. Harbour at 15.00 hours with A Echelons. Sheet 26-36.
"B" Squadron to investigate canal crossing east of Caulille, 4490. Heavy A/Tank fire and Artillery fire makes all approach impossible. Bridge blown, one Other Rank killed in action and Lieut J.H. Evans and 4 Other Ranks wounded. GSGS 4336. 		23H Story Page 149.

RIP DIED THIS DAY
12 - 17 Rest at Petit Brogel, first time since Laigle. Received 8 x Shermans, 5 x Stuarts, 2 x Motorcycles & 1 x 3 ton lorry. Sheet 4. 23H Story Page 150.
18 - 19 Move to and rest at Grand Brogel, 4386.  
20 05.30 hours. Move in reserve via bridgehead Lille St Hubert, 4294 - Rodenrydt, 4299 - Couven de la Trappe, 4302 to Valkenhorst, 4408.
2nd F.F. from south, 23rd Hussars from west take Heeze, 4910. Some Infantry shot up. Harbour in town. "C" Squadron destroy a company of enemy north of Marheeze, 5004. 		23H Story Page 150+.
21 23rd Hussars lead advance via Geldrop to area Nunen - Gerwen, 4924 east of Eindhoven. "B" Squadron group leading met by heavy A/Tank and tank fire from Gerwen and held up. "A" Squadron group lead round via Nederwetten, 4624 and again held up short of Gerwen X roads. "C" Squadron Group patrol east towards Stiphout and bump up to 5 Panthers of which they destroy 2 without loss. Established there are up to 13 Panthers in the area of which 8 are at Gerwen, belonging to 107th Panzer Brigade, which had orders to recapture Eindhoven. This counter-attack beaten off. Enemy withdrew during the night to Helmond. One Other Rank killed in action. Lieut Garai and 9 Other Ranks wounded. 23H Story Page 153.
22 08.00 hours. Patrolled north and east as far as Wilhelmina and Alwaaterings canals meeting only a few enemy and finding all bridges blown. 3rd RTR clear Helmond west of the canal.
17.00 hours. Move south via Geldrop - Heeze to concentrate behind 2nd FF bridgehead at Someren, 5911. 		 
23 08.00 hours. Move through 2nd FF at Asten, 6113. "A" Squadron Group leading, held up in and north of Ormel, 6216 all day. "B" Squadron Group lead round right and reach main road south of Vlierden, 6318. Heavy casualties inflicted and much equipment destroyed. Enemy from 65th Training and Convalescent Battalion.
5 x Other Ranks wounded. 		23H Story Page 155.
24 "C" Squadron Group leading encountered stubborn infantry resistance at Vlierden. H Company tanks and artillery attacked, and with the aid of propaganda loudspeaker netted 60 P.W.s from 30th Engineering Battalion.
14.30 hours. Deurne, 6251 reached where we halted while 2nd FF push through.
6 x Shermans received. GSGS 4336, Sheet 5. 		23H Story Page 155+.
25 - 30 13.30 hours. Pass through 2nd FF as far as area De Rips, 6630. Area of responsibility from canal 6833 to exclude Milheeze X roads. "A" Squadron Group, 6833, "B" Squadron Group 6630. "C" Squadron Group and R.HQ at De Rips X roads, 6629. Patrols maintained contact with the enemy along the line of the canal to east of the road.
9 x Shermans received. 		23H Story Page 159.

Vehicles destroyed by enemy action during the month:

Tanks - 15. Scout Cars - 1. Lorries - 1. M.C.s - 1.