| 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: 2nd Bn The Glasgow Highlanders | ||
| Month and Year: September 1944 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. P.U. Campbell |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3795 CUVERVILLE | 1 | 0001 | - 2359 BN in position of defence. R.C. church service at local church. Service for C of S etc taken by S.C.F. 15(S) Div at 1145. | App A Sheet I |
| 1 | Visited by Divisional Commander Maj General CM Barber DSO. | |||
| 2 | 0001 | - 2359 Bn in position of defence. Div Commander again visited BN. He inspected a recent draft of reinforcements. | ||
| 3 | 0840 | Bn left Cuverville in TCVs. | ||
| 5015 | 3 | 1300 | Arrived La Feuille 502151. Church service held at 1800 hrs. | |
| La FEUILLE | 3 | Pipe band played after the service. | ||
| 7342 ESCLES | 4 | 1330 | Bn left La Feuille at 0330 hrs and arrived in T.C.Vs area Woods 7342 at 1330 hrs. Visited by Bde Commander, Brigadier RM Villiers DSO at 1400 hrs. | |
| 1808 SE of St Pol | 5 | Bn left area 7342 at 0840 hrs and arrived at area of 1808 SE of St Pol 1630 hrs. | ||
| 6 | 1100 | Bn left area 1808 in Advance to Contact groups at 1100 hrs. | ||
| 6 | 1800 | Crossed Belgian frontier about 1800 hrs. | ||
| Area SWEVEGHEM | 6 | Passed through Belleghem - first British troops to do so - and the BN was presented with a hand made tapestry of King George VI. | App A Sheet I | |
| 904557 SWEVEGHEM | 6 | 2100 | Arrived 904557 and took up a defensive position. | |
| 0957 Audenarde | 7 | 1500 | Bn left area 9055 in advance to contact Gps being relieved by 8 BN Royal Scots. BN took over from 7th BN Queens Regt at Audenarde 0957 at 1500 hrs. | |
| 8 | Bn in defence of Audenarde. 150 prisoners taken. Visited by Brigadier R.M. Villiers DSO. | |||
| GHENT | 9 | Bn moved in combat gps to position SE of GHENT (2277). Under command 131 Bde. BN attacked over Canal in Northern sector of GHENT at 1930 hrs. Canal crossed at 175616. BN took up defensive positions in built up area after fierce street fighting. Casualties 4 killed 20 wounded. | ||
| GHENT | 10 | COYs of the BN continued their advance, meeting strong enemy opposition. Consolidated in area 1782. Enemy counter attack repelled - in this we were assisted by tanks. P.O.W. taken 219, Casualties:- Lieut J. Galloway - a broken leg. 42 O Ranks. | App A Sheet I | |
| GHENT | Night 10/1 | Hy shelling of enemy positions. | ||
| 11 | Enemy positions Typhooned. Civilians evacuated from the area. Enemy seemed to have withdrawn. 21 P.O.W. Bn relieved by Polish troops, and moved to conc area 225772. | |||
| 559768 | 12 | Returned to 46(H) Bde command and moved in TCV's to Lippeloo. | ||
| SW Gheel | 13 | Bn left Lippeloo for area 044865 - SW of Gheel - just N of Albert Canal. Took up def position. | ||
| 14 | Bn in defence at 044865. | |||
| Area Gheel | 15 | BN under Command 44 Bde for Bridgehead operation across Canal de Junction. Bn move to Gheel area 079904. 44 Bde in Bridgehead, unable to complete their own operation, therefore Bn ordered to remain in defence position area 079904. C Coy & Sec of Carriers moved up to defence postn just S of Canal bank 066918. | ||
| 16 | Bn in position at 079904. Several recce's carried out but not required to be put into effect. Mortaring of our postns throughout the day. 20 Casualties. | |||
| 17 | Bn moved to area 0690. A Coy relieved C Coy at 066918. | |||
| 18 | Bn in area 0789. Defensive postn. Bn visited by Bde Comdr. | |||
| 19-20 | Bn in defence postn area 0789. D Coy relieved A Coy in area 066918. | |||
| Area EINDHOVEN | 21 | 1430 | BN crossed the Holland frontier at about 1430. Bivvied the night at 407213. BN visited by Bde Comdr. | App A Sheet II |
| Area BEST | 22 | BN moved across WILHELMINA Canal and attacked BEST 3726. A Coy under hy mortar fire all along advance. Other Coys encountering very fierce MMG fire. 46 Casualties. Bn consolidated area 376258. | ||
| Area BEST | 23 | BHQ moved to 383259. Bde attack - 2 Glas H. right 7 Seaforths left, moving from Rd (running N.S) to Rly. Coys reached objectives against severe opposition. | ||
| Night 23/2 | 7 Seaforths right coy unable to get to its objective. Enemy infiltrated & counter attacked over B Coy. Casualties 57. O.C. B Coy wounded, lay doggo in a shelter for 10 hours then evacuated by 9th CAMS who attacked over same ground. | |||
| 24 | Bn concentrate in area 383259. | |||
| Area BEST | 25-26 | Bn in defence position. Total P.O.Ws since 23rd 52 | Appx A II | |
| 27 | Bn move to defence position at X Rds 379267. | |||
| 27 | Bn in defensive position 3726. Intermittent shelling and mortaring from enemy. Patrols carried out by Capt Stanton, nights 28/29, 29/30, 30/1 OCT. |
Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.
