WO 171/1322 - 6 KOSB - November 1944

Place	Date	Summary
681129	1	9 Cams and 7 Seaforth advanced towards the canal bank in area 6915 and 6814. 6KOSB were then ordered to adv SOUTH towards HEITRACK, preceded by recce. Recce reported HEITRACK held and the Bn stopped in the gen area 6812, with Bn HQ at 681129. No opposition was met on the move to these posns but there was hy enemy shellfire. CO attended an O Gp at HQ 44 (L) Inf Bde at 1700 hrs and received orders for further adv tomorrow. Weather dry and dull
MOOSTDIJK 695094	2	CO held an O Gp at 0700 hrs. Commencing 0930 6RSF and 2 Glas Hrs attacked through our posns and est a line just NORTH of HEITRACK 6910. This phase was reached without much opposition and at 1200 hrs, from a SL in this newly captured posn, 8 RS on right and 6 KOSB on left made a drive for the area of wood 693090 and MOOSTDIJK. Opposition on the ground was slight, but as the attack proceeded, enemy shelling became more and more intensified until the Bn got into its final posn. Bn HQ was est at 695094. Weather fair
MOOSTDIJK 695094	3	Active patrolling during the night failed to make contact with the enemy, but in the early morning an enemy posn was discovered at 698085. No move took place during the day, but CO attended an O Gp at Bde HQ at 1400 hrs and on his return held a Bn O Gp. 6KOSB, during the night 3/4 Nov are to capture line 698085-701085-706086 further to future ops by the Bde directed on MEIJEL. The remainder of the day was spent in planning this op. Weather wet
MOOSTDIJK 695094	4	A B and C Coys moved during the night and occupied the line ordered without opposition. Plans were made for the assault on MEIJEL the following day. This was to be done by a sqn of tks attacking wood 7107 from the left flank, after which 6RSF sp by another sqn were to capture SCHANS 7008. On completion of this phase 6 KOSB were to capture wood 7107 and 6RSF extend to HOF 7007. When this was taken 8RS to move to and capture MEIJEL. The day was spent in rest and preparation for this attack. Weather wet
MOOSTDIJK 695094	5	Bn HQ moved to 704088 at 0500 hrs preparatory to the attack. At 0730 hrs the tks went in and at 0745 RSF attacked SCHANS. The tks struck a minefield almost immediately and numbers of their tks became bogged. Orders were given at 0750 for them to rally back. After some difficulty 6RSF succeeded in getting two coys into SCHAUNS but it became apparent that the op was not possible without tk sp. The attack was accordingly cancelled and at first dark the RSF were withdrawn. After dark Bn HQ returned to its previous location at MOOSTDIJK. Weather dull and wet
MOOSTDIJK 695094	6	No move took place and the day was fairly quiet. There was a little shelling and mortaring in fwd posns and a certain amount of patrol activity took place by night. Weather wet
MOOSTDIJK 695094	7	The front remained relatively quiet throughout the day, except for sporadic shelling and mortaring. Some enemy movement was seen between cottages 715079 and corner of wood 711079, which suggested the presence of an enemy coy in that area. CO was summoned to Bde HQ at 1430 hrs and on his return announced that the Bn would be relieved by 10 HLI to-morrow for a period of 48 hrs, to be spent in HELMOND 5521. Weather wet
HELMOND 5521	8	The early part of the day contained no incident of note. CO and Coy Comds of the relieving unit arrived during the day and carried out recces. At 1330 hrs a "stonk" of arty, mors and MMGs was brought down on the enemy coy locality at 715079 previously located, with good results. The relief by 10 HLI began at 1300 hrs and was complete by 2300 hrs. Coys on relief proceeded to HELMOND where billets were available. Weather wet
HELMOND 5521	9	The day was spent in re-org, rest and adm. The Bn was reorganised on a basis of three rifle coys, shortage of manpower making it impossible to continue on a 4 coy basis. C Coy was accordingly disbanded and its personnel dispersed among A B & D Coys. The Corps Comd visited the Bn during the afternoon and saw certain offrs. The CO attended a discussion at Bde HQ at 1730 hrs. Weather fair
695095	10	At mid-day the Bn left HELMOND and proceeded to its old posns in the MOOSTDIJK area from 10 HLI again. The take over took place smoothly and was complete by 2000 hrs. Bn HQ was est at 695095. At 2230 hrs B Coy reported the presence of a fighting patrol in the area 702083. This patrol was successfully dealt with by 4.2 mor and arty. A large fire was seen burning at 700082. Weather dull
695095	11	Very little activity took place during the day. A patrol went out from B Coy in the early morning and discovered an enemy listening post at 705083. In the evening about 2030 hrs a small enemy patrol infiltrated in the Glas H front about 7110, but did no damage. Weather fair
695095	12	No activity during the day. A fighting patrol went out in the early hrs of the morning but was held up by suspected mines. In the evening a patrol went out from D Coy accompanied by REs and discovered various belts and fields of mines. Weather dull
695095	13	At 1100 hrs Lt McCONACHY accompanied by one OR went off on a recce patrol for the purpose of entering MEIJEL and remaining there for 24 hours. Other mine-clearing and recce patrols also took place during the hrs of darkness. At 2000 hrs Lt McCONACHY's patrol returned with the infm that MEIJEL appeared to be clear of enemy, and that civilians were beginning to emerge from their houses and carry on with their normal work. Weather fair
695095	14	As a result of infm received from Lt McCONACHY's patrol a further patrol of one pl in str was sent into MEIJEL. This patrol got into MEIJEL successfully and reported the area heavily mined. They saw 2 enemy in a post on the WEST side of the canal. In the evening orders were received to occupy HOF 7007 and bend in rd 709073. This was done by A Coy. Weather fair
695095	15	A patrol from A Coy went out in the morning to 718068 to deal with enemy post there. This was eventually done after some opposition being encountered and a standing patrol was est at this point. In the afternoon the Bn was relieved by 6RSF, and proceeded to billets in AASTEN for a short rest. Weather dull
AASTEN 6213	16	The day was spent in adm, baths and entertainment. CO attended an O Gp at Bde HQ in the afternoon. Draft of 26 ORs arrived from RUR. Weather wet
695095	17	CO held O Gp in the morning and gave orders for the relief of 8RS which was to take place in the afternoon. Commencing at 1530 hrs Coys moved out to effect this relief. Relief was completed by 2000 hrs. Bn HQ re-est at 695095. Weather wet
NEERKANT 698095	18	Coys remained in same posns but Bn HQ moved fwd to NEERKANT at 698095. Enemy activity was quiet. CO attended an O Gp at Bde HQ at 1500 hrs. Weather fair
NEERKANT 698095	19	CO held an O Gp in the morning and gave orders for an adv across br at 729065 followed by a turn northwards and an adv on HELENAVEEN. 6RSF are to carry out a similar op on our right. This op is to take place to-morrow. In the evening, however, infm was received that this op was postponed owing to the success of 46 (H) Inf Bde who had already crossed the canal and were almost at HELENAVEEN, and the Bn was placed at 4 hrs notice. Weather fair
NEERKANT 698095	20	Coys concentrated on Coy areas leaving double sentries in each pl posn. At 1500 hrs 6RSF were sent off to carry out their part of the op previously planned, which they did by 1900 hrs, whereupon they came under comd 46 (H) Inf Bde. No move of 6KOSB, who remained on same period of notice as before. Weather fair
NEERKANT 698095	21	46 (H) Inf Bde occupied HELENAVEEN and, with 227 (H) Inf Bde, continued the adv towards SEVENUM. Enemy continued to withdraw on our front. No move by 6KOSB. 6RSF came under comd again in the evening. Weather fair
NEERKANT 698095	22	Orders were received to prepare to cross the canal and conc in area BERINGEN 7506 and a preliminary recce of this area was carried out. This revealed, however, that no accm was available and that routes were almost impassable. It was therefore decided to cancel this move and remain in situ. Weather wet
NEERKANT 698095	23	No move took place to-day. A party of 50 ORs from B Coy carried out bridging repairs at HELENAVEEN 7311 and a party from Sp Coy carried out rd repairs between LIESEL and HIETRACK. Weather wet
NEERKANT 698095	24	No move to-day. Further rd repairs and working parties were provided by D Coy and Sp Coy. Others carried out trg in Coy areas. Weather wet
NEERKANT 698095	25	Further working parties were provided for repair of rds and construction of brs. A "Pl in attack" competition was carried out and 4 pls put through the test. The remainder will be tested to-morrow. Weather fair
NEERKANT 698095	26	Further working parties provided and remainder of "Pl in Attack" competition was carried out. This competition was won by Lt HASLAM's pl, B Coy. Weather fair
NEERKANT	27	Working parties continued at HELENAVEEN and on the HELENAVEEN rd. A demonstration of "Pl in attack" was given by Lt HASLAM's pl to the remainder of the Bn. The new Bde Comd Brig The Hon HC HOVELL-THURLOWCUMMING-BRUCE, DSO, arrived and visited the Bn. Weather fair
NEERKANT 698095	28	Further working parties continued. CO attended a conference on future ops. Coys carried out various forms of trg in Coy areas, also route marches. Weather wet
NEERKANT 698095	29	Further working parties were provided as before. Trg continued in Coy areas. Weather wet
NEERKANT 698095	30	Further plans were made in connection with forthcoming op. All Coy Comds attended a cloth model exercise at Bde HQ. Weather fair

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