61st Recce earned their Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Philip H. K. Brownrigg, the Distinguished Service Order for their role in the advance of XXX Corps through Belgium (which led to the capture of Brussels and Antwerp). The citation also refers to the 'conspicuous and very gallant part' played by the Regiment watching the line of the Douai to Lille Canal in the Wavrin and Haubourdin area (south-west of Lille).
“There followed some easy liberation with flags and kisses, and only an occasional stray enemy. Then a convoy drive to about twenty miles short of Lille; from there we were sent off again on our own route, which was so difficult that it might have been chosen for a map-reading exercise. The advance had outrun the supply of maps from England, and all we had were a few half-inch maps, which scarcely marked the side roads we were supposed to use. However, we managed to borrow a German map, with which we guided ourselves to Houplin, a village short of Lille. Here, with his mind possibly more on map reading than on the enemy, the leading troop commander advanced confidently on the bridge. When he was about a hundred yards from it an anti-tank shell broke off his aerial. The one map showed the vestige of a bridge on the right; the leading troop, made at once for this, found it passable, and were over it and infiltrating into the village in a matter of minutes. But the opposition was stronger and more determined than we had thought. ‘A’ Squadron were occupied here for three days, and eventually a battalion and some tanks were needed to clear the village."(From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)
On the night of 3rd/4th September at Houplin half of Lieutenant Griffiths' ‘A’ Squadron troop were killed or wounded when attacked during the night. He and the remainder of his troop held their position and in the morning drove the enemy off the bridge. Trooper John Traynor received the Military Medal for his role in ‘A’ Squadron’s capture of Houplin on 4th September. John (Jack) Jordison, travelling in Cpl. Billingham's carrier with Trooper W. Phillips, received a serious head injury and was returned to England and medically discharged in October. Sgt. Alex Young (later killed) was also wounded and recovered in England.
Acting Sergeant Robert Smeaton was awarded the Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star for “great and continuous devotion to duty” both in Normandy and on the advance through France when he volunteered to rescue wounded from his troop under fire, successfully recovering two and the body of a third. (See Croix de Guerre citations for Lt C.R. Griffiths, Trooper J. Traynor and Corporal, Acting Sergeant R. Smeaton in 61st Recce battle honours.)
Colonel Brownrigg continues:
"Meanwhile, ‘B’ Squadron bypassed this trouble, ran into some more and did great execution, and then went off the air. That night a faint but cheerful voice came up on the radio to say that they had crossed into Belgium. Only later did they reveal the details of their reception.” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)
‘B’ Squadron had crossed the frontier some 30 miles ahead of the rest of the Regiment and the Division despite constant enemy resistance. (From Major Frank Harding’s Military Cross citation - see 61st Recce battle honours.)
Eric Postles remembers this and some unwanted action in Lille: "Our ‘B’ Squadron’s armoured cars were moving fast and reported that they had crossed into Belgium being one of the first units to get so far. A degree of black humour occurred when we came to Lille. We had to by-pass the town and the carrier troops achieved this. However, the huge crowds lining the roads wanted the town liberated and directed our B echelon (cooks etc) vehicles, which were some way behind us, to the town centre where they met up with German troops and the Sergeant Major had to organise a hasty retreat, much to our amusement. (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)
Eric Brewer wrote in his diary for 3rd September: "Passed through Lille. Gerry in some parts of it but not to much trouble. Got plenty of food and drink off the French. Left Lille and every one all the way to Belgium are giving us stuff. Went across the border into Belgium, pushed on 10 miles and harboured the night in a field." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)
Don Aiken recalled: "We were the first troops to cross the border into Belgium and at that point we were relieved by the Guards Armoured Division who passed through us and took up the spear-head.
We were then used to protect the Northern flank of the narrow corridor which was being made through Belgium, and to prevent the escape of the remnants of the 9th German Army which had been cut off between the corridor and the Northern coast.” (Extract republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine'by kind permission of Don Aiken)
On 3rd September 1944 the Guards Armoured Division, having liberated Arras, pushed forward covering 70 miles through enemy-occupied territory and liberated Brussels, the capital of Belgium. US First Army liberates Tournai, a Belgium town near the border of France (Sergeant 'Posh' Price of HQ Squadron's mortar troop recalled being the first Englishman in Tournai and Don Aiken was also there that day.)
Montgomery and his Lt-General, Miles Dempsey, head of British 2nd Army meet Bradley, the commander of chief of US 12th Army Group (the US 1st and 3rd Armies, now no longer under Montgomery’s control) and Lt-General Hodges, commander of US 1st Army, to discuss future operations towards the Ruhr. Bradley and Monty both favoured fast narrow-front advances over Eisenhower’s agreed broad-front strategy. They would be competing for supplies, which were still being transported by Normandy by road (most of the rail infrastructure had been destroyed and air supply was very limited) but Monty was relying on the Canadians to free-up closer Channel ports. Critically, the Supreme Commander Eisenhower was unable to make the meeting, having injured his leg and Lt-General Crerar, who led the Canadian First Army in Monty’s 21st Army Group was at a memorial service for the raid on Dieppe. (From ‘Arnhem – the Battle for the Bridges 1944’ by Antony Beevor, published by Penguin 2019)
French and US forces liberate Lyon, the second largest city in France.
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