On 17th October 1944 Major-General L.O.Lynne relieved Major-General D.A.H. Graham as commanding Officer of 50th Division until 22nd November.
WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944
– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg
Date 17th Place APPELTERN DRIEL (south-west of Arnhem on south bank of Lower Rhine)
During the night orders came from Division. The Regiment is again to move to the island and to hold the area SW of Arnhem relieving 69 Infantry Brigade. Recce parties left early and the handover to 43 Recce Regiment was completed by 1300 hrs.
The DRIEL area 6875 is under direct enemy observation from the high ground WEST of ARNHEM and the take over from 69 Infantry Brigade had to be done at night. Regimental HQ is east at LIENDEN 682708* and the reserve Squadron – “B” – is also in that area. The ground is so open and roads so bad that the armoured car troops cannot be employed so they form an additional reserve. The Regiment having to take over a complete Brigade sector, the ground will be thinly held and the present intention is to relieve each Infantry Company with a carrier or assault troop. “C” Squadron are to hold the right sector and “A” the left. Only at one point, the railway bridge 7076, is there any close physical contact. The roads are narrow, treacherous and flanked by the inevitable deep ditches so the problem of moving vehicles up to their new area is nos easy one.
*west of Elst, in the middle of ‘the Island’.
Dick was now on ‘the Island’ again but on reserve at Lienden
between Herveld and Elst
until 22nd October 1944.
WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944
– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg
Date 18th Place DRIEL (south-west of Arnhem on south bank of Lower Rhine)
The relief was completed by first light and only a few vehicles were ditched in the process. There was fortunately little enemy activity during the take over. By day only N/cs are safe moving up to “A” & “C” Squadron HQs and all admin has to be carried out after dark. During daylight the present intention is to hold the forward psots with skeleton crews, the remainder withdrawing to nearby houses under cover, though by night the slit trenches are manned by all.
That the Germans have plenty of artillery and ammunition at their disposal is known and their outposts are alert. This was shown when 3 men entered “C” Squadron’s outpost at the same time. Two shells were immediately fired from NORTH of the NEDER RIJN both scoring direct hits in the building. One OR (Other Rank) was wounded. Orders have accordingly been issued to restrict movement in the forward areas to the minimum essential traffic. Enemy movement was negligible until 1530 hrs when “C” Squadron reported an enemy patrol, 20 strong, in their sector EAST of the railway. After a brief exchange of shots the enemy withdrew. The CO moved a Tactical HQ up to “A” Squadron’s command Post at DRIEL tonight.
Rather puzzlingly Don Aiken has written in his account of 61st Recce:
17th October - Venray
18th October - Aachen
Venray is in the Netherlands east of Eindhoven but Aachen is much further south in Germany east of the Netherlands border and the city of Maastricht. The Battle of Aachen was raging at the time between American and German forces on the Siegfried line. (Extract republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine by kind permission of Don Aiken)
Eric Brewer had moved to ‘near Elst near Arnhem’ on 16th October where he was ‘in reserve’ with the rest of 'B' Squadron, including Dick, until the 20th October (from ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004).
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