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Old 24-04-2008, 11:38 PM   #10 (permalink)
dbf
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Paul,
This is the last bit of information I could find, there is probably no better reference outside of the diary itself than the book I refer to, which was first published in 1949. I have no idea if there have been further print runs.

From History of The Irish Guards, Part V, Chapter VII The Liberation of Brussels, pg 454 [this is not indexed so requires reading of the book];

“More prisoners left behind in the general rout straggled in, showing little sign of resistance. No. 3 Squadron caught four officers trying to escape, one of whom the people recognized as a leading Gestapo agent. It was with some difficulty and reluctance that his escort, Sergeant McRory, saved him from being lynched on the spot. Even so, he was kicked vigorously and spat on, much to the discomfort of Sergeant McRory, who got some of the ‘overs’.” [AUDERGHEM, BRUSSELS, possibly 4th September 1944; they arrived in Brussels at dusk on 3rd and left at 1000 hrs on 6th]

From Part V, Chapter X Market Garden Phase II, Pg 513:
The following morning, the 23rd [September 1944], more of the 130th Brigade on the left flank reached the Lower Rhine. It was an immense relief. There now seemed to be a good chance of making an assault crossing to join the Airborne. There was much to be done first; ammunition, bridging equipment and , above all, more infantry had to be brought up. The official report kept on emphasizing the need for more infantry, repeating , almost monotonously, that the country was quite unsuitable for deploying armour against determined, or indeed any, resistance. To get more infantry up it was necessary first to clear the road. At dawn the 32nd Brigade and the 101st U.S. Airborne Division began to clear the axis south-west from UDEN, and by the afternoon they had driven the Germans off the road. Traffic began to flow through once more though subject to occasional interruptions from enemy shelling, bazooka-ing and small-arms fire. Sergeant McRory, limping up the road in a lame tank, stopped to help a battalion of the 101st Division. The Americans were most appreciative of the number of Germans he killed for them, and sent a letter of thanks to the Battalion, referring to him as “Our Boy.” [North of Nijmegen en route to Arnhem. Paul, this is merely a context for the letters and medal recommendations which you now have.]

From Part V, Chapter XIV Across The Rhine, pg 575:
“ZEVEN was taken on the 24th [April 1945] by the Grenadiers and the Coldstream. Till then the Irish Group remained in ELSDORF, being shelled by the Germans and twice bombed, once by the Germans and once by the Americans. Neither the shelling nor the bombing caused serious casualties, but they reduced ELSDORF to a heap of ruins. “In the execution of the 21st Army Group operations in the north,” says the Supreme Commander’s report, “the resistance encountered by the British Second Army in its attacks towards Bremen and Hamburg was persistent.” Following the fall of Bremen on the 26th April, however, the situation changed.”

This latter extract is the only mention of action on that day.

Good luck and I hope Patrick and James' brother Willie has some solace from the information you have in respect of James.

dbf

Last edited by dbf; 24-04-2008 at 11:42 PM. Reason: Amendment
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