Still in the dark, early september 1944 East of Antwerp

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by vestingjager, Sep 29, 2020.

  1. vestingjager

    vestingjager Well-Known Member

    Hi all,

    I am still piecing together the British units who were in the area of my hometown of Wommelgem, especially around fort2, just to the East of Antwerp and South of the Albert Canal, in the first half of September 1944.

    I still don't know when and which unit liberated our area, just found in a local history study that Wijnegem was liberated around September 5-6 by 'a unit of small tanks', so probably the Recce unit of the 11th Armoured.

    I know that later on, the Welsh Division was in our area with the Manchesters in Fort2, and probably units of the 160th Brigade in the area.

    It seems an hodgepodge of units following, I have traces of 8th Hussars and 11th Hussars up until september 18, 1944, but that makes them of 7th Armoured Division.

    So, is there anybody who can enlighten me? Any war diaries of the recon unit of the 11th armoured and 53rd Welch would be very welcome....

    Thank you!
    Niko.
     
  2. Glen W

    Glen W New Member

    Ik weet niet of je het ondertussen al gevonden hebt maar het zal gaan over het B sqn van het Inns of Court Regiment zij werden er op 5 september aan de brug over het Albertkanaal onder vuur genomen met mortieren.

    Grtn,
    Glen
     
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  3. vestingjager

    vestingjager Well-Known Member

    thanks, Glen!
     
  4. vestingjager

    vestingjager Well-Known Member

    I've ordered the War Diaries, no mentioning of the incident, nor the fort, nor Wommelgem, only that they had an O.P. in Broechem church.
     
  5. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Have you consulted Didden's "Autumn Gale"??

    I have a copy of this book .. and could look up the info if you wish.
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2021
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  6. vestingjager

    vestingjager Well-Known Member

    Thank you, I have that book too, still no hit, though.

    Just discovered that the 555th Field Company, RE, stayed in Wommelgem on September 9, 1944. Chances are great that they were at the fort, but I need the original WD's for that.
     
  7. 8RB

    8RB Well-Known Member

    The "small tanks" may well have been Bren carriers. In the 8th Rifle Brigade, the scout platoons were equipped with these. Below a fragment of the 8RB War Diary for 5 September 1944. More can be found in D-Day to VE-Day - 8th Rifle Brigade . I will also see what I can find in the Company histories.

    WD 440905-06 - 2 - Antwerp.jpg
     
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  8. 8RB

    8RB Well-Known Member

    In spite of the 8RB War Diary mentioning "Meryen" and "Wymegem" (see post #7), not much is found in the Company Histories about 5 and 6 September. Only F Coy mentions clearing Hoboken on 5 September, and I know Don Gillate (of H Coy's scout platoon) mentions a reconnaissance patrol towards Mortsel. So, possibly G Coy was allocated the North-Eastern sector, but it is not mentioned in their history.
     
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  9. vestingjager

    vestingjager Well-Known Member

    Great stuff, it probably is the 8th Rifle Brigade, but still, they only mention that the 'main trouble was at MERXEM and WYNEGEM', not that they were involved. Hoboken is 16kms away and Mortsel is halfway Hoboken-Wommelgem.
    Now, what makes it interesting is the fact that the 'Krijgsbaan', a road built in 1865 by the Military that connects the inner fortress line (1-8) starts at Hoboken, then Wilrijk, Edegem, MORTSEL, Borsbeek, Wommelgem to Wijnegem!
    Chances are that the recon patrols used this, very important, route.
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2021
  10. 8RB

    8RB Well-Known Member

    Usually, if something is mentioned in the War Diary, the Bn. had been involved.
    Page France to Germany - 8th Rifle Brigade of my website is not much yet, but is does contain quite a few "Antwerp" photos. You might like to see them...
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2021
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  11. vestingjager

    vestingjager Well-Known Member

    Beautiful pictures!
    Thanks for this new trace, we are finally narrowing down to 3 days!
     
  12. B_3920

    B_3920 Member

    The notes for the 9th and 10th, september 44
    ( P9650743.JPG

    P9650744.JPG
    WO 171-554) 53 Infantry Division General Staff,
    for what it's worth.
    regards

    Peter
     
  13. vestingjager

    vestingjager Well-Known Member

    Some interesting info there, 6 RWF were clearly in or near Fort1, 300 Germans were just east of Wijnegem, 53 RECCE were at vremde, just South of Wommelgem.

    So, War Diaries of 160Bde would be the best gamble to find out what units they relieved, and where.
     
  14. vestingjager

    vestingjager Well-Known Member

    Looks like it might have been the Herefordshire Regiment of the 159th Brigade after all, from their (online) war diaries:

    "Bn moved fwd with 2 coys up to clear forts on south and east side of city.
    Forts used by Germans to store amn and flour."
     

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