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.
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
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.
Have you consulted Didden's "Autumn Gale"?? I have a copy of this book .. and could look up the info if you wish.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
The notes for the 9th and 10th, september 44 ( WO 171-554) 53 Infantry Division General Staff, for what it's worth. regards Peter
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.
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."