Links... The Sherwood Rangers in January 1945 The Sherwood Rangers in February 1945 The Sherwood Rangers in March 1945 The Sherwood Rangers in April 1945 ---- x ---- x ---- Operation Shears - reason for cancellation? Essex Yeomanry Regiment & Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
Events... Editing in progress... 1st December 1944... SRY - War diary C.O’s of Bde Gp met Field Marshall Sir Bernard Montgomery at Bde HQ 5th December 1944... 2ND ARMY MEN RECEIVE NEWS OF LEAVE BU1489 : Object description - Original wartime caption: Men of the Sherman (sic) Rangers, 8th Armoured Bde., gather round a wireless set to hear the welcome news. The men pictured, all landed on D-day and were the first British troops to enter Germany at Beek, near Nijmegen. 6th December 1944 SRY - War diary Plans completed for shoot at LINNEY HEAD Range. Preparing for OP BUTCHER – which is local defence of present area. Parachutists have landed in back area. Planning for OP SHEARS – attack by 52(L) Div supported by ourselves and 43 Div to capture HEINSBERG. C.O. called to Conference on SHEARS at Bde HQ. 7th December 1944... SRY - War diary 3 new officers arrived – LTS THOMAS, WALSH + PHILLIPS. Re. Major E.W.Phillips - Later SRY Adjutant from October 1945... 8th December 1944 SRY - War diary Personnel from 52(L) Div came to look over the tanks as they have never worked with armour before. C.O. gave an address in the cinema. 10th December 1944 SRY - War Diary 8 hr Conference at 52 Div HQ on Operation Shears. 11th December 1944 - SRY - War Diary Conference at 155 Bde HQ on Operation Shears. This Op will not now take place unless we get a good frost to harden the ground. O.C. 52nd ??? Regt R.A.C. visited the Regt and asked questions on tank tactics etc. 12th N.T.R 13th Operation Shears now cancelled owing to the state of the ground. 14th N.T.R 15th One Offr per Sqn, I.O. and “I" Sgt had a days instruction on Interpretation of Air Photographs. 16th A + C Sqns “shot” their new gunners on the range. CO’s Conference at Bde HQ to discuss plans for the future. - seems particularly hard on the new gunners on the 16th... ;-) 17th C.O. went to 21 Army Gp with DAAI QMO to discuss PYTHON again. 18th December 1944 SRY - War diary - News came through of German Offensive - they seem to have achieved a break-through. 30 Corps probably moving South to support the Americans. 19th N.T.R 20th December 1944 SRY - War diary - Conference for C.O. at 8 Armd Bde HQ regarding our immediate role. 13/18 H are at present in line in sp of 52(L) Div. 21st December 1944... SRY - War diary - C.O. and Sqn Ldrs went on Recce of positions to be occupied in the event of enemy breakthrough. We now “stand to” at dawn and dusk ready to deal with parachutists. 23rd December 1944 SRY - War diary - C.O’s Conference at Bde HQ – the higher command seem happier about Runsdents ARDENNES Push where it is hoped to “close the back door” and put a great many Germans in the bag.SRY - War diary - 24th December 1944 SRY - War diary - Church Service in the morning – address given by our own Padre. 25th December 1944 SRY - War diary - C.O., Adjt, RSM etc ?????? Christmas dinners at midday. 26th December 1944 SRY - War Diary - 26th - C.O. and Sqn Ldrs visited 13/18 H in SCHINVELD from whom we take over tomorrow. XMAS IN HOSPITAL 27th December 1944 SRY - War Diary - 27th - Regt relieved 13/18 H in SCHINVELD, supporting 52(L) Div. CHRISTMAS IN HOLLAND FIELD MARSHAL MONTGOMERY WITH AMERICAN GENERALS MISCELLANEOUS B13185 : Object description - Original wartime caption: "There's some wiring to be done ...." And here are seen men of 1 Bn. Rifle Brigade out on a patrol. 28th December 1944 SRY - War Diary - VINTLEN was attacked by the enemy last night. We had a troop of tanks in the village – but the attack was held. Lt. Cameron* was wounded. * Lt. George Cameron (a new officer with the SRY. Nb. Not the former 24th Lancer Lt. Arthur Cameron who was with the SRY briefly in August'44 and wia 14d8m1944). 176th Infantry Division - Wikipedia 30th December 1944 SRY - War Diary - Enemy put in an attack against Tripsrath – unsuccessful. The reserve Sqn, + A Bn of 52 Div under our C.O. are to form a mobile column in the event of an enemy breakthrough. SKATING, ETC., IN HOLLAND
Wednesday 20th December 1944... 20d12m1944... The Siege of Bastogne began in Belgium as part of the Battle of the Bulge. Dwight D. Eisenhower was made a five-star general in the U.S. Army. British General Ronald Scobie warned Greek civilians to stay out of areas occupied by ELAS forces because they may be subjected to bombing raids. The U.S. Women Airforce Service Pilots was disbanded. ----- x ----- x ----- 4th7thRDG 20-25 December 1944 Many Recces carried out for Anti penetration role which we are now doing in the 52 Div area – WABAUCH – BRUNSSUM – SCHINVELD, and also in the 102 U.S. Div. area East of GEILENKIRCHEN and South of PUFFENDORF. The Americans reacted very quickly to the Bosche attacks and despite bad weather in the first few days which hindered air operations the Bosche did not reach LIEGE or NAMUR, but advanced elements did reach the MAAS in one drive South of LIEGE. Our move to EINDHOVEN was definitely cancelled. On the 23rd December the weather cleared and for a number of days our aircraft had a marvelIous time in shooting up enemy vehicles and enemy AFVs. The Regiment was able to observe Christmas Day in customary manner despite being at half an hours notice, and the Christmas dinner was far better than that of last Christmas which we had spent at Fort George. The Commanding Officer as usual visited all Squadrons during their Christmas dinners. Fortunately we did not have to turn out on Christmas Day. ----- x ----- x ----- SRY - War diary - 20th December 1944 Conference for C.O. at 8 Armd Bde HQ regarding our immediate role. 13/18 H are at present in line in sp of 52(L) Div. ----- x ----- x ----- "C" Squadron, 13/18th Hussars By 20th Dec the German counter offensive in the Ardennes had become so serious and a second was expected from the HEINSBERG area that the move was cancelled and the Regt came under command 12 Corps. They moved into the GANGELT area with 52 Div, the Squadron being at STAHE with 5 HLI and 3rd Troop at BIRGDEN with 4 EOSB. We took over the area from the 2nd Grenadier Guards. We remained in this area until 27th Dec when we were relieved by C Sqn, Notts Yeomanry. The Regt moved back to the SCHINNEN area in an anti parachutist role. - xxxxxxx - THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-1945 IWM B13119 : Object description - A little Dutch boy helps to refuel a Sherman tank near Sittard, 20 December 1944. Photo taken by Sergeant Dennis M. Smith. Catalogued 25d12m1944.
