Hello All, Instead of my continuously asking for help in order to understand the war diaries I'm reading I thought it would be welcome to share a bit of my result. In the past years I have downloaded and digitised a load of Canadian and British war diaries for the periode September-November 1944 of all units involved in the Battle of the Scheldt. I also found and, if required, bought GSGS maps in the scale's 1:25.000 to 1:250.000 and combined these into large maps which go with the diaries. Now I have compiled the 1:25.000 into one large maps covering the combat zone of the Battle of the Scheldt. My focus is mainly on the Close and Rear fight as there was no real Deep as we might know it nowadays. I have used www.symbols.army to compile NATO symbols to plot all units, manoeuvres and all other relevant information on this map. Just this weekend I finished all diaries from the Canadian Army and Canadian 2nd Corps. Currently I have started the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. Here I show you a couple of examples of information I have gathered from the diaries. 6th Canadian Anti-Tank Regiment A-Tp actions in the Oostburg area on 22nd October 1944 2nd Survey Regiment A-Tp Breskens Base 30 October - 3 November 1944 6th Light AA Regiment 30 Battery Firing positions around an Ammunition storage area 4 October 1944 18th Armoured Regiment C-Sqn move towards Securing location at the Leopold canal 13 Sep 44 2nd Infantry Division patrolling actions in Antwerp region in the night of 20 and 21 September 1944 I'm aware of the fact that Project 44 is doing something similar to what I'm doing but I especially like doing it this way and out of interest. The hardest part at the moment is to depict Engineering and Artillery actions into my maps. As there are no true tactical signs for their activities as well as the diaries lack the exact data to do so. What I currently have mainly in my map are unit dispositions, routes based on movement orders and combat manoeuvres. My idea is to have all units involved plotted on the maps, including naval and airforce activities. I currently have a hard time finding 1st polish Armoured Division war diaries. Also finding Kriegstagebucher from german units involved is, for obvious reasons, very hard to find. Maybe in the future I plan to visited the german Bundersarchiv but I have enough work with the Canadian and British War Diaries at the moment. I also want to plot Dutch civil information in this map such as local government installations, collaboration and resistance activities who had some effect during the combat operations. Cheers Remi
Hi Remi Looks impressive work. I am just looking into the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade's involvement in the Battle of the Scheldt on the 24th October 1944, as my Grandad drove one of the Buffaloes of B Sqn 11 RTR and mentions taking the Canadian Infantry and the REs across the Scheldt, so trying to work out which units he carried over. Just wondered how you acquired the Canadian war diaries. Regards MickT
Canadian War diaries are avaliable at LAC website and at Heritage Canadiana But, to find them, you need the Reel number I’ll PM you a link to the info I use
Hello Mick, Thank you for replying it is a massive job indeed. Interesting to know about your grandad having fought there. Did he keep a personal diary or anything of that sort? I wasn't aware of the 6th beging ferried from Terneuzen to south Beveland. At least the 2nd CID war diary doesn't make mention of it. I have all war Diaries extracted from the Heritage and LAC websites and collected them into a pdf and had an OCR make them recognise the text which allows me to search them. If you point out which units you would like to have I can transfer them to you. I also have the war Diaries from the 11 RTR but that one isn't digitised at the moment. You can PM me if there is something I could help you with. Regards, Remi
Hi Remi Thanks for the follow up. Yes, my Grandad had a war diary, which I now have. I am still trying to work out which Canadian unit was taken over from Terneuzen. If you know then that would be excellent. I have part of 11 RTRs war diary, up to the end of Dec44, so I have asked for the diary from The Tank Museum in Bovington. Any help would be appreciated. Mick
Hello Mick, I had a quick look at the war diary for the 24th of October 1944 and it showed what I already believed to be, that the 6th canadian brigade wasn't ferried across the West Scheldt river on the 24th. I added a link to the war diaries for the period August to October 1944 of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade than you can have a better look at it. Headquarters, 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade I assume it was a unit from the 52nd Lowland division which was ferried across by your grandad. I have some sources available but I haven't been able to categorise them. I had a quick look at some maps but it seems you have to look at the 156th (Scottish) Infantry Brigade. They landed at two beaches called Amber and Green Beach. There is more detailed information about the landing operations in the 2nd Canadian Corps CRE files which show some remarkably detailed information regarding planning and preparations. That might be worth while the effort to look for. If you want me to I can try and gather what files I have seen so far and send them to you via wetransfer. Send me a PM if you would like to receive what I have seen so far on that river crossing operation. Regards, Remi
Hello, I believed it would be nice to give an other bit of insight of my work so far. What I'm showing are some screenshots of the 16 October 1944 RHLI Woensdrecht assault and German counterattacks mapped out. First shot is the actual assault, second is the barrage trace and third and fourth are the German counter attacks during the days. A bit of a disclaimer tough. Some locations especially those of the German routes and the supporting attacks are a bit of a guess as the RHLI diary didn't specify those well enough. So I took the liberty of guessing what would, in my opinion be a feasible course of action. Regards, Remi The Assault The Barrage Trace First half of counter attacks Second half counter attacks
Hello everyone, Today it is Friday 13 October, today it is 79 years ago that the The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada executed operations to close the neck to Beveland by attacking objectives Angus. This day is known to them as Black Friday because of the large amount casualties they had to suffer over two seperate attacks across flat and flooded open country towards a well defended railroad. embankment. What the causes where for this botched/failed assault are hard to determine for me. I believe most writers say it was due to bad planning and not using the full force of artillery support available. I personally have learned not to judge that fast as there always a certain amount of friction after carrying out a planning. Wether or not it was failure or bad luck this was a very sad day for the Black Watch. I believed it would be interesting to have a look at what they wrote in the War Diary and how I was able to translate it to my own GSGS maps. This is what is in their war diary for this battle: Place: MR Square 5918, Sheet 23 NE, 1:25000 Weather - fine and clear. Operation ANGUS. At 0615 the Bn. went into the attack supported by artillery and heavy mortar, passing through the ROYAL REGIMENT of CANADA who were occupying the dykes in front of Angus 1, and about 1200 yds. short of cutting off the causeway completely. At 0655 hrs. C Coy. reported their position - 250 yds past the start line and encountering heavy s.a. fire. As they were slightly behind schedule Col. RITCHIE called for mortar fire to help them along. At 0705 hrs. they were held up again by m.g. fire and the opposition stiffened, the enemy using mortars and several air bursts as well as the customary s.a. fire. B Coy. under the command of Maj. D.H.CHAPMAN was now being heavily mortared and at 0730 hrs. asked C Coy. for assistance. Five minutes later word came in that the O.Cs. of C and B Coys., Capt. N.G. BUCH and Maj. Chapman respectively had been wounded. The fire on our positions was very heavy and our artillery gave wonderful support to the coys., firing on all targets indicated. Owing to the nature of the country it was extremely difficult to indicate a target with any degree of precision. Casualties had by now started to come back, all jeeps answering the call as ambulance jeeps. B Coy. reported snipers on the left of C Coy. at 0750 hrs.. Artillery and heavy mortar are laying smoke to screen further attempts to advance. Tac. H.Q. was established at MR 599189. By 0815 hrs. the battle was progressing slowly in the face of very heavy opposition but five minutes later the forward companies reported that they were again pinned down by mortar fire. The enemy fired a number of air bursts over the positions of our heavy mortars, making life most unpleasant for the mortar crews. Commanders of A and D Coys. came in to see Col RITCHIE at 0850 hrs.. Heavy casualties had been sustained by B and C Coys. and they were now back at their start line. The Brigadier called, and upon being advised of the situation was soon on his way to call for air support. At o945 hrs. the C.O. and their Brigadier went forward to A Coy's. position for personal observation. Upon their return a new plan was formulated, incorporating the use of tanks and flame throwers. At 1100 hrs. the enemy was reported to be crawling up to the position occupied by C Coy., at ANGUS 1. The forward platoon of C. Coy. withdrew under heavy enemy m.g. fire, covering fire being given by d Coy. and heavy m.gs.. At 1145 hrs. the request of the Brigadier for air support was answered by 12 Spitfires which engaged the brickworks at MR 619222 (Sheet 15 SE). Capt. SHARE, the M.O., reported at noon that 25 casualties had been evacuated, but that there were still many more lying up in front whom it was impossible to reach. It is very hard to give an estimate of casualties with any exactness, as some of the men are being evacuated by the ROYAL REGIMENT of CANADA and the 18th. FIELD AMBULANCE. There was little change in the companies' positions for the next five hours approximately, heavy fire continuing for this period. Fighter aircraft again engaged Angus 3 at 1430 and again at 1500 hrs.. The I.O., observing from the top of a barn near Tac. H.Q. saw some of the enemy walking around on the top of the railway embankment, and also observed some of our men as prisoners, and the enemy evacuating our wounded as well as their own. He was able to count 16 of our men as prisoners. At 1440 hrs. a German stretcher bearer crossed our lines to bargain for a truce while they picked up their wounded and we did likewise. Col. RITCHIE wirelessed to higher authority for approval of this temporary cessation of hostilities, but the approval was not forthcoming. Since the German stretcher bearer had no authority from his commander to make this request he became our prisoner. Several times today our own stretcher bearers have been fired upon. At 1500 hrs. an O group was held. It was the C.O's intention that we should capture and consolidate Angus 1. A Coy. on the right of the roadway, D on the left, tanks in support and the remainder of C Coy. (25 men) to give covering fire and direct support to D Coy.. Flame throwers would be used from left to right along the embankment, the m.m.gs. to repeat the morning's plan. B Coy. has now 41 men left, including Coy. H.Q.. A/Tk. guns will go forward with C Coy.. 17 pounders and A/Tk. to fire on enemy O.Ps.. At 1700 hrs. the attack recommenced, opened by hy. m.g. fire and artillery. At Z plus 10 the tanks started firing also, and the flame throwers were ready for the assault. Shortly after the start word came in that two wireless sets had been knocked out by direct mortar hits. Upon the Flames completing their task and returning to the start line they reported that their work had had considerable effect on the enemy. They had lost one carrier, bogged down in the mud. They had had two misfires. Again the enemy resistance stiffened, and by 1820 hrs. the situation was very sticky. At 1830 D Coy. were in their position and at 1940 hrs. a walking-wounded from A. Coy. reported that they were now on Angus 1. This almost had disastrous effects, as the A/Tk. guns were then sent up, on the strength of this information, and found that the Coy. was not nearly at its objective. Lt. DAVEY, who had taken over at HOOGERHEIDE when Maj. SLATER was found to be missing, had, after Maj. CHAPMAN was evacuated, again taken command of B Coy.. In D Coys. advance, Lt. LEWIS had done a marvellous piece of work getting his platoon into their objective under the stiffest possible opposition, and the rest of the company pancaked on the objective. In this advance Maj. POPHAM was seriously wounded, but it was only with difficulty that Lt. LEWIS persuaded him to go to the rear for medical attention. He was evacuated through the ROYAL REGIMENT of CANADA, but not before he had dictated to them a report of the situation to be forwarded to Col. RITCHIE. Lt. LEWIS took over command of the company. In view of the gravity of the situation the I.O. went down to Brigade H.Q. to make a report. Just before he departed, Maj. EWING of A. Coy. came in to H.Q. He had been wounded, and was nigh exhausted but insisted on making a report. His information was that A Coy. had not been successful in reaching their objective, that casualties had been extremely heavy, and that few of the Company would come out alive. This is how I read the text and translated it to the maps I'm working on: This is the reportlines overlay for the entire operation as it was planned by the 5th Inf Bde Regards, Remi
