War Diary: 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS, Jan - Dec 1944

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by dbf, Sep 28, 2011.

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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 67
    Friday 29th September 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    PRIME MINISTER’S WAR REPORT.
    Mr. CHURCHILL in a War Report to the Commons yesterday said there are now between 2 and 3 million Allied troops across the CHANNEL, 40% of them British.

    Enemy losses in the West so far are 400,000 killed or wounded and nearly half a million Prisoner.

    British losses are upwards of 90,000 and United States losses over 145,000.

    About half the Divisions on the Italian front are made up of troops from the United Kingdom.

    THE Prime Minister paid high tribute to America’s productive power and organising skill.

    Other points from Mr CHURCHILL’s review are these:-
    The Russians are still holding and beating far larger hostile forces than those facing the Allies in the West.

    The campaign on the BURMA front under Admiral MOUNTBATTEN is the largest and most important ground fighting that has yet taken place against the Japanese.

    A large proportion of the British fleet is now in the Indian Ocean ready for the major operations against JAPAN.

    Mr. CHURCHILL could not guarantee that several months of 1945 might not be needed to finish the war in EUROPE.

    He hoped that another Conference between the leaders of BRITAIN, RUSSIA and the UNITED STATES would be held before the ened of the year.


    2ND ARMY SALIENT BROADENED.
    The latest news from the Western front is that Canadian troops have closed right in on CALAIS after taking the Citadel by the old Court.

    The British 2nd ARMY have broadened their salient across HOLLAND by an advance North West of NIJMEGEN.

    More than 1,000 American heavy bombers attacked war factories in Central GERMANY yesterday. 36 German planes were shot down. American losses were 49 bombers and 12 fighters.


    IN BRIEF.
    General EISERNHOWER has issued his first proclamation to the GERMAN people. He has told them that Allied forces are coming as conquerors but not as oppressors and will wipe out Nazism and German Militarism.

    Both Allied armies in ITALY have gained more ground in spite of stiff opposition.

    The Russians have cleared the West coast of ESTONIA and have kept up their drive towards RIGA.

    American carrier planes have sunk or damaged 65 more Japanese ships in the Central PHILIPPINES.


    BATTALION CASUALTIES.

    KILLED IN ACTION.
    2660375 Lance-Corporal GOUGH, T. No. 2 Company
    2658465 Guardsman ELMS, W., No. 2 Company

    WOUNDED.
    11264079 Guardsman LILLISTONE, E., No. 3 Company
    2658027 Lance-Corporal WARD, R., No. 3 Company
    14202318 Guardsman MORGAN, J., No. 2 Company
    2662777 Guardsman RAYBOULD, W., Support Company
    2661111 Guardsman LITTLEWOOD, G., No. 2 Company
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 68
    Saturday 30th September 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    COUNTER ATTACKS BEATEN OFF.
    The British 2nd ARMY have beaten off repeated counter attacks against their salient in HOLLAND. R.A.F. fighter pilots over the battle area yesterday shot down 31 German planes for the loss of 4.

    Major General URQUHART who led the British sky pilots at ARNHEM flew back to BRITAIN yesterday.

    Field Marshal MONTGOMERY says in a message to him “You did not fail and all is well elsewhere.”

    In the MOSEL Valley American 3rd Army gunners broke up German counter attacks yesterday. 82 German tanks are reported to have been knocked out in the past 24 hours.

    Canadian troops have captured the enemy cross Channel guns at CAP GRIS NEZ.

    At CALAIS on armistice has been granted to the German Commander from noon yesterday to noon today to enable civilians to be evacuated.


    SECRET PLANS FOR NEXT WAR.
    In the House of Commons yesterday Mr EDEN reaffirmed the policy of unconditional surrender, and disclosed the fact that the Germans were already making secret plans for the next war.

    HIMMLER was already training fanatical young Nazis to continue resistance during the Allied occupation of GERMANY.


    8 POINT PLAN DISCLOSED.
    President ROOSEVELT has disclosed an 8-point plan to be put into action when GERMANY is defeated. It includes control of GERMANY’s war making powers.

    The President said yesterday he was not going to try to forecast the date of victory in EUROPE.


    IN BRIEF.
    The 8th Army have kept up their general advance in spite of savage counter attacks North of the RUBICON.

    The Germans launched flying bombs against Southern ENGLAND during the night.

    The Russians have killed more than 30,000 Germans and taken well over 15,000 Prisoners in 10 days of fighting in ESTONIA. Except for two islands ESTONIA has been cleared of the enemy.

    American Marines have taken two more islands in the PALOW group. It is estimated that nearly 10,000 Japanese have been killed in the operation so far.
     
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    AAM, 3rd October 1944

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    Last edited: Jun 10, 2019
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    5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS
    NOMINAL ROLL OF OFFICERS AND WARRANT OFFICERS BY COMPANIES, 2nd OCTOBER 1944


    BATTALION HEADQUARTERS
    Lieutenant-Colonel E.R. HILL - Commanding Officer
    Major M.E. ADEANE - Second-in-Command
    Captain C.W. LAMBTON - Adjutant
    Captain J. PEREIRA - Intelligence Officer
    Captain Quartermaster S.B.R. COOPER - Quartermaster
    Captain J.B. INGRAM, R.A.M.C. - Medical Officer
    Captain The Reverend R.H. TOMLINSON, R.A.Ch.D. - Padre
    Regimental Sergeant Major A.W. SMITH - R.S.M.
    Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant E. LOVEJOY - R.Q.M.S.
    Drill Sergeant R. SKELLS.


    H.Q. COMPANY
    Captain A. GIBBS - Company Commander
    Lieutenant H. WHITWELL - M.T. Officer
    Lieutenant the EARL of PLYMOUTH - Signal Officer
    Lieutenant R. THOMPSON - Pioneer Platoon Officer
    Company Sergeant-Major A. SEATHERTON
    Company Sergeant-Major S. BERRY
    Company Quartermaster Sergeant T. CONNELLY


    SUPPORT COMPANY
    Major G.B. MacKEAN - Company Commander
    Captain P.L. FANNING - Carrier Platoon Commander
    Lieutenant E.R. FIFOOT - Carrier Platoon Officer
    Lieutenant M. BENDIX - Anti-Tank Platoon Officer
    Captain J.T. PAGET - Mortar Platoon Commander
    Company Sergeant-Major D. HAMNETT
    Company Quartermaster Sergeant G. TILLING


    No. 1 COMPANY
    Major D.A. KENNARD - Company Commander
    Captain I.O. LIDDELL - Company Second-in-Command
    Lieutenant C.D. LAWRIE - Platoon Commander
    Lieutenant J.G.B. CHESTER - Platoon Commander


    No. 2 COMPANY
    Captain The Honourable D.M.G.J. WILLOUGHBY - Company Commander
    Captain J.N. AGNEW - Company Second-in-Command
    Lieutenant D.E. PLATER - Platoon Commander
    Lieutenant T.R. SYMONS - Platoon Commander
    2/Lieutenant G.L. WATHEN - Platoon Commander
    Company Sergeant-Major G. WHYTE
    Company Quartermaster Sergeant B. AYRES


    No. 3 COMPANY
    Major C.W.S. BLACKETT - Company Commander
    Captain D.I.T. EASTMAN - Company Second-in-Command
    Lieutenant C.N. ACHESON-GRAY - Platoon Commander
    Lieutenant M.W. WALL - Platoon Commander
    Lieutenant G.D. WAUHOPE - Platoon Commander
    Company Sergeant-Major N. REID
    Company Quartermaster Sergeant F. MARSDEN


    ATTACHED TO H.Q. GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION
    Lieutenant E. STRAGHAN
     
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    1944 October 1
    The expected enemy attack from the REICHSWALD FOREST 7851 was made at about 0100 hours in the area of the high wooded ground 7351 and it achieved some success, but the situation is now under control.
    In order to halt this attack the Americans have had to leave MOOK 7251 only very thinly held, and the Battalion’s role is to counter attack and restore the position at MOOK, should the Germans break through in this direction.
    1200 hours
    The presence of the Battalion is rendered largely superfluous by the arrival of 8th BRIGADE of 3rd DIVISION in our area, who are to do an attack this week South East from MOOK so as to enlarge our hold along the MAAS and up to the German frontier, in preparation for the advance of 2nd ARMY South East between the WAAL and MAAS down to the American 1st Army by COLOGNE.
    2000 hours
    Orders received from Brigade that the Battalion is to move into a rest area behind the MAAS - WAAL Canal at 6556 early tomorrow.

    1944 October 2
    0730 hours
    The Battalion moved off from the MOLENHOEK area.
    Owing to traffic arrangements it was necessary to go right up to the outskirts of NIJMEGEN across the North bridge over the Canal at 671606 then South into our rest area at 6760.
    However shortly after arrival the Battalion was told to be ready to move again at very short notice and the Commanding Officer was ordered to go to 5th BRIGADE H.Q. to receive further orders.
    1030 hours
    Across the WAAL the Germans have been reinforcing their troops, and during the last 24 hours strong counter attacks have been made in an effort to regain NIJMEGEN and the crossings over the river.
    9 Pz Division, 115 Pz Division, and elements of 9 S.S. have all been in action, together with a wholly unusual quantity of Artillery.
    Yesterday the line ELST 7870, AAM 7170, BEMMEL 7367 was the scene of very heavy fighting.
    The 3rd Battalion IRISH GUARDS who hold AAM are in need of a rest and the Battalion is to relieve them tonight at dusk.
    Under command of the Battalion are:-
    2 Companies of the 1st Battalion WELSH GUARDS,
    1 Squadron 1st Armoured Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS,
    Y Batter (S.P.) 21st Anti-Tank,
    Troop 2 Minden (towed 17-pounders) 21st Anti-Tank,
    Platoon M.M.G.s,
    Platoon 4.2” Mortars.

    To the Left of the Battalion position the SOMERSET LIGHT INFANTRY have Company localities either side of the road where it crosses the embankment at 706720, and they also block the North of ELST which is itself not occupied owing to the very heavy shell fire constantly coming down on it.
    To the Right the GREEN HOWARDS (relieved tonight by DEVON Battalion of 231st BRIGADE) have their nearest Company locality at VERGERT 732643.
    After receiving orders from the Brigadier the Commanding Officer went up to the 3rd Battalion IRISH GUARDS and made a recce of the position at AAM, then went back to Brigade H.Q. and gave out preliminary orders for the take over to the Battalion ‘O’ Group.
    The Battalion is to cross the NIJMEGEN Bridge at 1600 hours and debus in the area 705674 from whence Companies will march up to AAM with the F.1 vehicles only, and start relieving the 3rd Battalion IRISH GUARDS at 1800 hours.
    The ‘O’ Group then went forward to AAM and Company Commanders recce’d the IRISH GUARDS positions, which are being taken over as follows:-
    No. 1 Company in an ORCHARD and to the left of the road in the area 718708.
    No. 4 Company to the right of the road and in some orchards running up to the North area 723708.
    No. 2 Company is centred on an embankment that crosses a partially constructed road at 720700.
    No. 3 Company in reserve at the tip of the WOOD area of 717698.
    No. 3 Company 1st Battalion WELSH GUARDS remain in their present area 716703.
    'X' Company SCOTS GUARDS (in 1st Battalion WELSH GUARDS) remain at 713704.
    Battalion H.Q. is in the cellar of a farm house on the TRACK JUNCTION at 716702.

    For the disposition of supporting arms and minefields see Appendix.
    The Battalion was shelled while crossing the NIJMEGEN Bridge, which is under enemy observation, but no damage was done, and No. 4 Company the first to take over was reported in position at 1845 hours.
    The relief was completed by 2030 hours.
    2300 hours
    Exceptionally heavy enemy shelling on ELST.
    A small attack was also put in and easily dealt with by the 4th Battalion S.L.I.

    1944 October 3
    NOTE:- The maps of this area were found to be incorrect.
    What on the 1/2” is marked as a road from 716693 to 723717 is actually under construction, with four large cement bridges along it, that carry a series of embankments over the uncompleted road way.
    These embankments and the road way formed the main feature in the Battalion area.
    0300 hours
    A patrol from No. 1 Company went up to the furthest of the four bridges and brought back 4 Prisoners of War - three from 156 P.G.R. of 116 Infantry Division and 1 from 10 P.G.R. of 9 Pz Division which may place this as the Inter Divisional boundary which is known to be somewhere near there.
    1000 hours
    The Commanding Officer went to an ‘O’ Group at Brigade H.Q.:-
    Within the Battalion position the following adjustments are to be made:-
    1. No. 3 Company 1st Battalion WELSH GUARDS is relieved by No. 3 Company 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    2. No. 3 Company and Prince of Wales Company 1st Battalion WELSH GUARDS take up positions between our Left hand Company and ELSTE on the line of the ORCHARDS 711708 - 716708 and together with the other WELSH GUARDS Company at 715705 revert to the command of 1st Battalion WELSH GUARDS.
    3. A Carrier Platoon Standing Patrol is to be positioned in the forward edge of the WOOD at 724705.
    The Germans have been infiltrating forward into this WOOD by night and causing considerable nuisance.
    Tomorrow 231st Brigade on our Right are to make an attack which is to bring the line of their FDL.s up to the front edge of the close country which lies to the West of the road VERGERT 7369 - HALDEREN 7666.
    1700 hours
    The Company change over within the Battalion were occupied without incident, and at 2000 hours the minefield in front of the WOOD at 724705 having been lifted, the Carrier Platoon Patrol was placed in position also without incident.
    2200 - 2400 hours
    An unusually sustained enemy concentration came down on the Battalion area lasting for a period of over an hour.
    Only four casualties were caused.

    1944 October 4
    Patrols during the night found the enemy post by the bridge still held, and a patrol from No. 4 Company found another enemy position at 728707.
    During the day time these posts push out O.P.s, one into an orchard about 400 yards in front of No. 1 Company, and the other into a ditch about 400 yards to the Left of No. 4 Company beside the road at 727708.
    The posts are probably about a Platoon strong and outposts of Company localities further back, as a good deal of movement is visible in these areas by day.
    The Commanding Officer’s policy for the next few days the Battalion is here, is to have a 24 hour Artillery harassing programme on these localities, and to reduce all movement within the Battalion positions by day to a minimum.
    1800 hours
    The 231st Brigade attack has been successful except at HALDEREN 7666 which is still in enemy hands, but this is to be dealt with tomorrow.

    1944 October 5
    Patrols sent to the two enemy posts found them still occupied.
    The house in the ORCHARD at 729711, in front of No. 1 Company, has been set on fire to prevent its use by the enemy as an Observation Post.
    EnemY Artillery fire has greatly decreased, and as a result of our harassing fire there was less enemy movement visible during the day, though an enemy patrol came into the orchard North of No. 4 Company and blew up some knocked out IRISH GUARDS Carriers that were lying by the roadside there.
    The DEVONS have shifted over to the Right slightly, and No. 3 Company has taken over the ORCHARD at 723700 formerly held by them.

    1944 October 6
    1000 hours
    Representatives from the American 345 Glider Borne Regiment came to recce the Battalion position which one of their Battalions is to take over between 1715 and 2400 hours this evening.
    American Company representatives came to go over the position at 1400 hours, but at 1600 hours the programme was changed and the relieving Battalion was altered to the 4th WELCH of 53rd Division.
    The Commanding Officer and Company Commanders of this Battalion arrived at 1700 hours, and their first Company at 1830, which is now just about last light.
    The 1st Battalion Squadron had by this time almost completed its move out, and the remainder of the Battalions supporting arms are not to be relieved till tomorrow, so it was possible to carry out the relief without much alteration of plan.
    The Companies have with them only a Jeep, Carrier and 1x15-cwt, and these accompanied them back across country to the Battalion F.2 area about five miles back 684674, where Companies embussed and moved off as Company Groups as soon as the Adjutant checked them as complete.
    The two forward Companies were relieved first at about 1900 hours, and by 2030 hours the Command Post and the R.A.P. moved out completing the relief.
    The move back was slow as there is a great deal of traffic using the NIJMEGEN Bridge, which for purposes of deception is only open to South bound traffic by night.
    The Battalion crossed by a pontoon bridge which has been constructed close to the blown up railway bridge at 704735.
    The Battalion was reported completed in the rest area at 6556 by 0100 hours.

    1944 October 7
    Also see News Sheet
    The next operation is not expected to involve the Battalion till about the 13th.
    The main activities of the moment are baths, cinemas, ENSA, and a new innovation a Divisional Other Ranks’s Club, where NAAFI, writing rooms, quiet rooms, ENSA, etc are available.
    Limited numbers of Officers are allowed to go to BRUSSELS for 24 hours leave.

    1944 October 8 - 9
    Also see News Sheet
    Also see News Sheet
    -

    1944 October 10
    Also see News Sheet
    1230 hours
    The Battalion moved East over the MAAS WAAL Canal to a new rest area so as to be more readily available for another counter attack purposes.
    The new area is centred on the village of HATERT 6858, and accommodation under cover has been found for the greater part of the Battalion.

    1944 October 11
    30 CORPS composed of GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION, 43rd DIVISION and 82nd U.S. AIRBORNE DIVISION is now responsible for holding the sector from the WAAL East of NIJMEGEN South through BEEK 7560 and GROESBEEK 7555, to MOOK 7251.
    82nd U.S. Airborne Division hold the Northern sector and 43rd Division the Southern sector.
    One Company is at 48 hours’ notice, and the remainder of the Battalion at 4 hours’ notice.
    In the morning Company Commanders recce’d the American area to get familiar with the approach routes, assembly areas, etc.
    Until future operations materialise the Battalion is occupied with Drill Courses, Young Corporals Classes, P.T. etc.

    1944 October 12
    The Second-in-Command and No. 2 Company represented the Battalion at a Divisional Parade for H.M. the KING, held at GRAVE.

    1944 October 13
    Officers and Warrant Officers went to a lecture at GRAVE and were addressed by the Corps Commander General HORROCKS.
    After giving an account of the operations of 30 CORPS up to date, General HORROCKS gave an explanation of the present situation and future possibilities:-
    “No big developments can take place in the future till ANTWERP is in action as a Port. The clearing of the SCHELDT Estuary and the islands to the North is being carried out by the Canadian Army. Between the Canadian Army and NIJMEGEN the 1st CORPS is pushing North to free the ANTWERP, TILBERG, GRAVE road; “the Island” (the sector North of NIJMEGEN, between the WAAL and LEK) is being held by 12 CORPS.
    30 CORPS holds from the WAAL down to the MAAS at MOOK, and South from here 8 CORPS have launched an offensive to clear the West bank of the MAAS and link up with the American 1st Army.
    When ANTWERP is clear then American Divisions will be landed and everything ready for the next offensive which is to carry us into GERMANY.
    This is not likely to occur for two or thee weeks.”

    1944 October 14 - 28
    Also see News Sheet
    Also see News Sheet
    Also see News Sheet
    Also see News Sheet
    Also see News Sheet
    Also see News Sheet
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    1944 October 29
    The Battalion was visited by the Major General.

    1944 October 30
    -

    1944 October 31
    Also see News Sheet
    During the last three weeks the flooding of WALCHEREN and the Canadian landings on S. BEVERLAND have greatly reduced the enemy’s hold North of the SCHELDT Estuary and to the South there is now only a small pocket in the area of KNOCKE.
    BREDA, TILBURG and S’HERTOGENBOSCH have been captured, and it is expected that everything will be clear up to the WAAL in a few days’ time.
    The attacks to clear up to the MAAS had to be cancelled after reaching VENRAY, in order to reinforce the other front, but this advance is to be continued as soon as operations South of the WAAL are completed.
    The only enemy activity has been an attack from MEIJEL North West toward HELMOND that achieved some success, but is now halted.
    The Brigade is at six hours’ notice to move down to this area should anything further occur here.
    Meanwhile the Battalion has not been called on to put its counter attack role into operation and good progress has been made with the N.C.O.s courses and other training activities.
    No details of our future operation have been given out yet, but the area is known, and all Officers have had a short study period on the area between the REICHSWALD FOREST and WESEL on the RHINE.
    Readjustments have been made to our billets, and now everyone is under cover.
    Leave for Officers to BRUSSELS and ANTWERP has been increased to 48 hours, and a small allotment of vacancies for Other Ranks at a Divisional Club in BRUSSELS is now in operation, also a larger allotment of vacancies for 24 hours leave to EINDHOVEN.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 69
    Sunday 1st October 1944.


    ENEMY ORDER OF BATTLE IN THE WEST.
    Since the German 7th, 15th and 19th Armies were destroyed in FRANCE, the question is asked with some justices, ‘What forces are now defending GERMANY?’

    Remarkable as the powers of resurrection that German Divisions possess are, with the exception of the S.S. and Pz Divisions that escaped early on, the German Divisions the we fought in NORMANDY have genuinely became ‘write offs’.

    Between the period of our advance into BELGIUM and the forthcoming attack on GERMANY, the enemy attempt to meet the situation with battle groups, scratch bodies of troops varying in strength from a Company to a Brigade and composed of stragglers rescued from FRANCE, local garrisons, Adm troops, and anyone else they could muster together and arm. Those battle groups have imposed a delay on us and at times fought exceptionally well, but Battle Groups can only work as an emergency measure. They lack the channels of command, the transport, communications, and above all Artillery, that is necessary to put up any very decisive stand. In the long run Battle Groups are uneconomical as with the difficulties of control they are nearly always fated to get cut off and mopped up in the present type of warfare.

    This battle group phase is now drawing to an end, and ready to defend the Reich is a new though somewhat shoddy Army composed of Divisions newly recruited out of what is left of German manpower in GERMANY itself.

    The backbone of this Army are the S.S. and Pz Divisions already mentioned, that have had top priority in what reinforcements and equipment theme has been available and are by now probably about 50% up to strength.

    Second on the list in order of efficiency come various Divisions withdrawn from DENMARK, and the Islands of the SCHELDT (ex 712 which we have been meeting).

    Finally all Training units have been turned into field units; the unarmed branches of the S.S. which normally do Police work have been recruited into the S.S.; paramilitary formations such as the NSKK etc which do ARP and civilian work have been drafted into the Army; medical categories and age limits have been drastically altered so as to rope in large numbers of the sick and aged, and even vital factories have been closed down to provide personnel for the Army.

    All this does not go to producing a very efficient Army, or keeping the Home Front going, but the Germans are more than conscious of the fact they are now fighting from their last ditch and as their last ditch they have provided the troops to man it.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    NEW POLISH COMMANDER IN CHIEF.
    The Polish President has relieved General SOSNKOWSKI of his position as Commander in Chief. He is succeeded by General KOMOROWSKI better known as General BOR, Commander of the Polish Army in WARSAW.

    The latest communique from General BOR in WARSAW reports the loss of one of the suburbs by the Polish forces.


    MOSCOW QUIET ABOUT BREAK THROUGH.
    Russian troops have driven the Germans from several towns in YUGOSLAVIA.

    MOSCOW still says nothing about a break through from ROMANIA into HUNGARY but according to enemy reports fighting has been swaying to and fro on a broad front along the border.


    STRONG PRESSURE IN ITALY.
    Both Allied armies in ITALY are keeping up strong pressure in spite of stubborn German resistance and bad weather. Heavy rain has made the going particularly heavy in the ADRIATIC Sector.


    MORE COUNTER ATTACKS BEATEN OFF.
    CANADIAN IN CALAIS.
    The British 2nd ARMY has beaten off more fierce German counter attacks against its salient in HOLLAND.

    Allied aircraft have blocked the railways feeding the German front line and reduced the enemy’s road transport to a trickle.

    On the American front several German counter attacks in front of the METZ gap have been beaten back.

    Canadian troops resumed their land and air assault on CALAIS punctually at noon yesterday when the 24 hours truce expired. The Canadians have now penetrated into the town at several points.


    DOVER CELEBRATES.
    Following the capture of the enemy’s cross channel guns at CAP GRIS NEZ, FOLKESTON , DOVER and other towns in Hellfire Corner have been celebrating the end of their ordeal.


    RUHR AREA ATTACKED.
    A strong force of R.A.F. heavy bombers with fighter cover yesterday attacked oil plants in the RUHR. One bomber is missing.

    Over 750 American heavies with hundreds of fighters attacked rail junctions in Western GERMANY.


    ACTIVITY IN SOUTH WEST PACIFIC.
    Allied aircraft have sunk more Japanese vessels in the South West Pacific. The British Admiralty announces that during recent operations from the ARTIC to the AEGEAN British Submarines have sunk 37 German ships and damaged at least 10 others.


    IN BRIEF.
    The French Navy Minister has announced that FRANCE will be able to send “a young, but spirited Navy” to fight beside the Allies in the Pacific.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 70
    Tuesday 3rd October 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    AMERICAN ARMY’S NEW ATTACK.
    Troops of the American 1st Army in a new attack North of AACHEN have driven a wedge 2 miles deep in the SIEGFRIED Line. At its base the wedge is 3 miles broad. Besides a concentrated barrage about 500 American medium and fighter bombers attacked the defences before the infantry advanced.

    All along the SIEGFRIED Line the Americans are keeping the German defenders on edge and both the 1st and 3rd Armies report advances.

    Canadian and United Kingdom troops are moving to link up with the British Garrison in ANTWERP about a dozen miles away.

    General EISENHOWER has warned the Dutch inhabitants that the islands of the SCHELDT Estuary may have severe and prolonged bombing.

    Nearly 2,000 American bombers and fighting attacked COLOGNE, ? , and HAM yesterday.


    55,000 TONS OV BOMBS DROPPED.
    R.A.F. Bomber Command and the Second Tactical Air Force last month dropped more than 55,000 tons of bombs on German targets, 21,000 tons of them on GERMANY itself by Bomber Command.

    Mosquitoes dropped more than one hundred 4,000-pounders on BERLIN during the month.


    5TH ARMY ADVANCE YARD BY YARD.
    British and American troops of the 5th Army in ITALY have advanced yard by yard through German minefields and against heavy fire.

    With better weather they have had close support from the air.

    There has been no big change in the 8th Armies forward positions in the ADRIATIC Sector.


    IN BRIEF.
    MOSCOW reports only fighting of local importance on the Eastern front, but the BERLIN radio says Russian troops are pouring across the DANUBE into YUGOSLAVIA.

    Allied bombers in the South West Pacific have again attacked island groups South of the PHILIPPINES. Their chief target was AMOINA in the Netherlands EAST INDIES.

    At least 3 Japanese fighters and one bomber were destroyed.

    A scheme to raise £1,000,000 for a Club in LONDON for ex-servicemen and women of the British Empire was launched at the Mansion House in LONDON yesterday.

    The General Council of the British Trade Union Congress comes out strongly for public ownership of certain key industries of the country in a report on Post War Reconstruction.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 71
    Wednesday 4th October 1944.


    THE BIG PICTURE.
    On our part, the last few days have been a period of consolidation with little changes in the front.

    On the German part, there has been a very big but successful effort to counter attack NIJMEGEN. Firstly they moved up their best available formations, namely 116 Pz and 9 Pz, and portions of 10 S.S. under the control of 2 S.S. Corps; and 12 Para, 6 Para, and 2 S.S. under the control of 2 Para Corps.

    2 S.S. Corps objective is to attack NIJMEGEN from the North East and 2 Para to attack it from the South East. We have had some slight contact with both these efforts, firstly when we backed up the Americans in a counter attack role agains any success that the enemy might have in debauching from the REICHSWALD Forest and attacking NIJMEGEN from the South East, and secondly in our present position were the IRISH GUARDS who beat off a very determined attack the day before yesterday.

    In addition to the large number of killed and Prisoners of War that the enemy have sustained during these battles, very considerable TYPHOON attention has been paid to them, and their morale is reported to be very poor at the moment.

    All yesterday 9 Pz were being ordered to attack, and asked by they were not doing so, and according to a Prisoner of War a Commanding Officer who replied that the whole idea was crazy has been placed in close arrest. The Germans are notoriously stubborn so despite their low morale further attacks are to be expected.


    BATTALION EVENTS. (Tuesday night).
    Last night a Patrol from No. 1 Company caught some Prisoners of considerable interest, in that they confirm the position of the enemy inter-Divisional boundary. Three came from the Division on our Left, 116 Pz, and one from the Division on our Right 9 Pz. Presumably they were next door sentries having a chat?

    The wood by No. 4 Company has a number of dead Germans with portable flame throwers. These were killed attacking the IRISH GUARDS, and came from Gruppe Spindler. In theory every Pz Division has got flamethrowers on a Brigade level, but in practice this is the first time the Division has met any, and it is satisfactory to know that they were all so easily dealt with.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    DORTMUND EMS CANAL SMASHED.
    It is now known that 96 R.A.F. Lancasters smashed GERMANY’s vital DORTMUND EMS Canal on the night of 23rd September.

    Photographs released today show a stretch of the canal drained dry with great breeches in the walls caused by 5 1/2 ton bombs.

    This means that the RUHR is now completely isolated by water way from the North East and from Eastern GERMANY.

    14 of the Lancasters did not return.


    MORE GOOD WORK BY LANCASTERS.
    Another force of our Lancasters yesterday breeched the sea walls protecting the German held island of WALCHEREN and flooded enemy positions guarding the mouth of the SCHELDT and the approaches to ANTWERP.

    In ANTWERP itself practically the whole of the dock area on the Northern side of the city has been cleared of the enemy.

    Polish units have pushed 7 miles North of ANTWERP.


    AMERICANS CAPTURE UBACH.
    American troops in HOLLAND have forced the enemy back near OVERLOON.

    American troops attacking North of AACHEN have captured the town of UBACH about 3 miles over the German frontier. They have penetrated the SIEGFRIED Line, but correspondents at Supreme Headquarters say they are not yet through it.

    Other American troops have broken into one of the fortresses guarding METZ.


    MORE SUCCESSES BY 5TH & 8TH.
    The 5th ARMY in ITALY have captured an important road junction 18 miles from BOLOGNA.

    On the 8TH ARMY front British troops have taken a hill several miles inland from the ADRIATIC.

    At least six Greek islands have now been cleared of Germans.


    RUSSIANS IN YUGOSLAVIA.
    Russian troops have broken into YUGOSLAVIA from ROMANIA at a new point. this time North of DANUBE.

    Soviet forces now stand on an arc North and East of BELGRADE, about 40 to 45 miles from the YUGOLAV Capital.

    In the BALTIC the Russians have captured the Estonian Island of DAGOE.

    The Commander of the Polish Home Army yesterday announced the end of organised Armed resistance in WARSAW.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 72
    Thursday 5th October 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    AMERICANS BEYOND UBACH.
    WAAL BRIDGEHEAD EXTENDED.
    The American 1st Army have strengthened their wedge in the SIEGFRIED Line North of AACHEN. The wedge is now nearly 4 miles wide at the base. American tanks are now supporting the push.

    The Germans counter attacked three times yesterday but without any success. The Americans then resumed their drive and were last reported half a mile beyond UBACH.

    In HOLLAND the British 2nd Army have extended their bridgehead Westwards along the River WAAL for a distance of 15 miles from NIJMEGEN. Allied troops are gradually filling in the countryside between our salient in HOLLAND and the Belgian port of ANTWERP.

    German supply lines in WALCHEREN Island are under 8 foot of water following Tuesday’s attack by R.A.F. Lancasters on the sea wall.

    A 60 hour truce began at DUNKIRK at 6 o’clock on Tuesday evening to allow civilians numbering 20,000 to leave the town.

    It is disclosed that the GREEN HOWARDS landed in FRANCE on ‘D’ Day and took a prominent part in the battle of NORMANDY.


    RAIL YARDS AT MUNICH ATTACKED.
    5th Army troops are still pushing on towards the POE VALLEY in spite of stiff resistance and very bad weather.

    More than 500 American heavies from ITALY yesterday attacked rail yards at MUNICH and supply lines loading into North East ITALY.


    IN BRIEF.
    The Russians have kept up their drive into YUGOSLAVIA North of the DANUBE, and reached a place about 15 miles from BELGRADE.

    Allied aircraft have attacked PARAMUSHIRO and targets in the MARIANNAS and MARSHALL Islands.

    It is disclosed that the R.A.F. Lancasters which bombed the TIRPITZ on 15th September operated from a Russian airfield after flying there from ENGLAND with their 12,000 lb bombs.

    R.A.F. Lancasters and Halifaxes yesterday attacked ‘U’ boat pens and ‘U’ boats at BERGEN in NORWAY.


    BATTALION CASUALTIES.

    WOUNDED.
    776203 Guardsman HEWLETT, T., No. 1 Company
    2666494 Guardsman LIST, R., No. 4 Company
    2662243 Guardsman WILSON, B., No. 3 Company
    2665393 Lance-Corporal WHITLEY, D., No. 4 Company
    2662244 Guardsman MORRIS, A., No. 4 Company

    POSTINGS TO X(ii) LIST.
    2655457 Guardsman SCRIVEN, W., No. 3 Company
    2666305 Guardsman BUTLER, G., H.Q. Company
    2666723 Guardsman JOHNSON, A., No. 4 Company
    2662719 Guardsman HALL, K., H.Q. Company
    2664356 Guardsman CARTWRIGHT, E., H.Q. Company
    2664648 Guardsman CHIPPENDALE, J., H.Q. Company
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 73
    Friday 6th October 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    PROGRESS BY CANADIANS.
    AMERICAN CORRIDOR WIDENED.
    Canadian troops have made good progress beyond ANTWERP. They have crossed the Dutch frontier at one point and cleared a stretch of 8 to 9 miles on each bank of the SCHELDT.

    The American 1st Army in spite of strong resistance have widened their corridor through the old SIEGFRIED Line North of AACHEN.

    The DUNKIRK truce has been extended until two hours from now. Yesterday all civilians poured out of the town.


    GERMAN TARGETS FOUNDED.
    R.A.F. bombers were out in great strength last night bombing SAARBRUCKEN. Some also attacked BERLIN.

    Yesterday R.A.F. heavies one of which is missing pounded WILHELMSHAVEN.

    Over 1,000 American heavies yesterday attacked rail yards and airfields in the RHINELAND. Escorting planes destroyed 15 enemy aircraft on the ground and shot one down. American losses were 13 bombers and 5 fighters.


    IN BRIEF.
    In ITALY heavy rain has again been hampering both Allied armies.

    British sea and airborne forces have landed on the Greek mainland and have liberated PATRAS.

    Russian and Yugoslav forces were last reported only 8 miles away from BELGRADE.

    Allied casualties have again attacked BALIKPAPAN in Dutch BORNEO. The enemy sent up 40 fighters nearly half of them were shot down. 7 Liberators were lost.

    American casualties on the Southern PALAU Island between 25th September and 5th October were 336 killed, 1707 wounded and 8 missing.

    The 27,000 ton British liner “GEORGIC” damaged by enemy aircraft at SUEZ in 1941 has been salvaged and is now ready for service again.

    Some flying bombs were over Southern ENGLAND last night. LONDON had its first alert since Saturday. One of our Mosquitoes shot down a pickaback plane.

    The Victoria Cross has been awarded to Rifleman AGANSING RAI of the 5th ROYAL GURKHA RIFLES.


    BATTALION CASUALTIES.

    KILLED IN ACTION.
    2666592 Guardsman WAITT, S., Support Company

    WOUNDED.
    2666816 Guardsman SMITH, J., No. 3 Company
    2701933 Guardsman BAYLIS, G., No. 4 Company
    2666686 Guardsman EKLEY, D., No. 3 Company
    2662458 Lance-Corporal PEARSE, R., Support Company
    2663144 Lance-Corporal JONES, J., Support Company
    2665571 Guardsman HORSFIELD, R., No. 4 Company
    2658332 Guardsman FLETCHER, G., No. 3 Company
    2664132 Guardsman PERRINS, A., No. 3 Company
    2664516 Guardsman STEELE, ?, No. 4 Company

    DIED OF WOUNDS.
    Information has been received that the undermentioned personnel recently Wounded, have since Died of Wounds:-
    2655912 Guardsman ANDERSON, R., No. 1 Company
    2663252 Guardsman WALTON, J., Support Company
    2659746 Sergeant DALE, A., No. 2 Company
    2663202 Guardsman LOVELL, J., No. 4 Company 2663202 John Henry LEVELL, 2 & 5 Coldstream Guards: 16/8/1944
    2659783 Guardsman ARNOLD, A., No. 3 Company
    2660399 Lance-Sergeant HALLIWELL, F., No. 2 Company


    MAIL FACILITIES - HOMEWARD.

    (a) Surface Mail.
    From troops overseas to any place in the BRITISH EMPIRE.
    (i) Letters, Letter Packets and Postcards.
    Not exceeding 2 ozs - Free
    Over 2 ozs and not exceeding 3 ozs - 3 1/2d
    Each additional oz - 1d

    (ii) Newspapers and Printed Papers
    Not exceeding 2 ozs - Free
    Over 2 ozs and not exceeding 4 ozs - 1d
    Each additional 2ozs - 1/2d

    (iii) Registration - Letters and Letter Packets.
    Registration fee additional to postage - 3d
    Maximum compensation payable - £2

    (iv) Parcels. Rates for parcels are:-
    Not exceeding 3 lbs - 9d
    Not exceeding 7 lbs - 1/6d
    Not exceeding 11 lbs - 2/-
    Not exceeding 22 lbs - 3/-

    Size:-
    Maximum dimensions are:-
    Length 3 feet 6 inches.
    Length and girth combined 6 feet.
    There is NO registered parcel service.


    (b) Duty Free Parcels.
    (i) Four duty free parcels a year may be sent to the U.K. The above postage rates are payable. Special customs declaration labels (AF W.5192) will be used on these parcels. You will be notified when these are available from the Orderly Room.

    (ii) Duty free parcels will not weight more than 5 lb (including packing) and will not exceed 30/- in value.


    (c) Gift Parcels.
    Gift parcels must not exceed 5 lb gross weight will be accepted. They will be clearly marked ‘Gift Parcel’. If a Gift Parcel contains foodstuffs, not more than 2 lb of any one commodity may be included.

    Gift Parcels above 5lb gross weight and non-gift parcels of any weight will only be accepted under Import Licence obtained by the addressee in the U.K. As licences are issued sparingly, these regulations, will, in practice, limit the gross weight of parcels for the U.K. to 5 lb.
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2020
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 74
    Saturday 7th October 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    BIGGEST AIR ASSAULT OF WAR.
    NEW ATTACK BY CANADIANS.

    In the last 24 hours British and American planes have made the biggest air assault of the war on GERMANY and enemy positions in Western HOLLAND.

    BERLIN and HAMBURG were among the targets attacked by some 1,250 American heavy bombers yesterday. The bombers were escorted by over 750 fighters and between them they destroyed 59 enemy machines. 19 American bombers and 10 fighters are missing.

    Hundreds of R.A.F. bombers yesterday pounded oil plants in the RUHR and last night strong forces attacked DORTMUND, BREMEN and BERLIN.

    Allied aircraft yesterday flew nearly 1,500 sorties from close range against the German troops in HOLLAND. Some of them gave direct support to the new attack which the Canadians have launched across the LEOPOLD Canal. The Canadians now hold a 3-mile bridgehead in face of increasing resistance.

    Other Canadians have gained ground North of ANTWERP and United Kingdom troops have closed in on TILBURG.

    Stiff fighting continues in the AACHEN area. At one point the American 1st Army had advanced to within six mils of DUREN.

    Field Marshal Lord GORT has visited General EISENHOWER in FRANCE.


    NEWS IN BRIEF.
    Bad weather continues in ITALY. 5th Army spearheads are now within 14 miles of BOLOGNA.

    British and Greek troops have liberated the AEGEAN island of SAMOS.

    Soviet forces are advancing into HUNGARY from ROMANIA on a front of more than 50 miles. They have already taken more than 100 places.

    The Germans sent more flying bombs against Southern ENGLAND during the night.

    The British Labour Party Executive has announced that when the time comes for a General Election the party will go to the country on its own programme.


    EXCHANGE OF FRENCH AND BELGIAN CURRENCY.
    There are probably a few personnel still in possession of French and Belgian currency. If they desire this exchanging for Dutch currency hand into C.Q.M. Sergeants by 12th October, who will arrange exchange with the Quartermaster.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 75
    Sunday 8th October 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    ANOTHER GREAT AIR ASSAULT.
    More than 5,000 Allied aircraft from BRITAIN, FRANCE and ITALY yesterday made the greatest concerted assault of the war on German targets.

    The American bombers hit oil centres in AUSTRIA and GERMANY. British bombers attacked communication centres in front of the 2nd Army in HOLLAND. Others supported the American 7th Army closing in on the BELFORT GAP.


    SIX MILES BREACH IN SIEGFRIED LINE.
    The American 1st Army has driven a breach six miles wide and six deep into the SIEGFRIED Line North of AACHEN. It is described as a major break through. American dive bombers pounded the enemy defences and infantry advanced two miles.

    Other 1st Army forces South East of AACHEN are closing in on HURTGEN more than five miles inside GERMANY.

    On the Dutch Coast Canadian forces are closing in on the only German escape route from the SCHELDT Island to the mainland.

    R.A.F. Lancasters have bombed the dykes on either side of FLUSHING.


    NAVY LIBERATE ANOTHER GREEK ISLAND.
    In GREECE most of the Southern part of the mainland is now clear of the Germans.

    ROYAL NAVY units have liberated another Greek island and fighting is reported in ATHENS between patriot forces and the Germans.


    IN BRIEF.
    The Russians driving into HUNGARY are nearly 80 miles from the Capital BUDAPEST.

    Marshall TITO’s Yugoslav forces in SLAVONIA have reached the Hungarian frontier on a stretch of 20 miles.

    It ITALY American 5th Army units are less than 12 miles from BOLOGNA. More advances have been made on the 8th Army front.

    In the Pacific American bombers have again hit RAUBEL in NEW BRITAIN.

    The talks at DUNBARTON OAKS have resulted in agreed proposals for the general framework of an international security organisation.

    WASHINGTON says that CHICAGO will be the meeting place for the international aviation conference on November 1st.

    Mr. WENDLE WILKIE died early this morning.


    BATTALION CASUALTIES.

    WOUNDED.
    2661117 Guardsman WAISTOLL, E., Support Company
    2666638 Guardsman BLOCKLEY, E., No. 4 Company
    14712180 Guardsman OSBOURNE, T., No. 3 Company
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 76
    Monday 9th October 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    AACHEN ALMOST ENCIRCLED.
    American 1st Army troops have almost encircled AACHEN and have cut the main railway from AACHEN to COLOGNE.

    On the Dutch Coast Canadian 1st Army troops now control the causeway from the SCHELDT Island to the mainland, and the Germans there are now virtually cut off between METZ and NASSAU.

    The American 3rd Army struck along a 20 mile sector of the MOSELLE front and are fighting only six miles North of METZ.

    The Germans are bringing up picked troops to beat the British 2nd Army threat around ARNHEM.


    RUSSIANS SMASH THROUGH IN W. LITHUANIA.
    In Western LITHUANIA two Russian armies have smashed through on a front 175 miles wide and have advanced 60 miles nearer to the BALTIC Coast.

    In LATVIA Soviet troops are within 18 miles of RIGA. In HUNGARY they are only 75 miles from BUDAPEST and in YUGOSLAVIA about 35 miles North of BELGRADE.


    IN BRIEF.
    In FINLAND Finnish troops took 500 German Prisoners when they captured the port of KEMI.

    In ITALY despite strong resistance the 5th Army has continued to advance on BOLOGNA.

    In Southern GREECE Allied forces are moving on CORINTH.

    In the South West Pacific Allied bombers have again raided RABAUL where 60,000 Japanese are trapped.

    In BURMA Allied aircraft have bombed the Japanese in support of 14th Army men.

    The Germans sent flying bombs over Southern ENGLAND last night, for the fourth night in succession.

    It is announced that Lord SWINTON is to be BRITAIN’s first Minister for Civil Aviation and Sir William JOWITT Minister of Social Insurance.


    BATTALION CASUALTIES.

    WOUNDED PERSONNEL.
    2666633 Guardsman DIXON, J., No. 3 Company, and
    2666157 Guardsman TURNER, W., No. 3 Company
    were wounded on 11th August 1944, and at the time it was not possible to obtain the nature of wounds or the medical unit through which these men passed.
    No information has been received to prove the whereabouts of these men.
    It is though that there many be someone in the Battalion who can give information to help in tracing these Guardsmen and it would be appreciated if any such information could be forwarded to the Office Truck immediately.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 77
    Tuesday 10th October 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    AACHEN ESCAPE GAP REDUCED.
    WESTERN GERMAN BOMBED.
    British troops landed early yesterday behind the Germans on the South side of the SCHELDT Estuary. They established two bridgeheads and were last reported driving inland.

    As a result enemy resistance along the LEOPOLD Canal has decreased. Our troops across the Canal have now linked up solidly.

    The enemy’s position in WALCHEREN is critical owing to floods caused by R.A.F. attacks on the dykes.

    The American 1st Army have reduced the escape gap out of AACHEN to just over a mile.

    The American 3rd Army have pushed forward another mile between METZ and NASAU.

    R.A.F. Halfaxes attacked BOCHUM last night.

    Earlier over 1,100 American heavies bombed targets in Western GERMANY.


    MR. CHURCHILL IN MOSCOW.
    Mr. CHURCHILL and Mr. EDEN have arrived in MOSCOW and have had a talk with Marshal STALIN.

    Mr. Averill HARRIMAN is to represent American in the discussions.


    UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION PROPOSED.
    Following the DUNBARTON OAKS conference, proposals have been made for a United Nations Organisation to preserve world peace after the war. It would have armed power to keep law and order.


    NEWS IN BRIEF.
    The Russians are sweeping towards BUDAPEST on a 100 mile front. They are about 55 miles from the city.

    In LITHUANIA forces have landed on another PALU Islet, and the American bombers have attacked a town on MINDANAO Island.

    The Germans directed flying bombs against Southern ENGLAND including the LONDON area during the night. Damage and casualties have been reported.

    Up to the end of September, R.A.F. bombers had dropped over 600,000 tons of bombs on targets in GERMANY, ITALY and Occupied EUROPE.

    Telephone communications between STOCKHOLM and BERLIN have been cut since Sunday morning.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 78
    Saturday 14th October 1944.


    OUR FUTURE POLICY.
    Now that wirelesses and newspapers are again available to all, the general news items given in “Over to You” serve no purpose and there is also little to report from the Battalion point of view. However, it has been decided to continue to issue “Over to You” in a slightly different form, giving details of the current enemy situation, and when there is little to report, short articles on the prospects before us in GERMANY.

    Most of this information is necessarily taken from other Intelligence Summaries, so if some of this is old news to Company Commanders it should be borne in mind that the object of this is to keep Platoons and Sections informed not to supplant the Brigade and Division Intelligence Summaries.


    SET UP OF THE GERMAN ARMY OF THE WEST.
    Once more C. in C. in the West is VON RUNDSTEDT. Under his command are Army Group B and Army Group G.

    Army Group G is composed of about fifteen Divisions grouped into the 1st Army, the 5th Pz Army and the 19th Army, and these hold from the BELFORT GAP up to the North of LUXEMBOURG.

    Our more immediate concern is with Army Group B commanded by General MODEL, which is divided up into the 15th Army, the 1st Para Army, and the 7th Army. The 7th Army is opposite the Americans at AACHEN, the 1st Para Army is holding the sector from ARNHEM down to AACHEN, and the line from ARNHEM to ANTWERP and the SCHELDT Estuary is held by the 15th Army.

    All this sounds very comprehensive and formidable, but it must be remembered that all these Armies have had to be completely re-formed since the battle of FRANCE, and by now constitute new wine in very bomb happy bottles, as they have suffered nearly half a million casualties since the days of NORMANDY.

    Apart from the impossibility of producing suddenly half a million new recruits, it is quite out of the question to produce even half that number of properly trained, fit and experienced replacements. There is a chronic shortage of officers and even among the higher ranks who presumably suffer a lower rate of casualties the Wehrmacht was urgently in need of 240 Regimental commanders before their debacle in FRANCE.

    The only bright spot in the officer situation is that there is reported to be no shortage in officer fit to command Armies, which is just as well as Hitler recently sent for the names of ten officers suitable for promotion to that rank, which presumably forebodes that quite a large number of Army Commanders are going to die of heart attacks etc in the near future.

    So much for the general set up of the Army of the West.


    GERMAN INTENTIONS.
    During the first weeks of October the first priority and task number one of the German Army was to eliminate our bridgehead across the WAAL and recapture NIJMEGEN.

    To this purpose all available reserves were switched against ourselves and the American Airborne Divisions around NIJMEGEN, and the series of costly and unproductive attacks launched in the South East against MOOK and BEEK and in the North East against ELST and AAM took place.

    Since then priority number one has become the American thrusts around AACHEN and the Pz Division that fought us in the North are now approaching in the South around AACHEN, whilst in the North the policy is one of digging in and Artillery is the key note of the enemy’s activities.

    Whilst our next offensive is being built up, it is possible to work this stop gap system, but when the enemy has to deal with not single points of ? but five or six thrusts at once, the inadequacy of his reserves will send the situation beyond his control.


    TAIL PIECE.
    Yesterday 200 rounds were fired at the NIJMEGEN Bridges without scoring one hit.


    NOTE.
    Your patience is requested with this rather ponderous number of “Over to You”, but having now given the big picture in the widest possible terms, future issues will attempt to be lighter reading.


    BATTALION CASUALTIES.

    DIED OF WOUNDS
    Information has been received that the undermentioned members of the Battalion who were wounded, have since Died of Wounds:-
    2660840 Lance-Corporal LISTER, R., No. 1 Company
    2658027 Lance-Corporal WARD, R., No. 3 Company
    2664342 Guardsman DAWSON, G., No. 1 Company
    14655719 Guardsman CROWN, G., No. 1 Company
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 79
    Monday 16th October 1944.


    THE WESTERN FRONT.

    Progress around AACHEN is again slow, as the actual attack on the town has become subordinary to beating off counter attacks. The somewhat inadequate counter attack forces, known in NORMANDY as “the fire brigade”, are now all streaming to this scene of action, and will doubtless discover their inadequacy in due course.

    The Germans are fully aware that the battles to clear the SCHELDT Estuary and the way into ANTWERP are every bit as important as the penetration of the SIEGFRIED Line at AACHEN, but the country is not suitable to Armoured counter attack forces, and the Germans have to be content with producing the best that they can muster in the way of Infantry.

    Here our progress is also very strongly opposed, and by the nature of the country almost as much as the enemy, but satisfactory gains are being made.

    The third centre of operations is the clearance of the enemy from the West bank of the MAAS River. Here we have captured OPLOO and are now largely through the extensive mined areas that have slowed up operations to date.


    A TRIBUTE TO THE G.A.D.
    The following extract from “The Times” of 9th October 1944, is printed for the general edification of all and sundry:-

    GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION.
    PROWESS ON WESTERN FRONT.
    From Our Special Correspondent.
    NIJMEGEN SALIENT, October 7.

    The GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION has proved itself one of the most formidable fighting formations ever to leave ENGLAND. Goebbels has labelled the Division “Montgomery’s murderers” and “Churchill’s butchers” but the Guards consider that such abuse from such a source is high tribute to their fighting capacity.

    I saw a good deal of the GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION in the months when the allies were preparing to break from the NORMANDY Bridgehead. These were particularly difficult months for the armoured formations. The country was unfriendly to tanks, and the infantry had to bear the chief brunt of the operations. But the Guards were unhappy about it. They knew the Guards traditions as infantry and old-fashioned cavalry were superb, but they felt that they still had spurs to win as armoured fighters. More than one GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION officer or man asked me in those trying days when they were itching for a chance really to test their quality: “What are the other people saying about us? Do they think we are putting up a good show?” They need not ask these questions now. Their record in the bridgehead was good; since the closing of the FALAISE gap and the beginning of the Second Army’s Northward thrust across the SEINE through BELGIUM into HOLLAND it has been magnificent.

    490 MILES IN 25 DAYS.
    The Guards were ordered on August 27th to move forward from the FALAISE region across the SEINE and push on as fast as possible. They met with some stiff fighting and minor skirmishing on the way, but by September 20the they were in the NIJMEGEN area - 490 miles in 25 days. On the night of August 30th/31st they advanced 89 miles from the SEINE to the SOMME. It was the longest advance the any division of any nation has ever made in military history. Four days later the Guards broke their own records. They advanced 93 miles from DOUAI to BRUSSELS on September 3rd - and though enemy opposition on that day was not resolute anywhere, the advance was certainly not unopposed. They had to halt at several points to clean up determined enemy pockets which tried to hinder them.

    It was a great moment for the commander, Major-General Allan ADAIR, when the Guards reached ARRAS. It was at ARRAS in the last war that he won the Military Cross while serving as a junior officer with the GRENADIERS: and it was a great moment for the IRISH GUARDS when they were chosen to capture DOUAI. There the Germans in 1940 cut up the IRISH GUARDS in a furious engagement. Now the tables were turned.

    The Guards were ecstatically welcomed when they entered BRUSSELS on the night of September 3rd. In fact the fervour of the welcome actually delayed the troops in completing their occupation of the city. General ADAIR called up his men by wireless. “Hello, have you reached your objective yet?” “No,” came back the reply. “What is the trouble?” the General asked, “Are you meeting opposition?” “Yes, the population,” answered the harassed unit commander. A little later he came through to the General by wireless: “Hello,” he said, “Thank God it’s raining. We are moving forward to our objective now.”

    The Guards’ courageous part in the capture of the vital NIJMEGEN bridge in cooperation with American airborne troops is a matter of history. A curious story about one of their armoured car squadrons from the HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY at about the same time is less widely known. The armoured cars were patrolling when they saw a small ship with four barges in tow. The armoured cars manoeuvred into position, opened fire, and sank three barges and damaged the ship. They signalled the news to Divisional Headquarters which replied: “Congratulations. Brilliant naval action. Splice the main brace.”


    BATTALION CASUALTIES.

    DIED OF WOUNDS.
    Information has been received that the undermentioned members of the Battalion recently wounded, have since Died of Wounds:-
    2664516 Guardsman STEELE, W, No. 4 Company
    2662244 Guardsman MORRIS, A., No. 4 Company

    PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING.
    4264378 Guardsman DONNELLY, J., No. 4 Company
    reported “Missing” on 6th September 1944, is now known to have disembarked in the UNITED KINGDOM on 29th September 1944.


    B.B.C. NEWS 0800 HOURS.

    BIG RAIDS ON GERMANY.
    R.A.F. Lancasters and Halifaxes last nigh made a heavy attack on the naval base of WILHELMSHAVEN. They also bombed HAMBURG.

    Yesterday over 1,200 American heavy bombers attacked DUSSELDORF and COLOGNE.

    R.A.F. Lancasters attacked the SORPE DAM near DORTMUND with our new 12,000 lb “earthquake” bombs.

    SLIGHT PROGRESS IN NETHERLANDS.
    In the NETHERLANDS Canadian troops after another crossing of the LEOPOLD Canal have advanced about a mile against very slight opposition.

    On the other sector of the SCHELDT front the Canadians have been driven back from the Causeway, but Canadian guns still dominate the Causeway.

    In the East British 2nd Army troops are making slow progress towards the MAAS. Rain has turned the ground into mud.

    East of AACHEN a strong German counter attack with tanks has been halted. Bitter fighting is still going on inside AACHEN.


    IN BRIEF.
    The Germans have announced that ROMMEL has died from injuries received in NORMANDY. His car was shot up by Allied aircraft.

    In ITALY both the 5th and 8th ARMIES have made limited advances against strong opposition.

    In GREECE the R.A.F. is operating from airfields at ATHENS and MEGARA West of the Capital.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 80
    Wednesday 18th October 1944.

    LATEST WAR NEWS. Tuesday night.
    All day the Germans have been stubbornly trying to force a way through the American encirclement and into AACHEN, but without any success, and from the latest reports it appears that the Germans have by now done their worst in this area for a time at any rate.

    On the “Island” patrols crossed the NEDERRIJN West of ARNHEM and found RENKIM unoccupied, but the Germans holding the high ground to the North in some strength.

    Clearing the West bank of the MAAS we have made further good progress and advanced several miles South of OVERLOON.

    More troops have been brought up against the Canadians on the neck of the WALCHEREN Peninsular, and though these are ultimately suicide tactics, they are causing us some delay and considerable inconvenience.


    LETTER FROM COMMANDER OF AIRBORNE CORPS.

    The following is an extract from a letter received by the G.O.C. from Lieutenant-General F.A.M. BROWNING, C.B., D.S.O., Commander, Airborne Corps:-
    “I wish to express to you and your Division the extreme gratitude I, and the American Airborne Divisions feel for the speed with which you linked up with us initially, for the combined capture of the NIJMEGEN Bridge and Bridgehead, and for the many other feats of co-operation during the past few weeks.

    My American Divisions have been unstinted in their praise for the GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION, wherever they have had to co-operated. I think I am right in saying that this esteem is mutual, as on every hand I have heard very satisfactory comment both from my Americans and your commanders.

    I would like the Division to know how grateful I, and the American Divisions, are for the magnificent help of the GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION.”


    ANTICIPATED REACTIONS IN GERMANY TO ALLIED OCCUPATION.
    Whilst in the German press and on the German radio GOEBBELS has proclaimed that every German from seven to seventy will oppose our entry into GERMANY with fanatical guerilla warfare, sabotage, and every other tiresomeness that they can think up, in practice only about 20% of the population are likely to go down in the Nazi boat once it begins to sink.

    American interrogation of several hundred Prisoners has produced some interesting conclusions in this respect which are given below:-
    (a) The chief centres of Anti-Nazism in GERMANY are the Catholics and the Communists, and the going is likely to be easiest in BAVARIA, AUSTRIA, MUENSTERLAND, and ALSACE LORRAINE which are predominantly Catholic, i.e. the South of GERMANY will be healthier than the North.

    (b) Rural districts are expected to be more passive than the towns where there will be a good mixture of both sniping, cheering and glumness.

    (c) The Hitler Youth will be the chief snipers, but they will probably be strongly discouraged by the older section of the population who want peace at any price.

    (d) Chief danger to a successful occupation are the opportunists who will assure us that they have always been anti-Nazi and then if we are deceived by them seize every chance to do down their fellow Germans.

    (e) The main German anxieties will be that we speedily release Prisoners of War, relax the black-out, and that British or U.S. troops rather than the Russians occupy GERMANY. They are also afraid of some unspecified revenge being taken by the Jews.

    (f) HAMBURG, SUDENTENLAND, NIEDERSACHSEN and the vicinity of BERTESGARTEN are expected to be the most unhealthy districts.


    TYPICAL COMMENTS.
    “We are past caring one way or the other”.
    “I’m a simple worker ... All I ask for of life is ‘Let me go back to work in peace’.
    From an older Prisoner: - “These young kids know nothing but Nazi teachings - we older ones know better”.
    A farmer from HESSE:- “We are conservative - we won’t throw flowers or hand grenades - no trouble from us”.
    A RHINELANDER:- “We are a religious people - we’ll do what our (Catholic) Church advises - our Church is anti-Nazi.”

    LESS TYPCIAL.
    “Better national suicide than national dishonour”.

    So far our only experiences are with the RHINELAND which appears to confirm the conclusions given above, but the RHINELAND for historical and religious reasons is not a very good guide to the remainder of GERMANY.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 81
    Monday 23th October 1944.


    THE SIEGFRIED LINE.
    Now that the Americans are through the SIEGFRIED Line it is no longer of any military importance, but at the same time what the Americans found there is of interest, after the years of Parish propaganda that the Germans produced on the subject.

    To describe the SIEGFRIED Line and explain whey it failed, it is first necessary to forget any impressions that the newspapers may have given that it in any way corresponds to the MAGINOT Line. The MAGINOT Line was a system of forts embodying powerful guns and elaborate underground works, and its whole strength and weakness lay in the line of the forts itself.

    The SIEGFRIED Line is a system of pillboxes based on the fire of the M.M.G. and the decisive factor was never intended to be the line itself but the Panzer Divisions that were to manoeuvre and attack from behind the line. The SIEGFRIED Line was to be the holding element, while mobile reserves deployed to best advantage, and the first reason why the SIEGFRIED Line failed was that there were no reserves.

    By D plus 5 the Germans managed to get a Regiment from LUXEMBOURG and by D plus 8 another from NIJMEGEN. To produce the equivalent of one counter attack Division they had to denude their line from sectors 80 miles North and over 100 miles South and the net result has been wholly inadequate.

    The second reason why it failed comes from the nature of the pillboxes and the inferiority of the troops that manned them. Most of the pillboxes have only one embrasure which makes them as blind as a tank, added to which of course you can’t manoeuvre them to meet a change in the situation, and their only weapon is an M.M.G. Realising this the Germans taught that the crews must fight from positions dug outside the pillbox and use it only for the M.M.G. and as a protection against bombing and shelling. However, in practice the minute there was any shelling the Germans all abandoned the slit trenches designed to protect the pillboxes from the flanks and rear, and once the Americans got through any group of them they were turned into death traps.

    The country here consists of a series of steep though inconsiderable North to South ridges. At each and commanding position along the forward slope there is a group of mutually supporting pillboxes sited to give very long fields of fire. The forward slopes are well wooded and with numerous clusters of houses which give excellent concealment, while the ground the Americans had to attack over was comparatively open, but inevitably there were large spaces of dead ground, that could only be covered from the trenches outside the pillboxes, and these were never manned, so that with the help of smoke and tanks firing H.E. at the embrasures the pillboxes were by-passed with comparative ease. Once round the back the procedure for mopping up was to weld up the door at the back and then bulldoze earth into the embrasure at the front, which may be unorthodox but was certainly effective.

    A third reason for the failure of the SIEGFRIED Line was that it was out of date; what pillboxes were made for Anti-Tank guns were for the 3.7 Pak which is now ineffective, and there was no room to get anything bigger inside. The Anti-Tank ditches were too small and the Germans never had time to lay mines in effective numbers, consequently there were no adequate Anti-Tank defences, and the troops using the defences were not of the calibre to make use of bazookas or close combat methods.

    All in all the SIEGFRIED Line only goes to confirm an old maxim:- that the value of a defensive position is entirely dependant upon the quality of the troops fighting from it. The Americans who took part in this attack all agreed that it was not nearly such a tough proposition as their attack on ST. LO, and many other attacks they did in NORMANDY.

    At the present moment American engineers are systematically blowing up the SIEGFRIED Line, though it is indeed unlikely that in the years to come the SIEGFRIED Line will have any more value as a defensive line that the MARTELLO towers along our own coast.


    LOG OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS FROM SIEGFRIED LINE PILLBOXES.
    Below is given a verbatim translation of conversation recorded from a captured pillbox, during the American attack. No effort was made to disconnect the telephone after the pillbox was captured, and so the Americans were able to listen in on the line to the following:-

    2015
    Pillbox 244 calling 2nd Company H.Q.
    Lieutenant I want to report that I just saw 32 enemy tanks but a call from Battalion H.Q. says they observed 58 tanks cross the bridge. Another thing - we are running out of rations. Any chance to get some food to us? I still have a complete crew of 7 men.
    Lieutenant HOFNER: All right; of those seven men leave four inside and keep three at all times outside the bunker as guards. I’ll try and get some food to you.

    2120
    Unidentified pillbox calls H.Q.
    Sir, two men of my crew are missing, one of them took the heavy Machine Gun with him.
    C.O.: All right make out an affidavit and let two witnesses sign it.

    0500, 15th October 1944.
    Sir, out of four men counting myself, two have become casualties. Furthermore a dead man has been brought to my bunker. What am I to do?
    Evacuate them.
    The dead one too?
    Yes, of course, the dead one too.

    0600
    H.Q. calls a pillbox.
    EM: Is that you Heinrich?
    Yes, how is the general situation?
    EM: Don’t worry. (lowers his voice to confidential tone) our stuff has been rolling since 0215.
    Thank God, I hope they make it.

    0900
    H.Q. calls pillbox 240.
    C.O.: JANOVSKY, if you see tanks from FRELENBURG, call me immediately and ring four times.
    JANOVSKY: I have a lookout posted.

    1030
    Pillbox 240 calling H.Q.:-
    Sergeant JANOVSKY: Sir, I counted 80 tanks crossing over the bridge, and I have one casualty. The Tommies (?) are running back but the tanks keep on coming.
    Lieutenant HOFNER: Did you say eight tanks?
    No, Sir, eighty. They came over the bridge in close column.
    Lieutenant HOFNER: Himmeldonnerwetter ... I’ll request Artillery barrage immediately.

    1240
    Pillbox 240 calling H.Q.:-
    Sergeant JANOVSKY: We received enemy fire. Three of my men are badly hurt. Two are shell shocked and one passed out. My strength is now two or three men. The Americans apparently try to attack the Coal mine under the cover of smoke. We will hold the pillbox as long as possible and then ...? There is no way of retreat anywhere.
    Lieutenant HOFMAN: We’ll see if we can evacuate your wounded men after dark. Stay inside from now on. Heil.

    1440
    A Pillbox calls H.Q.
    Sir, the American troops are advancing towards the Battalion H.Q. and by-passed us already.

    1530
    A pillbox to H.Q.
    Sir, the Americans are at the Battalion H.Q. and we are receiving fire.
    Hell yes, so are we.

    1555
    Lieutenant HOFNER calls from a different Pilbox to H.Q.
    Lieutenant HOFNER: Is there any news?
    No, they are still firing at us with Machine Guns.
    Lieutenant HOFNER: All right, I’ll be back as soon as they Artillery fire lets up.
     
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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 82
    Wednesday 25th October 1944.


    THE GENERAL SITUATION.
    S’HERTOGENBOSCH has been captured, which marks a very considerable stop forward towards clearing the enemy from the South of the WAAL. Quite a stiff resistance was put up by the enemy and they blew the bridge over the Canal that runs through the centre of the town, but only after most of the attacking forces were already across.

    In the days when we were at OSS and astride the S’HERTOGENBOSCH road we used to carry on long and interesting telephone conversations with the patriots in the town and there can be few towns on record that have been so thoroughly investigated by Intelligence sources. In those days it was all talk of - “I’ve just seen 200 Germans go down the main street towards OSS”, or the “712 Division has been ordered to break out to GRAVE” - all of which didn’t go towards making us feel much happier in OSS. Now the story is reversed; it’s still the 712 Division but they must be missing their warm billets in S’HERTOGENBOSCH and there is every indication that the Germans are clearing out of this Sector.

    There are two escape bridges that the Germans can use to get back across the WAAL - one is the famous MOIRDYKE Bridge that they captured in 1040 by dressing up in Dutch uniform and pretending to be the incoming relief for the Dutch guards on the bridge. The other bridge we are at present sniping at with Medium Artillery from which, for the safety of the traffic crossing it, they have had to remove the demolition charges. North bound traffic has been pretty continuous for the last day or two, and there is every hope that this pocket will be cleared up in a short time.

    From the rest of the front there is little to report. The Canadians have recaptured to neck of the Isthmus that runs out on the North of the SCHELDT Estuary and the pocket on the South is being steadily reduced but against strong opposition.


    B.B.C. NEWS

    KYUSHU BOMBED FOR FOURTH TIME.
    American super Fortresses yesterday attacked KYUSHU, the Southern island of JAPAN proper for the fourth time.

    In PHILIPPINE waters American carrier planes have attacked Japanese naval forces moving in through the SIBUYAN and SULU seas towards the Central islands. The Japanese forces included battleships and cruisers. No further details are yet known.

    American troops on LEYTE Island have widened their bridgehead by 23 miles and advanced 7 miles inland.

    President ROOSEVELT has ended martial law in the Pacific Island of HAWAII.

    FIGHTING INSIDE S’HERTOGENBOSCH.
    In Western HOLLAND British 2nd ARMY troops are fighting inside S’HERTOGENBOSCH. South of the town the German lines are caving in on a 12 mile front.

    Across the SCHELDT Estuary Canadian troops have made headway in the battle for FORT HENDRICK just beyond BRESKENS.

    MORE ADVANCES IN EAST PRUSSIA.
    Soviet troops have gained more ground in East PRUSSIA and captured 15 more places.

    The Germans have been cleared from AUGUSTOVO a few miles from the border of East PRUSSIA. Further South Russian troops have broken into SATU MARE near the borders of HUNGARY and CZECHOSLOVAKIA.


    BATTALION CASUALTIES.

    DIED OF WOUNDS.
    Information has been received that
    2658332 Guardsman FLETCHER, G., No. 3 Company
    who was wounded on 3rd October has since Died of Wounds.


    THE GERMAN WOMEN AT WAR.
    The document reproduced below was printed by a HAMBURG firm, and captured on the Italian front. It’s not known how this fits in with their Home Guard duties in the VOLKSTURM:-

    Dear Front Soldiers:
    When will you come back on leave?
    When will you be able to forget the hard duties of a solider and exchange them for a few days of joy, happiness and love? Back at home we know of your heroic struggle; however, we do understand that even the bravest get tired and that he needs a soft pillow, tenderness and healthy pleasure.

    WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU.

    For you who have been compelled to spend your leave in a foreign town; we are waiting for you whom the war has robbed of his home, waiting for you who stands alone in the world without a wife, without a fiance, without a flirt.

    WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU.

    Cut out our badge on this letter. Display it visibly on your glass in every tea room, in every bar which is in the vicinity of a railway station; soon a member of our League of Lonely War Women will take charge of you, and the dreams you dreamt in the front line and the longings of lonely nights will find fulfilment ... It is you we want, not your money, therefore ask for our membership card at once. There are members everywhere, since we German women understand our duties towards our country and towards those who defend it.

    Naturally, we are not unselfish - for years we have been separated from our menfolks, surrounded by all those foreigners; naturally we long to have again a real German boy to press him to our bosom. Don’t be shy; your wife, your sister or your sweetheart is also one of us. We think of you but we also think of the future of our country. He who rests, rusts.

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=66353&stc=1&d=1320666466
    LEAGUE OF LONELY WAR WOMEN
    VEREIN EINSAMER KRIEGERFRAUEN.

    [ See links for an explanation of this leaflet. All is not as it seems.
    HTTP Error 403
    Also scroll almost to the bottom of the link, VEK Lettersheet: Operations Cornflakes ]


    B.B.C. NEWS IN BRIEF.
    It ITALY both the 5th and 8th Armies are making progress towards BOLOGNIA in very bad weather.

    In GREECE British troops have pressed on 100 miles to the North west of ATHENS. The new Greek cabinet held its first meeting yesterday in ATHENS.

    A CAIRO message says that Mr. EDEN has been in CAIRO since he left MOSCOW. He is expected to return to BRITAIN later in the week.

    IN the English Midlands Paratroop Officers and men who took part in the ARNHEM landings have been entertained at a public dinner.

    The Germans again launched flying bombs against BRITAIN from over the North Sea last night. Our guns on the East Coast were in action.
     

    Attached Files:

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    "OVER TO YOU."
    The Official news sheet of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
    Published Daily
    Price: - Gratis
    No. 83
    Saturday 28th October 1944.


    NEWS FROM THE FRONTS. Friday.
    Following on the capture of S’HERTOGENBOSCH our leading troops are now on the outskirts of TILBURG, another important centre of communications on the main ANTWERP - NIJMEGEN road that will soon be clear of enemy and greatly relieve the pressure of traffic through the bottle neck of EINDHOVEN.

    Very soon the Germans will have to accelerate their evacuation from South of the WAAL. Already one of their escape bridges is in range of our Artillery and with the continuation of our drive to the West they will be left with only the MOER DYKE Bridge and some rather perilous ferries connecting them with Northern HOLLAND.

    There is good news also from the ANTWERP sector. A landing has been made on the partially flooded island of WALCHEREN that sticks out from the end of the Isthmus running along the North of the SCHELDT Estuary, and along the Isthmus itself Canadian troops have made a further advance of six miles, so that the German batteries commanding the estuary are becoming increasingly hemmed in by the Canadians on one side and floods on the other.

    NIJMEGEN Bridge is still under fire, but the Germans are now unable to observe the results of their shoots which are not very effective, and do no damage to the bridge, though passing traffic is not always as happy as might be wished.

    Now that ENGLAND is beyond the range of V1, ANTWERP and BRUSSELS come in for occasional stonks, and V2s have also been report, but no appreciable damage has been done as yet.


    ENEMY METHODS - AGENTS.
    Five Dutch enemy agents have been picked up in Second Army Northern Sector. They were sent over in two separate parties the same day, neither group knowing of the other’s mission. Both were briefed by the same German Officer. One party seems to have consisted of seven saboteurs, of whom only three were caught. These three denied that they were responsible for the sabotage of the bridge on the OSS - LITH road and it is possible that it was done by the other four. Before being given this mission they had been in German service wearing uniform, but for this job they were given civilian clothes. They were given a large quantity of explosive and their instructions were to make a dump in some recognisable place and also, if they had an opportunity, to blow Allied AFVs. The dump was for the use of German soldiers who would follow, wearing civilian clothes and speaking Dutch. They were taken to our outpost positions by the Germans at night, but afterwards lost their way. They put the explosive by a house and bicycled on next day and were picked up. They had had some sort of training in sabotage and were all three ardent Nazis.

    The other two were spies. They were sent through the enemy FDLs at night but also lost their way and hid in a chicken hut, where they were found. One of them stated that he was an Officer in an enemy special service and the other had also been employed on Gestapo type work. Their orders were to report on the unit signs in the area OSS - GEFFEN, which they were told was part of our Winter Line. They had heard that a Dutch cook in the German officer’s mess frequently went to OSS.

    The salient points are these. The enemy is sending agents behind our lines. They are neither keen nor competent but some may get through. They may have friends or make friends behind our lines and it is therefore absolutely essential that civilians should know as little as possible of our dispositions, activities and plans. Particularly here where the vast majority of the population is friendly, helpful and interested, it is easy to forget that a minority does exist. The civilian population at the moment knows too much.
     

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