Joe Brown

Private Robert Love: 7/9RS Attack to capture the German Command Post in Flushing, 3 November 1944.

This note by a Sergeant in ‘B’ Company refers to the actions of Private Robert Love during the night attack to capture the German Command Post in Flushing 2-3 November 1944. It was written in the days immediately after the battle as a report to his Company Commander. It is extracted from my Intelligence Officer files.Joe Brown.Private Robert Love remembers the move by the Battalion to the Assembly Area prior to embarking in assault craft at Breskins to cross the Scheldt and land on ‘Uncle Beach’, Flushing’s rubbish tip: It was the 30th October 1944 and the 7th/9th Royal Scots were about ten miles from Bruges in Belgium and in our move towards Breskins we camped for the night at a little village called Oostveld. I spent the night in a hay loft.The next day the C.O. briefed all the officers: 155 Brigade with No 4 Commando were to assault and capture Flushing, a town on Walcheren Island in Holland. The operation was to begin at 0545 hours on the 1st November but the Battalion was not to be called upon until the other two Battalions of 155 Brigade were committed, the 4th and 5th Battalions Kings Own Scottish Borderers. It was not therefore until the early afternoon of D-Day that we moved to the shattered town of Breskins on the south bank of the River Scheldt, directly opposite Flushing.Climbing over the vast heap of rubble and wreckage I found a hole for the night and prepared to get what sleep I could get in the middle of the Medium Guns, our support artillery, when the cry went up which was now long familiar to all the ranks of the Battalion “Reconnaissance Parties at immediate notice to move, remainder of the Battalion at one hour’s notice”.When we moved the Rifle Companies paraded and snake-like they followed in single file, and slowly moved to embark onto the assault craft. The run over would take approximately thirty minutes; we sat there thinking and nobody wanted to talk, perhaps we were comparing this trip with all the other trips we had had at Inverary in Scotland, only this trip was to have a different ending. The landing itself was uneventful and were quickly led by guides to the former German Naval Barracks to await further orders.Although the part of the town we were occupying was cleared by the 4th KOSB, enemy snipers still had a view of the Barracks and we were under occasional machine-gun fire. Battalion patrols were sent out to deal with it and 11 Platoon sent out one patrol to the prominent windmill situated on the beach area, however it was found to be empty but it still had the excitement of being the first patrol.The Battalion was ordered to capture the German strong point, the Garrison HQ in Flushing located in the Britannia Hotel. Moving in a snake-like formation we passed through the forward positions held by the KOSB, our objective a mile ahead but we had to approach it through tidal flooded roads. During our advance towards the forming-up place where we would prepare to launch our attack, we came under artillery fire and encountered the activity of several snipers and one enemy machine-gun.Reaching the Start Line, the leading company found the sea water ahead was over five feet deep and some of us were now up to our shoulders in the water. ‘Wee Dicky’ Dickson being very light and small was actually floating along with his Mae West, his platoon sergeant having to hold on to him! My Company Commander was ordered to find another road. The snake-line continued but we had to grip each other fairly tightly as the sea water was running at about five knots. That was the moment we realise how glad we were wearing Mae Wests. The detour led to us to within 75 yards of an enemy pillbox; luckily the enemy must have been sound sleepers as not a shot was fired. 16 Platoon was given the order to attack, supported by covering fire from 10 Platoon. The pillbox was quickly captured and 35 prisoners taken.My Company then moved forward to the right, 10 Platoon led the way and we in 11 Platoon followed as we took cover under a sandy embankment. Only half of our other Platoon followed us as the others were pinned down by fire from the flank and rear. It was decided that we would give covering fire while two Platoons of ‘D’ Company would try to get into the Hotel. A composite 17 and 18 Platoon with a Platoon from ‘C’ Company gained entry, and this success was quickly followed by 13 Platoon (’C’ Coy) and 16 Platoon (‘D’ Coy). It became clear that the enemy were holding the locality in considerable strength, trenches and machine-gun posts appeared everywhere. The enemy tried to outflank us but I was in a good position to empty my Bren gun as the enemy charged but nevertheless ‘B’ Company at this time found itself pinned to the ground by grenades from all directions and by fire from MMGs and 20mms.As dawn broke the enemy became more aggressive, the Hotel was now on fire and burning furiously. Fighting still continued to be confused, but with the light it appeared the enemy were now fully awake and opposition was strong, nearly all buildings were occupied with snipers, and in the flooded area to our rear there were snipers in make-shift rafts who were difficult to spot. It became clear that a machine-gun and 20mm was on the roof of the hotel and that the surrounding buildings were completely ringed by a concrete trench system.We witnessed our Battalion Commander being shot as he tried to get up to us and believing him to be killed a great surge swept through us leading to 11 Platoon charging into a house which was part of the enemy HQ complex, with grenades and Piat fire blasting their way in. To the right of the Hotel, I led the Bren-gun team towards a pillbox, there didn’t seem to be any life or movement and as we stood at the entrance a German came towards us from one of the various rooms. I challenged him and he immediately turned and ran back from where he came and I gave a burst of Bren gun fire which deal with him and within minutes 25 of the enemy came out of various rooms and surrendered.With 11 Platoon I advanced on the final target, another pillbox which was near the gap in the dyke made by the RAF. There were lots of snipers everywhere, but with few casualties suffered by either side the enemy finally surrendered and the last objective taken.

Private Robert Love:  7/9RS Attack to capture the German Command Post in Flushing, 3 November 1944.
Joe Brown, Feb 4, 2014