3rd Battalion IRISH GUARDS

September 16 OVERPELT
A quiet day in the concentration area.
It was decided as result of casualties and lack of reinforcements, to re-organise the Bn temporarily on a three coy basis and to this end, Major M.V. DUDLEY and his Coy HQ were for the time being L.O.B. During the evening an O Gp was held at 5 BDE HQ, under whose command the I.G. group now came, and orders were issued for a break-out of the bridge head on the following day and an advance NORTH to the ZUYDER ZEE.
Today’s casualties were one OR killed and one OR wounded.

September 17 OVERPELT
14:00hrs
The I.G. group was to lead the 5 BDE and effect the initial break-out of the bridge head. We had in support of us, 10 Fd Regts RA, 2 Med Regts RA and one heavy battery RA, and the call on a cabrank of 11 Sqns of TYPHOONS.
The Bn Group crossed the Div S.L. behind a rolling barrage, but we had not gone far before the leading sqn was halted by enemy battle groups with 88 mm guns and spandaus in the woods which flanked the roads. Progress was then slow, but the Typhoons who made 200 sorties during the afternoon, were able to overcome the enemy opposition, and after taking approx 100 PWs we crossed a small bridge just SOUTH of VALKENSWAARD in the evening and entered the town just as night fell.
During the day, Lt. RUSSELL was wounded by an enemy sniper, and seven ORs were killed and 18 wounded.

September 18 VALKESWAARD
After a quiet night, we were due to resume the advance early, but were delayed by the inf Bn of 50 DIV which was to take over form us and did not arrive until about 09:00 hrs. However, we got under way again and advanced along the C.L. as far as AALST where again we encountered a nest of A Tk and MG posts in concrete emplacements supported by inf. Unfortunately, owing to bad weather, we were unable to obtain air support but the gunners did good work and at 17:00 hours the enemy decided to withdraw after destroying their weapons, and we were able to have a clear run through EINDHOVEN 4219 to the WILHELMINA Canal. Here we found tps of a U.S. AIRBORNE DIV who were guarding the canal where the Germans had blown the bridge. The Bn group accordingly harboured the night SOUTH of the canal, during which time an excellent bridge was constructed by the REs.

 

Extract from War Diary

September 21 NORTH of NIJMEGEN
The advance was resumed at mid-day, but stiff opposition was encountered soon after leaving the outskirts of the town, which later proved to be thick screens of some 7 x 7.5 cm and 2x 8.8 cm Assault Guns, supported by inf who lined the ditches with spandaus and squeeze guns.
The I.G. group were again in the lead, but the country was totally unsuitable for the employment of armour as the main road was embanked and the country on either side of it dyked and impassable to tks. Lacking the support of Typhoons, the Bn was unable to advance and was compelled to form a tight laager for the night in its present posn area 702662.
During the day, LTS. WILSON and GORDON - SHEA were wounded, which left the Bn with only two Pl Comds, and one OR was killed and 17 wounded.

September 22 NORTH of NIJMEGEN
It was decided that the axis should now be cleared by elements of 43 DIV and accordingly the Bn group was ordered to remain where it was until this operation was completed. During the day, there was a certain amount of shelling in the Bn area as a result of which, a house in which Bn HQ was situated, was unfortunately burnt to the ground.
Capt. G.S. CORBETT was wounded by a shell splinter, six ORs were killed, 21 wounded and one missing.

September 23 NORTH of NIJEMEGEN
The Bn was still holding their positions on the main road NIJMEGEN - ARNHEM while 43 DIV endeavoured to clear the C.L. There was some air activity towards evening and the bridge over the R. WAAL was subjected to constant shelling and air attack. Behind us, the C.L. had been cut by a German battle group and was making supplies of ammunition and petrol an anxious matter.

September 24 NORTH of NIJMEGEN
The C.L. behind us was temporarily cleared of the enemy and Bn. H.Q. moved into the HUIS von OOSTERHOUT 694657 - a very comfortable chateau just WEST of the C.L.
At last we received some reinforcements - 70 men with Lts. REYNOLDS, GALLOWAY, MORRISEY, and WARNOCK.
The only casualty today was one OR wounded.

 

September 28 AAM
The Bn received orders to move into a defensive posn in the area of AAM 7170 to relieve 1WG. We had one sqn of 2 (Armd) IG tks in support and the take over was completed by 18:00 hrs. During the night, heavy mortar fire fell on No. 4 Coy area and 5ORs were killed and 5 wounded. Otherwise the day was uneventful. Patrols were sent out to recce the ground to the NORTH of the Bn posn but found no enemy. We also made contact with 7 GREEN HOWARDS on our Eastern flank.

September 29 AAM
Very little happened on the Bde front today and the enemy seemed to have withdrawn slightly from their posns, Patrolling was carried out as on the previous evening and no enemy were found.

September 30 AAM
After a peaceful night the morning was spent in laying defensive mine belts and harassing the enemy with mortar and M.G. fire. In the afternoon, Major FITZGERALD (2 i/c) was ordered to recce a new concentration area N.W. of GRAVE 6253.
6 Offrs and 155 ORs arrived as rfts.
Patrolling was again carried out during the night and proved to be uneventful.
Ten ORs were wounded during the day.

 

dbf, having ploughed through this monumental thread (not easy to keep up!) I've just got to say; 'nice one'.
I reckon you do the Irish Guards history a great service, rarely has so much solid stuff been concentrated in one place here. Hopefully the people who potter on while looking for some lost relative or other will really appreciate what you've done, and the obvious amount of work involved.

And as for 'covert pigeon lofts'... that's really led me down some strange Google alleyways.

Cheers,
Adam.

 

Adam,
Thanks, I hope it may yet help someone to find info about a relative.
Unfortunately can only limit myself to 3Bn although I do naturally stray in to 2Bn now and again.

As for pigeons, I think they might just deserve a thread of their own sometime. Was interesting ref. made to them in article on Boer war thread too. Led me to spend an entire day looking for refs. to their contribution to the war effort over the years. Sad I know ... who ate a carrier pigeon - was that a true WWI incident or just one of those myths ...? Then there's the ref in Longest Day to the war correspondent's 'traitor' who flew the wrong way.

d

Pigeon Carrier Service in Africa.

From St. Nicholas.

The pigeon post at Durban, in South Africa, was the beginning of the pigeon experiments conducted in recent campaigns between the English and Boers, and scores of messages were carried from one part of the English Army to another by means of the birds. Col. Hassard of the Royal Engineers, a staff officer at the Cape, had made a life study of the carrier pigeons, and before the war broke out the had established pigeon posts between most of the beleaguered cities. From Ladysmith, Kimberley, and Mafeking, pigeons early in the sieges regularly brought messages from the English soldiers cooped up in the towns. Sir George White's first message from Ladysmith was carried by a pigeon, and this means of communicating with the outside world continued until the number of birds in the city was exhausted. It was only a short time before that The English Government had decided to establish a service of carrier pigeons. In the navy pigeon posts were recognized means of carrying information as early as 1896, and there are over a thousand birds recorded on the books of the royal navy. The first naval loft was at Portsmouth, and now there are two others. In the English Army the posts have been confined almost exclusively to the Cape, where the nature of the country makes the homing pigeon service of more value than in England.

Published NY TIMES, June 16, 1901.

 

Hallo Philip,
Having checked google I see what you mean about how much it has changed, at least I think I do.
Is the A325 large M shaped junction to the bottom right, and then to the North the Roman names? Can you please explain the significance of the use of the latter, Tiberius, Claudius and other Roman refs?
Thanks,
d

 

I would like to add a big thank you to our pals Philip and Peter for helping to expand the cemetery details. Hard work guys and I appreciate it.

If anybody would like to check out the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order on page 3 and sees one which they have photos for, please let me know by PM.

It would be nice to fill this up a little more.

Much appreciated,
dbf

 

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll119/dbf_bucket/IG%20MEDAL%20RECOMMENDATIONS/guards_farewell-1.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll119/dbf_bucket/IG%20MEDAL%20RECOMMENDATIONS/guards_farewell-2.jpg


"Monday, June 11, 1945

Armoured Guards' Farewell

From R.W. Thompson 'The Sheffied Telegraph' Special Correspondent

Rotenburg Airfield, Germany, Sunday. [10th June, 1945]

Field-Marshal Montgomery, escorted by a squadron of the Household Cavalry, yesterday drove up to a small white pavilion from which four Union Jacks flew beside the Standard of the Guards Armoured Division for the ceremonial farewell to armour of the Brigade of Guards on their return to take their rightful place as the cream of Britain's infantry.

With every gun at an angle of 45 degrees and every tank spotless, new painted and glinting with the wide open eye of the Guards Divisional sign, it was, despite the display of military might, more of a peacetime scene than anything else I have yet seen.

Massed Bands

Greeted by Major-General Allan Adair, commmanding the Guards Armoured Division, the Field-Marshall immediately took the general salute, and the massed bands of the Coldstream and Welsh Guards struck up.

As the Field-Marshall and General Adair took the salute the infantry of the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards together with representatives of all support troops in the Division, marched past with the magnificent smartness of the highest traditions of the Brigade of Guards.

In a short speech the Field-Marshall said that in the realm of armoured warfare the Guards had set a standard that would be hard for others to reach and maintain.

This closed one of the finest episodes in the history of the Brigade of Guards. Their exploits in armour will never be forgotten.

It was told that the Household Cavalry would keep their armoured vehicles in the division, but a squadron each of the Life Guards and the Royal House Guards (Blues) would become horsed cavalry again in London."

 

Diane ,
What happened on 11th August 1944?
I see one of the casualties is the younger brother of 7th Marquess of Lansdowne who was killed in Italy in the Royal Wilts Yeomanry.
The Bowood Estate is not far from me.
CWGC :: Casualty Details

7th Marquess of Lansdowne. Son of Lt.-Col. Henry William Edmund Petty-Fitzmaurice, D.S.O., M.V.O., 6th Marquess of Lansdowne, and the Marchioness of Lansdowne, of Bowood, Wiltshire. B.A. (Oxon.). His brother Edward Norman also fell
.

The brother is,
Lord EDWARD NORMAN FITZMAURICE
Date of Death:11/08/1944
CWGC :: Casualty Details

 

Diane ,
What happened on 11th August 1944?
Sourdeval - back in a mo.
d

 

Owen, seems a sniper shot him in the head.

Going by JOE V's description think that IWM photo of the IG men in transport with their faces covered up may well fit in before this. [Edit, photo taken near Cagny 18th July.]

Will paste up accounts in a minute, here's diary entry for that day

3Bn WD

Again this morning the forward coys were attacked by an enemy force - thought to be on recce - but were easily repulsed by S.A. fire.

The Bn, supported by a sqn of tks of 1 (Armd) COLDM GDS and one Fd Bty carried out an attack to gain the line of the main VIRE-VASSY road SOUTH of SOURDEVALLE, being phased in with the remainder of the 32 Gds Bde directed on the village of CHENODELLE, and in concert with 1 MOT. GREN GDS and 2 (Armd) GREN GDS directed on the village of VIESSOIX. We were in the centre of a Div effort directed Southwards.

The leading Coys, right - 2 Coy and left - 4 Coy, were supported by two troops of tanks, medium mortars and a Field Bty RA, came under intense fire on a convex slope running Southwards, as soon as they crossed the Start Line. The leading tks immediately suffered casualties from enemy A.Tk guns or dung in tanks SOUTH of their objective. The forward coys pushed on through root and cornfields, suffering very heavy casualties before they reached their objective at approximately 400 yds NORTH of their objectives.

The enemy then crumpled heavily with arty and mortar fire on the forward slope of the hill down which the attack had been directed and at 1600 hours a contact patrol was sent forward to (a) locate the centres of enemy resistance, and (b) inform all possible survivors that they were to withdraw to the line of the F.D.Ls as soon as a smoke screen was laid to cover them. This contact patrol was led by Lt. A.N. DREWE of X Coy, who was himself wounded, one man of the patrol killed and another man wounded.

The smoke screen was laid, duration 30 mins, and Lt. DREWE with stretcher bearers, again went forward into the smoke and did all he could in supervising evacuation of all possible wounded.

Very heavy casualties were suffered by 2 and 4 Coys. Officers killed were Major A. EARLEY-WILMOT (2 Coy Comd), Lt. LORD FITZMAURICE (4 Coy) and Lt. P. BOURKE (2 Coy) and Major D.A. REID (4 Coy Comd), Lt. KINGAN (4 Coy) and Lt. RYDER (2 Coy) were all wounded. ORs suffered to the extent of 33 killed and 72 wounded.

The men were splendid, advancing in spite of the severe opposition, and nothing further could be done to support them owing to the proximity of the opposing posts, and the fact that the bulk of the fire power had to be retained for the 32 GDS BDE attack on CHENODELLE.

In the evening, the remnants of 2 and 4 Coys were successfully withdrawn to the reserve Coy area and their original positions were taken over by Nos 1 and X Coys.

Nos 2 and 4 Coys were amalgamated into one coy, now known as No 2, under the command of Capt. HENDRY.


========

Major ANTHONY REVELL EARDLEY-WILMOT M C 104182, 3rd Bn., Irish Guards who died age 34 on 11 August 1944
Son of Maj. T. Eardley-Wilmot, D.S.O., and Mildred Clare Eardley-Wilmot, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. M.A. (Cantab.): Exhibitioner of Trinity College.
Remembered with honour TILLY-SUR-SEULLES WAR CEMETERY
Grave/Memorial Ref: IX. H. 9.

Lieutenant Lord EDWARD NORMAN FITZMAURICE 253926, 3rd Bn., Irish Guards who died age 22 on 11 August 1944
Younger son of Lt.-Col. Henry William Edmund Petty-Fitzmaurice, D.S.O., M.V.O., 6th Marquess of Lansdowne, and the Marchioness of Lansdowne, of Bowood, Wiltshire.
Remembered with honour TILLY-SUR-SEULLES WAR CEMETERY
Grave/Memorial Ref: IX. E. 9.

===

Wednesday, August 23, 1944




Thurdsay August 31, 1944


Thursday January 4, 1945

 

From IG History

 

From A Soldier's Story, JOE Vandeleur:

 

Thanks for that.

Sad month for the family as on the 20th the Marquess of Lansdowne was killed when his tank was hit by a German "bazooka", he was only man killed in that crew.

 

Thanks for that.

Sad month for the family as on the 20th the Marquess of Lansdowne was killed when his tank was hit by a German "bazooka", he was only man killed in that crew.

Sad indeed, and noticed that the records have not been crossed- referenced on cwgc in both records:

"Younger son of Lt.-Col. Henry William Edmund Petty-Fitzmaurice, D.S.O., M.V.O., 6th Marquess of Lansdowne, and the Marchioness of Lansdowne, of Bowood, Wiltshire." No mention of his brother.

Would have thought that they would have at least updated one after inputting data on the other...

Thanks for drawing this to my attention - I will put a note in my lists about his brother.
d

 

Diane ,
What happened on 11th August 1944?
I see one of the casualties is the younger brother of 7th Marquess of Lansdowne who was killed in Italy in the Royal Wilts Yeomanry.
The Bowood Estate is not far from me.
CWGC :: Casualty Details

Owen,
Do you have a pic of his name on the memorial, by any chance?
dbf

 

Owen,
Do you have a pic of his name on the memorial, by any chance?
dbf
I did take one but as the gold lettering on marble of the Cassino Memorial is totally unreadable I deleted it after taking it.