3rd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment

Hi Germansi.

From 3 Mons war diary - WO171/1349

26 June 1944
The breakout commences 0730 hrs, but we are in rear of assaulting colns of armour and are not called forward until 1400 hrs, on 27 June.

27 June 1944
1700 Arrive at a posn a few miles NORTH of the ODON (river).
2100 Inf march fwd to reserve posn on NORTH side of ODON.
2200 CO calls for track and essential wh vehs. The night is extremely bad and it is very soon found to be impossible to move the coln of vehs without a number going astray. In addition the corridor to the R. ODON is so narrow that the risk is found too great and we wait until first light to move tpt. Lt W.J. Williams “A” Coy injured – run over by gun of own A.Tk Pl Regt.

28 June 1944
0600 Bn arrives in allotted area after difficult night march. “C” Coy were dropped outside COLLEVILLE during the night for protection. “C” Coy run into trouble and suffer badly. Three subalterns, Lt. C.E. Spooner, SWB, and Lts. J.E. Davis, C.C. Cassady of Cdn Inf Corps, and 61 ORs missing.
0700 Tpt arrives. Bn has already started digging in.
2100 and onwards Enemy prepares to counter-attack the two fwd bns. Terrific arty barrage disperses them and the inf holds off all local attacks.

I would say that it is almost certain that your grandfather was in 'C' Coy. I think they were counter-attacked by a battalion of infantry from 1 SS Pz Div, supported by some Pz IVs from 21 Pz Div and some Tigers for good measure. Unsurprisingly they were swiftly overrun.

Regards

Tom

 

Have you got the entry for 30th November 1944. Or any mention of Captain GE Gibbs who died on that day, he was intelligence officer. Would he be the one recording the diary?

 

No mention of Gibbs in the diary or wireless log for Nov 30th. Here is an account of that period by unit historian Hedley J Bunce.

 

Are you still stuck on this mate?

 

Hello all! I am looking for any information regarding a Cpl S. Kettle 3rd Monmouths. According to the CWGC website he died 22 September '44 aged 21. He is buried in Mierlo War cemetary near Eindhoven. A previous post here states that the 3rd battalion were involved in a canal crossing on that day but no mention of casualties. Might the description 'Died' suggest he wasn't KIA on the date in question but maybe died of wounds/illness? Any help appreciated. Thanks. Mike