OPERATION BLACKCOCK : 1st Commando Bde (Jan 45)

Kelsey Emuss · Feb 21, 2022

stolpi said: ↑

No. 45 Royal Marines at 'Riley's Gully' (afternoon 23 Jan 45)

When all efforts to extricate 'A' Troop had failed, OC no. 45 RM Commando, Lt-Col Nicol Gray, issued the order to Captain Coventry to hold his present position and then withdraw after dark - still some hours away. 'C' Troop with Cdo HQ during that time had been heavily shelled and 'C' Troop commander, Captain P.D. Barnard, was wounded while speaking to the CO. Marine F. Burton, who carried Lt.Col. Gray's personal wireless set, was also injured while accompanying Gray on visits to the forward troops. He was badly hit in his right arm. Although obviously in great pain and with a useless arm, Burton continued to follow his commanding officer, thus maintaining vital communications and passing order for supporting fire to aid the forward troops. This he continued to do, refusing to return to the First Aid post until another signaller was obtained to take over the set. Burton received a Military Medal for his conduct.

Realizing that the approach to Linne over St.Joostbrug was blocked (point 'a' on the map below), Colonel Gray decided to find another way to Linne (1). Looking at the map he saw that there were two alternative points that allowed passage of the Montforterbeek, which though a shallow stream formed a formidable obstacle because of its deep streambed. The first passage was at the Linnermolen (point 'b') where a bridge carried the minor road to Linne, but this crossing and the nearby windmill now was known to be strongly held by the enemy. Instead Colonel Gray, probably in the hope that it was not so heavily occupied by the enemy, opted for a smaller, less significant crossing point just to the east of Brachterbeek (point 'c'). Here a small unpaved road - the Broekstraat - led along the rim of a natural embankment to the Montforterbeek. About 60 yards short of the stream the road petered out into a dirt path (nowadays called Beekstraat) that led through a depression in the ground to the deep-lying bed of the stream, where a small footbridge carried it across. On the far bank the path, more a hollow road, climbed out of the gulley and debouched on the open fields that gave access to Linne.

Colonel Gray sent 'B' and 'E' Troops towards this crossing, which would go down in commando history as 'Riley's Gully'. They were to follow the embankment, cross the Montforterbeek and dislodge the enemy from there in order to open the way to Linne.

View attachment 307324
Map of the area of the Montforterbeek: a) bridge in main road (Rijksweg) at St.Joostbrug, b) bridge at the Linnermolen and c) Riley's Gulley.

(1) The War Diary of 1 Commando Bde suggests that the 'A' Troop's action at the station was merely a flanking patrol and that the main effort of No. 45 RM Commando, right from the start, was aimed at the Montforterbeek. The Brigade's Diary states for 23 Jan 45: "11:00 hrs. 45 RM Commando moved forward to the MONTFORTERBEEK with a patrol thrust towards the station. The latter became heavily engaged and were unable to extricate themselves until nightfall after suffering and inflicting casualties. 45 RM Commando (...) succeeded in getting a bridgehead established over the MONTFORTERBEEK (...)". Unfortunately the War Diary of 45 RM Commando gives no details of the unit's plan of attack for the 23rd, which therefore can only be deduced from the events.
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Hello!
I have stumbled across this very comprehensive overview while doing some research and while I have not yet read it entirely (I will) I am wondering if you could give me your opinion on something. I have recently begun to research my husband's Grandfather's time in the war (he was a 45 Royal Marine Commando Troop E) and while I have at this point figured everything out about D Day I was left puzzled by a newspaper clipping that mentioned his involvement in an operation at a Windmill in Linne and I am wondering if you think the newspaper clipping is related to this operation.

davidbfpo · Feb 21, 2022

If you search using LInne there are a few threads elsewhere than here, so it might be worth looking at those.

Kelsey Emuss · Feb 21, 2022

davidbfpo said: ↑

If you search using LInne there are a few threads elsewhere than here, so it might be worth looking at those.
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awesome. Thank you!

stolpi · Feb 22, 2022

Kelsey Emuss said: ↑

I was left puzzled by a newspaper clipping that mentioned his involvement in an operation at a Windmill in Linne and I am wondering if you think the newspaper clipping is related to this operation
Click to expand...

Yes, the news paper clipping refers to the action at Riley's Gully: OPERATION BLACKCOCK : 1st Commando Bde (Jan 45)

Kelsey Emuss · Feb 22, 2022

stolpi said: ↑

Yes, the news paper clipping refers to the action at Riley's Gully: OPERATION BLACKCOCK : 1st Commando Bde (Jan 45)
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Yeah I just read through it all last night and pieced it together which would have never been possible if you had not taken the time to write this all out. I may never have figured out the exact details of what happened in that clipping - so thank you!.

Jonathan Ball · Mar 29, 2023

Pieter

I was in Brachterbeek recently and had the pleasure of looking through the Vossen Family scrapbook. It was the most remarkable collection of articles and photos collected over 70 years since the end of the war. I was most taken by this photo in it so did a 'then and now' of the House by the Bridge and Riley's Gulley.

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OPERATION BLACKCOCK : 1st Commando Bde (Jan 45)

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Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

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OPERATION BLACKCOCK : 1st Commando Bde (Jan 45)

Kelsey Emuss New Member

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Kelsey Emuss New Member

stolpi Well-Known Member

Kelsey Emuss New Member

Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

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