VERITABLE 1945: the Canadian finale (Moyland Wood & Goch-Calcar road)

As I understand it, wef dates are typically on the day after, so something like as of 6 am this date, he is officially with us. But he physically got there some time the day before or perhaps even was wounded on the way.

 

Nice one. Thanks for sharing. That from regt history?

 

Thought this was kind of interesting so I thought I'd share. I tried to find a topo map of the Goch-Calcar road and this comes from Kalkar topographic map, elevation, relief

Red is highest terrain, through yellow to green to blue.

 

Thank you for the excellent write up on this battle. The book “There’s a goddamn bullet for everyone” by Arthur J. Kelly has an excellent account of the fighting here. It’s one of the most graphically detailed books about being in the infantry in NWE.

 

By a member of the RHLI? I have to track this down! Or at least look at a library copy. Thank you for mentioning it.

 

Yes. Arthur Kelly was a Cpl in the RHLI. The book starts at Verriers and ends in Germany when he got wounded. He was in the pioneer platoon.

 

Here is the relevant chapter from There's a Goddamn Bullet for Everyone

 

The name of O'Riley is made up. However it is actually the author who was Cpl Arthur Kelly. A few of the other names are nicknames but the rest of the names are all correct.

 

Thanks for the share Jordan. The book's like rocking horse poo over here. Pint owed.

 

Fantastic account of the action

 

Attached is the 11 Cdn Field Amb's War Diary from the 16th to the 24th. Hope it adds to the story.

 

Bump ... 8 Feb 1945 the Rhineland battle started

 

Have you seen RG Poulssen's updates on XTwitter? Bit dull but for hardcore geeks at least he's reminding people.

 

Ehup Stolpi,
This snippet from 3 SG "diary" suggests only LF (on the right as usual!) was supporting Winnipeg Rifles. Usual disjoint between SG and their supported inf too.

 

Whitaker - top bloke

 

I don't know what happened, but I didn't read this when you posted it. I'm reading it now but... I find it difficult to credit as anything but fiction.

 

Does look a bit creative now you mention it...

 

IIRIC, the snippet mentions two squadrons: Right Flank (advancing to a small lump of high ground a mile south of Moyland at 964495) and Left Flank on their right going straight for Louisendorf.

The Right Flank objective, point 964495, is the high ground hard north of Louisendorf indicated as A-Coy objective on the map below. This the area of the old Creamery. Right Flank accompanied the infantry of C- and A-Coys, RWR, in their Kangaroos onto these objectives. Left Flank moved into the village on the right, probably in a frontal attack moving along the (NW-SE) main road. The infantry (D and B-Coys) followed them (?) and entered the village after the Left Flank had seized it (that is to say: according to the SG War Diary).

 

My bad! Lazy reading of that opening line. DBF has that whole file posted.

 

Link - I think Scots Guards, 3rd Tank Battalion, 20 Jul 1944 - 8 May 1945 | WW2Talk