War diary for 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards Sep 6th -Sep 17th 1944

Gentlemen,

I am looking for data on an incident that took place in Hechtel Belgium on September 8th 1944. It concerns the action in which Lieutenant W.H. Griffith, 2nd (armoured) Battalion Welsh Guards, with his Cromwell destroyed the Jagdpanther of Major Sattler, then commander of the Panzerjägerabteilung 559. This fight occurred on the road from Leopoldsburg to Hechtel. The intention is to write an article in the magazine of our Museum in Leopoldsburg where I work as a volunteer. This on the occasion of 80th year of liberation. The purpose of this article is to give an as accurate as possible account on what exactly happened on September the 8th 1944.

For this I have already consulted the following sources:
Interview with Lt Griffith on IWM
Book ‘Missbraught und gebeutelt’ Franz Kopka
Book ‘Autum Gale’ Jack Didden
Book ‘The liberation of Heppen and Leopoldsburg 8-12 September 1944’ Marius Louche
Official document "proposal for obtaining the Military Cross "(Lt Griffith)

While reading these sources, I could see that there were similarities in the stories but also a lot of contradictions. Hence the following question:

I am looking for entries in the war diary of the 2nd (Armoured) Battalion Welsh Guards during the period from 6 September to 17 September 1944. These dates include both the battle mentioned above and the Battle of Hechtel. This in the hope of discovering new elements that could make the story of this fight even more accurate.


In hope someone can help me with this matter

Kind regards

Peter Van Caneghem

Volunteer Royal Museum Camp Van Beverlo

 

See:

• WO 171/1260 - 2 Welsh Guards - September 1944 - TracesOfWar.com

from War Diaries - TracesOfWar.com

 

Gentlemen,

To start, thank you very much for the info you provided to me concerning the 2nd Welsh Guards. It is very useful!!

I have another question.

Did British forces also keep diaries in small units regarding to actions done by these units, I am thinking here of tank Squadrons, platoon or company level?
If yes, are these also available somewhere?
I remember for instance a scene from Band of Brother where “Winters” writes a full report on an attack on a crossroads in the Netherlands.
Would something like that also exist for the Welsh Guard actions in Hechtel?

Thanks
Peter

 

There are exceptions of course but it was not normal for units below battalion level to keep war diaries.

I've seen some Action Reports filed in Appendices of War Diaries. These were usually either on a company level (eg an important attack, when company was acting independently / cut off from HQ, often also to support medal recommendations) or even for fighting patrols. (For these it's best to check not only the relevant month but any Appendices for the following month at least.)

I don't have copy war diaries for this battalion but imagine other forum members either might have copies or can photograph them as part of their copying services which are much less than direct TNA charges.

I do have copy of the WG History (which I rate as the least informative of the five Guards regiments). If you haven't already got a copy of the official History, I might be able to photograph / post relevant pages later on today.
(Edit: quickly checked and there is one paragraph dealing specifically with the Armoured battalion in the 10 page chapter "Beringen, Helchteren and Hechtel")


I imagine you've seen this publication already:

• AUTUMN STORM over HECHTEL - September 9-12, 1944
• Wuyts Gerard

 

Dbf

if it is not too much to ask I would definitely like to be sent this chapter. Any info I can get on the fighting in and around of our villages is certainly of interest to me.
I have the book by Wuyts G. in my possession. It is a good work, but also written with a lot of emotion, so some things may not have been presented so objectively.
A book I would definitely recommend is the one by Joseph Bussels, former mayor of Hechtel, "De slag om Hechtel"(The battle of Hechtel). It is a work that mainly describes the fighting in Hechtel during the period 3 to 12 September 1944.
If you would like to have this, I have a searchable pdf file of it. Perhaps one big drawback for you is that it is written in Dutch. But with today's translation programs this should not really be a problem.
This book is also accompanied by a series of maps representing the battles day by day. Is a very interesting part of the work.
So, if you would like me to send it to you I would need your email address. Then I can use this to "Wetransfer" it.

Just let me know
Regards
Peter

 

Thanks for your kind offer but please don't trouble yourself. While I do have some understanding of Dutch, WG aren't my main area of interest.

As requested, from :
Welsh Guards at War by Major L.F. Ellis, CVO, CBE, DSO, MC, Welsh Guards:
Part I THE STORY OF THE REGIMENT [overview]
Pages 68 - 69




Part II BATTALIONS IN ACTION
FRANCE AND BELGIUM, 1944
Pages 216 - 226

 

apologies for my naivety but I’m searching for some information on my great uncle, he was a guardsmen and I’ve found a record of him being wounded (attached) would this have been in the same action?

I’ve also got further photos of him and his battalion I’d be more then happy to share if anyone would be of interest or would help me find out more about his service?