1st KOSB EXERCISES

OPERATION FRATERNISE

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Lille-Saint-Hubert

Belgium

Signals Platoon, Belgium, 1944. From Joe Hunt collection.

On 7 October 1944 the 1st Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers was near Lille-Saint-Hubert on the Belgian–Dutch border, three weeks after the Escaut Canal crossing. That day the Commanding Officer gathered his Orders Group around a cloth model for a conference and discussion on Operation Fraternise.

Fraternise was a plan to seize a battalion position inside a heavily defended wood, as a firm base for further attacks. The force was formidable for a single infantry battalion: a squadron and two troops of Churchill tanks, a squadron of Flail tanks to clear mines, AVREs of the Royal Engineers, and 58 armoured carriers to drive the riflemen, ten at a time, straight into the wood behind a bombing raid and a creeping barrage.

The notes for the conference, Top Secret Copy No. 41, set out every stage, from the concentration area to the dig-in on the objective, down to who rode in which carrier and which wireless set linked them. By the next morning it was all off: the War Diary records that Fraternise had been cancelled, a move ordered and then cancelled too, and the battalion went back to its training programme.

WAR DIARY - 1ST KOSB

1 KOSB War Diary, 7 October 1944

Bn 'O' Gp Conference and Discussion on Op 'FRATERNISE' with cloth model.

Detailed notes will be found at Appendix 'D'.

Inter-coy patrols as usual.

1 KOSB War Diary, 8 October 1944

Op 'FRATERNISE' cancelled in the meantime.

The Bn makes preparation for a move.

The move is cancelled for the present.

Training as per Coy Training Programme. Patrols as usual.

7 October 1944

8 October 1944

Supporting Documents

OP FRATERNISE

TOP SECRET · Copy No. 41 · 7 Oct 44

1. Object

To secure a bn locality, inside a heavily defended wood, for use as a firm base for further offensive ops.

2. Resources available for op

One Bn Inf

One sqn plus two tps Churchill Tks

One sqn Flail Tks

A.V.R.Es

58 Armd Carriers, each carrier carries 10 men in addition to crew.

3. Sp available for op

(a) Air

Bombing of fwd edge of wood from H – 60 mins to H.

Splinter bombing of enemy localities in rear of fwd edge of wood.

Incendiary bombs on wood in rear of fwd edge.

(b) Arty

From H – 30 mins to H shelling of fwd edge of wood.

From H to H plus 15 barrage stands on opening line.

From H + 15 barrage moves at 200x every 3 mins, [handwritten: with concs? on selected targets].

4. Timing

H hour will be the time at which last air bomb falls and time at which attacking tps cross S.L.

5. Definitions [amended by hand from "Pln"]

(a) Concentration area – Place where Bn concentrates some days before the op.

(b) Assembly area – Place where the inf, tks, armd carriers and other sp arms "marry up" prior to moving to the F.U.P.

6. Deployment of Force

(a) 2IC takes forward the following guides and lays out first the assembly area then the F.U.P.

(i) For Assembly Area – RSM

Two guides per Coy

Two " for Bn HQ

Two " per Pl from B Coy

Two " from tks

Two " " Flails

Two " " A.V.R.Es.

One guide will remain, the other will return to the concentration area to load up his sub unit.

(ii) For F.U.P. – Coy 2ICs

Pl Sgts

Two guides from Bn HQ

One guide from Bn HQ for Sp Gp

Two guides from Carrier Pl

Two " " A.Tk Pl.

Each pl Sgt will bring a small notice board in Coy colour with the number of the pl printed on it. After placing the boards they will return to the assembly area to load up their pls.

(b) Move

(i) Tps will move into the assembly area in the following order: Tks – Flails – Armd Tp Carriers – Inf – A.V.R.Es. The inf will mount as soon as they arrive in the assembly area.

(ii) The move from the assembly area to the F.U.P. will be by two routes which will be marked by the 'I' Sec. All tps will deploy on reaching the F.U.P. straight into their correct posns. The layout is shown at Appx A.

7. The Advance

(a) Timings

H – Leading tps of the tk sqn cross S.L. (1st Ech)

H + 3 – Flail tks cross S.L. (1st Ech)

H + 9 – Leading tps of inf coys cross S.L. (2nd Ech)

H + 20 – Tac HQ Gp cross S.L.

H + 20 – Leading tps of rear inf coys cross S.L. (3rd Ech)

H + 25 – Sp Gp crosses S.L. (4th Ech)

(b) Speed – Best tk speed (approx 100 yds a min)

(d) Navigation – Visual. Coloured smoke and air burst over objective.

8. The Assault

Leading sqn tks occupy fire posns short of fwd edge of wood to shoot in leading inf coys. Spray tree tops.

Leading inf coys in armd carriers proceed into wood to max depth to which armd carriers can penetrate up to limit of coy objective.

Leading coys immediately debus and seize respective objectives.

Leading sqn tks ceases to fire frontally once leading inf coys reach fwd edge of wood, but continues to neutralise flanks of penetration until ordered to rally. (This will NOT be until bn has est a firm base.)

Rear inf coys follow leading inf coys and debus if possible, just inside the wood. Coys then seize respective objectives.

Tac HQ Gp and Sp Gp move to pre-determined locality.

On capture of objectives, tps will dig in and coys will patrol to pre-determined patrol line.

9. Allotment of Armd Carriers

(a) Each Leading Coy – 13 (26)

(b) Tac HQ Gp – 4 (4)

(d) Sp Gp – 2 (2)

Total – 58

10. Composition of Coys

(a) Rifle Coys – Not limited

(b) Coy HQ – Not limited, as per WE

Armd Tp Carrier 1 – CO, Sig Offr, 2 Ops (loaned) (two 19 sets), 2 Regtl Sigs (18 set), 'I' Sgt

Armd Tp Carrier 2 – IO, 1 Op (19 Set), 2 Regtl Sigs (18 Set), 2 Runners, 2 SDs, 2 'I' Sec

Armd Tp Carrier 3 – 1 R.E. Offr, R.Es [number amended by hand]

Armd Tp Carrier 4 – 5 R.Es, 4 Pnr Sec [handwritten]

CO's Carrier – 1 Driver, 1 Batman, 1 Op (Bde) 22 Set

MO's Half-track – MO, 2 SBs, 1 driver, Padre

(d) Sp Gp:

Armd Tp Carrier 5 – 2nd-in-Comd, Adjt, 1 Op (loaned) (19 Set), 1 Clerk, 2 Batman, 2 Regtl Sigs (18 Set), RSM

Armd Tp Carrier 6 – 10 Pnrs

Sigs M.14 (Tn) – 1 Dvr, 3 Sigs

Two secs Carriers (with some res SAA); One Sec Atk Pl; Coy Carriers

(e) 'F' Ech

M.14 Bde Sigs – OC HQ Coy, 1 Dvr, 1 Op, 1 Clerk; remainder normal.

11. Eqpt to be carried by inf Coys

(a) All personal weapons

(b) Two bandoliers per man

(d) PIATs and 2" Mortars to be carried

(e) Respirators NOT to be carried

(f) Small packs to be carried, with haversack ration

(g) Pick or shovel per man to be carried

Note: Additional amn will be brought fwd in coy carriers.

12. Comms

Pl to Coy HQ – by 38 Set and runner when on objective.

Coy HQ to Tac Bn HQ – by 18 Set and during adv, by 19 Set.

Tac Bn HQ to Bde – by 22 Set in carrier and by 19 Set in armd carriers.

Tac Bn HQ to Tk sqn – by IO with 19 Set on 'B' Set.

2IC – 19 Set in Armd carrier.

'F' Ech – 22 Set in Bde M.14.

13. Tpt

All other 'F' Ech tpt not referred to above will NOT move fwd from assembly area until called for.

APPX A – Layout of Force in F.U.P. (diagram: see image)

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APPX 'B'

1 KOSB TRG PROGRAMME FOR RIFLE COYS FOR W/E 8 OCT 44

3 Oct – AM: At disposal of Coy Comds · PM: 1430–1600 Rec Trg

4 Oct – AM: A and B Coys: Drill (a), W.T. (b), Sec Trg; C and D Coys: Route March (c) · PM: A and B Coys: 1430–1515 Handling of Mines, 1515–1600 Talk to men on conduct in Germany; C and D Coys: 1430–1600 Maint.

5 Oct – AM: A and B Coys: Route March (c); C and D Coys: Drill (a), W.T. (b), Sec Trg · PM: A and B Coys: 1430–1600 Maint.; C and D Coys: 1430–1515 Handling of Mines, 1515–1600 Talk to men on conduct in Germany

6 Oct – AM: Drill (a), Firing of Pl weapons (d), Debate (e) · PM: 1430–1600 Pl Trg

7 Oct – AM: CO's Adm inspection (f) · PM: 1430–1600 Rec Trg

8 Oct – Church parades (g)

Notes:

(a) RSM will take Coy NCOs on drill parade during periods allotted for drill. RSM will arrange direct with Coy Comds times of parades.

(b) O.C. Coys will ensure that all men in their coys are proficient in the use of the Pl weapons.

(d) O.C. Coys will be informed of areas in which Pl weapons can be fired.

(e) O.C. Coys will select subject for debate.

(f) & (g) Details will be notified later.

(h) S and "HQ" Coys will carry out same trg as that shown for rifle coys where applicable. Where not applicable, S and HQ Coys will carry out maint.

(j) 15 minutes PT will be carried out daily by all ranks under Coy arrangements.

(k) A Bn Cadre Course will be run during the week. Details are in Appx 'A'.

(l) MTO will ensure that maximum time is spent on maint of vehs during this week.

(Signed) Capt., Adjt. 1 KOSB

Dist: "A" "B" "C" "D" "HQ" & "S" Coys. Comd., 2IC., IO., Sig Offr., MTO., QM., RSM., 9 Br Inf Bde.

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A note on the wireless sets

38 Set – platoon to company, short range. 18 Set – company to battalion, carried on the back. 19 Set – vehicle set, battalion to brigade, with a short-range 'B' set for talking to the tanks. 22 Set – vehicle set for the link back to Brigade.

Appendix A to the Operation Fraternise orders, 7 October 1944: layout of the 1st KOSB force in the forming-up place, with Churchill and Flail tanks leading, D and B Companies forward, Tac HQ in the centre and A and C Companies behind.

OUR TAKE

Fraternise was briefed and then cancelled within a day, and the War Diary does not say why. But the plan did not go to waste. Six days later, on 13 October 1944, 1st KOSB attacked into a heavily defended wood west of Peelkant, in the 3rd Division's advance on Overloon and Venraij, alongside Churchill tanks and flails of the Guards. The officers who led that attack had spent 7 October around a cloth model working through exactly that problem: tanks shooting the infantry in, flails clearing the mines, companies seizing their objectives and digging in. The notes also show how carefully an all-arms attack was choreographed by late 1944, with four echelons crossing the start line minutes apart, every carrier load listed by job, and four separate wireless nets, from the platoon 38 Set up to the 22 Set back to Brigade.

Transcribed from the original War Diary and appendices, 1st Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers, October 1944 (War Diary 7–8 October 1944; Op Fraternise notes, Copy No. 41, Appx 'D', with layout diagram; Training Programme w/e 8 Oct 44, Appx 'B').

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