Search Results

1st KOSB War Diary 1944-45 Follow the 1st KOSB after they leave Normandy and push on into Belgium, Holland then finally, Germany. Based around the Official War Diary, we are adding information, data and personal accounts on an ongoing basis. Click on the date to view their actions on this day. Map D-Day+ Date Day Start Location Finish Location 103 17/09/1944 Sunday Soignies, BELGIUM MEUSE ESCAUT CANAL 104 18/09/1944 Monday MEUSE ESCAUT CANAL LILLE ST HUBERT 105 19/09/1944 Tuesday LILLE ST HUBERT ACHEL 106 20/09/1944 Wednesday ACHEL ACHEL 107 21/09/1944 Thursday ACHEL BUDEL 108 22/09/1944 Friday BUDEL BUDEL 109 23/09/1944 Saturday BUDEL BUDEL 110 24/09/1944 Sunday BUDEL LIESEL 111 25/09/1944 Monday LIESEL LIESEL 112 26/09/1944 Tuesday LIESEL LIESEL 113 27/09/1944 Wednesday LIESEL LIESEL 114 28/09/1944 Thursday LIESEL MILHEEZE 115 29/09/1944 Friday MILHEEZE MILHEEZE 116 30/09/1944 Saturday MILHEEZE MILHEEZE 117 01/10/1944 Sunday MILHEZE ST HUBERT 118 02/10/1944 Monday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 119 03/10/1944 Tuesday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 120 04/10/1944 Wednesday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 121 05/10/1944 Thursday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 122 06/10/1944 Friday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 123 07/10/1944 Saturday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 124 08/10/1944 Sunday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 125 09/10/1944 Monday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 126 10/10/1944 Tuesday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 127 11/10/1944 Wednesday ST HUBERT ST HUBERT 128 12/10/1944 Thursday ST HUBERT ST ANTONIS 129 13/10/1944 Friday ST ANTONIS PEELKANT 130 14/10/1944 Saturday PEELKANT PEELKANT 131 15/10/1944 Sunday PEELKANT PEELKANT 132 16/10/1944 Monday PEELKANT SMAKT 133 17/10/1944 Tuesday SMAKT SMAKT 134 18/10/1944 Wednesday SMAKT SMAKT 135 19/10/1944 Thursday SMAKT SMAKT 136 20/10/1944 Friday SMAKT SMAKT 137 21/10/1944 Saturday SMAKT SMAKT 138 22/10/1944 Sunday SMAKT SMAKT 139 23/10/1944 Monday SMAKT SMAKT 140 24/10/1944 Tuesday SMAKT SMAKT 141 25/10/1944 Wednesday SMAKT SMAKT 142 26/10/1944 Thursday SMAKT SMAKT 143 27/10/1944 Friday SMAKT SMAKT 144 28/10/1944 Saturday SMAKT SMAKT 145 29/10/1944 Sunday SMAKT SMAKT 146 30/10/1944 Monday SMAKT SMAKT 147 31/10/1944 Tuesday SMAKT SMAKT 148 01/11/1944 Wednesday SMAKT SMAKT 149 02/11/1944 Thursday SMAKT SMAKT 150 03/11/1944 Friday SMAKT SMAKT 151 04/11/1944 Saturday SMAKT ST ANTONIS 152 05/11/1944 Sunday ST ANTONIS ST ANTONIS 153 06/11/1944 Monday ST ANTONIS ST ANTONIS 154 07/11/1944 Tuesday ST ANTONIS ST ANTONIS 155 08/11/1944 Wednesday ST ANTONIS ST ANTONIS 156 09/11/1944 Thursday ST ANTONIS OVERLOON 157 10/11/1944 Friday OVERLOON OVERLOON 158 11/11/1944 Saturday OVERLOON OVERLOON 159 12/11/1944 Sunday OVERLOON OVERLOON 160 13/11/1944 Monday OVERLOON OVERLOON 161 14/11/1944 Tuesday OVERLOON SMAKT 162 15/11/1944 Wednesday SMAKT SMAKT 163 16/11/1944 Thursday SMAKT SMAKT 164 17/11/1944 Friday SMAKT SMAKT 165 18/11/1944 Saturday SMAKT SMAKT 166 19/11/1944 Sunday SMAKT OVERLOON 167 20/11/1944 Monday OVERLOON VENRAIJ 168 21/11/1944 Tuesday VENRAIJ VENRAIJ 169 22/11/1944 Wednesday 170 23/11/1944 Thursday 171 24/11/1944 Friday 172 25/11/1944 Saturday 173 26/11/1944 Sunday 174 27/11/1944 Monday 175 28/11/1944 Tuesday 176 29/11/1944 Wednesday 177 30/11/1944 Thursday 178 01/12/1944 Friday 179 02/12/1944 Saturday 180 03/12/1944 Sunday 181 04/12/1944 Monday 182 05/12/1944 Tuesday 183 06/12/1944 Wednesday 184 07/12/1944 Thursday 185 08/12/1944 Friday 186 09/12/1944 Saturday 187 10/12/1944 Sunday 188 11/12/1944 Monday 189 12/12/1944 Tuesday 190 13/12/1944 Wednesday 191 14/12/1944 Thursday 192 15/12/1944 Friday 193 16/12/1944 Saturday 194 17/12/1944 Sunday 195 18/12/1944 Monday 196 19/12/1944 Tuesday 225 17/01/1945 Wednesday 226 18/01/1945 Thursday 227 19/01/1945 Friday 228 20/01/1945 Saturday 229 21/01/1945 Sunday 230 22/01/1945 Monday 231 23/01/1945 Tuesday 232 24/01/1945 Wednesday 233 25/01/1945 Thursday 234 26/01/1945 Friday 235 27/01/1945 Saturday 236 28/01/1945 Sunday 237 29/01/1945 Monday 238 30/01/1945 Tuesday 239 31/01/1945 Wednesday 240 01/02/1945 Thursday 241 02/02/1945 Friday 242 03/02/1945 Saturday 243 04/02/1945 Sunday 244 05/02/1945 Monday 245 06/02/1945 Tuesday 246 07/02/1945 Wednesday 247 08/02/1945 Thursday 248 09/02/1945 Friday 249 10/02/1945 Saturday 250 11/02/1945 Sunday 251 12/02/1945 Monday 252 13/02/1945 Tuesday 253 14/02/1945 Wednesday 254 15/02/1945 Thursday 255 16/02/1945 Friday 256 17/02/1945 Saturday 257 18/02/1945 Sunday 258 19/02/1945 Monday 259 20/02/1945 Tuesday 260 21/02/1945 Wednesday 261 22/02/1945 Thursday 262 23/02/1945 Friday 263 24/02/1945 Saturday 264 25/02/1945 Sunday 265 26/02/1945 Monday 266 27/02/1945 Tuesday 267 28/02/1945 Wednesday 268 01/03/1945 Thursday 269 02/03/1945 Friday 270 03/03/1945 Saturday 271 04/03/1945 Sunday 272 05/03/1945 Monday 273 06/03/1945 Tuesday 274 07/03/1945 Wednesday 275 08/03/1945 Thursday 276 09/03/1945 Friday 277 10/03/1945 Saturday 278 11/03/1945 Sunday 279 12/03/1945 Monday 280 13/03/1945 Tuesday 281 14/03/1945 Wednesday 282 15/03/1945 Thursday 283 16/03/1945 Friday 284 17/03/1945 Saturday 285 18/03/1945 Sunday 286 19/03/1945 Monday 287 20/03/1945 Tuesday 288 21/03/1945 Wednesday 289 22/03/1945 Thursday 290 23/03/1945 Friday 291 24/03/1945 Saturday 292 25/03/1945 Sunday 293 26/03/1945 Monday 294 27/03/1945 Tuesday 295 28/03/1945 Wednesday 296 29/03/1945 Thursday 297 30/03/1945 Friday 298 31/03/1945 Saturday 299 01/04/1945 Sunday 300 02/04/1945 Monday 301 03/04/1945 Tuesday 302 04/04/1945 Wednesday 303 05/04/1945 Thursday 304 06/04/1945 Friday 305 07/04/1945 Saturday 306 08/04/1945 Sunday 307 09/04/1945 Monday 308 10/04/1945 Tuesday 309 11/04/1945 Wednesday 310 12/04/1945 Thursday 311 13/04/1945 Friday 312 14/04/1945 Saturday 313 15/04/1945 Sunday 314 16/04/1945 Monday 315 17/04/1945 Tuesday 316 18/04/1945 Wednesday 317 19/04/1945 Thursday 318 20/04/1945 Friday 319 21/04/1945 Saturday 320 22/04/1945 Sunday 321 23/04/1945 Monday 322 24/04/1945 Tuesday 323 25/04/1945 Wednesday 324 26/04/1945 Thursday 325 27/04/1945 Friday 326 28/04/1945 Saturday 327 29/04/1945 Sunday 328 30/04/1945 Monday 329 01/05/1945 Tuesday 330 02/05/1945 Wednesday

Monday 27 November 1944 Next Next Start Location: End Location: Another quiet day except for a great deal of traffic on the VENRAIJ - VENLO road. In the evening at 2000 hrs an officers dinner was held in celebration of St. Andrews Day on the 30th. D-Day+ 174 27 November 1944 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Monday 27 November 1944 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

Saturday 7 April 1945 Next Next Start Location: End Location: At first light the 2/Lincolns passed through and occupied the area, then the R.U.R. went through and captured the proposed canal and the high ground immediately SOUTH of it. During the afternoon the Bn went through on tanks and armd carriers but were held up by 37m.m. A.A. fire from ESTRINGEN. One carrier of the Advanced Guard was damaged but the crew got back. "A" Coy attempted to attack but were unsuccessful. MAJOR F. HOLDEN and several O.R.s were wounded. A Bn attack was laid on with fire support and went in about 1800 hrs, and was immediately successful. The Bn took 6 (six) Offrs and 118 (One Hundred and Eighteen) O.Rs. P.W. and captured at least 10 (Ten) and possibly as many as 15 (Fifteen) enemy 37 m.m. A.A. Guns intact, a FLAK COY practically complete. "B" Coy sent patrols as far as 746296. At 2000 hrs the 2nd Lincolns moved in and occupied ESTRINGEN and the Bn went to ROTTUM protecting the left flank. Patrols during the night went as far as the main road. D-Day+ 305 7 April 1945 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Saturday 7 April 1945 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

Saturday 14 April 1945 Next Next Start Location: End Location: A quiet morning. At 1200 hrs the CO and Recce parties of the 5/7 GORDONS of 51st Div came to prepare to relieve us. The relief was complete by 1800 hrs and the Bn concentrated in the area SOUTH of HAPSTEDT as follows :- Bn HQ 564756, "A" Coy 558755, "B" Coy 563771, C" Coy 566752, "D" Coy 563753, "S" Coy 572767. A quiet night. A peaceful day. 27 reinforcements arrived and were posted to Coys after being inspected by the C.O. Another peaceful day, preparations for the move. The Bn moved via BARRIEN 7383 and relieved the 1st Bn SUFFOLKS with posns as follows:- Bn H.Q. 687886, "A" Coy 684893, "B" Coy 682895, "C" Coy 688897, "D" Coy 694895. Patrols during the afternoon by "B" Coy established that the enemy were covering a rd block at 680897. The enemy were thought to be in Coy strength from the rd block to X rds at 675707. At night Lt SIMPSON and Sgt DORIS both attempted to oust the enemy from their posns round houses in the area WEST and EAST of the block respectively but without success. Just before first light Lt WEST and patrol managed to remove about two thirds of the block but had to withdraw when light came. At 0600 hrs the 2/LINCS attack started, but they were held up by the enemy covering the rd block for about two hrs. Eventually they captured STUHR 6872 in the evening. The 2/R.U.R. passed through 2/LINCS and attacked at 0600 hr eventually securing their objectives at 6692 by 1200 hrs. At mid-day the Bn moved up to the R.U.R. area, and at 16 0 hrs the attack started with "C" Coy and 1 Tp of Tanks from 661943 to 6 8946 then NORTH EAST into MITTELSHUCHTING 6695. "A" Coy and 1 Tp of Tanks followed "C" Coy intending to follow a parallel route from 655949 to 659959, but owing to the enemy disposns along the line of the stream, the Coy followed the track up the side of the stream. The enemy were not numerous but house and garden had to be searched and cleared, which proved to be slow work. There was intermittent shelling by enemy guns. Shortly after 2000 hrs. "C" Coy reached their final objective at 665964 and "D" Coy following "C" Coy route occupied the rd jct at 661959. Meanwhile "A" Coy after some slow but productive work on the left reached 653959 by last light and formed up there for the night. Bn H.Q. and "B" Coy then moved to the area 661953. The total of P.W.s till last light was 3 Offrs and 70 O.R.s. During the night a further 30 P.W.s were brought in. "A" Coy patrol had a lively time during the night disturbing the enemy with grenades. At first light "A" Coy moved forward and occupied the rd jct at 654962 with only light opposition. At about 0600 hrs "B" Coy moved up through D" Coy and captured the rd and rail crossing at 660966 after some sharp fighting, taking some 20 p.w.s. Final posns were:- Bn H.Q. 661959, "A" Coy 654962, "B" Coy 660966, "C" Coy 665964, "D" Coy 661963. At 1000 hrs the 2/LINCS launched an attack on KIRCHHUCHTING 6795 from the area 667942. The Bn supporting arms carried out a diversionary fire plan for the attack. The remainder of the day was quiet and uneventful. D-Day+ 312 14 April 1945 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Saturday 14 April 1945 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

Sunday 17 December 1944 Next Next Start Location: End Location: A great deal of air activity over the Bn area during the day, some of it being enemy aircraft, which did drop bombs some distance away during the day. Two snipers were posted in the house at 845290 but saw very little movement - none of it fresh news. In the evening one sentry of D-Day+ 194 17 December 1944 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Sunday 17 December 1944 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

MILHEEZE Saturday 30 September 1944 Next Next Start Location: MILHEEZE End Location: MILHEEZE Contact was made with 1 Suffolks at X tracks 653263 at 0100 hrs. Owing to the expected American sweep South across our front from ST ANTONIS, we were prepared to deal with anything driven across our front. Celanese triangles were displayed to assist our fighter planes to locate the enemy. Preparations were made for expected move. Inter-coy patrols as usual. Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. D-Day+ 116 30 September 1944 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Saturday 30 September 1944 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

Saturday 3 February 1945 Next Next Start Location: End Location: Coys on boating practice. Lt Walker to lead a patrol across the MAAS to recce enemy defences in area 904150. D-Day+ 242 3 February 1945 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Saturday 3 February 1945 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

Wednesday 2 May 1945 Next Next Start Location: End Location: Nothing to report D-Day+ 330 2 May 1945 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Wednesday 2 May 1945 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

Friday 20 April 1945 Next Next Start Location: End Location: At first light "A" Coy moved forward and occupied the rd jct at 654962 with only light opposition. At about 0600 hrs "B" Coy moved up through D" Coy and captured the rd and rail crossing at 660966 after some sharp fighting, taking some 20 p.w.s. Final posns were:- Bn H.Q. 661959, "A" Coy 654962, "B" Coy 660966, "C" Coy 665964, "D" Coy 661963. At 1000 hrs the 2/LINCS launched an attack on KIRCHHUCHTING 6795 from the area 667942. The Bn supporting arms carried out a diversionary fire plan for the attack. The remainder of the day was quiet and uneventful. D-Day+ 318 20 April 1945 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Friday 20 April 1945 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

Monday 11 December 1944 Next Next Start Location: End Location: The C-in-C, Field Marshal Montgomery presented decorations to Cpl Harmon (DCM) and Cpl Forrest (MM). Digging was seen to be taking place at 854301 in the same area as the wiring had taken place the day before. Staff car and DR seen moving South down LEUKEN - ELSTEREN road at 1150. At 1240 the car was seen moving North along the PAPENBEEK - LEUKEN road. A quiet day and nothing else of interest to report. D-Day+ 188 11 December 1944 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Monday 11 December 1944 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

Tuesday 23 January 1945 Next Next Start Location: End Location: All woods in the Bn area were searched without result. There was some shelling during the day in 'EDINBURGH'. OPs saw movement at 9015, 9016, 9116, 9117 and large truck in trees at 913161. Patrols at night heard movement of transport in HASSELT - VELDEN area. Patrol at 904182 saw a patrol of approximately 40 Germans in the area 905181 moving North. Arty engaged enemy and RUR Patrol did not contact enemy. Very little shelling in Bn area but some mortaring during the day. A very quiet day. During the afternoon the Army and Corps Commanders, General Dempsey and General Barker came into GRUBBENVORST to look South East across the river from the OPs. Less movement than usual was seen from OPs and only at 9117. Just after dark some persons were seen between the Mortar Pl and "B" Coy. They were thought at the time to be enemy, but no trace of them could be found, otherwise a quiet night. During the afternoon 2 Lincolns moved into the area to the North of 2 RUR in place of 2 WARWICKS. The hand-over to 2 Ox & Bucks of 6 Airlanding Bde started at first light and was completed by 1600 hrs. The Bn moved into the HORST 8318 - HEGELSOM area. Dispositions as follows :- Bn HQ 822169, "A" Coy 830180, B" Coy 835181, "C" Coy 825164, "D" Coy 821158, "S" Coy 823168. A training directive, dated 18 Jan will be found under This provided for cleaning up and checking of kit on the 26th and 27th. This included an organised training programme for Coys till 2 Feb which also included a junior NCOs' Cadre under Capt LW McKay and 2/Lt G Batey. D-Day+ 231 23 January 1945 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Tuesday 23 January 1945 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =

Saturday 5 May 1945 Next Next Start Location: End Location: Harbour parties consisting of second in command of Coys set out under Major G.E. BARKER for the IBBENBUREN area at 0745. During the afternoon Major A.J. RENNIE came back to us after a stay of several months at Divisional HQ and elsewhere. D-Day+ 333 5 May 1945 Alternative Information (from books, personal accounts) Died on this day = 0 Saturday 5 May 1945 Previous Next 0 Wounded on this day =