Abbreviations

Conc Coy Div MG

Concentration Company Division Machine Gun

Month and year: September 1944

Commanding Officer : Maj W.A. Vinycomb

14th September 1944

Water truck written off in accident.  Cleaning up etc.

15th September 1944

Orders to move.

16th September 1944

Place: Diest

Move off 0830 hrs to DIEST.  Arrive 1200.

17th September 1944

Place: Aetchel

Move to conc. area prior to hop to Holland.  S. of Albert canal.

18th September 1944

Place: Aetchel

Standing by for move to take over from airborne.  No move.

19th September 1944

Place: Aetchel

Ditto - No move.

20th September 1944

Place: Aetchel

Ditto - Move 1800 hrs. all night.

21st September 1944

Place: Nijmegen

Arrive near NIJMEGEN 1000 hrs.  Harbour in field.  Task of Bridging MAAS & WAAL rivers cancelled by Airbornes magnificent job.

22nd September 1944

Place: Nijmegen

All set to go to Arnhem but No Move.

23rd September 1944

Place: Nijmegen

Still waiting for push over NEDER RIJN to 1st Airborne.  No Move.

24th September 1944

Place: Nijmegen

Still No Move.

25th September 1944

Place: Nijmegen

Information about relief of airborne Div.  Assault Boats arrive.  Men not halt till night.  Everyone hopes but none expect an easy job.  Coy Harbours first prior to doing job at VAALBURG & subsequently moves nearer to DRIEL which is opposite OOSTERBEEK from where airborne are to be evacuated.  Dusk at 2100.  Boats in water 2130.  Boats reach far bank 2140.  Eight boats used to start with and good time made.  Airborne troops very pleased to see us.  Work continues amid M.G. fire & some shelling of varying intensity.  Assault boat blown up by shell but crew & cargo get ashore.  Canadian Coy running storm boats by 2300 hrs prove a nuisance and upset 2 boats.  Some men list in one of them.  Difficulty in marshalling airborne troops for loading in spite of officers & NCOs on far bank supervising job.  As wind & current increases crews have to be increased from 4 to 6 men thus reducing capacity.  Storm boats getting into their stride by now & doing good work.  By 0500 hrs assault boats become practically unmanageable.  Men very tired & strong tide.  0600 operations cease under protective smoke.  2,800 airborne evacuated, about 200 left.  Men extremely tired but pleased.  Worst thing was when Radio announced, 2 days later that job was done by Canadians!

26th September 1944

Place: Vaalburg

Resting remainder of day.  Move in evening to new location VAALBURG.

27th September 1944

Place: Andelst

Move again to ANDELST.  As enemy put patrol over river, making us [put?] troops in that area.

28th September 1944

Place: Nijmegen

Move back to NIJMEGEN to take over.