famous irish regiments & irish military history
After nine days the Rifles assembled at Le Mesnil in order to continue the advance through Normandy, their first objective being the Brickworks half a mile north-east of Sannerville. Under heavy mortar fire, ' B ' Company soon established themselves in the Brickworks, and when ' C ' Company had come up to take over this objective , they continued their advance along the track running north-east to the junction with the main road south-east into Troarn, which was the second objective. By dusk this position was strengthened by ' C ' Company and ' A ' and ' D ' Companies had moved into position behind them.
Next morning at 0300 hours orders for continuing the advance towards Troarn were given. ' D ' Company moved forward at about 0630 hours to a small wood some half mile down the road towards Troarn, without difficulty. As ' A ' Company was about to pass through, it became evident that the left flank was under threat from the area of the church. ' C ' Company began to move on the church, but encountered bitter resistance a few hundred yards from the road. Although the leading section pressed forward under fire from two directions, gaining some ground and capturing 4 machine guns, resistance remained determined and they could make no further headway.
' A ' Company then advanced on the church from a more southerly avenue and met resistance from a machine gun, which was soon neutralised. ' A ' Company, with supporting tanks, then took the church. ' A '
Company was then launched towards their original objective, a road junction about 800 yards out of Troarn which they fought their way forward and took. During the night, ' A ' Company was withdrawn so that the Battalion could be more closely concentrated and replaced by a standing patrol at the road junction. However, early next morning a strongly reinforced enemy returned and the patrol had to withdraw from the junction.
Offensive action on this front was not resumed. On July 30th the Battalion was relieved from its positions before Troarn and took up position in Bieville. The Battalion snatched 2 days rest before moving on to Granville, a little village some ten miles north-east from Villers Bocage. The following day it travelled another 30 miles west to a hamlet a mile beyond St. Martin de Besaces. During the next few days, from August 7th onwards, the Battalion remained in Brigade reserve, changing position several times.
On the 9th August the Battalion was given the task of capturing Vaudry, a little village to the east of Vire. The attack began at 0600 hours and it soon became obvious that the Germans had abandoned their position, leaving behind a number of mines.
During this period British and American armoured formations were rolling across France, traversing vast distances each day, and in no time at all, the Battalion found itself two hundred miles behind the front line. Consequently, the troops were glad on September 3rd to move to Hacqueville, a little village some eight miles east of Les Andelys-sur-Seine, where platoon and company training was resumed. Although the prolonged rest at Les Andelys was most welcome, the Battalion was glad to move again. They travelled about 230 miles and the route led through many towns and villages including Louvain and Lezennes, where they had spent nine months in 1939-1940.
The Battalion arrived at Petit Brogel on the south side of the Escaut Canal in the afternoon on September 17th. It was here on the following night that the Brigade ( 2 Lincolns on the right and 2 RUR on the left, with KOSB in reserve ) made an assault river crossing.
At midnight, ' C ' and ' B ' Companies crossed the Meuse-Escaut Canal first and consolidated a bridgehead bounded by the main Lille St. Hubert - Achel Road to the right, the railway to the north and a prominent wood to the left. After establishing themselves, ' C ' Company was attacked on their left flank from the towpath, which was soon repelled, but only after some casualties were sustained. ' B ' Company, on crossing the canal quickly advanced to their first objective, which was a pathway two hundred yards inland. The advance continued to the final objective, a point on the main road just north of the little village, without further trouble.
At 0345 hours, ' A ' Company crossed the canal. When the companies joined up it was decided that, as ' B ' Company was already in position, they would therefore remain fast while ' A ' Company cleared the village from the north. Some resistance was offered and a number of prisoners were taken by early morning, ' A ' Company had cleared down to the canal, so that bridging could then begin. The Lincolns had battled through the night against heavier opposition, but had managed to get all companies across the canal on the right. Bridging and rafting were now going ahead and by 0900 hours anti-tank guns and ancillary jeeps were being shipped across. By 0930 hours the anti-tank guns were in position.
After the action at Lille St. Hubert, the Class 40 Bridge, built by the Divisional Engineers, permitted passage of the 11th Armoured Division, and the Battalion's Divisional role was to follow up the armour, taking over important points as these were overcome, and also ensuring the protection of their line of communication.
During the march to Marheeze, the Rifles crossed the frontier between Belgium and Holland and received a riotous reception in the villages and towns of both countries.
At Deurne, some twenty miles north of Marheeze, across the Helmond Canal, the Battalion moved up to the village of Cuyk, five miles from the German frontier, where the 3rd British Infantry Division was to deal with a pocket of the enemy resistance, which remained west of the Meuse and was based in Overloon, Venray and Venlo.
On October the 12th the Battalion moved some ten miles south of Cuyk to St. Anthonis. At 0900 hours next morning ' A ' Company moved forward to its objective, a wood close to the Overloon-Oploo road. ' D ' Company followed ' A ' Company and had no sooner passed through them than snipers were encountered hidden in the more dense parts of the wood. This slowed the progress of the operation and it was some time before ' D ' Company reported their objective secure, which was a position half way through the wood. They were then ordered to continue forward to the final objective, while ' C ' company was to take over the ground that ' D ' Company had covered. Shortly after 1400 hours, ' B ' Company moved forward to take over the right hand corner of of the wood. On reaching a clearing in the wood the leading platoon was shot at by small arms, which then dissipitated as the Germans continued to retreat.
The next day, October 14th, was something of a respite, for the Lincolns passed through to attack another wood,
" Wood Y. " Enemy mortars and shelling continued and caused some casualties. On October 16th, 9th Brigade received orders to relieve a unit of 11 Armoured Division with the role of preventing a counter attack towards Overloon, while the 3rd Division's attack continued into Venray. This relief meant a four-mile march along tracks, which had been ploughed up by carriers and tanks and then waterlogged by rain.
On November the 1st the Battalion moved to the village of Veulen, about a mile south of Venray and then, with the other two Battalions to proceed by leapfrogging forward, without further contact with the enemy. On November the 26th 1944, units of the 15th ( Scottish ) Division had driven up from Horst through Tienray to Blitterswijk and on the 27th the Rifles were ordered to relieve them in the area of Blitterswijk-Meerlo. Here there remained a considerable pocket of enemy on the east bank of the canal at Wanssum.
At 0500 hrs on November 30th the attack began. ' C ' Company moved forward and neutralised a booby-trapped wire line, which the Germans had placed as their first line of defence. Once it had been breached the first platoon passed through and advanced up the main road towards Helling. After finding the houses just south of Helling clear, the leading platoon came under heavy machine gun fire from two directions. The platoon was pinned to the ground and attempts to move resulted in casualties. A second platoon was then sent up the left flank along the bank of the canal. This platoon reached a point almost level with the right hand platoon when it too came under intensive fire from two enemy machine guns in the western edge of the orchard. The Germans had the ground totally covered and were using the moonlight and their own strong positions to full advantage. Orders were given to withdraw the two platoons but unfortunately the platoon on the right never received the order to withdraw and so was captured.
The attack by ' D ' Company was more successful. At 0415 hrs the Company had moved out of Blitterswijk, handing over its defensive commitments in the town to ' A ' Company and at 0500 hrs the Company began breaching the wire barrier, which was booby-trapped with explosive charges. The charges could not be reached and so were set off in a relatively controlled manner. Once the second platoon had passed through the gap in the wire, the Germans opened up with their machine guns at close range, but there were no casualties. On reaching the German position they found an abandoned Spandau and Panzerfaust.
Next morning at 0300 hours orders for continuing the advance towards Troarn were given. ' D ' Company moved forward at about 0630 hours to a small wood some half mile down the road towards Troarn, without difficulty. As ' A ' Company was about to pass through, it became evident that the left flank was under threat from the area of the church. ' C ' Company began to move on the church, but encountered bitter resistance a few hundred yards from the road. Although the leading section pressed forward under fire from two directions, gaining some ground and capturing 4 machine guns, resistance remained determined and they could make no further headway.
' A ' Company then advanced on the church from a more southerly avenue and met resistance from a machine gun, which was soon neutralised. ' A ' Company, with supporting tanks, then took the church. ' A '
Company was then launched towards their original objective, a road junction about 800 yards out of Troarn which they fought their way forward and took. During the night, ' A ' Company was withdrawn so that the Battalion could be more closely concentrated and replaced by a standing patrol at the road junction. However, early next morning a strongly reinforced enemy returned and the patrol had to withdraw from the junction.
Offensive action on this front was not resumed. On July 30th the Battalion was relieved from its positions before Troarn and took up position in Bieville. The Battalion snatched 2 days rest before moving on to Granville, a little village some ten miles north-east from Villers Bocage. The following day it travelled another 30 miles west to a hamlet a mile beyond St. Martin de Besaces. During the next few days, from August 7th onwards, the Battalion remained in Brigade reserve, changing position several times.
On the 9th August the Battalion was given the task of capturing Vaudry, a little village to the east of Vire. The attack began at 0600 hours and it soon became obvious that the Germans had abandoned their position, leaving behind a number of mines.
During this period British and American armoured formations were rolling across France, traversing vast distances each day, and in no time at all, the Battalion found itself two hundred miles behind the front line. Consequently, the troops were glad on September 3rd to move to Hacqueville, a little village some eight miles east of Les Andelys-sur-Seine, where platoon and company training was resumed. Although the prolonged rest at Les Andelys was most welcome, the Battalion was glad to move again. They travelled about 230 miles and the route led through many towns and villages including Louvain and Lezennes, where they had spent nine months in 1939-1940.
The Battalion arrived at Petit Brogel on the south side of the Escaut Canal in the afternoon on September 17th. It was here on the following night that the Brigade ( 2 Lincolns on the right and 2 RUR on the left, with KOSB in reserve ) made an assault river crossing.
At midnight, ' C ' and ' B ' Companies crossed the Meuse-Escaut Canal first and consolidated a bridgehead bounded by the main Lille St. Hubert - Achel Road to the right, the railway to the north and a prominent wood to the left. After establishing themselves, ' C ' Company was attacked on their left flank from the towpath, which was soon repelled, but only after some casualties were sustained. ' B ' Company, on crossing the canal quickly advanced to their first objective, which was a pathway two hundred yards inland. The advance continued to the final objective, a point on the main road just north of the little village, without further trouble.
At 0345 hours, ' A ' Company crossed the canal. When the companies joined up it was decided that, as ' B ' Company was already in position, they would therefore remain fast while ' A ' Company cleared the village from the north. Some resistance was offered and a number of prisoners were taken by early morning, ' A ' Company had cleared down to the canal, so that bridging could then begin. The Lincolns had battled through the night against heavier opposition, but had managed to get all companies across the canal on the right. Bridging and rafting were now going ahead and by 0900 hours anti-tank guns and ancillary jeeps were being shipped across. By 0930 hours the anti-tank guns were in position.
After the action at Lille St. Hubert, the Class 40 Bridge, built by the Divisional Engineers, permitted passage of the 11th Armoured Division, and the Battalion's Divisional role was to follow up the armour, taking over important points as these were overcome, and also ensuring the protection of their line of communication.
During the march to Marheeze, the Rifles crossed the frontier between Belgium and Holland and received a riotous reception in the villages and towns of both countries.
At Deurne, some twenty miles north of Marheeze, across the Helmond Canal, the Battalion moved up to the village of Cuyk, five miles from the German frontier, where the 3rd British Infantry Division was to deal with a pocket of the enemy resistance, which remained west of the Meuse and was based in Overloon, Venray and Venlo.
On October the 12th the Battalion moved some ten miles south of Cuyk to St. Anthonis. At 0900 hours next morning ' A ' Company moved forward to its objective, a wood close to the Overloon-Oploo road. ' D ' Company followed ' A ' Company and had no sooner passed through them than snipers were encountered hidden in the more dense parts of the wood. This slowed the progress of the operation and it was some time before ' D ' Company reported their objective secure, which was a position half way through the wood. They were then ordered to continue forward to the final objective, while ' C ' company was to take over the ground that ' D ' Company had covered. Shortly after 1400 hours, ' B ' Company moved forward to take over the right hand corner of of the wood. On reaching a clearing in the wood the leading platoon was shot at by small arms, which then dissipitated as the Germans continued to retreat.
The next day, October 14th, was something of a respite, for the Lincolns passed through to attack another wood,
" Wood Y. " Enemy mortars and shelling continued and caused some casualties. On October 16th, 9th Brigade received orders to relieve a unit of 11 Armoured Division with the role of preventing a counter attack towards Overloon, while the 3rd Division's attack continued into Venray. This relief meant a four-mile march along tracks, which had been ploughed up by carriers and tanks and then waterlogged by rain.
On November the 1st the Battalion moved to the village of Veulen, about a mile south of Venray and then, with the other two Battalions to proceed by leapfrogging forward, without further contact with the enemy. On November the 26th 1944, units of the 15th ( Scottish ) Division had driven up from Horst through Tienray to Blitterswijk and on the 27th the Rifles were ordered to relieve them in the area of Blitterswijk-Meerlo. Here there remained a considerable pocket of enemy on the east bank of the canal at Wanssum.
At 0500 hrs on November 30th the attack began. ' C ' Company moved forward and neutralised a booby-trapped wire line, which the Germans had placed as their first line of defence. Once it had been breached the first platoon passed through and advanced up the main road towards Helling. After finding the houses just south of Helling clear, the leading platoon came under heavy machine gun fire from two directions. The platoon was pinned to the ground and attempts to move resulted in casualties. A second platoon was then sent up the left flank along the bank of the canal. This platoon reached a point almost level with the right hand platoon when it too came under intensive fire from two enemy machine guns in the western edge of the orchard. The Germans had the ground totally covered and were using the moonlight and their own strong positions to full advantage. Orders were given to withdraw the two platoons but unfortunately the platoon on the right never received the order to withdraw and so was captured.
The attack by ' D ' Company was more successful. At 0415 hrs the Company had moved out of Blitterswijk, handing over its defensive commitments in the town to ' A ' Company and at 0500 hrs the Company began breaching the wire barrier, which was booby-trapped with explosive charges. The charges could not be reached and so were set off in a relatively controlled manner. Once the second platoon had passed through the gap in the wire, the Germans opened up with their machine guns at close range, but there were no casualties. On reaching the German position they found an abandoned Spandau and Panzerfaust.
