1.) War Diary entries for 19 January 1945, for: - A.) 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment, Canadian Armoured Corps - B.) 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment Signal Troop, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals - C.) No. 123 Light Aid Detachment (Type E), Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: A.) War Diary entries for 19 January 1945, for the 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment, Canadian Armoured Corps: 19 Jan 45 Overhoven, Holland (Main Headquarters and Tactical Headquarters) Weather: Cold & Icy ‘B’ Sqn (Squadron) less 1 & 2 Tps (Troops) - Op (Operation) BLACKCOCK appendix ‘D’. ‘B’ Sqn (Squadron) 1 & 2 Tps (Troops) - appendix ‘E’. Main HQ (Headquarters) moved to join Tac (Tactical Headquarters) at OVERHOVEN (Holland) MR/689695[1]. The RSM (Regimental Sergeant-Major) remaining behind to direct on the mail truck and also returning leave pers (personnel). Due to extremely icy conditions of rd (roads) veh (vehicle) travel was limited to 5 mph (miles per hour) (8 kilometres per hour). i.) Entries from APPENDIX “D” to the War Diary of 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment, Canadian Armoured Corps, 1 to 31 January 1945 - for Numbers 3 and 4 Troops, “B” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment (under command of Major H. Baldwin, Officer Commanding, “B” Squadron): 19 Jan 45 Operation BLACKCOCK The move to HEIDE (Holland) via SUSTEREN (Holland) was uneventful. Early in the morning of 19 Jan (January), 3 Tp (Troop)[2] carrying A Coy (“A” Company, 4th Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers)[3] moved to SLEK (Holland). C and D Coys (“C” and “D” Companies, 4th Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers)[3], moved on foot to clear entrance to wood in 7275[4]. 4 Tp (Troop)[5] carrying D Coy (“D” Company, 4th Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers)[3] moved via SLEK (Holland) to same area. Opposition was not hy (heavy) at this pt (point) and at first light on 19 Jan (January) both Tps (Troops)[6] were on the outskirts of KONINGSBOSCH (Holland) and the Inf (Infantry) were debussed (unloaded) vic (vicinity) rd (road) junc (junction) 749748[7]. Immediately prior to debussing (unloading), enemy inf (infantry) were observed and fire from Kangaroo[8] and inf (infantry) SA (small arms) directed on them. No inf (infantry) cas (casualties) were suffered by 4 KOSB (4th Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers)[3] in Kangaroos[8] to this pt (point). The inf (infantry) had little difficulty entering KONINGSBOSCH (Holland). Shortly after the inf (infantry) debussed (unloaded), 3 Tp (Troop)[2], on rd (road) running NW (Northwest) from 749748[7], were fired on by two SP (Self-Propelled) guns from vic (vicinity) 756744[7] and from wood area 753752[7]. 3 Tp (Troop)[2] had four Kangaroos[8] hit and two of these brewed up (caught fire). Cas (casualties) incurred were one Sjt (Sergeant) seriously wounded and one Tpr (Trooper) wounded. It was possible to repair two Kangaroos[8] which were used again in later ops (operations). Lieut. (Lieutenant) Dionne[9] moved bal (balance of Tp (Troop)[2] to cover of bldgs (buildings) on right of x rds (cross roads) where concealment was possible. The Tp (Troop)[2] remained there during the balance of the morning and in the afternoon while tks (tanks) and sp arms (supporting arms) subdued fire from mortars and guns firing from beyond outskirts of KONINGSBOSCH (Holland). On right of 3 Tp (Troop)[2] in vic (vicinity) 743748[1] was 4 Tp (Troop)[10] which had debussed (unloaded) their inf (infantry) there. Mortar and shell fire from beyond KONINGSBOSCH (Holland) was fairly hy (heavy) and Lieut. (Lieutenant) Kirby[11], comd (Commander) 4 Tp (Troop)[10] was killed while in a house in this area. At approx (approximately) 1500 hrs (hours) (3:00 P.M.), 19 Jan (January), Lieut. (Lieutenant) Dionne[9] withdrew both Tps (Troops)[5] to cover in wood area vic (vicinity) 745743[1]. At approx (approximately) 1700 hrs (hours) (5:00 P.M.) the Kangaroos[8] were called into KONINGSBOSCH (Holland) where they harboured. ii.) Entries from APPENDIX “E” to the War Diary of 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment, Canadian Armoured Corps, 1 to 31 January 1945 - for Numbers 1 and 2 Troops, detached from “B” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment (under command of Captain W.A. Copley, 2 i/c (second-in-command) “B” Squadron), and under command of the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment[6]: 19 Jan 45 Moved to SLEK (Holland)arriving at 1245 hrs (hours) (12:45 P.M.) and reported to C.O. (Commanding Officer) 5 KOSB (5th Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers)[12]. Nothing definite on the job at hand was available. Later in the day we were advised of a move to Susteren (Holland), where orders would be completed. (details in parentheses above added for clarity) General Note: All notes regarding the actions of “A” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment, for the period of 7 to 21 January 1945, were lost, and therefore, there are no War Diary entries for the squadron Notes: [1] - a six-figure map reference [2] - Number 3 Troop, “B” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment [3] - of the 155th British Infantry Brigade, of the 52nd British (Lowland) Infantry Division [4] - a four-figure map reference [5] - Number 4 Troop, “B” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment [6] - Numbers 3 and 4 Troops, “B” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment [7] - a six-figure map reference [8] - the ‘Ram’ Kangaroo armoured personnel carrier [9] - Lieutenant F.R. Dionne, Troop Leader, Number 3 Troop, “B” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment [10] - Number 4 Troop, “B” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment [11] - Lieutenant F.F. Kirby, Troop Leader, Number 4 Troop, “B” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment [12] - of the 155th British Infantry Brigade, of the 52nd British (Lowland) Infantry Division B.) War Diary entries for 19 January 1945, for the 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment Signal Troop, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals: 19 Jan 45 Overhoven, Holland Weather: Mild Took the electricians up to Dieteren (Holland) to repair and check Capt. (Captain) Copley’s Troops[1]. Quite a few bits of shrapnel[2] were found in the variometer of one set (wireless (radio) set) - broken aerials and valves were the main faults. Having trouble with high frequency we are operating on - the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is causing us undue trouble as is Jerry’s (the German’s) jammers. Cpl. (Corporal) Hopkins went up to Ech (Echelon) to do some emergency repair work. Sgmn (Signalman) Cameron returned to the troop from 2 CBRG (No. 2 Canadian Base Reinforcement Group) this morning. He had quite a “glow” on too. Received another veh (vehicle) today - a 15 cwt wireless truck[3]. (1 Officer - 7 O.Rs. (Other Ranks))[4] (details in parentheses above added for clarity) Notes: [1] - Numbers 1 and 2 Troops, detached from “B” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment, under command of Captain W.A. Copley, 2 i/c (second-in-command) “B” Squadron [2] - small metal fragments thrown out by the explosion of a shell, bomb [3] - a 1-ton truck into which a wireless (radio) set could be mounted and operated from [4] - the strength in personnel of 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment Signal Troop, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals C.) War Diary entries for 19 January 1945, for No. 123 Light Aid Detachment (Type E), Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: 19 Jan 45 Sittard, Holland Weather - Mild Cfn (Craftsman)[1] Salomka and Cfn (Craftsman)[1] Ginson left for leave to UK (United Kingdom) commencing on 20 Jan (January). Minor repairs being carried out to an “A” Sqn (Squadron)[2] carrier[3]. Work progressing on 5 cwt (a jeep). Held up for parts on 15 cwt[4]. In afternoon, Capt. (Captain) Duncan[5] and Capt (Captain) Rook[6] searched area of Bakenhoven (Holland) for a ditched (abandoned) carrier[3] but could not find it. Another ditched (abandoned) carrier[3] at Dieteren (Holland) recovered and brought in for repairs. (details in parentheses above added for clarity) Notes: [1] - the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers rank equivalent of a Private [2] - “A” Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment [3] - a ‘Ram’ Kangaroo armoured personnel carrier [4] - a 1-ton truck [5] - Captain W.T.E. Duncan, Officer Commanding, No. 123 Light Aid Detachment (Type E), Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers [6] - Captain S.F. Rook - the Technical Adjutant of the 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment, who was the unit officer responsible for the maintenance, repair and recovery, of a unit’s equipment (MWT)
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 11:00:00 +0000
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