VICKERS PLATOON D AND D PLUS ONE
The drop of the Vickers platoon, one officer and forty ORs, carried in four aircraft, was at approx 1000 hrs, and according to plan. All equipment, including four MMGs was carried in forty-one kit bags on the drop. Except for one man killed and one man wounded on the SZ most of the platoon arrived at the RV and secured the objective at about 1020 hrs. The objective was a small copse of the right side of the road with farm buildings on the left side.
On the platoon front there were several houses and barns from three to five hundred yards away. All during the day twenty fourth March there was considerable activity by snipers, one man (Pte. C.H. Clark) was killed during the afternoon while assisting in the rescue of the crew from a glider which landed between the platoon position and the enemy. In all, three gliders came under heavy small arms fire from these buildings and a Cpl (Cpl Chambers, J.L.) displayed great courage and skill in personally organizing and leading the rescue party which was successful in covering the withdrawal of the glider crews and dragging or carrying the pilots of all three gliders, who were seriously wounded.
During the afternoon about a company of the enemy were observed approaching from the river, they stopped for a rest while still at about one thousand yards distance. They gathered in groups and the section of mortars which was with the platoon was directed to engage them, most were observed to disperse at the double in all directions. Later in the day the remainder of this group of enemy arrived on the front of A Coy and all were killed or captured.
All during the day the mortars rendered invaluable assistance and the fire controllers, Cpl Tolmie and Cpl Creelman, did a very excellent job of engaging targets which appeared and are too numerous to recall. They always came forward and directed fire from the best position of observation even when this entailed drawing small arms fire. At all times they were at the call of the vickers platoon commander and always displayed skill in their work and had no concern for their own safety.
Early in the night the enemy made attempts to infiltrate and several managed to get within fifty yards before they were disposed of by snipers or a burst from a vickers. We had little knowledge of what was happening in the rest of the detailed area, but considered our own position, for the first night in Germany to be very good, the platoon was well dug in on a fifty yard front astride the road and in close contact with 9 Platoon of C Coy. Supply of amn was very adequate, containers with MMG amn had been dropped on our objective. At dusk the loads from the gliders, which included food and amn, was salvaged. Visibility all night was very good and there was sufficient activity to keep all ranks awake and interested.
Just before first light an SP arrived in the vicinity of the house opposite, and began firing from close range (about four hundred yards). Another armoured vehicle joined the SP and fire became quite heavy. At this point it became very difficult to keep the enemy under observation and Cpl Tolmie of the mortars rendered very valuable assistance by exposing himself all during the fire in order to get observation on the flanks as well as the front. A man who had exposed himself at one of the front gun pits (two guns on the platoon front and one on either flank) was killed instantly and Cpl Chambers firing one of the MMG was wounded in the shoulder and unable to operate the gun efficiently as movement with one arm was impossible. He was given permission to leave his gun but refused to do so until ordered to move to the FAP. The FAP however was the house across the road and had been set ablaze by the SP so he returned and remained with the platoon until the action was over. The SP was firing at each gun in turn and also at the mortars which were on low ground to the rear of the platoon area. The enemy were observed forming up in the vicinity of the buildings and the adjoining orchard. They presented an excellent target so were engaged with four MMG and dispersed with casualties they pulled back in to the cover of the buildings and apparently effected some sort of reorganization, they began to advance again, in line, and were allowed to approach until well forward of the buildings on open ground. They were engaged by MMGs and rifles. The mortars had been engaging the SP gun and had scored two direct hits., this knocked the gun out or at least caused both to withdraw.
The infantry began to run back to the area of the buildings, twenty were left killed. The enemy stretcher bearers carried many of the wounded away and later in the day when the buildings were cleared out, ten were passed back to the RAP.
Near the end of this attack artillery support had been obtained and all the buildings of the area occupied by the enemy were heavily shelled and set on fire.
During the last phase of the action reinforcements, including PIATS had been received from C Coy. The PIATS were very successful in discouraging the enemy from remaining in the buildings. Sgt. Fairborn was very active and enthusiastic in directing a PIAT shoot, which cleared the houses of all the enemy but the wounded.
A message was received during the night that the fifteenth Scottish and tanks would arrive at first light, this was passed on with good effect on moral, and the Scottish were welcomed about 1500 hrs on D plus one.
Shortly after the attack was repulsed a Messerschmidt was shot down and crashed near by, and the pilot parachuted into the platoon area. This incident created an interesting diversion and was considered a fitting climax to the events of the first night in Germany.
Enemy shelling occupied the platoon for most of the day on D plus one, however the only casualty was the compo ration which unfortunately suffered a direct hit.
At the end of D plus one, the platoon had excellent moral and casualties (three killed, two wounded, and three slightly wounded who remained with the platoon) were considered very light.
Vickers Pl. Comd.
On the platoon front there were several houses and barns from three to five hundred yards away. All during the day twenty fourth March there was considerable activity by snipers, one man (Pte. C.H. Clark) was killed during the afternoon while assisting in the rescue of the crew from a glider which landed between the platoon position and the enemy. In all, three gliders came under heavy small arms fire from these buildings and a Cpl (Cpl Chambers, J.L.) displayed great courage and skill in personally organizing and leading the rescue party which was successful in covering the withdrawal of the glider crews and dragging or carrying the pilots of all three gliders, who were seriously wounded.
During the afternoon about a company of the enemy were observed approaching from the river, they stopped for a rest while still at about one thousand yards distance. They gathered in groups and the section of mortars which was with the platoon was directed to engage them, most were observed to disperse at the double in all directions. Later in the day the remainder of this group of enemy arrived on the front of A Coy and all were killed or captured.
All during the day the mortars rendered invaluable assistance and the fire controllers, Cpl Tolmie and Cpl Creelman, did a very excellent job of engaging targets which appeared and are too numerous to recall. They always came forward and directed fire from the best position of observation even when this entailed drawing small arms fire. At all times they were at the call of the vickers platoon commander and always displayed skill in their work and had no concern for their own safety.
Early in the night the enemy made attempts to infiltrate and several managed to get within fifty yards before they were disposed of by snipers or a burst from a vickers. We had little knowledge of what was happening in the rest of the detailed area, but considered our own position, for the first night in Germany to be very good, the platoon was well dug in on a fifty yard front astride the road and in close contact with 9 Platoon of C Coy. Supply of amn was very adequate, containers with MMG amn had been dropped on our objective. At dusk the loads from the gliders, which included food and amn, was salvaged. Visibility all night was very good and there was sufficient activity to keep all ranks awake and interested.
Just before first light an SP arrived in the vicinity of the house opposite, and began firing from close range (about four hundred yards). Another armoured vehicle joined the SP and fire became quite heavy. At this point it became very difficult to keep the enemy under observation and Cpl Tolmie of the mortars rendered very valuable assistance by exposing himself all during the fire in order to get observation on the flanks as well as the front. A man who had exposed himself at one of the front gun pits (two guns on the platoon front and one on either flank) was killed instantly and Cpl Chambers firing one of the MMG was wounded in the shoulder and unable to operate the gun efficiently as movement with one arm was impossible. He was given permission to leave his gun but refused to do so until ordered to move to the FAP. The FAP however was the house across the road and had been set ablaze by the SP so he returned and remained with the platoon until the action was over. The SP was firing at each gun in turn and also at the mortars which were on low ground to the rear of the platoon area. The enemy were observed forming up in the vicinity of the buildings and the adjoining orchard. They presented an excellent target so were engaged with four MMG and dispersed with casualties they pulled back in to the cover of the buildings and apparently effected some sort of reorganization, they began to advance again, in line, and were allowed to approach until well forward of the buildings on open ground. They were engaged by MMGs and rifles. The mortars had been engaging the SP gun and had scored two direct hits., this knocked the gun out or at least caused both to withdraw.
The infantry began to run back to the area of the buildings, twenty were left killed. The enemy stretcher bearers carried many of the wounded away and later in the day when the buildings were cleared out, ten were passed back to the RAP.
Near the end of this attack artillery support had been obtained and all the buildings of the area occupied by the enemy were heavily shelled and set on fire.
During the last phase of the action reinforcements, including PIATS had been received from C Coy. The PIATS were very successful in discouraging the enemy from remaining in the buildings. Sgt. Fairborn was very active and enthusiastic in directing a PIAT shoot, which cleared the houses of all the enemy but the wounded.
A message was received during the night that the fifteenth Scottish and tanks would arrive at first light, this was passed on with good effect on moral, and the Scottish were welcomed about 1500 hrs on D plus one.
Shortly after the attack was repulsed a Messerschmidt was shot down and crashed near by, and the pilot parachuted into the platoon area. This incident created an interesting diversion and was considered a fitting climax to the events of the first night in Germany.
Enemy shelling occupied the platoon for most of the day on D plus one, however the only casualty was the compo ration which unfortunately suffered a direct hit.
At the end of D plus one, the platoon had excellent moral and casualties (three killed, two wounded, and three slightly wounded who remained with the platoon) were considered very light.
Vickers Pl. Comd.
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