Churchill's Desert Rats in North-West Europe by Patrick Delaforce

Author:Patrick Delaforce
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783035434
Publisher: Pen & Sword Military

‘C’ Squadron of the Cherry Pickers in the Zwijnaarde suburb of Ghent, 5 September 1944.

Meanwhile 11th Hussars had been fighting and holding Deinze, 10 miles south-west of Ghent, where seven important roads intersected from Courtrai, Tielt and Ghent. For two days, during which they had several spirited actions, they captured twenty horsed weapons, a paymaster, knocked out an 88mm gun and took 400 prisoners. The divisional centre line was being crossed constantly by small German forces moving from the west to the east. To stop this happening divisional sappers were ordered to blow up the vital bridge at Deinze that the Cherry Pickers had been so zealously defending. What a crazy war!

Within two days the barracks back at Oudenarde were filled with over 2,000 prisoners, many from 70th Infantry Division with negligible casualties to the Desert Rats. John Pilborough of the Skins remembers that Sergeant Andrews of the Recce Squadron brought back a German horsed transport section captured intact with their horses. Their colonel rode on the Honey tank while 200 prisoners followed behind. The Skins were also involved in the vicious counter-attack on the Wetteren bridge. ‘Our A1 Echelon was at the time of the attack ready with the daily supplies occupying the station yard near the bridge.’ When the SS launched their attack ‘The echelon drivers quickly joined forces with the 4 Field Sqn REs who had been detailed to look after the vital bridge. Between them they held it until C Sqn of the Skins and the 1/6 Queens arrived. Fierce fighting took place in the houses and gardens around the bridge but 22 SS were killed and 60 taken prisoner.’ SSM K. Clayton of the Skins won the MM for his tommy gun actions, but the real heroes were the sapper defenders with Corporals Crutchley and Stuckfield and Lieutenant Turpin doing yeoman work.

The first British troops, 67 RASC, to liberate Hebeaux, near Roubaix, 6 September 1944. Sergeant Rick Hall is second soldier from the right.

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