| Time |
Incidents, Messages, Orders, etc. Action taken |
| |
1 Mar 45 |
| 0800 |
The road east to Waldniel fr the junc 800yds N of Tettelrath was blocked during the night by blown up bridges over the Schwalm River so that it was impassable; therefore on 1 March before either task force could move it was necessary for engrs to clear that area of mines and put in a new bridge. |
| 0807 |
Co B sends out one plt to outpost a bridge area while engrs put in a treadway. |
| 0810 |
1 PW who surrendered fr the town of Cenescham repts that there are 30 more Germans in a cellar in that town willing to surrender. He had been the Volkstrum only 2 days. |
| 0837 |
2 German planes in vic Cenescham - relayed to CCA. |
| 0845 |
88th Recon reptd en tks seen in the vic of Ungerath (956900) |
| 0850 |
2 ME 109s reptd vic Merbeck - relayed to CCA. |
| 0922 |
398th moves some guns up to the Merbeck area. |
| 0938 |
En aircraft vic Merbeck. |
| 0941 |
Medics call for GRO in Merbeck. |
| 0945 |
Barrage balloon floating east over Merbeck. |
| 0946 |
88th Recon repts road NW fr Waldniel clear and free of mines at 0430. |
| 1000 |
S-3 Air repts that about 0500 this morn. 88th Recon reporting to CCA that bridges over the river were lightly mined and that they could hold the bridgehead while the engrs cleared the area. |
| 1001 |
Patrol sent out to 955891 just across the river on the roads from Tettelrath to Waldniel. At this pt an 88 AT gun was found in the edge of the woods behind a farm house and a concrete shelter just west of the gun. Both installations were empty. This entire area was heavily entrenched and fortified as a strong point. All emplacements were found empty. |
| 1002 |
Elements of 88th Recon are outposting the bridge area on foot. |
| 1020 |
From A Trp, 88th Recon: Our troops are in Waldniel (elements of the 84th Div). We are taking the road to Waldniel dismounted. Felled trees are hindering our advance. |
| 1035 |
Exec, CCA asks Mossman, CO, 7th if he can collect his unit around Tettelrath without blocking the roads and then fall in behind Goodrich. CO 7th- |
| 1041 |
CO 7th briefs staff as follows: 84th has one Bn in Waldniel holding the town. This Bn has two Cos on the high ground north of Waldniel and one Co in the town itself. Goodrich is still on the road S. of Merbeck. We are sitting tight except for one plt of B Co which is helping the Engrs with the roads and bridge betw Tettelrath and Waldniel. There has been no German Arty fire this morning. The 88th has gotten thru to Waldniel on foot. |
| 1105 |
S-2 repts no PWs taken up to this time (note 1 PW taken at 0810). |
| 1120 |
The hills north of Waldniel at 982985 and at 974924 are held by a Cav Gp (probably 36th). The 2 Cos of the 84th that were holding this ground have gone on ahead and the reserve Co in Waldniel has moved out. A TF of the 84th Div is in Dilkrath and another combat team of the 84th is moving on Dulkin (0296). |
| 1130 |
Steel treadway completed over Schwalm River. Eng still clearing mines. |
| 1135 |
88th Recon repts "Justice" (35th Div) Combat Team moving N thru Nieder-Kruitchen. No opposition. |
| 1150 |
8th AD G-2 rept rec'd. |
| 1158 |
88th Recon repts road clear fr blown bridge east of Silverbeck. |
| 1230 |
CC Goodrich moved out and up hill with tks in front. Fr top of this hill across the river, the tks drew scattered small arms fire. Co C, 7th atchd to Goodrich, dismounted and moved out - by 1400 the opposition had been cleared up and Co C mounted up again and moved on. |
| 1247 |
CO, Co A injured by mine while chasing PW along road in his peep. Lt Rheinhardt assumes cmd (outside of Merbeck). |
| 1300 |
S-3 CCA thru LnO: When TF Mossman moves out, send a combat patrol down to Luttelforst (9789) to clean out any enemy still holding out there. Don't engage in big fight. The Recon has been up to the S. side of town and ran into a road block. They took a few prisoners. You should be able to clean it out with a few sqds and tks. |
| 1320 |
Fr CO 18th to CCA: Mines at 959844 (Wegberg Woods), trees across road east of road junction 958894 (Luttelforst). The road NW to Waldniel is reptd clear and no trps in vic of Amern-St George at 0430, 1 Mar 45. |
| 1340 |
88th Recn to CCA: Road fr Silverbeck to Waldniel cleared of trees, AT ditch is now filled - moving on to Waldniel. |
| 1350 |
En tk reptd vic Munchen-Gladbach 2 kw NW at 077914 - Info intercepted by 18tk fr friendly station. Msg sent at 0959. |
| 1410 |
Fr Trp A, 88th - friendly patrol repts clothing - equip vic 9690 river crossing. Air repts unidentified vehicle in woods vic 965905 at 0900 Time signed 1034. |
| 1413 |
Med O repts Co A CO evacuated. |
| 1420 |
Bn Hq, Hq, and Sv begin to move out of Wegberg. |
| 1422 |
88th being held up at Waldniel by traffic congestion of friendly trps on the rt (84th Div). |
| 1433 |
ExecO to CG: Our mission for continuance has been given and S-3 is on his way up to give it to you. |
| 1440 |
CCA to all units: a new PW collecting point has been established at Merbeck. Time signed 1137. |
| 1450 |
CG, CCA to ExO: 18th Tk will be in Amern-St. George in about 20 min. |
| 1500 |
TF Goodrich clears Tettelrath. |
| 1505 |
CCA given the mission of moving north to Dilkrath (NE of Amern-St. George) and on to Boisheim. (ExO CCA to CG) |
| 1520 |
Exo CCA to CG: Fr Boisheim move to Babberich, our objective. We must coordinate with outfit on our rt. That outfit representive is with our 3 now. |
| 1535 |
CO 7th asks ExO CCA what was origin of msg to clean up Luttelforst: Did it come fr CCA or Div. |
| 1545 |
Exo CCA: It originated with us. |
| 1550 |
CO 7th to ExO CCA: We are disregarding orders of taking Luttelforst on orders fr CG. |
| 1551 |
Co A moves out to Waldniel. |
| 1555 |
Head of clm 1 km SW of Waldniel. |
| 1556 |
398th FA passes thru Hq and Sv of 7th headed toward Merbeck. |
| 1640 |
Hq Co reaches edge of Merbeck. |
| 1647 |
S-2 repts 1 PW taken during day up to this time. |
| 1650 |
Fr XVI Corp to 88th Recon: Is Hein clear of en? 6 En tks observed on Munchen-Viersen Road at 1200 moving. Lt resistance vic 2189. Time signed 1200 (2189 vic Buttgen, about 10 km W of Dusseldorf) |
| 1800 |
S-3 CCA repts verbally that the 8th AD will move N. to Lobberich and hold a line east-west along the RR tracks while 84th Div to our rt turns east toward the Rhine. |
| 1845 |
CO 7th starts Bn out of Nerbeck toward Waldniel. |
| 1850 |
S-2 repts 127 PWs taken yesterday; 52 PWs taken today of which 51 came in at 1700. |
| 1910 |
Bn halted along road SW of Waldniel to reorganize. Order of march: will be Recon Plt, B, Hq, A, Sv in compliance with orders issued last nite in Webberg. |
| 1940 |
Bn reorganized and begins to move out. |
| 2020 |
88th Recon to CO 7th: Our advance elements held up by road block and some fire vic 004984 (Suchteln). Time signed 1950 - 88th is E of Boisheim about 5 km. |
| 2050 |
CO 7th orders all Co XCmdrs to rept to him at head of clm and Co A to turn in place, having taken the wrong road. |
| 2200 |
Co A completed their turnaround and closed up on the rear of clm. |
| 2220 |
Co 7th to all Cos: Eat chow and be ready to move out by 2230. OK to be a little late but move out by 2230. One Co that's leaving sqd at the gates don't forget. |
| 2225 |
Co 7th asks CCA to post guides over bridge of Schwalm River - CCA. |
| 2310 |
Bn begins to move out again. |
| 2340 |
Bn halted outside of Boisheim by road block. |
