| Time |
Incidents, Messages, Orders, etc. Action taken |
| |
2 Mar 45 |
| 0016 |
PW reports 400 trps in Lobberich. (Road block still effective at 0030, 983002) - the 18th Tk has been attempting to take this road block since early in the evening. |
| 0219 |
Road block holding up 7th, cleared by engrs. |
| 0227 |
18th Tk asks CG, CCA for one more outfit of doughboys. |
| 0230 |
CO 7th: I overheard your transmission. I am just short of Boisheim and am moving up toward there now (to Goodrich).
Goodrich: Can you send up one and I'll have it stopped where I want it.
Mossman: I'm right behind your tail. I understand. OK. Have someone of your Gp meet me and lead me up.
Goodrich: Will have someone on that road just outside of town.
Mossman to CCA: Route clear up to this point and road block on outskirts of Boisheim has just been cleared.
CS CCA to Mossman: Dis you clear east-west line running thru Amern-St. George?
Mossman: No, I haven't as yet, but will shortly. Will close up my final point shortly.
CCA: Will you be N. of Gilkrath?
Mossman: My head will but not my tail.
CCA: OK, but get them in as close as possible. Everything has to be N. of that line. |
| 0253 |
Mossman to all Cos: Be ready to move out in 3 mins. |
| 0302 |
Mossman to Co B: Move out. |
| 0347 |
Co B, 7th atchd to TF Goodrich. |
| 0500 |
No move made; clm closed up on rear of Goodrich. |
| 0530 to 0600 |
Bn gasses up. |
| 0618 |
CG CCA to CO 7th: Nothing going on in Lobberich up here but arty fire. |
| 0725 |
18th Tk to CG: We jumped off at 0615 but ran into road block covered with AT gun and MGs. Will rept soon. |
| 0747 |
Goodrich repts Inf moving on thru town; found another road block. |
| 0750 |
Goodrich to CG: We are being held up by 2nd road block. Not being fired on yet. Will try to get you the exact position. |
| 0800 |
2nd road block 500 yds beyond first one. We had better have Engrs up here (this action took place in Lobberich) |
| 0818 |
Goodrch calls for CIC to handle civilian congestion in Lobberich; also wants IPW team. |
| 0830 |
88th Recon to CG CCA: Observed en trps at 973997 (Lotsch) 3 kmS. Of Lobberich. Troops dug in. Time signed 0820. |
| 0850 |
CG CCA to CO 7th: Enemy dug in 974997. Want you to ck on it. |
| 0955 |
ExO 7th to all Cos: Keep a man alert at all times on the 50 cal. This will be his sole duty. (The clm had been sitting in its present location since late the nite before.) |
| 1105 |
Clm fires on 1 German Recon plane - no hits. |
| 1135 |
CO 7th calls Co Cmdrs meeting. |
| 1140 |
CO 7th issues FO: TF Goodrich will move N. fr Lobberich. This TF (Mossman) moves H Hr. preceeded by Recon plt supported by Engrs to vic of chapel NE Hamsel. H hr: 1230 Order of march Recon plt plus one sqd of engrs, Co B plus one plt tks, Engr plt, Co A, 18th Tk, Hq Co, Co A, Med, Sv. Co B will furnish the adv guard. Co A will prepare to furnish the left flank security. Cos will put out their own security on halting at Chapel. Bn will await result of Recon of stream crossings before proceeding. Kitchen trucks and non-combat vehicles will rept to trains. CO will be at head of main body. All vehicle tops will be down. Route of evacuation and supply will be the axis of advance. The aid station will be mobile behind Co A. PW collection point set up on call. PWs will be guarded with minimum details until picked up by combat Cmd. They will not be taken back. |
| 1150 |
CG CCA to CO: Have you moved yet?
Mossman: No.
CG CCA: Let Hq Co CCA pass thru you on the left. I want them thru fast.
Mossman: I will move at 1230. I want to get the rept fr my recon plt before I start forward. |
| 1155 |
S-3 CCA contacts Mossman and says: Since you will move at 1230 let CCA Hq Co come along behind you. |
| 1206 |
CG CCA to CO 7th: Send one plt in tracks to high ground in vic Flathead. CO 7th: Wilco. |
| 1227 |
CG CCA to Tornado: PW taken this morning repts that 2nd Rgt, 8th Para Div started yesterday for Moers (just west of Duisberg on this side of the Rhine - this town also spelled Mors on some maps) where they were to prepare a defense. |
| 1228 |
En planes over CCA. |
| 1244 |
Co 7th to all Cos: Prepare to move out. (nothing has been done about Fladhead operations due to traffic congestion) |
| 1300 |
Bn moves out. |
| 1306 |
CG CCA to CO 7th: CIC, MPs and IPW have come up to Lobberich; civilians have been sent back to their houses. Proclamations have been published; things are going a lot more smoothly.You can probably move up as far as Lobberich. |
| 1316 |
I & R to CO: 18th Tk has cleared Herongen. |
| 1320 |
Clm moves up slowly thru Lobberich without encountering any opposition. |
| 1425 |
Hd of clm halted by blown out bridge at 985075 NE of Hinesbeck. |
| 1430 |
CO 7th calls for Treadway bridge to cross the Nett River. |
| 1521 |
Goodrich to Colson: We are on the outskirts of Wachtendonk. Have had a fire fight, but are now moving. |
| 1530 |
PW col point now established at Lobberich bt CCA. |
| 1645 |
35th Div on our left reptd 4 km SW of Straelen fr Tornado. |
| 1646 |
88th to C-2 Net: Bridges reptd out at A030139 and at 050151. Germans report German 74th Inf Div at Kempen. Time signed 1615. |
| 1650 |
I & R Plt reconnoitering area vic Herongen - They had been able to cross the blown bridge across the Nett River in their 1/4 tons. |
| 1800 |
Bridge is in; Co A crossing. |
| 1840 |
Co A reaches Herongen. |
| 1844 |
S-3 CCA tells CO 7th to make contact with 35th Div on left and keep contact with patrols. |
| 1955 |
Hq Co stopped along road, 1 km S. of RJ leading into Herongen - receives arty fire fr 122mm guns fr woods to rt flank: 6 casualties. |
| 2255 |
Bn closes Herongen. |
| |
3 Mar 45 |
| 0001 to 2210 |
Bn billeted at Herongen. Contact established with units of 35th Div. 137th Regt of 35th is at Locht 9505. 134th has elements at Straelen 9817. Both these units moved NE during the day. The 8th Armd Div has been pinched off in its advance by the convergence of the 35th Div on the left and the 84th Div on the rt, as they turned eastward in the vic of Herongen. The 8th AD as a result has been placed in Corps reserve. In order to clear the road junction thru Herongen the 7th will have to move east off those roads which will be the MSR of the 35th Div. During the day recon elements of the 7th located 3 en strongpoints on the outskirts of Herongen consisting of pill boxes, trench systems, and hwy atry emplacements, All of these positions were deserted. To the NE of town near the windmill there is a mass burial ground for the German 190th Inf Div, containing pits big enough for the burial of several hundred men. |
| 1945 |
CO 7th issues order for march for move to Wankum, 4 km east of Herongen. Order of march: B, Engr plt, Tks, Hq, A and Sv. Rate of march: 10 MPH. 5 min betw Cos. |
| 2210 |
Co B leads move out of Herongen. |
| 2330 |
Bn closes Wankum and bivouacs; Bn CP set up. |
