INTERVIEW

Unit: Hq 88th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron
Source: Major John R. Castles, S-3, 88th Cav Rcn Sqdn
Interviewer: Capt. Joseph Vasta.
Place and Date of Interview: 3 April 45, Hardegsen, Germany

Comments: This interview covers the period during which according to Major Castle, "The squadron had a real cavalry mission".

On the morning of April 3, the 88th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, had the mission of reconnoitering south in the division zone to the Ruhr River. They were to find the available routes within the division zone of advance; enemy dispositions and numbers; to contact and maintain liaison with friendly First Army units on the south and the 95th Infantry Division on the west.

D Troop was given the left (east) sector with the mission of reconnoitering in the assigned zone and making contact with First Army Units. B Troops, in the center, was to reconnoiter south in this assigned zone and report the condition of routes. A Troop in the west sector, was to reconnoiter south in the assigned zone and establish contact and maintain liaison with the 95th Infantry Division.

D Troop found out who the First Army units were (1st Infantry Division and the 4th Cavalry Group) made contact with them and maintained liaison. B Troop hit spotty opposition but went clear through to their objective which had been changed to the Mohne River and outposted the river. A Troop, however, was held up by heavy resistance from Westernkotten, Oberhagen, and Benninghausen. This fact was reported to division headquarters at once. The division deployed its combat commands to attack and as division prepared to attack, A Troop deployed on the west flank.

The next day, the combat commands going south bypassed Westernkotten, both from the left (east) and right (west) flanks. When the enemy opened up on the exposed flanks of both combat commands, Division G-3 put through a call up to the cavalry squadron to see what they could about capturing the town. All that was left in the squadron at the time, were two platoons from E Troops, two platoons from C Troop and one platoon from F Company. A patrol of 10 men under Lt. Milton Abrams of C Trp was sent into the town to reconnoiter the resistance. The patrol succeeded in surprising 2 outposts and got into the town before the enemy was aware of their presence. 45 prisoners were taken and an undetermined number escaped to the southwest. There were plenty of machine guns, panzerfausts, and hand grenades all over the town. The factor that helped take this town was the element of complete surprise. It was repeated by a PW that 200 Germans had been holding the town.

B Troop which had been outposting the Mohne River, was pulled north and then refaced to move west. They immediately hit heavy resistence in Wickede and Efflen. CCA passed through to attack.

John R. Castles
Major, S-3
88th Cavalry Rcn Squadron