the neighbourhood of Mil, Haps and Beer. In early October, the regiment encountered the worst
enemy air activity since Caen, fighting off daily attacks by ME 109s.
On the 5th came their first encounter with an ME 262, the Germans' new jet-propelled plane. `It
became involved with some Spitfires over Nijmegen and showed them a clean pair of heels as far as
Heuman, where it banked sharply to starboard,' wrote Captain Almond. `As it banked, it exposed
its belly to D Troop, which was deployed in defence of divisional HQ. Three guns fired at very short
range and a burst of four rounds entered the aircraft.'
It was observed to stagger violently, then endeavoured to gain height in the direction of Grave. D
Troop guns broke off their engagement, as the Spitfires were now hot on the trail again and
indeed closed with the 262, pouring rounds into it. The plane crashed near Grave and the pilot was
killed in a vain attempt to parachute.'
Soon after, F Troop brought down an ME 109 whose pilot parachuted into captivity near
Overloon. Next day, the same unit destroyed another ME 109 as it made a low-level strafing attack
in the Oefellt-Gennep area. On the 12th, as ME 262s and a JU 88 raided the regimental area,
indirect fire support totalling 1,800 rounds was given to 3rd Division as it fought ferociously
for Overloon in Operation Aintree. Four days later, amid very bad weather, the Bofors again
opened up to help the attack continue on to Venraij.
By this time, after the failure of Market Garden, enemy resistance had hardened.
Montgomery decided not to attempt a crossing of the Rhine that autumn, but to concentrate on
clearing the port of Antwerp. So 3rd Division was withdrawn across the Maas and on October 15,
the 92nd established its RHQ at Oploo, where the regiment was destined to remain for the next four
months. But drama and death were never far away.
On the 25th, `buzz-bomb' V-1 rockets were spotted heading west. Two days later, Bombardier
John Nicholson of the counter-mortar unit was killed by a shell. On October 31, Gunner John
Rowland of 319 died and Bombardier Gregg was wounded when two 108mm shells hit I Troop
billet area. The `calmness and initiative' of Gunner J Smith while attending the wounded NCO during
this attack earned him a commendation from the divisional commander.
At the end of the month, 8 Corps, on 21st Army Group's right flank, had to extend its front and B,
D and F Troops went into the line as infantry, forming platoons to hold a sector of the Maas at
Groeningen. There was sporadic shelling and mortaring, plus `intense and exciting' night patrols, but
no contact with the enemy. As November opened, torrential rain turned highways to mudbaths and
men were put on road works to maintain communications. On the 10th, Lieutenant Roberts of 317
was wounded for the second time when a truck in which he was travelling ran over a mine. An NCO
was also hurt. The regiment provided parties for mine-lifting in the wooded areas of Overloon,
Venraij and Horst.
`We had taken a keen interest in mines whilst training in the UK and special teams were ready to
deal with major commitments of this sort. We had no casualties in minelifting throughout the whole of
the campaign.'
cancelled because of the weather. Section shoots across the Maas, targeting German billets,
strongpoints and particularly meal parades, were popular. `This enthusiasm was not always shared
by neighbouring units, as our fire sometimes drew angry reprisals, which usually arrived just after the
guns had gone out of action and retired to their anti-aircraft pits.'
The regiment's stay in Holland also brought home to the men that as well as fighting the Germans,
they were liberating a conquered people. Jack Prior recalled an incident in September 1944 when
one of the 92nd's petrol cookers exploded in the built-in barn of a farm. 'The barn and attached
living accommodation were destroyed and Peter Crane and I organised salvage teams, rescuing as
much as possible - saving the occupants, animals and some of the furniture. But it was a fairly
hopeless task to save any of the buildings.
'In due course, there would have been a degree of recompense from the British government. But to
me the most embarrassing aspect was that the farmer and his family did not castigate us, but were
quite phlegmatic about it, making clear that they still preferred to have us there than the Germans.'
As 1944 drew to a close, there were frequent sightings of vapour trails from rockets, believed to
be V-2s, and engagements with ME 262s around Oploo and Venraij. Towards the end of
November, the Germans remaining west of the Maas started pulling back and by the beginning of
December, 3rd Division had cleared the area to the river line, holding a 20-mile front between
Boxmeer and Grubbenvorst.
As December opened, it was decided that only two 92nd batteries should be kept at readiness
in defence of local areas while one took turns to stand down. Several younger men in the
regiment were marked for transferral to the infantry. On the 5th, a 15cwt truck of 319 was
destroyed when it strayed into a minefield after the white marker tapes had blown down. One officer
suffered superficial injuries.
Regimental HQ moved to St Anthonis on December 8. Three days later, Major Crane was
invested with the Military Cross by Montgomery in a ceremony at Gimers Monastery, in recognition
of his heroism during the sinking of the Sambut on D-Day, when he saved many men by his calm and
resolute action. Throughout the month, rocket sightings continued.
There was a mass raid by 18 ME 109s and eleven ME 262s on the 17th, with two hits claimed.
Next day, 13 ME 262s were engaged, with one hit claimed. That same day, HQ moved to Leunen
and on Christmas Eve an unusual prisoner was taken - a German carrier pigeon. The message it
carried was indecipherable and it was handed over to divisional HQ.