1 Cdo Bde HQ War Diary 1st - 9th April 1945
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1 April 1945
Commanding Officer: Brigadier D Mills-Roberts DSO MC Irish Guards
Gescher, Germany
Cool and windy day. Some rain. During the night 31/1 orders were received to move to the Greven area. The Bdes task was to protect the right flank of VIII Corps who had crossed the Dortmund EMS Canal and were advancing towards Osnabruck.
0900 - Bde HQ convoy moves off.
1300 - Bde HQ convoy arrives Greven. During the 24 hrs period ending 1600 hrs some 240 PW were captured by the Bde. The Bde was disposed around Greven and the surrounding woods were patrolled.
2 April 1945
Greven - No change in weather. Another 50 PW were captured by the Bde during the day.
3 April 1945
Greven - Weather wet and cool. During the night 2/3 orders were received for the Bde to come under the comd of 6 Airborne Div. The task was to capture the town of Osnabruck whilst the Airborne Div controlled the high ground approaching it.
0800 - The Bde moved off in TCVs.
3 April 1945
Hasbergen
2359 - The Bde arrived in the staging area 5 km west of Osnabruck.
4 April 1945
Hasbergen
0300 - The Bde moved off in single file and approached Osnabruck from the NW. 3 Cdo led with Tac HQ and 45 RM Cdo following. 6 and 46 RM Cdo were in the rear. By dawn the Bde had infested the NW part of the town and by 1000 hrs Osnabruck was in our hands, only a few snipers remaining. Whilst the casualties of the Bde were low and those of Tac HQ nil, the enemy lost some 50 killed and wounded and 450 PW.
5 April 1945
Osnabruck - Weather cool and heavy showers. The Eastern suburbs were cleared by 46 RM Cdo.
6 April 1945
Osnabruck - The Bde came under comd of 11 Armd Div and moved to Ucht.
6 April 1945
Ucht - 45 RM Cdo crossed the River Weser at Stolzenau into a bridgehead established by a Bn of the RB and immediately came up against stiff opposition.
7 April 1945
Ucht - During the hours of darkness 3 Cdo were ferried across the river to reinforce 45 RM Cdo. They were across by 0500 hrs. During the day the fighting in the bridgehead showed no sign of abating. The enemy were SS men and they fought extremely well. After many casualties from shelling and dive bombing work on the bridge was suspended.
1700 - The Bde Comd held an O Group. He ordered the Bde to advance by night to the rear of Leise from which all the opposition was coming and capture Leise before first light on the 8th. 6 Cdo were to lead laying a white tape to mark their route and the rest of the Bde were to follow in single file. Bde HQ (Tac) would march with 6 Cdo.
2300 - All the Bde had been ferried across the River Weser at Stolzenau and the night march commenced. The march was carried out with few incidents. 4 AA guns were overrun and their crews captured.
8 April 1945
Leise - By dawn Leise was in our hands and some 50 PW captured. About 30 more enemy were killed or wounded. The Bde captured several Arty pieces, a V2 site intact and a Chemical Warfare Factory.
9 April 1945
Leise - A fine spring day. Brigadier Lord Lovat DSO MC and Lt Col R Dawson DSO visited the Bde.
1500 - Orders were received for the Bde to move to Helsdorf immediately. The move of Bde HQ was completed by 2000 hrs.