151 (Ayrshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment: 123 Battery 124 Battery 125 Battery- 25 Pounder Sherman 75mm OPs
Unit No.74
25 September 1944: Regiment moved from Belgium to area near Helmond (Brabant).
27 September 1944: 123 Battery ordered out as "Sniping" Battery between St Anthonis and Boxmeer. Captain Miller fired smoke screen as protection for 15/19 who had two tanks ditched in the Lactaria area.
28 September 1944: Lieutenant Lisby and Captain Canvin occupied OPS in Beugen and Boxmeer.
29 September 1944: 125 Battery went out as "Sniping" Battery.
1 October 1944: E Troop proceed to Meijel to form Meijel Force with Company 8 RB and Troop 23 H, to clear and hold Meijel (Limburg).
2 October 1944: Red smoke target fired across the River Maas. and Typhoons attacked enemy gun position.
3October 1944: Regiment moved to new location Oploo area (Brabant).
4 October 1944: Main activity on this day was that of firing red smoke to indicate targets for American
lightnings. 110 red smoke fired and probably the largest red smoke screen of the war thereby created.
6 October 1944: Information received that Meijel Force had been attacked during the night by enemy patrol and E Troop gun area invaded. At aproxx 05.15hrs two parties of Bosche approached E.Troop Command Post which was in a house west of Meijel. tracer was fired at the house which was set alight. In attempting to get out the G.P.O Lieutenant D.H.Smith and Troop Leader Lieutenant Crawford were shot and killed, a hand grenade trown into the house killed a signaller and wounding the remainder of C.P Staff.
B.S.M Wilson ran upstairs and engaged the enemy patrol with a brengun. At the same time the driver of the "C" truck killed two germans with his Stengun and wounded a third and in spite of heavy small arms fire, got into his truck and drove it away from the burning house. At the same time a few enemy had approached the gun position and attempted to fix a charge to one of the gun barrels. This blew off the muzzle brake but little other damage was done ,and the enemy driven off . 8
October 1944: Regiment moved to new postion between Oploo and St.Anthonis (Brabant).
9 October 1944: Meijel force was relieved and returned to Regiment.
12 October 1944: 125 Battery C.P in a house was shelled, knocked down out house but no casualties. 15
October 1944: Regiment arrived a new postion near Overloon.
17 October 1944: Regiment moved to near position near Milheeze (Brabant).
19 October 1944: A premature occured in E.Troop position injuring Lieutenant Morrison and one other rank, this was the second premature of the champaign.
26 October 1944: Enemy patrol approached B.Troop position at around 01.30hrs, bazooka was fired at one of the guns at close range and one man wounded.
28 October 1944: Regiment moved to new position west of Ijsselstein.(Limburg).
29 October 1944: Enemy aircraft attacked Helmond approx 21.00Hrs and on attempting to bomb canal bridge hit A echelon area, causing casualties, one man killed and one wounded and two vehicles destroyed.
30 October 1944: Regiment moved to position near Deurne.
8 November 1944: Regiment fired smoke screen for patrol 1 Welsh Guards.
13 November 1944: burned out scout car belonging to Inns of Court observed by Captain Spence from OP south of Ijsselstein.
14 November 1944: Regimeny received 60 propaganda shells and fired 21 of these to 7 enemy locations, selected by 159 Brigade. Propaganda shells fired just before dusk to enable Germans to pick the leaflets up after dark without being observed by NCOs.
18 November 1944: Sappers given task of clearing mines from new gun area.
21 November 1944: Y Truck of 125 Battery blown up by a mine on verge of road whilst moving to new position. One man killed (Gnr B.F.Boileau) and three wounded (GPOA's). Truck burned out and all stationery,tgt records, gun history sheets etc of 125 Battery lost. Regiment moved to new area at Griendtsveen (Brabant).
25 November 1944: Regiment moved to new area North of America (Brabant). 25 November 1944: Regiment moved to new area near Meterik (Brabant). During night enemy a/c raided Meterik area dropping anti-personnel and heavier bombs. One bomb landed in 123 Battery lines and one man was killed( Gnr T.McQuade) and four wounded.
28 November 1944: Regiment moved near position South of Tienray.(Brabant)
30 November 1944: During the day Lt Jackson (123 Bty) manning an OP at Broekhuizenvorst was shelled out and had a fortunate escape when a shell splinter ripped his clothing but did not wound him.
1 December 1944: Regiment moved to Belgium.
1 January 1945: Regiment went out off action and went to Deurne (Brabant).
10 January 1945: Regiment moved to area near Baexem (Limburg).
15 January 1944: Regiment fired in support for Operation "Blackcock".
22 January 1945: Following men went to Bishop College in Weert to recieve awards, presented by Field Marshall Montgomery.
Major W.N.Mitchell-MC
Lt R.E.Hampton-MC
L/Bdr R.Sim-MM
Gnr J.Prott-MM
RSM J.S.Pocock C in C Cerficate
BQMS J.Merry C in C Certifcate
24 January 1945: 124 Battery shot propaganda shells on Merum, Leerup and Roermond, Det Army Film Unit filmed the firing of this.
29 January 1945: Red smoke fired at factory near Merum (Limburg).
17 February 1945: Regiment went out off action and moved to concentration area near Tilburg.
23 February 1945: Regiment last day in action in the Netherlands, they moved to Germany.
