The Action near Meijel (Limburg)

By Brigadier K.R.Brazier-Creagh  OC

25 Field Regiment

During the night of October 26th/27th the enemy threw three bridges over the canals in the Meijel area, and of October 27th attacked and captured the town. My own Regiment was at this time under the command of 3rd Infantry Division and in position just west of Overloon. But on the evening of 27th October I received orders that the Regiment was to come under command of the 7th US Armoured Division and move at first light the next day to the area of Asten. My Regiment was to support 7th US Division, who were holding a wide front to hit the enemy as hard as possible, there was no ammunition expenditure. When I reached their HQ early on the 28th I got my orders, and also the first serious news. A message came back in to say that the enemy had attacked the American position west of Meijel at dawn, one company had been overrun and Tiger tanks were advancing up the road to Asten. We took position south of the village of Heusden, the ground between Heusden and Meijel is flat and marshy, with little cover except for the fir wood in front of the position. Since a battle was going on and the situation was confused, it was not easy to get FOO's into the best positions. I left Major Napper as rep with HQ Combat Command and send Captain Griffiths as FOO to the infantry battalion, in addition Captain Webb and Captain Thrift-Lee were sent out on to the left and right flanks respectively to get as far forward as possible and watch the situation, the Regiment was in action facing south-east by 10.45am.

The weather was fine and American Air OP's were put at our disposal. The information they gave us during the morning made it clear that the enemy, having been stopped in his direct drive up the road, was preparing to outflank the position on the left. At about 2.30pm heavy artillery and mortar fire heralded this attack, which was delivered by about 400 infantry supported by 20 Tiger and Panther tanks from the direction of the woods west of Neerkant. The attack was made over oern ground with little cover, and gave us excellent targets which we engaged with a series of regimental concentrations. For two hours the action was fierce, tne enemy making desperate attempts to get round the open Amerivan left flank, he gained between 700 and 1000yards of ground, but at the cost of heavy casualties to his infantry and several tanks knocked out. By 4.30pm the attack had list its impetus the enemy showing a marked disinclination to advance in the face of concentrated artillery fire and as darkness fell he abandoned his efforts and dug in on his newly won ground.

Information from prisoners had now made it clear that the German attack was no minor Division, but a properly planned operation by 9th Panzer and 15th Panzer Grenadier Division. Their assault had fallen on a single American Division strechted out over a wide front, morecover, as far as was known, no Corps of Army reserve existed since all avaible troop were taking part in the Scheldt operations. Combat Command R had also suffered badly during the day, oe company had been overrun, a second was isolated, the battalion of Shermans was reduced in strenght and touch had been lost with the Combat Command on the left do that nothing was known of the situation on that flank. Twelve targets were selected from known enemy positions, roads in and out Meijel and the bridges over the canals. Each target was engaged at scal three by each battery three times during the night , a total of 108 rounds per gun. This programme involved 80 alternations to switch and range and was carried out in spite of periodical heavy counter-battery fire. In the early morning 131st Field Regiment arrived and came into action east and north of Heusden. The two regiments were put on the same grid as soon as it was light and it was arranged that the next day the fire of the 131st was to be directed by OPs of 25th Field. In the early morning Gethin relived Napper and Thrift-Lee relieved Griffiths. Webb sent out on the left flank, made contact with the Recce Squadron. Major Oswald was sent out on the right but finding no American troops and a completely open flank, established himself in the open within 1000yards of the enemy.

Both our Regiments brought down heavy fire and the enemy infantry made little progress, but some four or five Tiger tanks reached the road behind the American forward position and inflicted casualties on the Sherman battalion and tank destoyers before being knocked out or driven off. While the battle was at its height an American liaison officer brought me the news that Liesel had been captured and that the enemy were advancing on asten from the east. towards 9am the enemy attack began to lose impetus. About this time the CO of 131 Field Regiment, Lt-Col J.M.Hailey arrived at my HQ. Little more then two platoons of the infantry battalion remained , there was no news from the right company, only one tank destroyer was left and very few Shermans of the tank battalion were still runners. The FOO's on the right and left were in touch with the Regiment, but isolated in positions about 1000yards from the enemy and completely unprotected. There could be no question of withdrawing our guns from their present expsed positions, as to do so would deprive the Americans, who were hanging on so gamely, of thier much-needed fire support at a critical stage of the battle.Communications never failed and throughout the dat the two regiments engaged 100 targers with approx expenditure of 400 rounds per gun. At about 3pm the enemy launched their final attempt to break through the position. At about 3pm the enemy launched thier final attempt to break through the position. Captain Webb, with his wireless operator, Bombardier Grundy, and driver were establishment in open country entirely without protection. Captani Webb saw his attack developing and engaged it with fire. Although completely isolated, he remained at his OP directing fire until the attack was brought to halt some 300 yards from him. By this time he and his OP party were surrounded on three sides. He continued to direct fire on the enemy until darkness fell four hours later, when he withdrew. Once again the enemy showed  that they were unable to advance against heavy artillery fire, and when darkness fell just before 7pm the battle died down. At 2am on October 30th the gallant survivors of the American company withdrew through the British battalions. For 15hours they had stood against overwhelming odds. The whole area was now firmly held and 15th Scottish Division was already in action when 25th Field Regiment moved to its alternative positions at 2.30am.