War Diary, 1944
Related entry: The Nijmegen bridge.
My father, Kenneth Taylor (now 87), was the Signals Officer in the 6th Battalion of Green Howards, in the Allied Expeditionary Force which landed in Normandy in northern France on D-Day, June 6, 1944. The Battalion was in the initial early-morning assault on Gold Beach.
Kenneth kept a (more or less) daily diary of his experiences as his unit advanced north-eastwards across France, through Belgium, and eventually reached Nijmegen in Holland on 24 September. The diary continues until 11 December, 1944. I decided to celebrate this year's VE Day by putting it online. A copy of the diary has also recently been given to the Green Howards Regimental Museum in Richmond, Yorkshire.
Read Kenneth Taylor's war diary »
The Allied Expeditionary Force: D-Day to Nijmegen, June – December 1944
Whilst the Green Howards was a regiment of the British Army, a regiment was not a fighting unit as such. Operationally, the regiment's 6th Battalion was deployed as part of 69 Brigade of the 50th Northumbrian Infantry Division. The following is a brief description of how the Allied Expeditionary Force was organised.
The Supreme Commander of the Western Allies was General Dwight Eisenhower who directed Anglo-American operations in north-west Europe. The US 12th Army Group was led by General Omar Bradley and the Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group was led by Field-Marshall Sir Bernard Montgomery.
The Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group consisted of the British Second Army commanded by General Sir Miles Dempsey and which possessed four Corps, one of which – XXX – was led by Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks, and the First Canadian Army commanded by Lieutenant-General Harry Crerar and which possessed I and II Canadian Corps and a Polish Armoured Division.
A Corps normally comprised two or three Divisions plus specialist troops. Montgomery's two Army Commanders also possessed a number of independent Armoured Divisions. At full strength a Division numbered about 15,000 men, though less in an Armoured Division. A Division usually comprised three Brigades (abbreviated to Bde in the diary), and each Brigade contained three Battalions (or Armoured Regiments). A Battalion comprised three or four fighting Companies, each of which in turn contained three Platoons of 30 soldiers.
A Battalion was commanded by a C.O. with an Adjutant. Kenneth Taylor describes Battalions (abbreviated to Bn in the diary) with four Rifle Companies (abbreviated to Coys in the diary), and various Platoons: Bren Carrier, Mortar, Machine Gun etc.
He was responsible for the Signals Platoon of the 6th Battalion of Green Howards, which was distributed according to operational requirements. Its job, in part, was to establish and maintain reliable operational telephone communications by laying fixed lines between Battalion H.Q. and the fighting front line. Communication by wireless was insecure and usually 'scrambled' by the enemy.
In summary, the command hierarchy for Kenneth Taylor was: Allied Expeditionary Force » Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group » British Second Army » XXX Corps » 50th Northumbrian Infantry Division » 69 Brigade » 6th Battalion of Green Howards » Signals Platoon.
About the diary
The notebook itself began life as a German war diary. Kenneth Taylor started his own diary on D-Day on loose scraps of paper, then after a few days he found the notebook (pictured top) in an abandoned German position, so he transferred his previous entries into it and it continued as his diary from then on. Its original German owner had made a few entries in May, 44, ending on the 27th.
Related entry: The Nijmegen bridge.
Mr Taylor,
I am a feature writer at the Bolton Evening News and would very much like to interview your father about his "war diary". I have been looking at it on the website.
I have tried ringing you but without success. Any chance that you could contact me by email, or telephone (01204 537263), to see if we might make some arrangements? I am sure your father is known by many people in Bolton who would be interested to hear of his exploits.
regards,
Bill Allen
As of the 6th of June 2006 the Green Howards reformed to create 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment.
I enjoyed reading this and was sure you'd be contacted by journalists etc. The more people who publish diaries the better, lest we forget.
My father was around the same places at the same times (GI arrived Utah Beach 6th June). Your father wrote "I wonder if I'll ever adjust…" I hope he did. Mine suffered from post-war syndrome until his death in Richmond (Virginia, USA) Feb 07 age 84.
God bless them all.
"God bless them all." Amen to that. I'm sorry to hear that your father found it so hard to adjust post-war.
My father must have adjusted. He's alive and well, and at 89 he still rides fifteen miles each day on his bike, come rain, wind, or snow, although he finds it hard to walk. His wife since just after the war, Francoise, died in January of this year at 87.
Thank you for replying.
As you enjoy and excel in photography, could we see photos of your father on his bike?!
I love his adaptation of Carroll's famous poem in his war diary; he must have a wonderful sense of humour!
Dear Patrick
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed reading your father's diary. Thank you for making it available. The greatest generation, indeed. Love the photo of your dad on the bike! May he enjoy continued good health, peace and tranquility.
All the best.
Jim
Jim, many thanks. I will pass this on to my father. I always find the parade at the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday very moving to watch, even on TV.
Patrick
I am writing a book about Joey (ginger) Hollingsworth. he was part of the kings royal rifles. he landed in normandy (gold beach) a few days after d-day. i am trying to find out exactly when. Any help would be appreciated.
Your wonderful diary has been listed in the war diary archive war-diary.com.
Hi Patrick,
just to let you know (if not said already) the wording on the notebooks cover "O.v.D.- Buch" tells that it was the official log (Logbuch) of a German military unit.
O.v.D. = Offizier vom Dienst > officer on duty
Buch = book
Greetings from Germany.
Hi Patrick,
Just looking at the photo of the 6th Battalion Green Howards 1944 & I think I recognise my Uncle John Eli Shepherd ,top row ,3rd from the left. He served with the Green Howards & was from Middlesbrough. Sadly he was killed in Gheel on Sept 10th 1944, he was just a boy at 18 years old .
Wonder if your dad remembers him?
Thanks & praise to your father ,who was astute & caring enough to keep the diary & kind enough to share it with us. It paints a picture of what happened & answers some previously unanswered questions.
Many thanks to your father ,we are eternally proud & grateful for the battles fought for our freedom.
Always in rememberance to the fallen, may they rest in peace .
Hi Karina.
My father doesn't remember many names any more but he will try to look at the Battalion photo and the officer you believe might be John Eli Shepherd to see if it jogs his memory. If it does, I will post back here.
Thank you for your comments.
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Hi Patrick
I have been reading through my fathers diary as I will be in Nijmegen in a few weeks. He was in the Canadian Film Corps. and was in Nijmegen at the same time as your Father. They may have not crossed paths but I have always found it interesting how we can pass a person on the street and have a connection that we never knew about. In my fathers diary for Tuesday November 21 1944 he wrote, "Moved to Bruuman home in Nijmegen, mother, Father,Rosemarie & Miarianna and son John. Shot 100' on draw for leave to Canada at 2 corps- interiors". thanks for posting your fathers diary
Cheers
Bruce