18
Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips:
From OP ‘CUCKOO’ reports it was evident that the enemy did not venture out along the dyke walls after dark so a plan was evolved whereby a dory was to imitate a ship in distress near a selected area where an ambush patrol had been landed.
The ruse worked and the patrol sent out by the Germans was ambushed just as ‘the patrol had given up all hope and were beginning to withdraw, and was effectively dealt with to the following tune:–
1 wounded prisoner taken
3 killed
2 wounded
The official operational plan was as follows:
S E C R E T
47 (RM) Commando—OO No 3
6 April 1945
OPERATION ‘CUCKOO III & IV’
47/7/3/3G
Map Ref:-
7 SE ZIERIKZEE
INFORMATION
1. Enemy
See Int reports, photo cover, etc.
2. Own Troops
Recce Patrol—2/Lt F.B. SHEARDOWN (KOYLI) and 3 ORs Y-Troop.
Cover Party—Capt A.P. WILLASEY-WILSEY RM, and 18 ORs Y-Troop.
One LCA—Force ‘T’
One LCP(SY)—Force ‘T’.
INTENTION
3. To land at 332477 and establish 24 hr recce patrol in house near beach.
METHOD
4. General
Cover Party will see dyke clear after landing.
Recce patrol will cross dyke and move to house in rubber dinghy.
Cover party will withdraw when recce patrol established.
After approx. 24 hrs, cover party will return to protect withdrawal of Recce Patrol.
5. Tasks—Recce Patrol.
To study enemy posns in area of landing, with a view to future attacks.
To study enemy movements and habits.
6. Timings
082200B—Party embarks East COLIJNSPLAAT 3040.
082359B—Cover Party and patrol land.
092359B—Cover Party returns to collect Recce Patrol.
7. Withdrawal
If surprise is lost during approach, or during landing, party will withdraw.
If surprise is lost later, the recce patrol will continue if their presence has not been disclosed.
Should Cover Party be able to surprise enemy, they will endeavour to takePW without jeopardising Recce Patrol.
8. Standby Craft
2 LCA (Force ‘T’) will be present at KORTGENE from 2000 hrs 8 Mar until completion of operation to act in case of emergency.
9. Arty
Tasks;
(a) To give close support to Cover Party in the event of opposition in beach area.
(b) To give support on call in event of any unforeseen difficulty.
Arty will be deployed during operation and will be closed up during landing and disembarkation. By day they may engage normal harassing targets.
Targets Codename
German position at 316492—WELCH
German position at 336466—EAST
ADMINISTRATION
10. Detailed orders issued through Patrol Comd only.
INTERCOMMUNICATION
11. Signals
Joint HQ Recce Patrol by No 22 and No 68 Set.
Joint HQ to craft by RN Sets.
Craft to Recce Patrol by No 68 Set and by ‘Handy Talkie’.
Joint HQ with RN at GEORGE OP.
12. HQ—COLIJNSPLAAT 3040.
13. Codesigns—To be issued later.
14. Codewords.
Craft to combined HQ (Night I)
LCA touched down: CONTACT
OP Party established: EAGLE
Contacted enemy: CRASHED
LCA moving off: HOMING
Craft to combined HQ (Night II)
LCA touched down: DYKE
SHEARDOWN contacted: SAFE
Returning: BOUND
Enemy contacted: STRUCK
OP to LCA/HQ
Established in OP: EAGLE
Nothing seen: HOUSE TO LET
Come in and pick us up: RECOVER
15. ACK.
Extract from the diary of Capt Lieut Langfrits:–
12 April 1945
0205: Bunker 334 reports motor sounds between Bunkers 334 and 335. In direction of Bunker 334, two detonations and one red verey light. Bunker 335 reports loud shouting, apparently cries for help.
0245: Officer commanding sends a recce patrol from Bunker 335 of 1 NCO and 5 men, in the direction of Bunker 334, to find out whether the enemy has landed or a midget submarine has returned, which was overdue.
0320: Alarm goes out to the duty fighting patrol to stand to.
0330: Fighting patrol, consisting of 1 Officer, 3 NCOs and 15 men, starts off with orders to destroy the enemy landing party.
0335: Return of the runner from recce patrol (Muller) to Bunker 335, who was slightly wounded. He reports that the recce patrol met the enemy and was shot to bits from very short distance by 2 MGs and tommyguns.
Bn HQ sends reinforcements of 1 NCO and 9 men to Bunker 335, which arrives there at 0400.
0415: Officer Commanding the fighting patrol reports from Bunker 334 that the recce patrol (Muller) met the enemy on the dyke between the Bunkers 334 and 335, and was shot to bits by 2 MGs and several tommy guns. He reports that he sent 2 wounded back, 2 dead men are lying on the scene of the fight. A big pool of blood indicates where the patrol leader has fallen. The body has been removed by the enemy. Four rifles of the own recce patrol were found. One MG and one Polish MG 28 were taken away by the enemy.
The enemy left behind two carriers with 3 rds of PIAT amn each and two tommygun mags. Nothing was seen or heard of the enemy.
0515: The enemy bombards ZIERIKZEE and Bunker 335 with airburst and ordinary shells.
Boatswain (U-Officer) Muller, the leader of the recce patrol, is missing. Matrosen-Gefreiter Glohig and Matrose Rieder were killed. Matrose Kinder and Sieczka were wounded. Matrose Loerch was slightly wounded.
Extract from the Orders for the training of NCOs by
Gen Lt Diestel:–
Training in Recce and Fighting Patrols
Translation of subsequent order, issued by Capt Lt Kappes, and att to the above, after our exercise on the night of 11/12 April 1945.
On 11 April, during the night it was necessary to find out, by means of a recce patrol, whether one of our boats was in distress off the coast, between the Bunkers 334 and 335, or whether an enemy patrol has landed there. The Comd of Bunker 335 sent out a recce patrol of 1 NCO and 5 men, on the order of the Coy Comd.
The recce patrol could not fulfil their task, as they were shot up by the enemy and the patrol leader was taken prisoner, badly wounded or even dead.
The result of all the available infm and enquiries gave me the following picture: The patrol leader and his men ran into certain death, as they made mistake after mistake, and so dug their own grave.
The patrol leader did not take the way he was ordered to go, either to get quicker to the place he had to recce, or out of the sheer desire to walk comfortably.
The patrol walked bunched up on top of the dyke against enemy instead of keeping distance, moving along the side of the dyke in leaps and bounds with the MG giving constant cover. By night it is quite impossible that the whole patrol moves fwd at the same time. During darkness one hears and sees more while lying down than standing up. A recce patrol always moves fwd in leaps and bounds and the MG must always lie ready in a fire posn. By night one can only move slowly. The distance covered by this recce patrol from start to finish must have been covered in record time.
The disobedience and incompetence of this NCO forces me to issue the following order:
The Coy will do two training recce patrols from their bunkers per week under the supervision of the Cot Comd and one recce patrol during darkness. We, as leaders, are responsible to our troops that they are so trained that they can tackle any task. It was a shocking sight for me to find these good young soldiers lifeless on the dyke. They all could have been still alive, if they, and above all the NCO, had been trained correctly. What we lacked can still be learned.
Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips:
G.O.C. Commando Group visited us on the 8th.
At about this time the called up men of Liberated Holland were being formed into Battalions under the training of British units and 47 Royal Marine Commando was given the 3rd RI RNA (3rd Regiment of Infantry, Royal Netherlands Army); they were trained in matters of ‘I’ and ‘Q’ and normal infantry and carrier tactics.
The rest of the Brigade was spread from Walcheren to the area opposite the isle of Dordrecht some 120 miles of front and support was scarce on the Eastern end of our lines, consequently HW troop were put under command of 48 RM Commando to support them in a few of their operations on the Biesbosch and eventually returned to 47’s command on the 23rd.
Cpl. E. ‘Taffy’ Staphnill on his motorcycle in Holland 1945.
Cpl Ernie ‘Taffy’ Staphnill, A-Troop:
We were relieved by orders from 1st Corps and so we moved to Bergen op Zoom again and then on to Walcheren Island. This time I had to go to Veere on the North side. We had to defend it this time because we were told that German Paratroopers might try to take the Island back again to stop us using the Port of Antwerp, which would cut off our main army supplies coming in. 47 Commando stayed on Walcheren Island, while the rest of the Brigade stayed in Northern Holland.
I was billeted with a Dutch family at a petrol station, and they where very good to me. I stayed with them for several weeks and eventually we moved into Germany, with their soldiers surrendering everywhere except in Northern Holland.
47 RM Commando returning to Walcheren island 1945.
Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips:
The only other item of interest is Operation ‘MAGNET’ which took place on the night 11/12.
The object of the operation was to capture a prisoner in order to obtain unit identification.
The European war was now fast coming to a close, individual enemy organizations had been surrendering to Field Marshal Montgomery’s forces in the north east of Germany, but those in Holland’s northern and north western areas remained firm until May 8.
On May 7/8, 47 Royal Marine Commando’s last operational role of investing Schouwen took place, the last few details were substantiated.
47 RM Commando on Schouwen island 1945.
Mne. Danny Lambert, Cpl. E. ‘Taffy’ Staphnill and Mne. R. W. ‘Ginger’ Liggins, Holland 1945.
PoW Mne Fred Batt’s final entries of his diary during this period:
January 30—31:
Had a very quick move today as Marlag (M) is required for a batch of prisoners being marched over from the East. 250 CPO’s and PO’s and equivalent RAF ranks moved into Marlag (O). I am extremely glad I decided in favour of Marlag (O) and not Milag, as having settled down in a room of RAF SNCO’s and only 14 in a room, it is quite comfortable. This move necessitated the breaking up of my combine with Jack Hayell but as the whole camp is going into general mess, this doesn’t seem to matter very much. This move was completed very rapidly as snow was hard and all that was necessary was to slide everything along.
February 2:
Received a letter today from Dick Bass (8 November). He gives news of all the lads and also says ‘Castle Douglas is proud, very proud, of its former inhabitants’. Also offers to send me cigarettes and write regularly. I notice the post mark is ‘Oxford’. Thus completed today.
February 25:
Wrote to Ena today and a card to Mum and Dad. Quite an eventful week has passed, the highlights being local attacks by Allied fighters, one of which was against our head wagon, and also yesterday some projectiles of some sort whistled across the camp and dropped just outside. Nobody seems to know quite what they were. Have started to learn French and quite interested, as well, strangely enough. Some private parcels have arrived in Lager 3. I wonder if I shall be lucky tomorrow and get one.
March 4:
No luck with the private parcels; but more in the next lot. However during this week about 52,000 food parcels have arrived, which means roughly 5,000 for our camp and we go on to a full parcel a week tomorrow. An issue of 50 cigarettes was also very welcome and is assured for about the next 9 or 10 weeks. There is a very strong rumour of repatriation of long term prisoners in the coming week. Wrote a card to Ena.
March 7:
The scale of German rations has been published today and I put in a copy as a matter of interest.
DAILY SCALE OF RATIONS
|
FEB. |
MARCH |
Weight in ozs |
|
|
Meat |
35.7 grams |
31.7 grams |
1.12 |
|
Bread |
318 grams |
282 grams |
9.96 |
|
Marg + fat |
30.7 grams |
27.7 grams |
.95 |
|
Jam |
25 grams |
22.2 grams |
.78 |
|
Sugar |
25 grams |
22.2 grams |
.78 |
|
Potatoes |
386 |
258 |
9.11 |
|
Swedes |
— |
129 |
4.55 |
Notes:
Bread was cut in Nov, and total cut since October was 18.5%.
Potatoes were cut by 10% in February, and are now further reduced by replacement of ⅓ by equal weight of swedes.
Jam is issued on alternate days only, the intermediate days Marg + fat being issued.
March 7 evening:
During the course of the day, streams of refugees have passed the camp and according to news bulletin tonight they are settling in this vicinity. Also announced tonight are more ration cuts as follows to take effect tomorrow:
Bread to be reduced by 12% to 248.16 grams (8.76 ozs)
Marg + fat to be reduced by 14% to 23.822 grams (.84 ozs)
March 16:
Further ration cuts are announced today to come into effect today.
Bread reduced by 10% to 223.34 grams (7.88 ozs)
Fat reduced by 20% to 19.058 grams (.67 ozs)
Potatoes reduced by 23% to 198.66 grams (7.01 ozs)
Swede reduced by 10% to 116.1 grams (4.09 ozs)
March 26:
Heard Maj. Harvey’s report of conference in Berlin reference feeding and accommodations of prisoners. We are apparently much better off than most other camps, at least we have each a bed, Red Cross parcels and a bath once a fortnight, together with reasonable washing facilities. The Chief of German Red Cross and Medical Inspector General of Prison Camps both state conditions are dangerous to health and the recommendation of the Protecting Power is a mass repatriation of prisoners, in at least those in North Western Germany to make more room.
April 10:
It was about two o’clock before we got on the move eventually and it was really convenient to see handcarts, pushchairs and anything else on wheels being pushed along. The horses and carts in rear of the column were machine gunned by aircraft. Altogether we did 12 kilometres to reach a field outside Zeven where we stayed the night.
April 11:
The night was enlivened by machine gunning of the autobahn but we eventually started to move about eleven o’clock and covered about 5 kilometres when we stopped for a meal. Unfortunately a couple of Typhoons decided our carts were fair game and attacked them with the result that SBA King was killed, CPO Bogie died of wounds half an hour later, Cdr Scurfield was seriously wounded, Lt Cdr. Lyndon and SBA Faker wounded. We did one more kilometre and then found a wood in which to stay the night. Everybody was very jumpy and a couple of flares dropped by a/c during the night didn’t help very much.
April 12:
We started to move today again about ten o’clock and a very hot day took us some 12 kilometres to Harsefeld where we had an old disused quarry for quarters. This was really the high spot so far as the Jerry completely lost control and everybody was touring the village and getting all sorts of odds and ends (including more carts and prams). Coffee and soap can purchase anything in Germany today.
April 17:
Moved along 15 kilometres today to East of Pinneberg. Quite an amusing day as no control over the column was exercised at all and we just strolled through the countryside. A thunderstorm tonight decided my little gang to go the rest by train.
May 2:
Quiet today until about midday when a great deal of aerial activity all around us led to many wild rumours. About 0430 we could hear machine gunning quite close at hand, and at 0510 approx a tank hove in sight over a hill. The excitement was terrific. We yelled and cheered as tanks, recce cars and Allied infantry passed on the autobahn about 20 yds from the camp. At 0530 a couple of Bren Carriers entered the camp and a very young officer came in to take over. All the Germans including a General surrendered without a word and were duly marched out at about seven o’clock. We saw much equipment and vehicles streaming up and large columns of German PoW streaming back. All evening we saw what was going on until we could see no longer and slept (or tried to) as free men for the first time in my case for 11 months.
May 6:
We eventually moved out at 1900 by 3 tonners and had a very interesting journey past fields full of German PoW through MOUN and LURNBERG, over a pontoon bridge across the Elbe and eventually arrived at LÜNEBURG. Here the camp is run by pioneers and very efficiently. Small kit has been issued and we have been fed.
May 10:
Drifted across to breakfast at about 0800 this morning and was hailed going across the parade and told my group was to go to Lübeck immediately. I got breakfast and we got into a lorry and moved off in convoy back across the Elbe straight into the airfield at Lübeck. Here organisation existed as compared to chaos at Lüneberg, we were all dropped from our lorry into bays where a bomber stood waiting and given a cup of tea and a sausage roll. 24 into a Lancaster and we took off at 2.20, I made friends with the rear gunner and so spent nearly all the journey in the tail and watched the ground as we flew at about 4,000 feet over Hamburg, across the Rhine, Southern Belgium and France to Dunkerque, then over the Channel and Dover straight across London and eventually landed just outside Stafford at about 5.30. Here we were instantly shepherded into a de-louser and then when we came out we received a wonderful reception by the RAF station. A WAAF to ask us if we had any wish to see a doctor, a Red Cross nurse who gave us 10 cigarettes each and as we passed out of the door another WAAF to smile a welcome and carry the bag across the airfield to a large hangar, to see we had a nice easy chair to sit in and get us tea and sandwiches. A band was playing dance music and right up to 1.30 am, when we left for a transit we were never short of someone to talk to us.
May 12:
After what seemed an endless journey, I eventually got out of a 7A bus at 0815 and stepped quickly indoors to surprise Susan, and once more I am back now with my loved one. The book is finished for me now, so I shall give it to the one for whom it was intended—