Whilst visiting the bookshops of Hay-on-Wye last year, I was thumbing through a general history book about Scottish regiments and my attention was drawn to these pages because they mentioned my grandfather’s battalion during World War Two and in particular his brave company commanders Major Fife and Major Cadzow:
p. 83
In the southwards advance towards the River Odon, through the so-called ‘Scottish Corridor’, the battalion had to face numerous well-concealed enemy positions supported by armour. At Haut du Bosq the battalion was attacked and nearly over-whelmed by a superior number of Germans.
D Company, under Major Cadzow, had been ordered to advance towards a railway line and occupy an orchard and group of houses. On reaching these positions, the enemy shelled and rocketed the area intensively, and attacked it with tanks. Withdrawing for a while, D Company counter-attacked the orchard, supported by tanks and anti-tank weapons. The enemy shellfire continued and the company by now was weak in numbers. Reinforcements were sent up, and eventually D Company was relieved by the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Major Cadzow received the MC for his determination and leadership.
In mid-July the battalion was in action on the River Odon and it successfully captured Gavrus and Bougy, also clearing part of the woods alongside the river. The enemy, however, still occupied numerous positions, seriously delaying the British by counter-attacks and ambushes.
On 23 July the Royal Scots moved to Caumont and a week later a divisional attack was mounted to the south of the town. During German counter-attacks the battalion held their positions against infantry and tank thrusts, and advanced again when the enemy withdrew. The bocage countryside greatly favoured the German mobile defence and progress was slow, and at Estry the division was held up by very strongly defended enemy posts. The 8th Royal Scots were the spearhead battalion ahead of the division, and they were ordered to launch a battalion attack on the town, but the Germans rapidly withdrew. The battalion was then pulled back from the line for three weeks in order to be brought up to strength for future operations.
In late August the 8th Royal Scots crossed the Seine, and within a few days reached the Belgian border. There was little resistance until the allies had reached well east of Antwerp, and the first defensive line taken up by the battalion was on the Meuse-Escaut Canal. On 14 September the battalion was ordered to capture the bridge at Aart, which was achieved but not without some difficulty. The Germans counter-attacked in great strength both during the night and on the following day, when some of the battalion positions were captured. The bridge-head over the canal, however, was held by the Royal Scots until further reinforcements reached the area, and massive artillery fire eventually defeated the enemy. A week later the battalion reached Eindhoven and fought in the region of Best and Fratershoef for several days.
p. 84
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The 8th Battalion had meanwhile reached Tilburg in Holland and moved forward to meet German counter-attacks in the area of Liesel. In early December the battalion took part in the capture of Blerick with armoured support, and cleared the town of remaining Germans. For the ensuing two months the Royal Scots spent much time guarding areas on the west bank of the river Maas, and awaiting the drive to the Rhine through the Siegfried Line defences.
In mid-February 1945 the 8th Royal Scots moved to the recently captured German town of Cleve and advanced to Goch. The town was believed to be only lightly held by the enemy, but when A Company, led by Major McQueen, bridged an anti-tank ditch, they were subjected to heavy fire for several hours in an exposed position. B and C Companies attempted to pass over the ditch but they, too, were held up. In the evening D Company went into the town, despite heavy resistance, and during the night the battle raged amongst the houses. At dawn C Company, under Major MacIntyre, also entered the town and the two companies began clearing the northern part of the town, taking some 200 prisoners. During the morning the companies were counter-attacked by the Germans, but they held while British troops entered other parts of the town. Major McQueen won the DSO and Major Fife of D Company the MC for their leadership during the battle. The next major objective was the high ground overlooking Schloss Kalbeck, strongly defended and set in a wooded area. The Royal Scots accomplished this, despite very heavy mortar and artillery fire.
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In early March the two battalions of the Royal Scots [the 7th/9th Battalion and 8th Battalion] prepared for the Rhine crossing. The 7th/9th took up positions guarding the west bank near Wesel, while the 8th Battalion trained for the assault which took place on 23/24 March. The battalion met with determined resistance from ground troops on landing as well as considerable artillery fire. During the day the Royal Scots cleared a number of positions as the British troops consolidated on the east bank. The following day they advanced through wooded country prior to assaulting Heisterhof on the River Issel. This town was captured, but the companies holding it faced constant counter-attacks which, in view of their shortage of ammunition, put the Royal Scots in a dangerous position. They were subsequently relieved.
Patrick Mileham, The Scottish Regiments 1633-1996 (The Old Rectory, Staplehurst: Spellmont Ltd., 1996)
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Dave of the Dulais 