PART IV - 16 October to 11 November 1944:

The regiment, attached to the British 53rd (Welsh) Division, continued to occupy its defensive position. Enemy activity was confined to shelling and mortaring, which was usually light. Our patrol activity continued, and we harassed the enemy nightly with artillery, mortars and machine guns fire.

On 17 October command of the sector passed to the British 50th (Northumbrian) Division; the 508th Combat Team was attached to the Division and remained on position.

Although activities on our front were confined mostly to night reconnaissance and combat patrols, two daylight patrols are well worth mentioning. At 0930 hour on October 28th 1st Lt. Rex G. Combs and two men crossed the WETERING LINGE CANAL and moved along it for several
hundred yards. They encountered a squad of enemy which showed signs of surrendering at first, but eventually placed heavy fire on the three men, slightly wounding Lt. Combs. 1st Lt. William H. Cross and two men crossed the WETERING LINGE, at a point farther south, at 1200 hour the same day. They found one German asleep in his hole and were about to take him prisoner when four more Germans showed themselves and apparently would have surrendered had not an enemy machine gun on the patrol's left flank opened fire. This aroused all of the enemy into furious activity. 1st Lt. Cross was wounded in this action and the patrol withdrew.

The 3rd Battalion also sent a three man patrol out at 0900 hour, October 28th, but while crossing the canal drew heavy enemy fire. The patrol withdrew with one member missing in action.

At 2300 hour, 28 October, the Regimental Combat Team, less the 319th FA Battalion, was relieved and sent to a rest area in NIJMEGEN, where personnel took advantage of shows, baths, and much needed sleep. While in the rest area the officers and NCO's were addressed by Lt. General Horrocks, commanding the XXX British Corps, on the history of the campaign of the Low Countries.

On 2 November the Combat Team returned north of the river and relieved the 231st Brigade (British) in the BEMMEL area. Enemy activity on our front was much the same as before, except that the enemy was slightly more aggressive.

On 10 November the regiment was relieved by the 69th Brigade (British) and all units reverted to control of the 82nd Airborne Division. By 2400 hour, 10 November, the regiment had closed in billets in NIJMEGEN. The following day the regiment marched a distance of 18 miles to OSS, HOLLAND. On 12 November the regiment moved 90 miles, by motor, to BOURG LEOPOLD, BELGIUM. The next day, 13 November, the regiment continued on, by truck, to CAMP SISSONNE, FRANCE.