Holland diary (7)

HOLLAND CAMPAIGN DIARY (7 of 9)
18 Sept. 44	Orders were issued and we departed the town of Nijmegen at daybreak. A short distance out of Nijmegen, I heard a train and looked to the right some 300 yds. and saw it with full head of steam heading south. I am up at the head of the column and question Lt. Foley as to what gives with the choo-choo. Lt. Foley has the "big picture" and assures me the train would be taken care of or checked out at a strong point- south or west, either way the train went. Some few miles south the train took the track left toward Germany. It caught a certain unit (strong point) by surprise and choo-chooed on into Germany. They were expecting hell to break loose to their front and before they knew what had happened a train had escaped through their lines. A few hours later the second train came from Nijmegen, it did not get through. We ("A" and "B") Companies arrive at an assembly area and "C" Company joins us for the attack across the DZ area. "B" and - 11 - "C" Company on line and "A" in support. We "A" Company followed and could observe those two rifle companies on line attacking. They moved across the fields firing at every possible target. Company "A" moved to the left and took care of a few snipers along a fence line. We passed a barn and a Dutch farmer was very sad. A stray bullet had hit his large work-horse and broke its leg. The horse had to be destroyed. Also dead Kraut bodies could be seen here and there. This mission completed, "B" and "C" Companies established strong points along the Wyler-Groesbek [sic] road with "A" Company back in reserve. "A" Company now consisted of only two rifle plts. We moved to high ground to the immediate rear of "B" and "C" Companies. We remain in this position during the night of 18 Sept. with no contact with the enemy.
19 Sept. 44	The following morning we made arrangements with a Dutch farmer to use some of a beef that had been killed in clearing the DZ. He provided us with a large iron wash pot for the cooking. On our own initiative we rounded up potatoes, carrots, and onions for the big stew. This is when we learned that Sgt. Van Enwyck wasn't such a good cook. Everyone ate at least a canteen cup; after all, we had not eaten a full meal since the morning of the 17th. In the afternoon we got the word we had another mission and rumors were this would be a tough one. The order informed us that we were to attack a piece of high ground called "Devils Hill." This hill (300 ft. high) was just inside the German border. This hill was very important to the Germans; from here they could keep a large area of ground under surveillance. We knew they would not give it up without a struggle. This hill had been a mission for a plt. of "G" Company. They had made an effort, but found that it was not a plt. size mission. Now for "A" Company's attack we had the plt. from "G" Company to assist us. Lt. Foley included in the order that the hill would be taken at ALL COST. "Ail cost" meant the life of all concerned. We moved out through the wooded area and crossed the Wyler-Beck rood which was the Holland-Germany border. An enemy force was sighted in the direction of Wyler. Lt. Foley dropped off part of the 1st plt. to protect his attacking force. I was with this group. We rushed up the road to a position in the woods where we had a good field of fire and dug in positions. This enemy force held up and was reluctant to attack. During this activity an old German farmer continued his work around his barn with horse and cart. We stayed at this position while the Foley force made the attack on Devil's Hill. From all reports this was the outstanding attack of the "MARKET" operation. Germans were entrenched in fox holes all around the hill. The Foley force moved through the wooded area to the base of the hill, went into a skirmish line undetected, made the assault and ran the German parachutists from their foxholes. The Foley force occupied the enemy positions and awaited the counter-attack. The counter-attack came and the Foley force held; this hill was the first attack into Germany on this operation. We, the holding force along the highway stayed in this position throughout the night, and were hit by the enemy in the early morning.
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