Author Topic: Battle of the Scheldt, Oct-Nov 1944  (Read 2586 times)

Offline IanM

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Battle of the Scheldt, Oct-Nov 1944
« on: Sunday 02 October 11 10:16 BST (UK) »
I am trying to find out about my First Cousin Once Removed.  Sadly he was killed on 30 Oct 1944 and is buried in the Bergen-Op-Zoom Commonwealth War Cemetery in the Netherlands.  He was a Private in the 7th Bn, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at the time of his death.

From deduction (location, date, Regt) I think that he was most likely killed during Operation Vitality II, a part of the Battle of the Scheldt.  From what I have gleaned so far the 51st (Lowland) Division was attached to the Canadian forces to secure the Scheldt Estuary and clear a sea supply line into Antwerp.  Around 30 Oct, the day he died, the British and Canadian forces were meeting up around the town of Goes.

But, that is all the information I have, quite sketchy  :(    Does anyone have a decent account, source of information, etc, about either the 51st (Lowland) Division involvement during this period or about the Op/Battle itself?  Trying to get a better understanding of what he was involved in and, if possible, the likely location and cause of his death.

Thanks

Ian

Muir   - Antrim and Renfrewshire
Noble - Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire

Offline emarbe

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Re: Battle of the Scheldt, Oct-Nov 1944
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 02 October 11 11:46 BST (UK) »
Hello Ian

If you do a search for Scheldt Estuary you will see a link to the MoD site for this battle which should give you all the details you need.

Mike
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline IanM

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Re: Battle of the Scheldt, Oct-Nov 1944
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 02 October 11 17:44 BST (UK) »
Thanks for that Mike. 

I have in fact already printed and read the booklet produced by the MOD, that is where I found out most of my information and especially about Op VITALITY II. It is a good source for the outline and brief history and account of the battle as a whole but the detail for that actual Op is still quite sketchy and I was hoping someone may know of a fuller, more detailed account (articles, personal stories, book, etc) of the British involvement, and that Op in particular, that I could read.

Ian

Muir   - Antrim and Renfrewshire
Noble - Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire

Offline emarbe

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Re: Battle of the Scheldt, Oct-Nov 1944
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 02 October 11 18:18 BST (UK) »
Sorry Ian I can't help you further, I'm not quite old enough to have first hand details, although it's possible someone on this board might.

Best of luck

Mike
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline IanM

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Re: Battle of the Scheldt, Oct-Nov 1944
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 02 October 11 18:22 BST (UK) »
Thanks Mike.
Muir   - Antrim and Renfrewshire
Noble - Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire

Offline seaweed

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Re: Battle of the Scheldt, Oct-Nov 1944
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 02 October 11 21:40 BST (UK) »
In his book "Canada's Army- Waging War and Keeping the Peace" J L Granatstein gives an account of the clearing of the Scheldt Estuary. Obviously written from a Canadian perspective he refers to the "52nd British Division"
It may be worth a look. If your require details PM me.
There is also a reading list at the bottom of the page re 51st Highland Division
http://www.unithistories.com/units_index/default.asp?file=../units_index/units.asp?
This reference at Kew may tell you more
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=4008919&CATLN=6&Highlight=%2CVITALITY%2CII&accessmethod=0
Dim ateb yn well nag ateb anghywir. Nid oes dim yn ddall fel rhai nad ydynt yn dymuno gweld

RIP Roger 10 August 2022

Offline IanM

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Re: Battle of the Scheldt, Oct-Nov 1944
« Reply #6 on: Monday 03 October 11 20:54 BST (UK) »
Thanks seaweed.

My mistake calling the 51st a Lowland Div, they were actually a Highland Div - confusion with all the reading about the 51st and 52nd Divs recently on my part  :-[

His Battalion, the 7th Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, was part of 154th Infantry Bgd, in turn a part of the 51st (Highland) Div, but as the book you refer to points out, it was the 52nd (Lowland) Div that was at the Scheldt,  Saying that, the 154th Bgd battle honours apparently include the Scheldt!


Ian

Muir   - Antrim and Renfrewshire
Noble - Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire