[PaulUK]

I have just come across this very interesting Conger thread. I didn’t realise one had survived. Whether any of the following is relevant I am not sure…

I have been doing a bit of research into the 1st Assault Brigade, RE, 79th Armoured Div., which had the Churchill AVREs.

One of its Assault Squadrons, 617, supported the attack towards Overloon and Venraij, Operation Aintree, which started on 12th October. In the initial stages the main forces were 3rd (British) Div, 6th Guards Tank Brigade (4th Bn Coldstream Guards and 4th Bn Grenadier Guards) and the flails of the Westminster Dragoons – as well as 617 .

The main task of 617 was to ensure the Churchills of 6th Guards Tank Brigade were not held up by any physical obstacles. On the 9th October the OC of 617, Major Alexander, discussed the stores that would be required by the Squadron for AINTREE with the CRE 3rd Div, Lt Col Urquhart. Based on this six fascines, six sledges (carrying log carpet and brushwood bundles) and two Congers were ordered.

The plan was that 1 Troop were to support the Churchill tanks of the 4th Bn Grenadier Guards on the right; they carried four fascines and towed three sledges. 2 Troop would support 4th Tank Bn Coldstream Guards on the left, with two fascines, the two Congers and two sledges.

On October 12th the offensive began but after initial progress the armour ran into problems from mines. Battalion HQ lost their two rear link tanks on the newly encountered R’ mine and the CO’s tank was then disabled. At 1400 617 Squadron was called on to try and clear a path through the minefield with the Conger. By this time mines were also affecting the advance of 1 Sqn of the Coldstreams, supporting the Suffolks, and 3 Sqn with the East Yorks; the infantry of the East Yorks suffered particularly from lack of tank support as a result of the mines and German mortar and tank fire.

Half of 2 Troop, 617, were sent to the stores building site to fill and mount the two Congers. On the way the Squadron suffered their first casualties of the battle. Bill Wood was a member of the Troop.

"We crossed an open field towards a wood, and as we neared it a terrific fusillade of machine-gun fire erupted from it…..The enemy replied at once and caught us in the open with mortar bombs. Bill Shurey and Ernie Martin were wounded slightly, Tommy Hopkinson took shrapnel in the gut and was mortally wounded [he died on 17th October]….We proceeded to the site, filled and mounted the Congers, all the while we were subjected to mortar fire, however not so accurate as the first salvo (filling Congers was a hazardous task [due to the volatile nature of the 822 explosive] and we were only allowed to fill it in turns, one jerrycan at a time, the reason being fumes and/or steady hand…)".

By the time the AVRE returned with the Congers British infantry had made steady progress through the minefield and were spread over the area, so they could not be used The Conger had to be returned and carefully emptied of its hazardous explosive.

Of course the battle continued and 617 were key in enabling the crossing of the Molenbeek on 16th October. But despite the proliferation of mines during the advance the Conger was not considered again for employment.

Of course on the 20th October the explosion occurred at Ijzendijke, killing number of men in 284 Assault Squadron as well as the Canadians troops. I wondered if the explosion so soon after the Overloon battle had any bearing on the fate of the Congers 617 had there. Perhaps we will never know.

Regards

Paul, UK