1st KOSB in 1940s

21/10/2026

Saturday, 21st October, 1944. Smakt, Holland.

Less shelling and mortaring than on any previous day here.

The OP established that the enemy were still holding their forward positions to the East of the railway. There was little movement seen, probably owing to our recent policy of putting down Artillery wherever enemy movement was seen. The enemy obviously did not like this. The enemy were shelled and mortared several times on this programme.

A, B and C Coys' patrols went out to find out if the enemy were still holding their forward positions to the East of the railway. With few exceptions he was holding them.

A fighting patrol from D Coy under Lt AJM Brown went to investigate along the railway between 799312 and 800305.

The outward route, two members of the patrol were wounded by a Schu mine on the road at 794312. After the explosion the patrol made a noise but they were not fired on. The patrol then withdrew owing to the mines. Ten minutes later the enemy put down heavy mortar fire on both the place where the mine had blown up and also on the objective along the railway line. From this it was deduced that there were mines but no enemy in both places.

Photo - German Schu mine

20/10/2026

Friday 20th October, 1944 - Smakt.

Shelling and Mortaring as usual.

German reinforcements had arrived opposite our front on the 19th and we took advantage of their incautious behaviour, and shelled them in various different places with some success.

The OP reported slight enemy movement during daylight in the vicinity of the railway, but at dusk there was considerably more enemy movement.

B and C Coy patrols both reported enemy holding only some of his usual positions, and C Coy patrol reported a good railway crossing by the signal box which did not appear to be mined.

A Coy listening patrol reported sounds of marching and talking from the far side of the railway. Artillery fire was brought to bear on the target immediately.

Contact patrols as usual to 3 Recce Regt on the left, and a coy of KSLI on the right.

Patrols confirmed that enemy were still holding their forward positions.

KIA on this day. Serjeant Charles Percy Clark.

Charles Percy Clark was born in on the 18th of January, 1916 in Andover, Hampshire, England.

He has a detailed biography page on the Overloon War Chronicles site. His brother, Walter, also served in the and survived the War.

19/10/2026

Thursday October 19th, 1944. SMAKT

Again heavily shelled and mortared all day.

Up till today the forward Pl of C Coy and the standing patrols of A Coy were under constant observation from the railway or from just behind it. We stopped this by Arty fire put down just over the railway, and then the rapid occupation of forward positions before the enemy had recovered from the effect of the shelling.

This was accomplished with success and C Coy established an OP in house at 795325, which observed across the railway but was rather restricted in its all round observation.

There was slight enemy activity or movement to the East of the railway.

Enemy strongpoint at 810320 established by OP and engaged by 25 pdr Bty.

A Coy provided a fighting patrol and C Coy two recce patrols which established that the enemy were in positions at 789331, 800324 and at 799321.

B Coy recce patrol heard the enemy in the South East corner of orchard 799310.

Several harassing targets were engaged by our 25 pdr Bty during the night usually bring back answering fire to some extent.

Contact patrols to the right and left.

*We have remembrance pages for the 4 men killed on this day over on the main website.

18/10/2026

Warrant Officers & Sergeants, Camp, 1948.

We have been after a full size version of this photo for a while as we wanted to be able to put names to faces and find out more about their time in 1st KOSB.

A relative of Sgt Gilbert Bouglas, of Hawick, sent us a copy and we have made an interactive page linking the men to their pages.

Please do take a look and see if you recognise anybody, and if you have any memories of them to share.

Back row (standing), left to right:
1. Sgt Funston
2. Sgt Doull
3. Sgt McMillan
4. Sgt Morrison
5. Sgt Hall
6. Sgt Hodges, D.C.M.
7. Sgt Milne
8. Sgt Keller
9. Sgt Newman
10. Sgt Carmichael
11. Not yet identified
12. Sgt Flannigan, D.C.M.
13. Sgt Bouglas
14. Sgt Cunningham
15. Sgt Bain, M.M.
16. Sgt Adamson
Middle row (standing), left to right:
17. D/M Byrne
18. Sgt Brown
19. Sgt Morris
20. Sgt Doyle
21. Sgt Lambert
22. Sgt McGuire
23. Sgt Austin
24. Sgt Docherty
25. Sgt Bowring
26. Sgt Clee
27. Sgt De Laspee
28. Sgt Knox
29. Sgt Sykes
30. Sgt Sawyers
31. Sgt Packer, M.M.
Front row (seated), left to right:
32. C/Sgt Rankin
33. W.O. II Wells
34. W.O. II Fogg
35. W.O. II Walker
36. Capt Sir W. E. Jardine, Bart.
37. R.S.M. J. Walls, M.C.
38. Lt Col F. M. V. Tregear
39. B/M Fitzearle
40. Major A. G. Johnson
41. W.O. II Stuart
42. W.O. II Lee
43. C/Sgt Price
44. Sgt Grant
45. Sgt Miller

https://graylingmedia.wixsite.com/1stkosbin1940s/1st-kosb-sgts-1948

18/10/2026

Wednesday October 18th, 1944. SMAKT in Holland.

The Bn was very heavily shelled and mortared all day.

Three Pls of MMGs fired into the woods to our right front, and caused some return fire.

During the afternoon Typhoons attacked the railway three times in different places.

C Coy sent out a standing patrol to 797327 which brought in two PW from Bn GREVING, who were on patrol on this side of the railway.

An A Coy patrol went out and reported enemy in the village on the far side of the railway.

B Coy patrol went out via the stream and houses and to the orchard at 796310, which was occupied by the enemy.

Contact patrols with 3 Recce Regt on the left and a Coy KSLI on left right were made.

View the website for more details - just search for '1st KOSB in 1940s'

17/10/2026

Pte James Joseph McCarthy, KIA in Smakt, Holland, 16th October, 1944.

James Joseph McCarthy was born on the 5th of March, 1920 in Glasgow, Scotland.

He has a full biography on the Overloon War Chronicles site

17/10/2026

Tuesday October 17th 1944. SMAKT.

During the morning r***e Coys were constantly and accurately mortared, shelled and Nebelwerfered. Few casualties caused.

Coys spent all day in improving their slit trenches, which were not as yet very habitable.

2/Lt Simpson of A Coy took out a small patrol to the railway and then back by way of the orchard 798318 where they found two dead Germans. They also saw two of the enemy walking northwards along the railway line in the area 798318.

B Coy sent out a patrol towards the railway but the patrol leader Cpl Pritchard was killed while observing from the railway.

C Coy sent out a patrol which observed from the railway between 797329 and 798324. They observed three houses occupied by the enemy, one of which was flying a red cross flag, and looked rather like an OP.

During the afternoon B Coy had sent out a patrol to recce the stream and bridge at 793313. After three attempts to approach, they had to withdraw owing to accurate mortar fire. This was the worst shelling and mortaring the Bn has experienced so far. Sixteen of our Shell and Mortar Reps were dealt with by the Artillery.

During the night contact was made with 3 Recce Regt on the left and with 2 RUR on left right.

A Coy patrol reported Schu mines on the level crossing and heard voices in the village.

B Coy sent a patrol out to orchard at 796310 via the bridge and the houses. There were no enemy there.

*

RIP - Corporal Walter Frederick Pritchard was born on the 14th August, 1914 in Bethnal Green, London. He is buried in War Cemetery.

15/10/2026

15/10/2026

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[Photo - Stobs Camp August 1939 - from G Bouglas collection.]

15/10/2026

Sunday October 15th, 1944. Peelkant.

At 1015 hrs B, C and D Coys cleared the wood to the South to the right of a line 740292 to 741284.

No enemy were found but two 88mm guns, plenty of mines and some equipment were discovered. It is supposed that the enemy had withdrawn the night before.

The 185 Inf Bde took up position along line 757294 to 776304.

There had been some rather heavy mortaring during the day.

Inter-Coy contact patrols.

Total casualties 13-15 Oct: 3 killed 12 wounded

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