The capture of Heinsberg, and essentially the end of Op Blackcock normally only gets a few sentences in official histories of the battle for NW Europe. Regarded as a success it’s easy to miss the human stories that that “success” entails @WeHaveWaysPod @almurray @James1940

I make joke of my obsession with the 52nd(L)Div, but at the heart of my interest is Peter Whites book,With The Jocks. In my opinion its the finest account of that conflict, and specifically the chapter “Operation Blackcock: Final Phase” is perhaps his best @WeHaveWaysPod

Heinsberg was the final objective for the 52nd and 7/9thRoyal Scots and 4KOSB we tasked with its capture. Both battalions made a night approach tab of over 10 miles in Arctic conditions before H-hour at 0200 24/01/45. White made a sketch it @WeHaveWaysPod

Whites company (B) was tasked to provide L flank protection to 4KOSB and link with 7/8RS, his position was to provide a screen in front of a prominent farm on the outskirts, the “Klosterhof”. The farm was occupied a German OP and machine guns. Whites platoon dug in @WeHaveWaysPod

I encourage you all to read the book, I’m not seeking to recount it here, but the description of the action is devastating. Whites Plt were whittled down throughout the day, laying in cold water unable to move , his forward section under L/Cpl Beal were wiped out. @WeHaveWaysPod

The following is the description by White as he went forward to collect the bodies of Beal and his section. After they had been laying in their slit trench for 9 hours, assuming all were dead, they were shocked to hear a voice from the hole . @WeHaveWaysPod