page_title: 1st Monmouthshire Artillery Volunteers
section_title: Netherlands
hierarchical_section_title: 1st Monmouthshire Artillery Volunteers / World War II / Home defence / Netherlands
caption_attribution_description: English: The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 25-pdr field guns in action during the advance on Hertogenbosch, 23 October 1944.
context_page_description: The 1st Monmouthshire Artillery Volunteer Corps was a unit of Britain's Volunteer Force raised in 1860 from Monmouthshire in the Welsh borders. After transfer to the Territorial Force it served with the 53rd Division in Palestine in World War I and in North West Europe in World War II. Its successors serve with today's Army Reserve.
context_section_description: There was a pause at the Meuse-Escaut Canal before Operation Market Garden was launched on 17 September. XII Corps had an important subsidiary role clearing the country west of XXX Corps' main thrust. 83rd Field Regiment came into action to support 158 Bde's crossing of the Meuse-Escaut Canal, suffering some casualties from Luftwaffe air attack on the night of 18–19 September while crossing the canal. 133rd came into action and crossed the canal the following day in support of 160th Bde.
  On 4 October, the 83rd Regiment moved to Sint-Oedenrode in the Market Garden 'corridor' supporting 158th Brigade, and two days later 133rd Regiment moved with 160th Bde into the Nijmegen bridgehead captured during Market Garden. Both positions were under frequent fire: on 13 October the 330 Battery of the 83rd Regiment was shelled as the Germans prepared a counter-attack against 158th Bde; the battery lost seven killed and 12 wounded when the battery command post (CP) was hit by two shells. The CP was quickly re-established and the battery's defensive fire tasks were instrumental in defeating an attack that got within 20 yards (18 m) of 158th Bde's positions. On 16 October 83rd Regiment took part in Operation Winkle: an intense fire programme by all arms rising to a crescendo, followed by loudspeaker appeals to German soldiers to desert to the Allied lines, covered by a smokescreen fired by the regiment.
  After the failure of Market Garden, XII Corps was ordered to advance westwards towards 's-Hertogenbosch. The regiments left the Nijmegen area on 19 October and took up new gun positions. The attack on s'Hertogenbosch (Operation Alan) began at 06.30 on 22 October, the infantry of 160th Bde advancing behind a timed artillery programme, after which the guns moved forward. After two days' fighting, 158th Bde took up the attack, but it took two more days of house-to-house fighting supported by the artillery to clear the old town.
  Next XII Corps was switched to clearing the country between the Wessem and Zig Canals as 21st Army Group closed up to the River Maas. On 14 November the corps carried out Operation Mallard o cross the Wessem Canal. Both regiments fired in support of 51st (Highland) Division's assault crossing (Operation Ascot), followed by 53rd (W) Division's own crossing (Operation Bristol) in the evening.
  On 3 December the guns supported 15th (S) Division in Operation Guildford to clear the banks of the Maas up to Blerick, opposite Venlo. The Commanding Officer of the 133rd Field Regiment was responsible for firing a large-scale smokescreen, which was maintained for over 11 hours during the operation, which was described as 'textbook'. Further operations were halted by winter weather. On 20 January 1945 the division moved to the Eindhoven area to refit and train for a special operation. On the night of 4/5 February the gunners moved into concealed positions near Nijmegen.
caption: 25-pounders in action during the advance on 's-Hertogenbosch, 23 October 1944.
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