The day began with two Companies of Lincolns, A and C, to clear the village of Kervenheim. As we advanced we came to what I would say was floodwater with barbed wire in front; laid on the wire I think were three men of the Norfolk Regiment. We cleared the village without any further action and then dug in. As we were digging the trenches they were filling up with water, the ground was soaking and it was raining slightly. As the day went on we were moving forward and digging in.

We were told we were to take the village of Winnekendonk. We moved to the start line and lay in the edge of a wood. In front of us were 1200 yards of flat open ground, just to our right was a road. The barrage started to fall and we got up and began to move forward; almost at once we came under fire. After advancing for a few minutes the tank came up the road firing as they moved forward. I looked to my right to see one get hit, as a result of which the turret came off and I was amazed to see members of the crew jumping out. We were now getting close to the village. From the beginning I had been carrying three PIAT bombs and was feeling shattered. I asked if someone could take a turn. I was told to get rid as the gun had gone. When we came close to the edge of the village the German mortars were laying down a barrage that we had to go through and things were getting very bad. There was a lot of small arms fire coming from the houses just in front of us. Major Gilbert was standing there shouting and waving, telling us to get in at them; how he never got hit I do not know. We moved in and began to go from house to house but came running out of one to be met by an explosion which I took to be an anti-tank weapon. Two of the Section were hit badly. I went to help one and L/cpl Wooley MM my Section Leader shouted to leave them and keep moving; of course he was right.

As we made our way through the village we were picking up a few prisoners, two of the tank crew tagged onto us somehow and L/cpl Wooley sent them back with the German prisoners. We were through the village when darkness fell in on us. There were six of us in the party. On trying to find our way back in the dark someone said "We have just passed a tank"; this was stationary I believe, by the church. Moments later it fired a HE round which landed some distance in front of us. We took cover in a crater for some minutes before moving. I cannot remember making contact with our men but I ended up in a house with, I think it was B Coy .I was in the kitchen with another man and there was some mortaring going on. During the night a plane came over and dropped a bomb. I felt it hit the ground; seconds later the explosion brought the ceiling down, blew the windows out and we dived for cover under the table. Early next morning I went with a party to bring in some food in the vacuum containers and which was very welcome. I was then to make my way back to C Coy and get ready once again to clear the village. Things went well, there was no further action, but quite a number of Germans gave themselves up, I would say around 70 men. Later on in the day Lt Col Fairbank came and spoke to us, thanking up for a fine effort. We stayed about seven days in Winnekendonk before moving on.

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