Reveille 0200 hrs. Breakfast 0300 hrs. Move off 0330 hrs. Bn moved by night with no opposition to HANSTEDT II 970886, arriving at 0630 hrs. For the first time, a mobile radar section travelled with the unit. Its function was to locate tanks, guns, mortars, etc. At 0700 hrs tanks arrived and the unit embussed and moved on RATZLINGEN 975906. 9 Bn was already in the town and having some trouble. The enemy withdrew, having suffered some casualties, and our Bn mounted an attack on RIESTEDT, to which the enemy had withdrawn. The Bn attacked, dismounted over open ground with tanks and artillery giving fire support. As the Bn moved forward the tanks moved with them, and the enemy left behind in RIESTEDT three SP guns and a number of dead soldiers. RIESTEDT was taken by 1330 hrs. The Bn dug in and placed anti-tank guns, expecting a counter attack with armour. This failed to materialize. A number of germans were observed in wood 955923 and were engaged by mortars. This discouraged them and a two man patrol went out and captured them, about twenty-five in all. At 2100 hrs enemy shelled the town, but no casualties were suffered. At 2200 hrs two men of a German patrol were captured. They were advance guard for twenty more who escaped across country when the shooting started. Our casualties for the day were 1 sgt killed, 1 sgt wounded, 1 cpl wounded.
