|
After May 1940 the Irene
Brigade was established in England from Netherlands military personnel that has
escaped from the Netherlands, from Dutchmen who had been recruited in England,
America, Canada and South Africa, and from volunteers.
 Efforts to form a complete
brigade (regiment), reinforced with artillery and a tank unit were not succesful.
In the end the brigade included:
Headquarters, three combat
teams (companies with machineguns, mortars, antitank-guns and light AA), a
reconnaissance unit (with armoured vehicles), an artillery battery and the
train. The 2nd combat team consisted mainly of mariners, who had been trained in
the USA.
In July 1943 the Brigade (under
the command of Lieutenant Colonel A.C. de Ruyter van Steveninck) was assigned to
the XXIst Army Group. They were trained together with British units, and
assigned tot the coastal defence in the neighbourhood of Harwich.
On August 6 1944 the Brigade
embarked, and on August 7 and 8 it disembarked in Normandy, where it was
assigned to the 6th Airborne Division, east of the Orne, August 12 it took up a
frontline position. From August 17-31 the Brigade took part in the advance
towards the Seine, and on August 26 it was the first unit to occupy Pont Audemer.
After rapid marches via Brussels the Albert Canal near Beringen was reached,
where the Brigade took an active part in the combat.
During operation Market
Garden, which was started on September 17th. the Brigade was transferred to
Grave on September 20th and 21th. In the neighbourhood of this town it carried
out guard en reconnaissance duties until October 17th. Then the Brigade moved to
the Wilhelmina Canal, south of Oirschot, and was assigned to the 15th Scottish
Division. It took part in the operations during which the enemy forces were
expelled from Central- and Western Brabant. On October 25th and 26th an attack
position opposite of Broekhoven was taken after prolonged fights for the attack
on Tilburg.
After the liberation of
Tilburg the Brigade was transferred succesively to the neighbourhood of Weelde,
Rijen and Raamsdonk. Then from November 5th – 11th, it was charged with the
guarding of the Maas in the neighbourhood of Waalwijk. On November 9th the
Brigadecommander was promoted to the rank of Colonel.
After the Brigade had moved
to Wuustwezel in Belgium on November 11th, it was transferred to Zeeland, where
guard duties were carried out during the whole winter, especially in
Noord-Beveland and Walcheren.
In March 1945 Her Majesty
the Queen visited Walcheren and the Irene Brigade. The mariners contingent was
re-assigned and left on March 31th. This was part of a reoganisation that
implied the disbandment of the reconnaissance unit.
Between April 10th and 14th
1945, when the allied advance in the eastern Netherlands and Germany was in full
progress, the Brigade was released by a batallion of the Belgian Brigade, and
transferred to the Maas, district Heusden and Hedel.
The Brigade captured a
bridgehead in Hedel ons April 23rd for the advance in the Bommelerwaard. It
managed to hold the bridgehead in spite of heavy enemy attacks, however, when
relative orders were received, the Brigade withdrew tot the South of the Maas.
The advance could not been effected.
 On May 4th the Brigade was
released by the 308th Infantry Brigade. After the capitulation of the enemy
forces on May 5th the Brigade transferred to Wageningen. On May 8th it left fot
The Hague, where the entered as the first allied unit.
By the end of 1945 the Irene
Brigade was disbanded, and on April 15th 1946 the Princess Irene Regiment (later
on Guards Regiment) was established, which still continues the traditions of the
Brigade.
|
