The Corps was to force a crossing across the Albert Canal, and the division was tasked to attack towards Geel, which lay in an angle between the Albert and the Bocholt–Herentals Canals, while the Guards Armoured crossed at Beringen to the south east. In the early morning of 8 September, 6 Green Howards crossed the canal unopposed using a small number of Goatley boats as a ferry, taking over three hours to do so. With the rest of 69th Brigade, they captured the Geel road crossing of the canal and its blown bridge by the end of 10 September. On the evening of 8 September, 151st Brigade crossed the canal to the south east, the 8th D.L.I. taking casualties until supported by the heavier weapons of the 2nd Cheshires and beating off a counter-attack that night. The next day, supported by the division's reconnaissance regiment, the 6th D.L.I. pushed forward towards Geel. The next day (10 September) with the arrival of 9th D.L.I. and tanks of the Sherwood Rangers, the brigade advanced on Geel in the face of resistance which began when the Germans attacked as the 6th D.L.I. was starting off. In spite of this the 6th D.L.I. reached Geel, expelling the Germans house by house while the other two battalions fought off additional German attacks between Geel and the canal. Another counter-attack that evening cut off some units of the 6th D.L.I. and forced the rest back to the southern parts of Geel and hard pressed the other battalions on the flanks throughout the next day. The brigade learned that its opponents included parachute troops and Luftwaffe Field Battalions containing some poorly trained but fanatical young troops. On 12 September the order for the 50th to withdraw from the Geel bridgehead was made. Later that day the two brigades were relieved by the 15th Division, who on 13 September entered Geel unopposed, the Germans having fled. After three days reorganisation in the Pael area the division was deployed in the bridgehead over the Escaut (Bocholt-Herentals) canal, part of the ground component of Market Garden. They were to follow the Guards Armoured and the 43rd Divisions in the advance as Corps reserve. At 13:30 on 17 September, the division's field artillery and the mortars of the 2nd Cheshires took part in the opening barrage.