War Diary: 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment

Month and year: June 1944

The June 1944 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment war diary covers the unit arriving in Normandy and their fighting inland from Lion-sur-Mer to Galmanch.

National Archive Reference: WO 171/1334

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Page 1 of 5

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
GRANVILLE HOUSE, HAMBLEDON.	1 & 2		Battalion resting in Marshalling area.
	2	2030	Craft serials 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404 (consisting Carriers, A tk,
			Mortars and duplicate Battalion HQ) moved to GOSPORT for embarkation.
		2350	Above serials embarked.
Camp A.2. EMSWORTH COMMON HANTS.	4		Main body of Battlion - craft serials 394, 395, 396 embussed in preparation
			for move to PORTSMOUTH. Operation postponed 24 hours and Battalion returned
			to Camp.
	5		Main body again moved to PORTSMOUTH and embarked in LCI(L). Remainder of
			day and night spent at sea.
FRANCE	6	0725	Capt PHW Clarke. CSM Haycox, Lsjt F. Smith, Lcpl W. Barnes, Cpl W Kington,
			Lcpl C. Martin landed with 185 Inf Bde in Order to recce Bn Assembly Area.
	6	1200	Main body Bn landed, very wet landing, waist deep in water. Beach being
			slightly shelled. Bn moved to assembly area in Southern outskirts of LION.
			Snipers very active, 6 enemy aircraft attacked beaches - all brought down
			by AA fire.

Page 2 of 5

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE	6	1210	Patrol, from A Coy Commanded by Lt AF Henry sent off to reach CRESSERONS.
		1300	First casualty Pte Harmer C. 14391886 wounded by snipers bullet.
		1415	Vehicle Party (Craft loads 399, 404) disembarked and joined main body.
		1700	Lt Henry's patrol returned - unable to reach CRESSERONS owing to enemy strong
			point at LION SUR MER. 4801296 Pte Newsome E. killed by shell-fire.
			first fatal casualty.
		1800	Bn placed under Command 8 Br Inf Bde with task of holding flank of beach head
			Day's casualties 2 OR killed, 1 OR wounded.
	6/7		Night spent in assembly area.
	7		Lt J. Harrod appointed Bde IO in place of Capt Baptiste (Wounded)
	7	1400	Comd 8 Br Inf Bde visited CO and gave orders for attack on beach strong point
			at LION SUR MER. Capt DRF Hart MC wounded.
		1520	Bn moved to attack strong point. Phase 1 A & B Coys to take Chateau at HT LION
			Phase 2 C & D Coys to capture strong point. Phase 1 successful but Phase
			but Phase 2 abonded owing to Bn moving very short notice to ST AUBIN d'ARQUENAY

Page 3 of 5

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE	7	1520 (cont)	to take up def posn to protect left flank on River ORNE. Casualties 1 Offr
			wounded 8 OR wounded.
	8/9		Bn remaind in def posn. Casualties Capt PHW Clarke wounded, 1 OR killed
			8 OR wounded.
	9	0700	Bn O Group.
		1000	Move to Wood 1 kilometre S of Cazelle to take over from 2 RUR.
	9	p.m.	D Coy acted as protection to Bde O Group and sustained casualties from
			Mortar fire. 5 OR killed 7 wounded.
	10/11		Bn moved to LE MESNIL relieving 1 Suffolk and reverted under Comd 9 Br Inf Bde
			Lt DT Brown killed, Lt JR Bush, Lt WE Groocock wounded, 2 OR wounded.
	11/12		Defences improved, enemy mortared posn, D + 4 tpt arrived, information
			received that 'F' trucks lost at sea. Capt Raikes joined Bn. Casualties
			1 OR killed, 3 Wounded.
	12	2130	Bn HQ Mortared. 2IC Maj DR WILSON slightly injured - remained at duty.
			Capt Raikes injured. 1 OR killed, 12 wounded.

Page 4 of 5

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
FRANCE	12/13	Patrols defence work - 4 OR wounded.
		R Coy Officers arrived, Capt Hill Lts Sutton, Hamlet, Canner, Thornhill.
	14/15	B Coy patrol to destroy MG post found post empty but destroyed concrete
		emplacement. 1 OR wounded.
	15/16	Bn relieved 2 RUR in CAMBES WOOD 1 OR wounded.	W.D. 1.
	16	Spasmodic shelling - routine patrols, D + 9 tpt arrived. Lt EC Turner,
		Lt LA MUNTON arrived. 4 ORs wounded.
	17	Recce patrol to GALMANCHE. Lt Hamlet injured. Bn area shelled. 4 OR wounded.
	17/18	C Coy fighting patrol to GALMANCHE. Lt Pacey wounded. 8 OR wounded.	W.D. 2.
	19	Normal activity. Maj Fennell injured by shelling. 2 OR killed 2 Wounded.
	20	Recce patrols - spasmodic shelling.
	21/22	Normal patrols. 1 OR wounded 21st. 1 OR wounded 22nd
	23	Normal patrols 1 OR wounded.
	24	Maj RJH BURGHES joined unit. 1 OR killed.

Page 5 of 5

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE.	25		1 OR wounded.
	26		Bn HQ shelled very large proportion of unexploded shells. 3 OR wounded.
	27	1000	Bde O Group for operation ABERLOUR in which 2 LINCOLNS to capture
			GALMANCHE and in the final phase to exploit to CUSSY. Maj EEHG DAWSON wounded
			by ricocheted bullet. 2 OR killed 2 wounded. Lt NA Barnea (Cdn) and 2Lt
			Webb joined unit.
		1801	Bn O Group. Attack planned with A & B Coys carrying out main effort
	28	0600	Bn at one hours notice to attack (Lt Richardson LJ joined unit)
		1830	CO called to Bde operation ABERLOUR cancelled owing to 8 Inf Bde lack of
			success in initial attack on LA BIJUDE. 1 OR wounded.
	29	0001	B Coy fighting patrol to GALMANCHE. Lt CURNOW slightly injured. At least
			2 German claimed killed.
	29/30		Bn relieved by 1 KOSN and moved to Bde reserve area at LE MESNIL. 1 OR wounded.
	30		Lt Hancock AS joined. 1 OR wounded.

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War Diary: 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment

Month and year: June 1944

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