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About 1630 hours on D plus 1 Battalion Tac Headquarters, whose landing had been prevented on D Day, finally succeeded in getting ashore. They landed dry-shod on Jig-Green beach and had an excellent view of the chaos still reigning there and the debris and destruction revealed by the receeding tide. Still only one exit had been made from this beach to cope with all types of vehicles and from it radiated four long queues of traffic, head to tail, waiting their turn to pass through the one muddy gap. On the drying sands lay derelict tanks, Vehicles and L.C.T's some on their sides, and some reared up on the stake defences on which they had stuck at high water. It took Tac Headquarters two hours to get clear of the bench and on doing so they made for Div H.Q. at Somervieu where they laagered for the night.

D plus 2 was the first of many rainy days to come. No general advance was made, but the day was spent in clearing up and extending the area already gained. Thus 9 Platoon, sent with 2 Devons at dawn to relieve the R.N. Commando who had captured Port-en-Bessin the previous night, were called. upon to support the Devons in attacks on the coastal villages of Bouffay and Planet. These attacks were successful and in the late afternoon the Platoon took up positions covering the Southward routes to Port-en-Bessin; from here they supported an attack on to a fortified chateau, firing 10,000 rounds. 11 and 10 Platoons meanwhile had remained North and South of Bayeux. For them the day was uneventful but the evening was enlivened by a private battle between two Companies of the S.W.B. , each of whom was convinced, in the close and difficult country, that the other was the Boche - which was only stopped by the intervention of Sergeant Abbott.

13 and 14 Heavy Mortar Platoons, under the command of Lieutenant Owen, combined to support the 56 Brigade attack on Sully; all eight Mortars were fired on a predicted shoot from one gun line. 12 and 15 Platoons meanwhile were employed on harassing roles.

"B" Company remained on the St Leger feature throughout the day where they continued to be troubled by snipers and had one Platoon attacked by armoured cars.

Meanwhile, at first light, "A" Company Headquarters with 3 and 5 Platoons and 13 Heavy Mortar Platoon moved off to join 8 Armoured Brigade at Rucqueville. They were to carry out the operation originally planned for the evening of D Day and attempt to thrust through to Villers Bocage. Direct advance to the South was, however, blocked by the village of Audrieu which was held in strength by the enemy. An attack on the village by the Dorsets failed, but in the evening a squadron of the Sherwood Rangers succeeded in outflanking Audrieu and reaching the high ground to the South around Le Haut d'Audrieu - known as Point 103. The Brigade Commander did not want to leave this squadron on its own in this advanced position and "A" Company were therefore ordered to move up during the night onto Point 103 in company with anti-tank guns of the Northumberland Hussars. A troop was recalled from the squadron of Sherwood Rangers to act as guide and escort. During the move up carriers became bogged and contact was temporarily lost with the escort, so that, for a time, they appeared to be in a dangerous predicament; eventually, however, the escort returned, the carriers were pulled out and the column reached Point 103 where "A" Company and the Northumberland Hussars took up positions in defence of the tank laager. This small force of MMG's, anti-tank guns and tanks held the feature alone throughout the succeeding day until the arrival of the Infantry.


(Archive transcripts © Copyright Normandy War Guide)

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Archive: 2nd Bn The Cheshire Regt

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