WD Jun 44
12 Jun

4/7 DG. Little to report except patrol activity during the day. In the evening the Regt moved out to go for a rest in harbour near a farm about two miles south of BAYEUX. RHQ - A and C Sqns sp 6 and 9 DLI in an attack upon TILLY.

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

24 L. - 1430 Some enemy infantry were observed in a ditch surrounding a field from which B Sqn tanks were observing. About qw of these infantry were forced from the ditch as prisoners while many more were killed. A rapid interrogation of these men revealed that no less than a company of Panzer Gren Regt 901 (Lehr) were sited in the ditches surrounding our position armed with PIATS, sticky bombs and other A Tk weapons together with numerous other automatic weapons. The positions now being known, the enemy was heavily engaged with HE and MG fire from our tanks and while a few of the enemy escaped it was estimated that nearly the entire company was wiped out.

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

SRY. A Sqn again worked in the vicinity of Pt 102 and found that some Tigers and Panthers had worked up into the woods during the night. The 24 L had some tks KOd by German Inf lying low and firing PIATS from very close range. In the evening the Regt drew back to the vicinity of BAYEUX in order to reorganise.

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

231 Inf Bde. - 0600 - 1 Dorsets came under comd and returned to area TRUNGY at approx 7771 where they went into Bde Reserve. During the day 1 Hamps had moved to the area of BERIERE BOCAGE 7970 and took up defensive positions in the orchards south of the village where they encountered severe mortaring.

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

1 Dorsets. Bn relieved by 5 E Yorks, and took up posn in wooded area of VECHY 7770.

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

1 Hamps. Bn attacks Pt 110 778684 but is forced to withdraw to its former posn.

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

2 Devons Br 779699 captured Enemy make small penetrations of coys.

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

56 Inf Bde. - 0900 - 2 Essex reported they had had a bad night in the Wood at VERRIERES 8069. They found that the posn they had occupied was on a fwd slope and the wood was not thick enough to keep out tks. The result was they had been shot up by 2 Mk V tks and. later came under fire from a SP Flame Thrower. casualties of all types were thought to amount to 150. Bde reverts to 50(N) Div.

Task: form firm base area2 SWB BUCEELS
2 Essex FOLLIOT
2 Glos 82071
9 DLI 8070 (under comd)

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

2 Glosters. - 0500 - 131 Bde passed through Bn front with tank sp tp take TILLY. Heavy fighting took place throughout the day. Little progress was made and the situation again become very confused

1700 - Bn HQ moved to an orchard on the reverse slope owing to enemy tar activity. Queens posn became untenable and they were ordered to withdraw back through out lines. 2 Glosters were also ordered to with draw after covering the withdrawal of the Queens. This op was carried out successfully. Bn occupied posns ST BAZIRE 8270 and dug in.

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

2 SWB. - 2000 - Bn moved into defensive locality BUCEELS with under comd one tp M10 A Tk guns.

WD Jun 44
12 Jun

2 Essex. Held wood all day.

134.


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Archive: 50 Div: H.Q. War Diary, D-Day 1944 June

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