- 3 -

Good contact with them here.

231 Bde continued to hold the La Butte area but were held still north at Butte no la Gris Orne. Blan Oliphant (W Dgns) and A Tk and this were given this feature to hold in support of 231 Bde.

8 DLI who had suffered quite heavily on 10 Jun in an enemy counter attack at St Pierre, where again our tanks had left them before they were properly established, were prepared to withdraw night 11/12 Jun. 1 Dorset who had been assisting 8 Armd Bde and 69 Bde to hold ground north of Pt 103 were withdrawn this night to rejoin 231 Bde.

B Armd left to hold this feature.

7 Armd Div had not made further progress towards Tilly and were engaged with 131 Inf Bde forward.

12 Jun

7 Armd disengaged during afternoon and a striking force despatached enemy towards Caumont where they harboured. 11 H and one sqn 8 H co- operating. 50 Div continued to hold the firm base while St Pierre was evacuated

13 Jun

Plans to advance the front (and correspondingly extend our line) were made on 12 Jun and put into operation today. The thrust was to be made on a two bde front towards Le Senauduie Lingevres, thence to HOTTOT. Air support was effected on enemy at those places and an Arty barrage was put down to get leading Tps forward. Heavy fighting took place all day but by the evening we were in possession of objectives.

Enemy counter-attacks by the Lehr Div developed and these were largely dealt with by Medium Arty and our tanks. The enemy lost 9 tanks in 9 DLI area heavy casualties including their Commander. By nightfall the front was quiet. Many enemy dead.

(Dick Jelf and Col Wall came to tea).

12 Jun

Our advance made no progress towards the objectives Le Lion Vert - Hottot.

1 Hamps pinned down just South Pt 112.

9 DLI unable to leave their trenches.

6 DLI ran into trouble from fire from direction of Tilly outskirts and SWB unable to enter the town.

Plans made rather late tonight for an attack by Div starting early 13 June.

Artillery and air co-ordinated with bdes.

HQ moved up to Blary on 12 Jun.

B now Gen O'Connor, Dempsey, Keller (3 Cdn Div),Bubbles Barker (49),? 15 (S) Div and others have visited us.