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Corps res A Tk bty located in triangle Jerusalem, La Senaudiere - Tilly.

We laid some mines last night and got one enemy tank.

A Tk Mines to be carried now by fwd RE.

Gen Thomas seems to be here (43 Div) with one of his Brigs.

Heavy rain yesterday and all soaked. He hasn't changed much.

Our casualties in a fortnight's fighting have been heavy - 250 officers and 2,500 men, killed wounded and missing. This includes 12 Commanding Officers and the bulk of the original Company Commanders.

2100 hrs

Monty came to tea and was in very good form. He reckoned that when the Bosche line was over-run the enemy would be unable to reform a line and could not possibly recover. Full of confidence. Big offensive postponed again although all is set except for ammunition.

The sea is rough and nothing has been landed for 48 hrs.

I've out a policy letter about being offensively defensive.

Bernard Cracroft still thinks tanks should be used by Sqns in this country. He is wrong and shows lack of confidence that his sqns can be concentrated.

Sweaty Knox (R Sigs- 7 Armd Div) and Noel Wall came in this evening. He brought Bobby Erskine’s (Comd 7 Armd Div) congratulations for the GOC.

21 Jun

Very good message received from Gen Bucknell to be read to the troops.

Went over yesterday afternoon to see Dick Jelf reference 49 Div attack on Juvigny.

I feel that we might have more success with attacks on to the flanks of the enemy‘s positions. Much of our attack has been frontal with little effort at surprise. Must give this more weight in future.

Still very cold and windy - ammunition is now limited again to 45 rpg and only one small ammunition ship is being unloaded in Port- en-Bessin. The weather seems to be a bit much for the Mulberry's too.

It now seems that the big plan is not to go so big with 8 Corps. More reasonable I think and more assured of success. Lack of study of ground conditions by Staff Officers is evident - it's slow country and requires super infiltration tactics, if possible not frontal attacks which are so expensive.

No visit from Corps Staff except BGS since we landed.

We hear the Yanks are within four miles of Cherbourg this morning. No sign of 2 Pz (Das Reich) Div or 1 SS Adolph Hitler Div from S. France and Holland respectively. More opposition in St Lo area;