- 10 -

27 Jun

At 1000 hrs hear that 8 Corps progress very slow - making for river Odon due South of Colleville, and hope to put 11 Armd through. They will have to get a move on for otherwise shell amn will be restricted. 49 and ourselves are strictly rationed to 45 rpg.

69 Bde hoping to take La Taille this evening but Knox nervous of flanks. We could with enough punch go through the Pz Lehr (902 PGR).

28 Jun

Corps Comd came to Conference at 1800 hrs, and Gen Erskine. We talked about bringing in the bdy between 7 Armd and 50 Div. 56 Bde for Corps res to take over gap. Corps Comd painted the picture and generally 8 Corps seem to be going well. The hole has been made and an Armd Bde plus Inf Bde and Armd Regt (Churchills) across the Odon. Tac R gave us increased Flak over V, Bocage and R.Orne with one concentrate of M.T.

Hastings commanding 6 G Howards wounded and Ray Exham DWR arrived to take over. Webster went down last night as a temporary measure. Some peculiar holes 2-ft across in La Senaudiere direction which arrived mysteriously in the night. Wendy Willot (CRE - A grand chap went to look and has his BDs boys on it. Could have sworn last night that I heard shells high up from Le Havre direction bursting in 7 Armd Div area. Noel Wall said the bangs at that time were there own guns; they didn't sound like guns.

Still fairly fresh wind but more sun and warmer today.

29 Jun

The holes were apparently 6"Naval Shells bursting 30 ft under- ground. A gas (Tear) saturated flag was brought in, found by a DR (in a Jeep) outside CE (30 Corps) Caravan (Brig Davis). When examined Aspin found it very smelly and couldn't understand it. Later transpired it was put there by G2(CW) 30 Corps - who had brought over some training tear gas - why, I don‘t know.

The whirring noise lust night was frogs. A fire had been burning too in 53 Div area.

Rainy day - Gen Lynne 59 Div came to see the General with Dick Lloyd, his GSO 1. A peculiar Jeep wflth rear extension, too heavy behind.

They wanted to know the form.

Went into the mine question - mostly Bosche Teller mines.

Comd said he would move G 2 - on signal re Staff officers having been on the job too long.

30 Jun

Hear that 8 Corps battle has been good and they have 29 ? and 4 Armd Bdes plus one inf bde in bridgehead across the Odon.


(Archive transcripts © Copyright Normandy War Guide)

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Archive: 50 (NORTHUMBRIAN) DIVISION, An extract from the divisional history

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