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The story of this day's successes is not yet complete for shortly after 7 in the evening a 3 ton lorry accompanied by a motor cycle combination with 2 men came along the road. The lorry was reduced to wreckage by a PIAT bomb and the motor cycle was engaged by SA fire. One man from the motor cycle combination jumped out and gave himself up, but the other did a quick turn round and escaped with his motor cycle. About this time we heard a terrific grinding noise from A Company area and later reports confirm that it was Major Galloway's teeth expressing disgust that one had got away.

A Company suffered no casualties during the day and we can class it as a 100% victory for us. The half-track still carries ammunition - at the moment three inch mortar bombs.

The day was of great value not only because of enemy equipment destroyed but also we were able to identify a new division across our front - 130 Pz Lehr Div.

First Counter-attack : June 10.

After A Company's successes the previous day the enemy would doubtless smell a rat and some form of attack or patrolling to find out our line and strength was expected.

The first attack came on June 10 and was directed mainly against A and B Companies In the morning some Infantry and a tank (Mk IV Special) approached A Company's positions from Douet and were engaged and driven off by A Company. The anti-tank gunners of the B Battalion claimed their second kill of the campaign by knocking out the tank at about 400 yards range. The tank was set on fire and was still burning at mid-day.

Tac R reports during the morning gave warning of a concentration of enemy AFVs in Buccels, moving North along the main road to Bayeux. This report was confirmed at 1215 hours by Lieut Kirk who had gone out on a carrier patrol before the Tac R report was received. He reported being engaged by heavy fire at Douet, the fire coming from the crest of the ridge North of Buccels. Reports made by night patrols or diggings in the northern edge of the wood north of Douet were confirmed by Lieut Kirk when he returned to Battalion Headquarters.

Ap approximately 1430 hours the enemy opened up with small arms fire from the area of those diggings, shooting up the main road into A Company's positions. A Company immediately replied and the enemy carried out a normal right flanking movement, using a covered approach towards B Company. B Company held their fire for some time and than opened up with MMG and Bren fire and beat off the enemy. By 1600 hours the enemy had withdrawn and the area of Douet Cross roads was engaged by both artillery and mortar fire. During this period Artillery had been firing on the main road north of Beccels to neutralise the enemy AFVs moving up.

The Battle opened up again at 1730 hours when Lieut R.D. Scott, B Company forward Platoon, reported a tank trying to work its way up a covered approach to B Company area.


(Archive transcripts © Copyright Normandy War Guide)

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Archive: 6 Durham Light Infantry Report, June 1944

Page: Page 5