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(ii) HAMBLE DE HEURTOT 907870

The position to the west of the Assault Beach, at 907870 had a 5 cm gun and 3 MG positions. A report by Major F.W. Anderson on this position says "The reinforced concrete gun emplacement typo D was hit by four 4.7 in SAP shell. The northen face was badly shattered but inside there was only slight spalling and cracking. The Piece was undamaged

'It is probable the crew left after the shell hits, but the gun could have been used'. The Diary of 81 Aslt Sqn RE says that 3 Roly-Poly AVsRE supported 6 GREEN HOWARDS into HAMBLE DE HEURTOT (9087) and silenced four pill boxes including a 50 mm gun position in the sea- well. 6 GREEN HOTMRDS say the storming of this position was "highly successful" and in both this and the other initial task the bn suffered surprisinly low casualties. They were probably helped by the fact that one and perhaps two of the MGs had been put out of action by fire from seawards.

(iii) MONT FLEURY 924862

This position was a strong point with concrete pill boxes, a 50 mm A tk gun and a 75 mm gun in open emplacements.

One underground concrete dug-out EAST of the road had a direct hit on the entrance which was partly blocked Between this and a second, undamaged, dug-out the ground was oomyletely ploughed up by bomb craters.

'A concrete pill box along the western side of the road had an MG housing and was undamaged Further west a concrete pill box, all under- ground except the heavy metal cupola, lay partly inside the crater made by a 1000 lb bomb and was completely smashed. A few yards outside the crater a second pill box of similar design was badly cracked and covered with debris but was not unusable.

The 50 mm A Tk gun was in an open concrete emplacement 40 feet from the edge of a 1000 lb bomb crater, Except for a small amount of debris in the emplacement this gun was not harmed.

The 75 mm gun, also in an open emplacement, was 30 ft from the edge of a 1000 lb bomb crater. The gun platform had been buried in debris which had subsequently been cleared away. No damage was caused.

The bombing was on the target and concentrated, but the only certain damage to weapons was to one MG, possibly to a second, and there was some damage to auxiliary buildings EAST of the road.

Target was attacked H minus 10 mins to H minus 5 mins with 500 lb and 100 lb bombs.

This battery position was taken by A coy 5 E YORKS+one of the assaulting; coys, with the loss of 8 casualties. A Coy took 30 POW. The commander of the enemy battery committed suicide.

(iv) MONT FLEURY 918861

This was a 4 gun battery position. Only one emplacement was occupied, by a 122 mm gun, another emplacement was completed but had no gun, the other two were unfinished.

Details of damage by pre H hour bombing are given in Major Anderson's report. Briefly, the 122mm gun position was hit by a 500 lb bomb but not put out of action. Dugouts, communication trenches and a first aid post were badly damaged by bombs.