War Diary: 1/5 Welch Regiment

Month and year: July 1944

The 1/5 Battalion Welch Regiment July 1944 War Diary covers the units time in Normandy involved in heavy fighting in the area around Le Bon Repos where A Coy was overrun and presumed lost altogether

National Archive Reference: WO 171/1386

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WO 171/1386 1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment

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Page 1 of 11

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Coleville	3	0430	The casualties incurred in the previous 2 days' fighting
			amounted to approximately 150.
			Comd, 1/5th Bn. The Welch Regiment.

Page 2 of 11

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Bronay	1	0015	Bn left to take up position in line passing through le Mesnil-
			Patry, Cheux, Coleville, Mondrainville.
Coleville		0230	As "C" Coy marched down road from Coleville to Mondrainville, they sufferred 30-40 casualties through heavy shelling.
le Valtru			The Commanding Officer, Lt-Col ERG RIPLEY was killed in action.
			The Bn 2 IC, Major JS Morrison-Jones assumed command of the Bn.
le Valtru		0800	Take over from a Bn of the Seaforths of 46 Bde, 15 Div, was completed. Bn HQ was established at 911637.
le Valtru		0630	Posn was heavily mortared and snipers were active in Bn area.
le Valtru		2300	An extensive minefield was laid across our immediate front to
			prevent infiltration of enemy armour.
le Valtru	2	1300	It was thought that the enemy had withdrawn on our immediate front and 2 PLs of Inf and the Carrier PL were pushed forward
			along road west from le Valtru. Their intended objective was the line South and North from Bas des Forges to Hautes des Forges.
			This was not completely realised, the enemy holding our advance up with LMG and Mortar fire.
		1900	CO received orders to hand over Bn posn to 4 Welch and occupy posns
			in area Coleville by first light 3rd July. This was completed, the A tk PL being left with 4 Welch to assist them until 1100 hrs
			3rd July 44.
Coleville	3	0430	Bn occupied posn with Bn HQ est at 39231651. The remainder of the day
			was spent reorganising and resting. The Bn was now in Bde reserve.

Page 3 of 11

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
Coleville	4	Bn spent a quiet day. At 1400 hrs Lt Col E.R.G. Ripley was buried at BRONAY. The burial was attended by Maj
		B.E.W. McCall and Captain F.E. Crane. 'A' Coy came under command 2 Mon R to fill a gap between their left forward
		Coy and the right hand forward Coy of 159 Bde.
Coleville	5	A' Coy remained under command 2 Mon R. Bn received 32 ERs -
		25 from RHU and 7 from 4 Bn Welch Regt. Another 7 were loaned to us from 2 Mon R on instructions of South Wales
		Inf Bde. A counter Mortar OP was set up to try and discover location of enemy Mortars by flash spotting and bearings
		to sound.
Coleville	6	Bn remained in area Coleville with 'A' Coy still under command 2 Mons. The Bn was given a counter-attack role
		on to 2 Mons and 4 Welch posns. A squadron of tanks was placed under command. The Bn was not required to counter-
		attack.
Coleville	7	The Bn area remained Coleville. A system of rest for Bn personnel was instituted. These LOB personnel (50 each day)
		were sent back to 'A' Ech area at LOUIELLES for 48 hrs complete rest out of enemy gun range. The Bn was not used
		in its counter-attack role.
Coleville	8	The Bn remained in area Coleville. The only activity was a certain amount of spasmodic shelling.

Page 4 of 11

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
Coleville	9	There was little activity on Bn front. The Bn area was shelled
		spasmodically.
Coleville	10	The Bn spent another quiet morning. CO received orders at 1300 hrs from Brigadier that the Bn was to take over pos ns in the line
		6 Royal Scots at area TOURMAVILLE les VILAINS. A recce party went out at 1400 hrs and take over was completed by
		0100 hrs 11 Jul 44. The Bn remained under comd 44 Bde.
	11	There was very little activity on the Bn front. Spasmodic Mortar and shelling caused 4 casualties. The Bn sent out
		one recce patrol at 2300 hrs and an ambush party of 1 officer and 10 ORs laid up in an area 300 yds forward of our FLDs.
	12	Patrols returned at 0330 hrs reported no enemy activity on our front. RA 53 Div counter-mortar, Int Staff issued a report
		on the progress made in location in enemy mortars (appx II) Lt Col J.T. GIBSON , The Welch Regiment, assumed command of
		the Bn, taking over from Major J.S. Morrison-Jones. 5 Offrs and 55 ORs were sent to 'A' Ech for a rest of 48 hrs.
	13	Patrol returning at 0130 hrs had made contact with the enemy
		in a gully 926618. They were fired upon by a MG at 10 yds range. An agent was passed through our lines on the road
		TOURMAVILLE - ESQUAY at 0015 hrs. At 0403 hrs the Bn area was mortared by an enemy Nebelwerfer, firing from area
		GAVRUS 9161. NO casualties were suffered

Page 5 of 11

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
	1300	A force consisting of the battle cadre and 1 PL of 'A'Coy,
		the whole commanded by Captain W.J. Picton, was briefed with a view to going out at 2100 hrs to the Gully 926616
	2140	and GAVRUS 9261 for the purpose of obtaining a prisoner. The force was engaged whilst in the area of the Gully by
		six energy MGs from 926614, 926617, 922618, 923616, 923618. They attempted to get forward under covering fire of our
		own LMGs but were unable to do so.
	2200	D' Coy fwd pl reported enemy MG firing on fixed line from area 9462 across the front to the Gully.
	2210	Mortar pl were told to stand to.
	2220	Fighting force withdrew slightly in order to reorganise. Two casualties had been reported.
	2315	One Regiment of Arty laid down a concentration of HE on the area of the Gully. Mortar pl fired sixty rounds.
	2320	Force was ordered to stand by and await orders. CO asked Bde for permission to withdraw force as the making of a
		completely new plan for attack on the enemy posns was not considered feasible.
	2330	The Brigadier left the dedision as to whether the force was withdrawn or not to the CO. The force was withdrawn at
		2335 hrs having suffered 2 casualties.
14	0200	A concentration of arty was laid on the Gully supported by fire by the Bn Mortar PL.
	0430	This was again fired at 0430 hrs.

Page 6 of 11

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
14	900	Owing to the fact that the fighting patrol falled to capture
		a prisoner last night, the Div Comd asked for a report and marked aerial photograph showing details of located enemy
		MGs. The Div Comd ordered that another attempt be made tonight.
	1400	An O Group was held at Bn HQ to plan for the night's attack. Attending was OC 133 Fd Regt RA, OC 1 Manch.
		A fire plan was decided upon including Fd arty, 4.2 Mortar 3" Mortars, MG PL.
	1445	A standing patrol was sent forward by 'A' Coy to area 925621 Line communication was established from them to 'A' Coy HQ.
	1715	A' Coy standing patrol reported no movement in the Gully 926617 but that enemy mortars were active in area 921619.
	2040	OP reported that an enemy tank had been seen at 927606 but later opinion changed and tank was identified as a gun.
	2045	3 patrols of 6 Bn KOSB reported to Bn HQ on there way out.
		They were held at Bn HQ in view of the fact that the attack was going in by 'A' Coy at 2400 hrs and the shelling,
		mortaring and MG fire would be coming down on their route out.
	2400	Supporting arms opened up on fire plan, and the raiding force consisting of 3 Pls commenced the attack to obtain a prisoner.
15	0020	Leading pls reached the gully and prepared to progress further west.

Page 7 of 11

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
TOURMAVILLE	15	0104	The code word "ALEXANDER" was received which meant that a prisoner had
			been taken.
		0105	The force was ordered to withdraw. The prisoner was identified as
			belonging to 2 Bn 991 Gr Regt. The casualties amounted to 2 ORs killed, 9 wounded. Lts D.R. Morgan and A.M. Davies were wounded.
		1030	The remainder of the day was spent quietly. 4 Bde of 15 Scottish div moved into the Bn area for preparation for their
			attack on ESQUAY, GAVRUS, and BANGY tonight.

Page 8 of 11

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
	2330	Bn area was very heavily shelled and mortared all night.
16	0800	Vehicle casualties were suffered. Mortaring and shelling of Bn continued on a less severe
		scale all morning.
	1200	An enemy counter attack was reported to be forming up East
		of ESQUAY but by 1530 hrs this counter attack had been repulsed.
17		Bn spent a quiet day but at 1400 hrs were ordered to take up posns captured by the Glasgow Highlanders in the area between
		BARON CHURCH and the Rd CROIX de FILANDRIERS - LE BON REPOS.
18	0005	The Bn moved up and occupied new posts.
		The Bn spent a fairly quiet day in their new posns but movement was prohibited. The men were forced to remain
		in their trenches throughout the day owing to the fact that the posns were overlooked by the enemy.
19		A fair amount of shell and mortar fire was experienced but the situation was otherwise quiet.
20		The shelling and mortaring of our posns continued but there was little enemy activity on our front. Patrols managed
		to establish that the enemy was in the area of ESQUAY in
		one Coy strength.
21		The morning was spent fairly quietly.
	1500	Shell and mortar fire laid by the enemy on Bn posns was intensified and smoke was laid on our front.
	1600	A' Coy, our right hand fwd Coy, reported that they were being attacked by a Coy of Inf and four tanks.
	1800	A PL of 'B' Coy which was holding a left fwd posn south of the Rd CROIX de FILANDRIERS - LE BON REPOS was overun by
		enemy inf and four tanks.

Page 9 of 11

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
		1930	Two Squadrons of Tanks which were in support of the Bn went
			out to the left flank to attempt to get the enemy in enfilade. They were unsuccessfull
		2000	'A' Coy reported enemy tanks 50 yards from their posns and that they were firing. During this time appropriate
			targets were being engaged by arty? MMGs and Mortars.
		2130	'A' Coy reported that enemy tanks were within 10 yds of
			their posn and that enemy was in their immediate front. There was no further communication by any means from 'A' Coy.

Page 10 of 11

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Baron	21	2130	'C' Coy reported that enemy was attacking on their front with 4 tanks
			supporting infantry. They held the attack, two MkIV tanks being destroyed one by a PIAT and the other by a 6 pr A tk Gun. 'C' Coy's position became
			practically untenable now as they were out on their own without A tk guns and with the enemy within 50 yards of their poss.
Baron	22	0600	'C' Coy were ordered to vacate their posns and withdraw to other posns
			in Bn reserve. This was done under cover of smoke and arty fire and was successful.
		0900	Casualties sustained in staving off attack were 25 but this did not include 'A' Coy which was presumed lost altogether.
Baron	23	0330	Sjt Norman took out a patrol of the Battle Cadre to the psn's which 'A' Coy
			had previously been, with the object of discovering whether the enemy were in occupation. They heard sounds of digging and also voices speaking in a
			foreign language. Bn Tac HQ was moved to the area of 'C' Coy, the reserve Coy.
Baron	24		Enemy mortaring and shelling was intensified owing to the fact that a raid
			was carried out by 4 welch on the X Rds at LE BON REPOS were 'A' Coys previous posns. Captain R.T. Davies was wounded in the leg and evacuated.
Baron	25	0900	The Co received orders to move on the night 25/26 Jul to the area GOURNAY
			leaving 'D' Coy under command 4 Welch.
Gournay		2330	Bn Tac HQ was established and the Bn was prepared to carry out its counter- attack which was as follows :- 'B' & 'C' Coy with in support two squadrons
			of Churchill tanks of 147 RAC were to be prepared to counter- attack the posns of 2 Mons - Pt 112 MR 958623 and also the posn of the 4 Welch BARON.

Page 11 of 11

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Gournay	26	0600	Coys were dug in and spent a quiet day.
		2005	Ba Tac HQ WAR shelled suffering two casualties and also 3 Loyd Carriers . The night Was spent
			quitely. Reinforcements arrived at rear Bde HQ consisting of Major Roche, Major Garey, Captain Watkins and Lt Ace and 129 ORs.
Gournay	27		There was no change in the situation today. Enemy shelling and mortaring
			was on a light scale in the immediate Bn area. The Bn was not required to carry out its counter-attack plan.
Gournay	28		A new 'A' Coy was formed with Major Roche commanding and Major Carey 2 IC.
			There was no change in the situation on the Bn front.
Gournay	29		The Corps and Div Comds, Lt-Gen Ritchie and Maj-Gen R.K. Ross visited the Bde. The CO and 6 ORs met them at HQ 4 Welch in the area of TOURMAVILLE.
			The ORs concerned were men who had played a prominent part in the action fought on the 23rd when 'A' Coy Was overrun. There was no change in the
			situation. On the Bn front enemy shelling was intensified owing to the fact that the 2 Mons carried out & raid on Pt 112 with one Coy.
Gournay	30/31		The Bn remained area Gournay.