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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug 44 BALEROY Area. | On 6 Aug 'A' Sqn were roused from their delightful but non- productive vegetation by having to move across the whole bridgehead to just south of CAEN at 037657 for Operation 'TOTALISE', the Cdn Army drive on FALAISE (for General Idea see 'B' sqn). On 5th August the Sqn Comd (Major Cooper) had already received the outline plan at 6 Cdn Inf Bde HQ under whose comd 'A' Sqn had been placed. Here the Tp Comds met the C.Os of SSR, FMR, Cameronians on the morning 7th August. 'TOTALISE' was to begin as a night Operation on 7/8th August and it was suggested that the Crocs be used at night also. The C.O. him self carried out tests in firing the flame by night and came to the conclusion that once the target was found it was not impossible for the front gunner to take aim, especially if a high shot was tried first. There were how very serious snags - the Crocs would have to be led almost right up to their objective (range of some 80 yds) by the Inf. Once the first shot had been fired the Inf would be fully illuminated on the gd thus giving to the enemy all the advantages of daylight whilst he himself retained his invisibility. This would be accentuated should a Croc "brew up" as it would illuminate the objective for the whole night and thus present the enemy with an admirable aiming mark for mortar and arty fire. It was finally decided to split the Sqn into two halves. 3 Tp and 1Tp (Lts Tunbridge and Griggs) under Major Cooper were to operate with the SSR, objective ROCQUANCOURT. The Tps were to remain conc at the SL just north of TROTEVAL FARM, 052617 (Sheet 7/F1). No plan was laid on but Capt Westwell was to travel in a scout car with the CO of SSR and plan sp as and when required and if possible. The other half of the sqn, 4 TP and 2 Tp (Lts Brereton and McCulloch under Capt Strachan were to operate in the same way with the Cameronians, objective FONTENAYE SUR MARMION, 0358 (7F/1). | ||
| 8 Aug 44 MAYE-SUR-ORNE | During the night 7/8th August no assistance was possible but on the morning of 8th August Brigadier Young asked for assistance at MAYE-SUR ORNE for the FMR who had been held up with heavy casualties, and it was decided to put a whole Sqn into the show. The plan was to attack four tps up on the village with one tp right of the main CAEN - MAYE SUR ORNE rd and three tps left of the rd. FUP behind the Mine bldgs which were held by us. SL the line of the Mine bldgs. 'H' hr when the Crocodiles crossed the SL. The four comd tks were to give covering fire and smoke from the area of the Mine bld rhe length of the adv being some 600 yds. Arty concs went down on the village, and subsequently on the back of the village to prevent any enemy getaway. The Crocs pressured up a mile from the FUP and 2 Tp had to be dropped because of trlr and gun troubles. The attack there went in at 1505 hrs with 1 Tp right and 3 and 4 Tps left as per diagram. MINE BLDGS | ||
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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| The whole front area of the village was flamed and the slit trenches on the eastern edge. From the SL to the objective all tks fired 75mm and Besa even whilst the flame was being used The Inf followed close behind with one Coy on each side of the rd. They passed through the Crocodiles immediately the flame finished. The Crocodiles suffered no cas and the Inf it is believed likewise. The Inf CO and the Press were most impressed by the party and at 5 Cdn Inf Bde HQ the Sgn was congratulated and thanked by the Div Comd and Brigadier Young. They infd the Sqn that over a hundred Prisoners had been captured. This attack bore out the contention that the effect of flame is increased out of all proportion by using it en masse. | |||
| 8/9 August 037657 | The Sqn harboured for the night just south of CAEN at 037657 and moved on the 9th August to 050650. The next few days witnessed a series of moves more or less within the same area - thus on 10th August they moved to 104554 on the 11th August from 104554 to 130540 under 144 RAC. On the 11th again to 093572 and on the 12th back again to 050650 where they remained until the morning 14th August. During this period planning had been going on for Operation 'TALLULAH' (for General Idea see 'B' Sqn),for which Operation 'A' San were under comd 2nd Cdn Div and in sp of 9th Cdn Inf Bde. The task of 9th Cdn Inf Bde was to clear the River LAISON especially in the area 1447 - 1446 after the armr had gone through. The Crocs were to follow up and be called upon as required for assistance. At 0700 hrs they moved to a Fwd Assembly Area | ||
| 14 Aug 44 R. LAISON. | at 095503, at. 1130 hrs they moved to a FUP in the area 114514 and at 1215 hrs crossed the SL which was a rd SOUIGNOLLES - ESTREE la COMPAGNE. From here they moved fwd and assembled in the area east of the rd track june 148477. | ||
| No. 2 TP flamed the hedgerows round the fd on the south side of the rd at 151477 (Sheet 7F/4) and No. 4 Tp stood by for a similar action in a second fd. Instead the Inf required No. 4 Tp to adv along the road in order to flame the houses at 143469. These Crocs came under 88mm fire almost immediately from a Tiger concealed at the bend in the rd. The Sgt's tk was hit twice and the Tp Ldr's once, whereupon they were ordered to withdraw. A Tiger then appeared on the right flank and the Crocs took up posns to engage it should it come within effective 75mm range or should it adv and affect our own Inf moving up to the village south of the rd. One Croc (comd by Lt McCulloch) in an attempt to get a favourable viewpoint from the high gd north of the rd was hit by an 88mm shot which penetrated the driver's front plate. The Croc was set on fire and only the Comd and Co-dvr escaped. A second tk following the Croc was also hit but was able to take cover immediately. During the long period of waiting for ann attack to come in from the right flank a Comd tk was hit whilst in posn in a hedgerows. The crew baled out and the tk was hit a further three times. There was no indication of the direction om_which any of these shots were fired. Total casualties in 'A' Sqn's fighting echelon for the day were TKB - 5Z 3X; Personnel 1 Offr (Lieut McCulloch) and 5 wounded. | |||
| This was not 'A' Sqn's lucky day. The RAF were giving close heavy bomber sp to the fwd tps but many of them entirely misjudged their target and bomb after bomb rained down on the area 0956, where 'A' Ech of 'A' Sqn and many other Echs (including the Poles) were harbouring. The tragic result for 'A' Sqn was the loss in vehs of 6 3-tonners, 4 half-tracks, 1 Water truck, 1 M/C, and personnel - Lieut Walters killed, 1 NCO died of wounds, 1 NCO missing and 4 other personnel wounded. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug 44 LE BRAS | In this sorry state 'A' Sqn harboured the night at 078567 from where on the morning of the 15th August they moved to | ||
| 17 Aug GORMELLES. 18 Aug TILLY SUR SEULLES. | LE BRAS. On the 17th August 44 they moved to CORMELLES 074654. On the 18th August 'A' Sqn moved their tks to TILLY SUR SEULLES. for complete overhaul and refit in 1 Assault Tps Wkshops (823686 Sheet 7/Fl). All personnel except drivers remained for a time at MARCELET936676 Sheet 7/F1, from where they spent a short time at a Rest Camp at 9786. Here Capt Storrar took over 'A' Sqn for a short time and Lieut Bristow was promoted to Captain. | ||
| 26 Aug VIMOUTIERS | During the night 25/26th August 'A' Sqn once more came into operation and moved up to an area east of VIMOUTIERS, 514650 (Sheet 8/F3). | ||
| 31 Aug LA HAYE MALHERBE. | On 29th August 'A' Sqn moved for the night to BERNAY 155910 (Sheet 8F),thence on 30th August to LA HAYE MALHERBE 155910 (8F),where they remained until the end of the month. |
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