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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| On 2 Sep 44 'B' Sqn waiting to cross the Seine and located at 985077 were det from 33 Armd Bde and told to be ready to move to the area of Brest to support the U.S. 8th Corps and at midday on the 4th Sep an American Capt arrived at the Sqn harbour with 5 tpters to move the Sqn by rd. During the day more tpters arrived, followed by R.A. Matadors to tow the trlrs, and the whole coln, tpters, Matadors and 'A' and 'B' Echs, moved at 2200 hrs on, movement instructions from Cdn 2 Corps, the coln being about 120 vehs. | |||
| The journey undertaken was nearly 400 miles, a distance which proved to be rather much for the Diamond T tpers, as on 7 Sep Major Ryle and Capt Cobden who had gone on ahead to U.S. 8 Corps HQ could only welcome 5 tks to the harbour area chosen near LESNEVEN. However, during the following day the remainder arrived and the Sqn was prepared for action. | |||
| During the three days that the coln was on the rd, Major Ryle and Capt Cobden had been visiting the 2 and 8U.S. Inf Divs. with a view to discovering the best possible country over which to employ the Crocodiles. | |||
| The terrain was undulating and covered with small fields bounded by banks of earth to a height of 8 - 10 ft and of a similar width, and it was deemed necessary to fit Rhinocerous hedgecutters to the tks to make movement at all possible. This was done with typical American drive and enthusiasm. The cutters were designed, modified and fitted to every tk in the Sqn within 3 days. | |||
| On the night of 8 Sep the Sqn was att to U.S. 8 Inf Div for ops and placed under command of U.S. 157 Inf Regt and moved to a harbour area at BOUR BLANC by night. From here a fwd move to the outskirts of LAMBEZELLEC was made in sp of 1st Bn of 157 Inf Regt. The Germans resisted at Lambezellec, but continuel pressure by the Inf drove them back into the main fortress of Brest. The defences here were situated behind a moat 40 ft wide and 20 ft deep, followed by a wall of some 60 ft in height banked on the German side with earth to a distance of 80 - 100 ft. The whole area was covered by guns of all calibres, ranging from a few 15 cm. many DP 88mm, 40mm, 20mm, and MGs. Two plans to attack this wall were made as follows :- | |||
| 1. Major Ryle, Capt Cobden and Lieut Sander were to attack due South, over a distance of 350 yds, supported by 1Coy of Shermans, 5 M10s, several 240 mm guns and 1 Coy 155mm SPs. The arty plan was to breech the wall with direct fire from 240mm, smoke and HE from 155 mm, then an all out assault by Crocs covered into the wall by the Shermans. The Crocs were to be closely followed by 2 Coys of 1 Bn 157 Inf Regt. The gun posns and pillboxes on and in front of the wall were to be flamed and the Inf were to go through the flame and through the breech in the wall. | |||
| 2. Capt Moss Capt Shearman and Lieut Ward were to perform a similar attack on the right of the former, attacking from NE to SW over a distance of 400 yds. The supporting arms were similar but only one Coy of Inf was to be employed. | |||
| There were 3 detailed recces carried out for each attack, and reps from all arms attended. | |||
| The attack opened and the 240 mm pounded at the wall for the greater part of 1 day, but no impression at all was |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| made on the wall, and in consequence the Inf and supporting arms were unable to function. The Sqn sat in this area for 2 days, and then on 12 Sep moved 50 miles to support U.S. 29th Inf Div who were attacking RECOUVRANCE, a suburb of BREST from the West. | |||
| The Sqn moved into a harbour area at LOC MARIA, and recces were made by Major Ryle and Capt Cobden with 116 Inf Regt, with a view to employment in co-operation with 1st Bn of that Regt. | |||
| Due to the closeness of the country and to proximity of the enemy, it was found extremely difficult to make any satisfactory recce without drawing fire from 40mm, 20mm and mortars. The tk recce gp was unfortunate enough to do this on several occasion, fortunately without casualties. | |||
| On the night 13 - 14 Sep the 1Bn 116 Regt took over fwd posns due east of FORT MONTBAREY, and the Sqn moved up at 2 m.i.h. covered by arty fire to mask their approach, and an attack was ordered for the morning of 14 Sep. | |||
| The defs of the Fort were strong - a minefd with lateral sunken rds, an A tk ditch, and in the Fort itself were 3 lines of def, consisting of MGs, 40mm and 20 mm AA/A TK guns. | |||
| In order to breech the minefd, A tk ditch and sunken rd the Inf moved fwd supported by the 4 Sqn HQ tks and 1 Pl M10s firing HE. Engineers followed the Inf. and swept a path in the minefd and then placed prepared charges in the A Tk ditch and first sunken rd. The Inf and Engineers suffered several cas whilst moving fwd and clearing the minefd. | |||
| By midday the posn was that the Inf were within 200 yds of the outer defs of the fort and could not move fwd. | |||
| A plan was made by Capt Cobden and the res Coy Comd to put in a Coy attack supported by 1 tp of Crocs comd by Lieut Ward. The plan was for the tks to move through the minefd covered by arty smoke, closely followed by 2 Inf pls. The 3rd pl and coy comd were to move through the minefd with 2 Sqn HQ tks and sp the assaulting waves The Coy Comd would then go through the assault wave and break into the fort. It was necessary for Capt Cobden to go forward with the engineer Sgt to decide whether the tks could traverse the A tk ditch and sunken rd. This proved difficult as several sappers were killed and wounded, but Capt Cobden and the Sapper Sgt were fortunate to return with the infm required. | |||
| The attack therefore started at 1400 hrs and the tks commenced to pass through the minefd. The second tk came in contact with a 300lb naval shell buried as a mine, and was destroyed, the driver being killed, and the remainder of the crew wounded. This blocked the approach of the following tks and they were held up until the engineers cleared a passage round the dead tk. Heavy covering fire was given during this phase by Major Ryle and Capt Moss and 3 M10s firing HE. | |||
| The leading tk however had got through the minefd and obstacles and Lieut Ward was having a field day with the MGs snipers and light AA/A tk wpns. He flamed to such good account that the Inf broken through the two outer defs and got round behind the Fort and on beyond to a distance of 900 yds. Lieut Ward used all his flame and HE and 20 belts of Besa and then set out to return but on his way fell into a further, hitherto undiscovered, tktrap, and was immediately surrounded by Germans waving white flags. Having seen his plight they discarded the white flags and took on a more warlike aspect, and the posn looked for a while somewhat black. | |||
| Meanwhile Capt Cobden had in moved on through the fresh breach |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| in the minefd to sp Lieut Ward tking with him 2/Lt Hare and Cpl Briggs. Major Ryle sent fwd a pl- of Engineers to act as Inf and these three tks moved into the Fort to extricate Lt Ward. Once in the fort, Cpl Brigg's tk fell into a hole, covered with debris, Capt Cobden had a track off, and 2/Lt Here fell into a bomb crater. Capt Cobden sent the engineers to Lt Ward's tk, and then in company with Lt Ward and his crew took over 30 PW. Meanwhile the 3 tk comds in the Fort assisted by Sgt Norrington, extricated their 3 tks with some difficulty due to snipers still left behind. In getting out they moved back to the start line on the way picking up more PW. Meanwhile everyone had been mustered to go out and bring back PW, the total dag of the day being 6 offrs and 116 ORs a fair number killed and some having escaled. The haul of enemy wpns were 2 A TK guns (5 cm) and 1 fd gun (10.5 cm) on the south side of the Fort K.O. by Lieut Ward. | |||
| During the move back, 2 /Lt Hare's tk last in the coln through the minefd, hit a further 300 lb shell and had its turret blown off, killing the driver and co-driver and wounding the remainder of the crew. | |||
| On 15 Sep the 3 Sqn HQ tks moved up again to the Fort in coy with 1 pl of M10s. Here they sat suffering nothing more uncomfortable than sniping and occasional MG fire. The Inf were within 30ft of the final defs of the Fort, and before assaulting Major Ryle insisted on the minefd gap being completely cleared and the outer parts of the Fort bulldozed. This took the remainder of the day and nothing further was done until 16 Sep, complete recces of the Fort having been made, each tk comd having seen the gd. | |||
| On the morning of the 16 Sep Major Ryle went fwd with the Inf BnComd and stayed with him at his comd post within 50 yds of the Fort. No 9TP, Sgt Decent in comd, was brought up to commence the assault, the action being controlled by Capt Moss, acting in close liaison with Major Ryle. The Fort was subjected to direct fire by 75mm, 95mm M10s at close range and Sgt Decent went in and flamed the inner def works, actually situated in the Fort, beyond the moat. A captured prisoner, nicknamed 'HERMAN THE GERMAN', was sent into the Fort, much against his will, but having been given the choice of being shot or going back in, took the line of least resistance and called for the surrender of the Fort. The Comd replied his orders were to 'remain there and fight to the last, and if this was the best we could do, he needed a better sample of fire and destruction before he would even consider capituation. Therefore 2 more tps, Nos 6 and 10, under Comd of Lt Shone and 2/Lt Conway respectively went in and used all their flame and all their HE At the same time all available fire power, Inf mortars, phosphorous shells, and heavy wpns brought down the maximum weight of shell, including 2 X 105 mm close sp howitzers firing direct. The weight of the fire power was gradually shifted from the Western to the Northern edges and a task force consisting of Inf and engineers went into the moat and placed prepared charges against the walls of the Fort. | |||
| They returned and blew these, and under cover of smoke and a barrage of flame and fire power, the Inf assaulted through the hole blown. When they got into the Fort they were met by an officer Cadet bearing a white flag. He together with 30 men were prepared to surrender as they had no more amn and were being asphyxiated by the smoke from the flame and the phosphorous. By this the outhouses of the Fort itself were ablaze. The Inf continued through the Fort and after hand to hand fighting the Fort surrendered. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total PW on this day were 78 ORs, 3 Offrs, 1 Offr Cadet and 1 WO Cl I. During the latter prt of the siege Capt Moss sustained a wounded whilst engaging the enemy in the Fort at 50 yds range. He continued to fire his tk, until having to be carried out of it through loss of blood and faintness. This action finished at approx 1830 hrs. | |||
| On 17 Sep Capt Cobden went into Recouvrance with Lt Barrow to plan an attack with the U.S. 115th Inf Regt and Major Ryle went to the 5th Ranger Bn to plan with them. | |||
| The attack with the 5th Rangers was to go in at 0830hrs on 18 Sep but while making the final recce, the enemy resistance at that point ceased. The attack with 115 Inf proved to be unnecessary for the same reason. | |||
| The Sqn remained in posn for one more day and by then resistance in Brest had ceased entirely. The next two days were occupied with salv and recovery. | |||
| The Sqn was then order back to LESNEVEN to await tpters back to the Brit Sector. |
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