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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug 44 LA PAUMERIE ST GERMAIN D'ECTOT | Aug 1st saw 'C' Sqn still spanning the universe and making a valiant effort to look none the worse for it - with half the Sqn under Major Duffy whiling away the time at LA PAUMERIE under command 8 Armd Bde and the other half (11 and 14 Tps - 2/Lt. Wareing and Lieut Grundy) still under 30 Corps in the area ST GERMAIN D'ECTOT. | ||
| 2 Aug 44. LE BON REPOS. | On 2 Aug an amazing thing happened - amazing that is to anyone unfamiliar with the way of things in the Army. In the middle of the afternoon (1540 hrs) Capt Barber was infd that he would be operating with 53 Div at 1730 hrs - where and how was of little consequence - some 25 miles away. The originating conversation presumable began something like this. "Using the Crocodiles this evening - mind if we borrow them ?" and ended up "By Gad, damn decent of you old chap- just send them around will you - thanks lawfully old boy". Of such stuff are the affairs of mice and Crocodiles. The affair wns to be a repetition of Storrar's foray in July with the same object - a raid on LE BON REPOS with Crocodiles and Inf (again the 4 Welch under Lieut-Col Williams) moving astride the road from LES VILAINS to capture PW. 'A' Sqn who knew this terrain backwards were doing nothing at the time - an irrelevent remark ! Phlegmatic to the end, and a little curious, Capt Barber motored off to investigate the show, leaving Lieut Grundy (a little caustic by now) to bring up the Crocodiles. It Was not until 1640 hrs that the move order was decoded and off went the Crocodiles, arriving at 1930 hrs, after sundry directions of very doubtful value from an L.O. at MONDRAINVILLE. The big plan was quite sound - Div arty, armour support by 107 RAC. But the assaulting wpn had literally no time to tie up at all. Capt Barber had half an hour with the Sqn Comd and put the tp comds in the picture. At 2030 hrs the Crocodiles left MONDRAINVILLE for the S.L. with 'H' hour now fixed at 2100 hrs - this after all the trials and tribulations manifested by a Crocodile trailer after a 25 miles march. Another aspect of this haste was the lack of information regarding mines. The flaming expedition was in fact a success and 17 PW were brought in, including one offr. Everyone in fact was exuberantly happy except Capt Barber. One Crocodile went on a mine (presumably enemy) near LE BON REPOS and had to be destroyed by 107 RAC. Another went on a mine (presumably British) almost on the S.L. Yet a third lost a bogie possibly from mortar fire. A fourth developed a broken turret ring from a HE hit. The remaining two stuck to the more mundane routine of extensive trailer troubles. What remained of the Crocodile force limped into harbour that night at CHEUX. | ||
| 2 Aug 44. CHEUX. | For the next few days Capt Barber, unable to find out with any real satisfaction under whose command he really came strove to revive his dead and half dead Crocodiles. Finally on 9 Aug he managed to rejoin his Sqn SW of MONT CHARIVEL. Meanwhile Major Duffy had been feverishly moving the remainder of his Sqn from one planned attack to another. | ||
| 2 Aug 44. CAUMONT. | On 2 Aug he moved NE of CAUMONT to 715604 preparatory to an attack on CAHAGNES 7356 under command S.R. and in sp 43 Div. As the Crocodiles lumbered down to the S.L. however they were stopped by a hot-foot Briggdier who declared our own | ||
| 4 Aug 44. CAHAGNES. | tps already in CAHAGNES from another direction. From there on 4 Aug he moved to 737555 SE of CAHAGNES in sp if required of the Queen's Bde pushing East. Once again however there was | ||
| 7 Aug 44. MONT CHARIVEL | nothing afoot. on 7 Aug Major Duffy in the middle of a little impromptu training (fricassee of quick switches, dry shots and all the bag of tricks) under command 3 Sqn Grenadier Gds (6 Gds Tk Bde) and in sp of 227 Bde (15 Div) moved to 743425 SW of MONT CHARIVEL preparatory to the attack on ESTRY 7437 During the night he moved south of MONTCHAMP |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| By this time the attack was to be done by 44 Bde. The attack on ESTRY was to go in at 1200 hrs 8 Aug with right two coys 4 KOSB and two tps 3 Sqn Grenadier Gds. Dividing, line between bns the rd running NW SE through ESTRY. Quite wisely it was decided to keep the Crocodiles concentrated and both tps were allotted to sp the 4 KOSB on the right, two tps of AVREs being given to the left. 12 Tp (Lieut McFarl??? was to take the right in support of 'D' Coy. 13. Tp (Lieut Sutherland-Sherriff) in sp of 'C' Coy on the left were to flame the orchards running SW from the lateral rd as far as the track junction at 748375 (See Diagram). | |||
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| The Crocodiles were to go first with a section of Inf behind each tp and two sections mopping up. Major Duffy pointed out that he could not guarantee to cross the sunken road - only the leading Crocodile would be able to tell if that were possible. SL was to be the main AUNAY-VIRE lateral road and during the move up ESTRY was to be boxed by Div Corps and AGRA arty. The REs reported a rise on the lateral road of 3' to 3'6" which would give hull downs to the village. This proved erroneous. In view of the presence in the village of a Tiger which had the lordly habit of Patrolling up to the X-rds this was quite important. I effect it meant that if gun tks were to give effective sp to the Crocodiles they must cross the lateral road. | |||
| 8 Aug 44. ESTRY. | The action started off on the wrong leg. The route to the SL had been recce'd and prepared by bulldozers, but one of the Gs Tks (who were leading) bogged and there they stayed for some time. Sutherland Sherriff and McFarland on foot at last managed to find a detour, arriving on the SL some twenty minutes late and only with great difficulty finding the Inf who had gone to gd in a shower of arty fire. Lieut MacFarland was wounded in the wrist and his trailer turned upside down by blast so that both tps now had only two Crocodiles as they moved over the SL. So far as is known the Gds Tks never did cross the SL. The right hand tp quickly came to a halt after dealing with one target, stopped by the sunken road and were released by the Inf. Sutherland Sherriff however with 13 Tp was in for a little excitement. In the first field he was busily flaming the hedges in the orchard when he Saw a flash from the vicinity of the Church. Five times the gun shot at him, missing every time, before transferring its affections to Sgt Webb. Sutherland Sherriff, perspiring a little now, stopped as the gun emerged into full view some 200 yds on the left in the shape of a full blown Panther. There is only one way to treat a Panther - hit it ; which the Gunner did first shot on the turret ring - and the turret crew baled out with more haste than dignity. The gunner switched to Besa - a solitary shot and the gun jammed. But from behind Sgt Webb had already bagged two of the crew. Meanwhile, still occupied by the dvr, the Panther did a smart right turn and disappeared. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| The flaming was resumed and at the same time MGs on the barn nearby were destroyed by Besa. For some unknown reason rapidly to become obvious the Inf started to retire and Sgt Webb, looking around with more than average curiosity spotted a Tiger on the left. 28 rds of smoke and the Crocodiles were out of it. Sgt Webb claims one hit on the Tiger without effect, he also fired several shots into the smoke for luck. | |||
| In actual fact there had been nothing at all in the hedgerows flamed. Indeed although the attack was planned in very careful detail it seems reasonable to say that it lacked directions, Iacked correct appreciation of the enemy by the Inf and lacked aggresive protection by the supporting gun tks. From this attack Major Duffy moved back to 723528 on 9 Aug and was joined by Capt Barber's contingent. | |||
| On 10 Aug 'C' Sqn came under comd 12 Corps and were allotted to 59 Div under comd 34 TK Bde. with the object of pushing them into the recently won bridgehend over the Orne and South of the Foret de Grimbosq. For 'C' Sqn life was certainly becoming a war of movement. By night 1st Aug they were harboured just west of GOUPILLIERES 9351 and crossing the river at 1000hrs on 11 Aug the Sqn moved into BRIEUX 9351. On 12 Aug the Sqn reported to 153 RAC and strolled along behind the 2 E. Lancs Regt to sp them if necessary in the adv on CESNY BOIS HALBOUTL 9945. Major Duffy offered his services when, whilst listening in to the battle, he heard the Wasps called for. At that moment however OC 153 RAC ordered the Sqn to move to ESSON 9554 and report to 53 Div. Major Duffy duly reported to 53 Div where he was sent to 56 Bde of 59 Div. Here the BM strongly advised him not to move into ESSON as it happened to be strongly held by the enemy and that they had in fact wanted the Crocodiles earlier in the afternoon for THURY HARCOURT. Finally 'C' Sqn returned to BRIEUX. On 15 Aug Major Duffy attended an 'O' Gp 147 RAC and moved into harbour North of LEFFARD 0638 in sp of 158 Bde whose intention was to adv to the three points 224, 222, 245, SW of FALAISE. 53 Div were in fact busily pushing the steel band across the FALAISE Pocket, West of the FALAISE - ARGENTAN road. At 1615 hrs Major Duffy was called to an 'O' Gp several miles away arriving at 1630 hrs, and informed the Crocodiles were required some two miles further on at 1700 hrs. | |||
| It was of course impossible. A quarter of an hour's delay was squeezed out of the Bde Comd, and the Corp arty would give another 10 mins grace. The Inf Bn doing the show was the 2 Mons (under comd 158 Bde for this) and the bn with which the Unit had looked forward eagerly to doing a show ever since the days of Lieut-Col Walter Kempster (2 Mons) and Eastwell Park. Everything possible was done to get the Crocodiles there on time. Lieut-Col Brown 147 RAC (who had been doing his level best to get the crocodiles a full Sqn show???) himself went back to get the Crocodiles pressured up whilst Major Duffy went on with the planning. But it was no good and the most that could be done was to move up (trusting in the personal acquaintance in England of the Junior Comds) in case 2 Mons should hit trouble. The 2 Mons did however take LEFFARD in their stride unaided. | |||
| On the next day (16 Aug) the Sqn had the unique Crocodile experience of moving in an adv gd (E Lancs Regt, 'C' Sqn 147 RAC 2 AVREs with 'C' Sqn 141 RAC) to NORON 'ABBAYE which the E. Lanes captured unaided. Things were cracking in the FALAISE pocket for the Germans. Prisoners were rolling in and as the GIII 53 Div remarked "It only requires a Motor Cycle and a tin and Matlock wouldn't have a look in". The Sqn harboured for the night at 097373 NW of NORON L' ABBAYE, where in the early hours they received a visit from the CO fresh from 'A' & 'B' Sqn effort North of FALAISE as a consequence of which Lieut Grundy's bottle of gin was sadly depleted. | |||
| on the 17 Aug the general adv continued and on 18 Aug still u/c 147 RAC the Sqn adv in sp of 71 Bde through ST MARTIN DE M??? harbouring for the night just off the FALAISE - ARGENTAN rd at 154319. On the next day 19 Aug the Sqn moved to 173297 and at 1300 hrs were released to Corps res (subsequently Army Res) |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53 Div had at last called a halt, all its objectives taken, in a drive which gave this Regiment the greatest admiration for a Div to which we once belonged. Here for a few brief hours the Sqn was in clover, recovering a mixed bag of German vehicles of every shape and size. Lieut Wareing Was acting as Sqn L.O. at the time - Liaison Officer or Looting Officer ? A more heterogenous collection of vehs was never seen than that which moved next day (20 Aug) to harbour out of the battle SE of SASSY 185458. As the CO. shot by one very Junior Subaltern (2/Lt Macksie), at the wheel of some German juggernaut, so far forgot himself as to wave. The wonder is that he did not shout "Hyah". Here, in 21 Army Gp reserve, the Sqn stayed a few days cleaning up and playing with its new German toys. The whole tone of the party was set by Major Duffy's militant crash of gears in the pained but enduring Lieut Wareing's prize car. On 22nd August Capt Hall (along with Lieut Macksie) left 'C' Sqn to take over 2IC 'A' Sqn. | |||
| 25/26 Aug 44 | On 25th/26th August 44 'C' Sqn moved into 1st Aslt Tps Wkshps at Tilly Sur Seulles MR 8368 for complete refit and were not expected to be in operation again before 6/7 September. The personnel of the Sqn were to spend a few days in a well deserved rest in the Rest Camp at with a firm base at 'D' Sqn's location at 9865 7F/1 south-west of CAEN. |