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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beny-sur-Mur | 1 | 0800 | Whole Bn left conc area and moved to a harbour area at SECQUEVILLE-EN-BESSIN (MR 909743 sheet 7F/1). Traffic jams delayed arrival till 1000 hrs, 'B' Coys Cooks truck destroyed by accidental fire and CQMS Matthews wounded by exploding of amn inside lorry. No. 3455624 Pte Little made repeated attempts to get lorry away from seat of fire and had to be ordered out of cab. | |
| 1200 - 2220 | CO with Co Comds, IO & SO recced defensive posn held by 6 KOSB (44 Inf Bde) (MR 904608) Hindered by local enemy attack with inf supported by tks & Mors. Major JWC Killiams left Bn to be OC 4 Welch. Maj.UF Hussey de Burgh took over 2IC., Capt. AT Bain 'C' Coy, Lieut.H Carter 'HQ' Coy & Lieut.A Sharlot Pioneer Pl, effective date 29 Jun 44. | |||
| 2 | 1000 | Further recce of defensive posn, N of GRAINVILLE-SUR-ODON by Coy Comds & Pl Comds | ||
| 1900 | Bn moved less 'A' Ech & LOB on Ship route (via Le Mesnil Patry & Cheux) | |||
| 2300 | Take over completed without interference by enemy. Weather cloudy with heavy rain. Posns occupied:- 'A' right 898650; 'B' centre 904648, 'C' left 906646, "D" reserve 903652, Bn.HQ established in Chateau grounds 904647. | |||
| 3 | 0130 - 0530 | Enemy SAA fire on whole Bn front. No casualties. AII firing high, possibly from MMGs mounted on M/C combinations. | ||
| 2000 | Bde reorganised with 1 Oxf.Bucks coming from reserve and taking over 'A' & 'B' Coys posns. 'C' remained in same location. Bn position now 'A' - 907652 - 'B' - 913653, 'D' & Bn.HQ 907657. 9 casualties to 3" Mor Bty 1 was killed & 3 evacuated to Fd Amb. | |||
| 4 | Intermittent Enemy Mortar fire throughout the day. 'D' & 'C' Coys interchange posns. Total Strength decrease 8 ORs (3 ORs A Tk Pl wounded seriously, Pte Campbell later died at 0900 hrs 5th. | |||
| 5 | C' & 'D' Coys ordered to take over reserve coy posns of 1 Oxf.Bucks who were |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | to cover attack of 4 Welch in area of GRAINVILLE-SUR-ODON Attack and moves postponed. More Mortar fire scattered over whole Bn area. | |||
| 6 | Intermittent mortaring throughout the day. | |||
| 7 | 1000 | 9 rfts received, Coys commence wiring and mining posns. 'Battle Scale' of amn in defensive posn introduced. Snipers sent fwd of 'C' Coy - no success. | DISPOSITION OF COYS :- SEE APP 'L' | |
| 2100 | Lieut. Bolitho wounded and evacuated. | |||
| 8 | 1530 | Enemy fighter planes scored near miss when strafing area of Bn.HQ with MG fire 'A' Coy takes over fwd posn from 'D' Coy. | ||
| 9 | 0900 | Bn has use of Mobile baths. 'C' Coy provide road making party. | ||
| Cheux.Grainville-sur-Odon. | 10 | 0130 - 0430 | Main body of Bn less 'A' Coy moved to area of Grainville-sur-Odon and takes over fwd coy locations from 4 Welch. 'D' right 908644, 'A' Coy remained in same location till 1300 hrs when it moved to reserve posn at 914645, 'C' | |
| 0900 | centre 909642, 'B' left X-rds 912636, Coy tpt brought up, off loaded, and sent back to 'A' Ech except for Jeep, Carrier, & 15 cwt per Coy is 6 'HQ' Vehs. Some enemy mortaring. | |||
| 11 | Intermittent Mor fire from enemy throughout the day Night listening patrol led by Lieut RJ Hawkins recced ground W of 'B' Coy fwd posn. | |||
| 12 | 1200 | Warning order given for attack westwards from line held by fwd coys to Les | ||
| 1400 | Nonillons 8963 supported by Div Arty, MMGS & Bn Sp weapons. CO, IO & Adjt | |||
| 2359 | on recce accordingly. Listening patrol led by Major CW Griffin from 'A' | |||
| -0410 | Coy leaves. 3 Deserters brought in. | |||
| 13 | 1000 | Attack cancelled. Enemy very quiet, Lieut. R Angrignon S.O.S. (sprain) | ||
| 2300 | B' Coy listening patrol at night led by Capt.J.Jeavons. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14th | 2000 | Bn experienced first lot of NEBELWERFER fire - sole casualty one man 'C' Coy knocked unconscious, Lieut.Sharlot & Pnrs recced minefield around 'B' Coys posn found to be charted quite inaccurately, | ||
| 15th | 0300 | Mortar Bty of the Bn assisted 1 Oxf. Bucks in attack on on left of Bn front. 'B' Coy provided firm base and assistance to their right coy after it had met with very heavy opposition. 3 of their prisoners brought in and sent back during the course of the day. | ||
| 16th | 1800 | D' Coy pushed forward to meet 5/S.Staffs in copse. | ||
| 2215 | A' & Coy attack Chateau & copse at 906637, 'C' Coy attack rd & track junc 907634, 10 mins Arty preparation on these features. | |||
| 2225 | Rate of adv 200 yds in 2 mins. No enemy opposition, 1 prisoner captured. | |||
| 2300 | Bn positions now 'D' right 903639, 'A' centre 916637, 'C' left 907634, 'B' Coy in same posn 912635. | |||
| 16th | 2230 | Lieut.TA Phelps (Canloan) killed by Aerial bomb. Buried at 90306401. | ||
| 17th | 0700 | 27 enemy deserted to 'C' Coy from 277 Inf Div as a result of attacks by the Bde and neighbouring units. | ||
| 1830 | Bn moved to MOUEN - rest area - 938654. | |||
| 2300 | Bombing attack on neighbouring gun lines. Capt.Johnston killed by aerial bomb | |||
| 19th | Bn ordered to take over BOUGY post from 8 Royal Scots | |||
| 19/20 | Bn moved to BOUGY in three parties - marching coys taking over at half-hour intervals - wheeled vehs arriving before tracked vehs - the last to enter new posn only when marching tps were settled in to minimise casualties, 13 casualties during take-over caused by enemy mors. Take-over complete by 0430 posns now - 'B' 907612, 'C' 910619, 'A' 906609, 'D' & Bn.HQ 903614 |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOUGY. | 20 | 2300 | Lieut.BJ Carroll & 2 men sent out on 24 hr patrol to find out if enemy was | APPENDIX 'D' |
| withdrawing, Enemy activity observed within 100 yds of fwd lines. Patrols sent out with object of getting an identification, 'D' Coy patrol under Maj.JF Lake, 'B' Coy patrol under Lieut. H Taylor, to take a prisoner. Bn received warning for impending attack on Fine de Mondeville, to be made only if enemy was found to be withdrawing after 1 HLI had taken EVRECY. | APPENDICES 'C' AND 'B' | |||
| 21st | 2030 | Enemy post located at 909605. Attacked by 1 Tk with Arty & 2" Mor support. 2 Secs 'C' attack and capture 1 prisoner. | APPENDIX 'E' | |
| A' & 'B' Coys change posn. CO goes to L.O.B. at 'A' Ech, | REPORT - APPENDIX K' | |||
| 22nd | 1400 | D' Coy moved 2 Pls to areas 910614 & 910612, 2 Secs Carrs moved to between 'B' & 'C' Coys to close gap to any infiltration. | ||
| 23rd. | 2000 | CO returns from L.O.B. | ||
| 0345 | 2 deserters brought in from 277 Inf Div, 991 Gr Regt. Listening patrols only sent out at night. | APPENDICES 'G', 'H' & 'I' | ||
| 24th | A' Ech moved to area St.Manvieu, | |||
| 25th | Bn for attack on River GUIGNE line between ESQUAY & EVRECY to enable REs to bridge river. | |||
| 26th | GUIGNE attack put off, Bn prepared to move to rest area while 1 Oxf. Bucks relieve. | |||
| 2330 | Capt. HJ Stockings takes small patrol out - 'no results, | APPENDIX 'F' | ||
| MONDRAINVILLE | 27th | 0230 1400 | 1 Oxf. Bucks commence relieving the Bn - A tk guns first. Riple Coys & 'Sp' & 'HQ' relieved in order 'A', 'C', 'B', 'D', 'Sp', 'HQ' | APPENDIX 'J' |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27th | 1730 | Bn moved to rest area 925638 on relief. | ||
| 28th | Bn maintains vehs, weapons & amn. Bathed by Mobile bath unit. | |||
| 29th | Administration, | |||
| 30th | 1000 | Bn warned to relieve I HLI in area SE of GAVRUS. | ||
| 1400 | Coy Comds recce with Pl Comds. | |||
| 2300 | A Tc guns take over, | |||
| 31st | 0330 | A' & 'D' Coys take over posns from 1 H.L.I. | ||
| 0830 | B' Coy take over. | |||
| 0900 | C' Coy take over defensive posn in Les Vitains as Bde Reserve Cov, | |||
| 1100 | Bn take over complete. Coys in posns: 'A' - 924606, 'B' - 924620, 'C' - 926624 'D' - 929613, 2 Carr secs 926608. Fairly heavy enemy mortaring. CO hit by small splinters from mortar, not evacuated, Capt. Whiteside & Lt.Day wounded and evacuated. Lieut, Wyatt killed. Capt.Coffey evacuated sick. | |||
| 2330 | 'A' & 'D' Coys patrol fwd to verify enemy posns. Digging continued throughout the day incl use of Bulldozer for Command post and blowing- of weapon pits. |
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