War Diary: 23rd Hussars

Month and year: August 1944

The 23rd Hussars August 1944 War Diary records the regiment’s actions as it fought through Normandy and advanced deeper into France during the closing stages of the Battle of the Falaise Pocket and the rapid pursuit that followed across the Seine and on toward Amiens.

On August 20th A Squadron captured General Kurt Badinsky, commander of the 276th Infantry Division

National Archive Reference: WO 171/847

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WO 171/847 23rd Hussars

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War Diaries That Reference 23rd Hussars

The 23rd Hussars are mentioned in 1 other war diaries from August 1944.

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War Diaries Referenced in this diary

This diary mentions 2 units with war diaries for August 1944.

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Page 1 of 4

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
FRANCE	1	0700	Regt in posn high ground S River SOULEUVE. B Sqn patrols towards BENY BOCAGE 3 RTR pass through.
6742		1400	Move to BENY BOCAGE. Harbour there. 1 OR K.I.A, 4 wounded. 6 Shermans received. 2 Shermans and 1 Stuart struck off.	6 F/4
7135	2	0500	Advance 23 H leading with 8 RB on route BEAULIEU - LE DESERT - PRESLES	6 F/6
		1000	2 A/cs destroyed LA IEHHARDIERE.
		1500	B Sqn made contact CHENEDOLLE and held up. A Sqn attacked by Panthers EAST of LE BAS PERRIER.
T 7233		2000	Regt moves to posn S of LE BAS PERRIER with 8 RB in support.
			3 ORs K.I.A, Major WATT, 2/Lt. GUNYON and 9 ORs wounded.
	3		In posn LE BAS PERRIER. Heavy shell fire and mortaring.
		1400	8 RB relieved by 2 Warwicks. 4 ORs K.I.A, 12 ORs wounded.
	4-5		LE BAS PERRIER, 3 ORs K.I.A, 5 ORs wounded, 4 ORs missing.
	6	0300	A and B Sqns withdraw to harbour LA BARBIERE 6938.
		1500	RHQ move to LA BARBIERE,
		1600	Enemy begin to counter-attack LE BAS PERRIER posn. Beaten off by C Sqn and 2 Warwicks. Estimated enemy strength 1 Bn.
			Lt. ROBSON and 3 ORs K.I.A, Capt. PHILLIMORE, 2/Lt. TREANOR, Capt. CROUCH and 9 ORs wounded, 2 ORs missing.
	7	1500	C Sqn harbour LA BARBIERE. Capt. TAYLOR and 7 ORs wounded.
	8 - 10		LA BARBIERE. 6 Sherman V, 3 Sherman Vc, 1 3-ton lorry, 5 half tracks received.
	11		4 Sc cars, 1 3-ton lorry, 4 half-tracks, 12 Sherman V, 3 Sherman Vc struck off 1 OR K.I.A. LA BARBIERE. 1 Sc car, 6 Sherman V, 3 Sherman Vc, 1 3-ton lorry, 1 M/c received.
			5 Sherman V struck off.
	12-31		30 Corps Op "KITTEN".
695376	12	1700	Break harbour and move to MONTCHAMP. Peace time march.	Sheet 6 F/6
744407		1900	Arrive harbour area.	Sheet 6 F/4.

Page 2 of 4

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
13	1700	B Sqn move to secure Pt. 208 (Sheet 7 F/5),722390, with one Coy 8 RB. Find one tree obstacle across road and same mines.
14		RHQ in harbour. B Sqn holding Pt. 208. C Sqn with one coy 8 RB forward to	Sheet 7 P/5
		X rds 779360. Lose two tanks. Joined by A Sqn during evening. 3 ORs K.I.A. 3 Sc Cars received.
15		A Sqn push forward to area WEST of CANTELOUPE and secure. B Sqn move through and capture area Pt. 203, 808387. Rhq at X rds 779360. 2 ORs K.I.A, Lt. BATES,
		and 3 ORs wounded, 1 OR missing.
16		C Sqn move through and recce area Pt. 203, 808387, Regt in reserve and follow
	1600	on route ST GERMAIN DO CRIOULT 8432 - LE PERTILLIER 8429 - ST PIERRE D'ENTREMONT 8028 - CERISI BELLE ETOILE 8226. Harbour on road to CALIGNY 8427.
17	0800	Form complete Regt-Bn group with 8 RB. Regt leads on route CALIGNY 8427 - AUBUSSON 8724 - ATHIS 9127 - TAILLEBOIS 9626. Some mines met. Bridge over
		R. ROYE blown but ford found NORTH of site.
18	1500	A Sqn and one Coy cross but moot strong MG and mortar fire and one A. Tk gun short of NOTRE DAME DU ROCHEN 9825. Capt. R. H. HART (ex 24 L) K.I.A.
	0830	Whilst RE complete bridge Regt group leads. B Sqn in front reaches area MEGUILLAUME 0322 by 1100 hrs. Report bridge at PUTANGES blown. One abandoned
	1150	Panther met at X rds 052209. Over 20 PW taken.
	1200	RHQ move to 080209. CSqn group recce area LAUNAY 0622 for crossings at ST CROIX SUR ORNEY, which believed intact. Coy 8 RB unable to take LAUNAY	Sheet 7 F/6
	1350	owing to heavy MG and mortar fire. B Sqn contact VS patrol at 099200. Sqns
	1900	and RHQ remain in posn whilst 3 Mons create bridgehead over river at PUTANGES site.
19		Sqn 2 FF Yeo secure Pt. 208, 1221. Regt group leads through on route PUTANGES - COURTEILLES 1322 - track junc 183215 - SENTILLY. Harbour north of SENTILLY.
		120 PW taken at COURTEILLES, incl 1 Offr & 39 ORs of 9 Coy 304 PGR(2 Pz Div). Vanguard loses one tank (2 Tp C Sqn),at C.V.I. 2122. L.O.B. Tp of A.1 Ech
	2100	destroys two S.P. guns and one amn lorry in area 1722.

Page 3 of 4

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
20	1000	Vanguard takes hospital of 92 patients, 6 doctors and 100 orderlies and 50
		Russian deserters at CAVIL Advanced on route OCCAGNES - Pt 202, 2525 - BAILLEUL 2825.
	1110	Area 255214. 2 Tp B Sqn and platoon lose one Sherman V and 3 carriers.
	1120	Destroy 2 Panthers. One abandoned Panther found area Pt. 202, 2524.
	1200-1700	RHQ at OCCAGNES.
	1700	Adv continues. A Sqn reach X rds 267514 and capture Lieut, General KURT
	1950	BADINSKY, comd 276 I.D. and staff.
	2100	Harbour area WEST of BAILLEUL 2825. 2 ORs K.I.A.
21	1215	Move in reserve route ARGENTAN - EXMES 4546 - X rds 5145 track junc 528419 track junc 562395 - 572399.	7G/2, 8F/5 8G/1
		Enemy reported incl one 88mm on Pt. 309, 5941. Harbour area 5740.
22	1000	Regt leads through 2 FF on route ST ANDRE 6041 . ST GAUBURGE 6338 LAIGLE 7842
		Mines encountered on road. Bridges at ST GAUBURGE blown but ford made. A and B. Sqns cross at ST HILAIRE 6840. Regt harbours area 7541 for rest
		and refit.
	2100	Lt. CORNWALL and 1 OR K.I.A. in individual Sc Car recce of bridge S EAST of LAIGLE.
28	0800	Leave RAI near LAIGLE. Peacetime march to ST COLOMBE pres VERNON 3375.	9 F/3
	2100	Start to cross R. SEINE over VERNON bridgehead 4474 to harbour SOUTH of	9 F/4
		TILLY 4778.	9 F/2
29	0800	Move in reserve behind 3 RTR on route TILLY - LES THILLIERS VEXIN 5489 - ETREPAGNY 5596 - MAINEVILLE 6104.	9 E/6
30	0700	Lead on route MAINEVILLE - TALMONTIERS 6405 - rd june 695095 - ST AUBIN EN	10 E/5
	1700	BRAY 7607 HODENC EN BRAY 7712 - CRILLON 8018 - MARSEILLE EN BEAUVAISIS
	1900
30/31		8228. Stop for refill. 3 RTR lead on route CREVECOEUR -LE- GRAND 9127 - CONTY 9841 - AMIENS	10 B/1
31	0700	In posn DURY 0752 - X rds 0653. Much tpt shot up incl General EBERBACH's, Comd 7 Army, staff car containing maps of all scales marking in all detail	113

Page 4 of 4

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
31		proposed German line from ABBEVILLE - AMIENS - CHALONS SUR MARNE - BELFORT.
	0900	C Sqn plus H Coy 8 RB advance into AMIENS and seize main bridge 101582. Regt in posn high ground 0954.	Sheet 113
	1600	Regt moves through AMIENS and leads on road to harbour at CARDONETTE 1464. Shoot up large AA site on route, incl four 105 mm Hy AA guns and 100 men.	98
		Capture force of 100 men and 15 Lt AA guns at ALLONVILLE 1563.
26		1 M/c, 4 Sherman V, 2 Sherman Vc, 1 Sherman I.c received. 1 M/c, 9 Sherman V, 2 Sherman Vc struck off.

Units Referencing the 23rd Hussars

The following units mention the 23rd Hussars in their war diaries from August 1944:

2nd Battalion, Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, August 1944 War Diary

Units Referenced in this war diary

The following units are mention in this war diary and have their own August 1944 war diary