War Diary: 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment

Month and year: August 1944

The 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment August 1944 covers the units time in France fighting from the area around La Douette towards the River Seine

National Archive Reference: WO 171/1278

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Page 1 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
France	1st	We moved into all round defence of LICTOT. Here we stayed and dug in -
		The Enemy sent over a few shells and mortar bombs. At 2330 hrs the
		Commanding Officer held an 'O' Group for a move forward the following day
		to La DOUETIE. 788594
	2nd	This was achieved without casualties, since the enemy had withdrawn in front of us.
	3rd	The enemy still sent over the odd mortar bomb to let us know he was still
		about, otherwise, things were very quiet.
	4th	During the morning 69 Brigade passed across our front and the Devons and
		231, Infantry Brigade were cut out of the Battle.
		The Battalion immediately got down to the question of reorganisation,
		cleaning up and training.
	5th	Training was carried on with the added luxury of baths. The weather
		stayed good and the Battalion made the most of it, by doing P.T. and drill
		parades and section training.
	6th	Training was continued by Coys. The weather was by now very hot and the

Page 2 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
France.	6th	roads extremely dusty. Our new Corps Commander ( General Horrocks
		came down to see us and the Dorsets, and he spoke to Officers and N.C.Os.
		50 Division apparently had a terrific reputation at home, not only in the
		North and he had tried to get us out of the line for a week or more but
		had been unsuccessful. The need for our return was great since the Enemy
		in front of the Americans had been overrun and no opportunity could be
		missed now to deal the Enemy a crippling blow as soon as possible. So we
		could expect to return into the line in a few days. In the evening a
		party was held to which all Officers from our supporting arms and Hampshires
		and Dorsets and Brigade Staff were invited. Major Howard M.C., was the
		sponsor - and the party kept up its spirits on cider which 'C' Company had
		acquired in large quantities.
	7th	Battalion continued its training. A warning order was received during
		the morning that we would probably move the next day to the area S.E. of the
		X-rds Le ROBIN775532. The good weather still held.

Page 3 of 18

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
France	8th	1151	We prepared to move off to pass our start line at 1151 hrs. Order
			of march was advance guard company ('D' Company under CDN/59 Capt R.A.Reid,
			with 1 section Mortars and 1 Section Anti-tank under comand. Following
			them at a distance of 1000 yards came 'C' 'A' 'Bn.H.Q.,' 'B' and finally
			Support Company. The route lay via VILLERS BOCAGE, LE ROBIN and was success-
			fully carried out except for interuption by 13/18 Hussars who were moving into
			battle. By 1400 hrs the Battalion was in its new position, which was in fact another
			concentration area. The Battalion had travelled the distance about 10 miles
			in T.C.Vs. and we kept them with us in case we were called to move up at short
			notice.
	9th		The Battalion was ready soon after breakfast to move to its next concentration
		1400	area. No orders came however, for us to move until after lunch: the Commanding
			Officer was called to meet the Brigadier at 833496 - a place called MAUNY -
			and after he had left the Battalion the order came through for us to move to
			our new concentration area at the foot of Mont PINCON ridge 835495, and we

Page 4 of 18

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
France.	9th	/1400	arrived there, passing through AUNAY SUR ODON which was in a shambles, at
		1725	1725. Again we had our own guns all round us, so it was quite a noisy night.
	10th	0815	At 0815hrs the Commanding Officer attended Brigade H.Q., for the next
			movement orders. We were warned to be ready to move by 1700hrs but in fact we didn't
	11th		move until after mid-night to an assembly area just north of CAUVILLE970428
			The move was made in T.C.Vs and again there was no trouble at all. We
		0400	passed our Start Line and arrived at our assembly area at 0400 hrs.
			We were then to attack in four phases, each phase being supported by an
			Artillery barrage. Our final objective was the High Ground just South of
		800	LES FORGES (885370). At 0800 hrs the preliminary barrage started and
			troops moved forward slowly to their first objective, which was reached without
			difficulty, and a few prisoners were taken. Hampshires however were finding
			opposition much more difficult to deal with and we were ordered to stop on our
			first objective until they had come up parallel with us. Casualties so far
			had been light in the two forward companies, 'A' and 'B', and at

Page 5 of 18

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
France.	11th	1600	1600 hrs we were still on our first objective waiting to move on, Hampshires were
			having a very sticky time in the Village St Pierre la Vieille and had
			difficulty in making headway. The plan was now altered and The Dorsets
			were to continue the advance with us on to the final objective. More
			opposition was met than was expected and after reaching the next objective BOYNE.
			by 2100 hrs and suffering more casualties, it was hoped we could call it a
			day and start to dig in. However, the "Big Picture" made it essential that we
			push on, and so we pushed on to the next phase and dug in there for the night. (BRADANO)
			Casualties for the day 9 O.R.S. Killed and 28 wounded.

	12th	0853	Advance was continued the following morning and by 0853 hrs 'B' 'C' and 'D'
			Coys were reported to be on our final objectiveand the Dorsets were coming
			up with us on our right.
		1037	By 1037 hrs 'B' and 'C' Companies were digging in in area 884373. Enemy
			Mortars and tanks had provided most of the opposition to our advance; and we had our own tanks in support of us. Enemy Infantry appeared to have little

Page 6 of 18

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
France.	12th		heart in the battle and once we got near enough to them, simply surrendered.
			The remainder of the day was spent digging in and reorganising under
			occasional Enemy mortar fire and Infantry gun fire.
		2200	While we were "standing to" a great deal of spandau fire suddenly poured from
			the Enemy lines. Dorsets soon reported that they were being counter-attacked
			on our right. We immediately manned our posts and prepared for a similar
			counter-attack on us, However, this didn't materialise and we picked up one
			prisoner who had become separated from his counter-attack comrades. The
			Dorsets repelled the counter-attack without much trouble, taking a number of prisoners.
			It was believed that this counter-attack had been supported by fire from
			Enemy tanks which were in a wood directly to our front. So we arranged
	13th	0400	for a "STONK" to be brought to bear on this wood at 0400 hrs. The
			remainder of the night passed without incident.
		0900	From 0900 hrs more troops from 43 Division passed through us and to our left
			thereby securing our left flank. The wood in front of us was causing trouble,

Page 7 of 18

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
France	13th		and it was supposed to be fairly strongly held with Infantry and Tanks.
			During the day we were subjected to a certain amount of shell and mortar
			fire.
	14th	1040	Soon after 10-o-clock the Divisional Commander came to visit us and had a
			look at our troublesome wood. Later in the afternoon it was decided we
			would clear this wood with 2 Companies from the left and right flank- "C"
			Company from the left and 'D' Company from the right. Artillery and
		1945	mortar fire were in support and the party started at 1945 hrs.
			The progress on either side of the wood was slow and after 'C' Company had
		2100	cleared their objectives and taken 17 prisoners and 'D' Company cleared
			half of their end of the wood, it was too dark to continue and the new
			companies reorganised for the night, and plans were made to continue the
			following day at 0600 hrs.
	15th	0600	The clearing continued at 0600 hrs without any uncomfortable incidents.
			D' Company took 13 more prisoners in clearing the remainder of the wood.

Page 8 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
France	15th	The remainder of the day was spent in comparative peace, and patrols under
		Lieut W.S. Rodger, (P/No CDN/472) and Lieut J Haynes (P/No 188183) were sent
		out to get information of Enemy's whereabouts on the ridge beyond us and the
		country beyond that. Lieut Rodger met no sign of the Enemy, and found
		a lot of abandoned equipment and 1 unidentified gun with its breech block
		blown. Lieut Haynes had a rather more exciting patrol, having contacted
		the Enemy to the EAST of Les HAUTE HES on the journey out and again to the
		west of PROUSSY on his return. He reported killing one German N.C.O., and
		wounding 2. O.Rs. The night was passed quite quietly.
	16th	Lieut R.A.G. Pethick, (P/No 268101) with a party of Sappers, a Section of Mortars
		a section of Carriers, and 10 men from 'D' Company went out on a patrol to
		CONDE-SUR-NOIREAU to report on the state of the bridges in CONDE. He
		got, there without difficulty and found the three main bridges destroyed,
		and two minor ones intact. The Sappers immediately go to work on the
		blown bridges. Lieut H. Heap (P/No 296979) took another patrol via

Page 9 of 18

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
France	16th		LES HAUTE HES, which he found booby-trapped and its bridge blown, to
			contact 11th Armoured Division at ST GERMAIN EN CRIOULT. Both patrols
			were extremely successful. During the afternoon it was decided to clear
			the small cluster of houses South of Proussy and Captain J.D. Campbell (P/No 121629 )MC.
			and 25 of his men came out to do this job. Information from 5th Dorsets
			who were in the area led us to believe that it was held by at least a Platoon
			of the Enemy, However we sent a recce patrol in and found it was empty.
			Captain Campbell and his party then went on with the Commanding Officer
			to Conde Sur Noireau to give extra local protection to Sapper bridging party.
		2100	Later during the evening it was decided to send 2 Companies into CONDE for
			local protection, and so the remainder of 'A' and 'D' Companies left their
			positions and arrived at CONDE at 2330 hrs and took up their positions in the town itself - the
			town was in every battered state.

Page 10 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE.	17th	The Battalion was stretched over a very large area now, 'A' & 'D' Companies
		under Major J.C.P. Rowe, MBE., (P/No. 56655) and Captain R.A.Reid (P/No. CDN/59)
		were in Conde sur Noireau and the remainder of the Battalion was six miles
		back at Les Forges. 'A' & 'D' Companies were to return to Les Forges as
		soon as the Sappers had finished their bridging and in the meantime 'A' & 'D'
		Companies patrolled the ruins of CONDE. By 1600 hrs the bridging had been
		completed and the Companies returned to their former positions. Orders
		had mean time been received for us to move on the 19th.
	18th	The Bn spent the day in Section training, the weather was still good
		and we prepared to move the following afternoon.
	19th	We had to wait for an AGRA Convoy of 500 vehicles to pass us before
		we could move, and it wasn't till after 1400 hrs that the first vehicle
		started off. Our route lay via PROUSSY 893359 CONDE SUR NOIREAU 8831
		and ATHIS 9127 and we stopped for the night at the cross-roads 918263.
		It was pleasant after Conde to pass houses that had not been bombed

Page 11 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE	19th	and shelled, and see the FRENCH PEOPLE waving and smiling at us, and to
		come to rest in an area where there were no dead cattle.
	20th	The following morning the Brigadier came down to tell us how well we
		had done in the battle towards Les Forges - and we listened very attentively
		to his story. We spent the rest of the day resting and preparing for a
		further move the next day
	21st	The next day turned out to be a thoroughly wet one and we started off
		at about 0900 hrs, back into ATHIS and then through LA CARNEILLE955236
		STE OPPORTUNE975196BRIOUZE 009145 FROMENTAL 085165, ECOUCHE 1815 and
		MONTGAROULT 184196 and concentrated in the area of a large farm 166185.
		Soon after we arrived the rain stopped and the Companies were able to get
		their bivouacs up in the dry. We were now approaching the area of the
		pocket of ARGENTAN - FALAISE and the countryside was thickly wooded; it was
		possible that groups of the Enemy were hiding in the woods, and we were
		prepared to meet any of them.

Page 12 of 18

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
FRANCE.	22nd	1100	We moved again in the morning at about 1100 hrs - moving now in	114
			convoy was amost difficult operation. All roads were packed with transport
			of all kinds and this time we were to move twenty two miles to just EAST
			of GACE 547487. Our route lay through ARGENTAN 2618, LE BOURG DE ST LEONARD
			403463. The Enemy had left Gace the previous morning and the population
			of GACE gave the 'pursuit troops' of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division a Royal
			welcome, ringing Church bells as they passed through.
	23rd		The next day our job was the clearing of the forest to the WEST of GACE
			covering a length of 16,000 yards and about 5,000 yards wide. Enemy were
			not expected to be found in it - but we were warned that if we did meet them
			they would be either Austrians from 331 Division or S.S.Troops.
			For the operation the wood was split into two halves . Hants clearing
			the Southern half and we the Northern half. Each Company had an area of the
			wood to clear, with 'D' Company in reserve and one Platoon of 'D' Company
			divided into sections to act as "Guns" to the beaters. The operation was

Page 13 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE	23rd	to be completed by 1300 hrs. The Battalion moved in convoy to ORGERES
		572451 where "A" Company dropped off. 'C' and 'B' Companies went on to
		their firm bases at 641451 and 672463. Battalion Headquarters stayed at
		611458. None of the Companies contacted the Enemy, but two were found and
		captured by Bn.H.Q., The operation was duly completed by 1300 hrs and by
		1600 hrs the Battalion was reformed to move on towards VERNEUIL 0083. We
		couldn't move until after 1930 hrs owing to the fact that 8th Armoured
		Brigade were still passing on our route, but by feeding the Battalion into
		the Armoured Brigade We managed to arrive at our destination just before
		it was dark. Our new location was the small village at 904407.
		It rained during the major part of the move which took us through
		L'AIGLE 7842, where the population had turned out to cheer us on our way
		through the rain. We covered a distance of 21 miles on this move and lost
		no vehicles although the last part of it was done in pitch darkness and
		teeming rain.

Page 14 of 18

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE.	24th		The weather cleared in the morning and the Battalion was able to
			dry itself off. Luckily there were a number of barns and outhouses and by
		1200	noon every company was under cover of some sort. We had no idea how
			long we were to stay there, and so we just waited and waited. The local
			French farmers were most kind and considerate and evidently very glad to
			see us.
	25th		The sun came out with a vengeance and what hadn't been dried the day before was by noon
			as dry as a bone. Companies carried out training during the morning
			and in the afternoon went to 50 (Northumbrian) Division Concert Party.
	26th		A movement order came through from Brigade for us to move to-day
			to be followed very swiftly by a cancellation of the order.
			Apparently the Americans were sending 2 Corps across part of our route.
			We were warned however to be prepared to move the next day , Sunday, to
			PACY SUR EURE 391682 - about 7 miles from the River SEINE.

Page 15 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE.	27th	After a Church Parade at which the Brigadier attended we started on
		our journey. Again we were held up before reaching our starting point
		and we didn't cross it till after 1300 hrs. This was a very pleasant
		journey and we passed through BOURTH 919425, BRETEUIL 0048 ( which
		showed little sign of damage.) DAMUILLE 2151 ST ANDRE 2754 and
		PACY SUR EURE 391682. We arrived at 1715 hours after a journey of 38 miles.
	28th	To-day was very hot and during the afternoon the Battalion held a
		sports meeting, involving a variety of competitions. The meeting was
		thoroughly enjoyed by spectators and competitors alike.
		Support Company "A" Team won most of the events followed by 1/2 a
		point by "C" Company

Page 16 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
France	29th	Most of the day was spent very uncomfortably in teeming rain
		consequently training was limited.
	30th	We were warned to be prepared to move on as a part of a very greatly
		re-inforced 30 Corps, which would consist now and for future operations of,
		Inns of Court, and Household Cavalry acting as armoured Recce, The Guards
		Armoured Division, 11th Armoured Division, 50th (Northunbrian) Division,
		and 43rd Division, 231 Infantry Brigade would follow in the wake of The
		Guards Armoured Division, and our job would be to mop up whatever the Guards
		left behind them. We started off through DOUAINS at 1700 hrs-
		unfortunately soon after passing the start point 'C' and 'D' Companies
		turned off the wrong way and the Battalion, which should have been leading
		was now split and 'A' and 'B' and Bn.H.Q., led the Brigade, and 'C' and 'D'
		followed, 'C' Company behind the Hampshires, and 'D' Company at the tail
		end. We crossed the SEINE at VERNON and in doing so passed through 43rd
		Division, who had made the bridgehead for us. The journey was made the

Page 17 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE	30th	more complicated by reason of the Battalion being split, and also due to the
		fact that in VERNON 'C' and 'D' Companies were forced to wait for an R.A.
		convoy to pass by us on another route. We stopped the night just outside
		a small village called VAUDAN COURT at 652878.
	31st	The Battalion moved at 1300 hrs and harboured for the night
		near CHAUMONT EN VIXEN, 7490, and we were warned that there would be an
		early move next morning.

Page 18 of 18

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
		Consolidated list of Battle Casualties for the month of AUGUST, 1944.
		OFFICERS.
FRANCE	12th	262146 A/Capt Pease (MC) F.H. Killed.
		314917 2/Lt Kossock-Phillips, L.O., Killed.
		281169 Lt. Bennett, J.E., Wounded.
		66098 T/Major Clarke, P.R., Wounded.
	13th	314208 2/Lt Morey. A.F., wounded.
	14th	117942 WS/Lt Shaw, P., Died of Wounds.
		126521 WS/Lt Kemeys-Jenkin, W.B., Killed.
		OTHER RANKS.
	1st	5. O.Rs. Wounded.
	2nd	2. O.Rs. Wounded.
	3rd	1. O.R. Wounded.
	4th	1. O.R. Wounded.
	9th	2. O.Rs. Wounded.
	11th	9. O.Rs. Killed, 28. O.Rs. Wounded.
	12th	2. O.Rs. Killed. 22. O.Rs. Wounded.
	13th	3. O.Rs. Killed. 14. O.Rs. Wounded.
	14th	2. O.Rs. Killed. 2. O.Rs. wounded. 1. Prisoner or war.
		.666 ------------------------------ 999.
		Re-inforcoments for the month of AUGUST, 1944.
		Date Officer
		7th 314917 2/Lt Kessock Phillips, L.O.
		12th 126521 WS/Lt Kemey s-Jenkin, W.B.,
		21st 315203 2/Lt Dalby, F.R. 249783 T/Capt Power, B.
		24th 117084 Capt Sopwith, I.G., 87009 Major Lang, T.M.,
		292012 WS/Lt Johnson, O.D.

		Date O.Rs
		2nd 12 O.Rs
		5th 5
		6th 32
		7th 1
		12th 1
		13th 1
		15th 7
		18th 3
		21st 35
		25th 12
		28th 146
		Total: 255 O.Rs

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War Diary: 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment

Month and year: August 1944

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