National Archive Reference: WO 171/1276
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Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Original War Diary for the month of August 1944 | ||||
of 2nd Bh the Cheshire Regt | ||||
During this period the Bh was commanded By Lt Col. S.V. Keeling. DSO | ||||
and under operational command of 50th (Northumbrian) Division |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
La Senaudere M/R 783678 Ref 1/50000CAEN 7/F/1 | 1st | 1330 | C.O. Visits Coys and Bdes. | |
1600 | Returns to Main HQ. | |||
69 Bde are relieveing 130 Bde of 43 Div this evening prior to launching a | ||||
right hook onto the Amaye-sur-Seulles - Villers Bocage features. | ||||
Support onto the features will be given by "A" Coy who are approx 3000 yds | ||||
from Villers Bocage with 56 Bde. | ||||
Americans captured Pontorson on the Brest Peninsular. 11 Armd Div captured | ||||
Beny Bocage just SW of Caumont. Coys are moving forward with Bdes. | ||||
Locns: "A" Coy 618594. with 69 Bde HQ. Ref 1/50000 Torigni-sur-Vire 6/F/4. | ||||
"B" Coy 773630 " 231 Bde HQ. " " Caen 7F/1 | ||||
"C" Coy 813679 " " " " | ||||
"D" Coy 794706 " " " " | ||||
Coys now under command as follows: "A" Coy and 13 Hvy Mor Pl - 56 Bde. | ||||
"B" Coy and 12 Hvy Mor Pl - 231 Bde. | ||||
14 Hvy Mor Pl - 151 Bde. "C" Coy in reserve. 15 Hvy Mor Pl in reserve. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
La Senaudierand | Little of interest to report today. Own tps pushing on fast with very | |||
little opposition. Coy locns no change. Weather fine and sunny. | ||||
3rd | Nothing of interest today. Tps concentrating on capturing the Amaye-sur-Seulles | |||
feature. Amaye-sur-seulles was captured this afternoon by 69 Bde. | ||||
Advance will now probably be a very rapid one. Coy locns unchanged. | ||||
4th | Div front has now been reduced to a Bn one the 7 Green Howards. | |||
Villers Bocage captured at last. The American attack is going like wildfire | ||||
St. Malo has been captured. "C" Coy have been warned that they are going | ||||
on a mobile column with 151 Bde and 61 Recce Regt in sp of 7 Armd Div to | ||||
attack the Mont Pincon ridge. South of Aunay-sur-Odon. | ||||
Coy locns: "A" Coy. 753592. Torigni-sur-Vire, 1/50000. 6/F/4. | ||||
"B" Coy. 773630. Caen. " 7/F/1. | ||||
"C" Coy. 807651. " " " | ||||
"D" Coy. unchanged. | ||||
Main HQ. " |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
La Senaudere | 5th | All coys are now concentrated in their respective Bde areas. | ||
"C" Coy are concentrated at M/R 807672 awaiting the order to move with | ||||
151 Bde Mobile Column to attack Mont Pincon ridge. | ||||
No enemy air activity. Enemy seems to have withdrawn completely. | ||||
Americans 30 miles off Brest and 40 miles off St. Nazaire. | ||||
Weather fine and sunny. | ||||
6th | 900 | C.O. leaves to attend 30 Corps Commander's conference. 50 (N) Div is | ||
planning a new attack. | ||||
1030 | C.O. returns. | |||
Mont Pincon ridge is apparently the new objective. N.T.R. | ||||
Coy locns unchanged. Weather fine and sunny. | ||||
7th | 1745 | Main HQ moves off to new locn SW of Villers Bocage. | ||
1845 | Arrived at new locn M/R 772524 Nr Breuil. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/3. | |||
after a rather dusty journey through liberated Villers Bocage. The bombing | ||||
of this town was absolutely devastating, leaving hardly one brick standing on another. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Breuil. M/R 772524 | 7th | Evening spent in settling in in new location. Apart from a couple of | ||
dead COWS to windward, area is clean. | ||||
Coy locns : "A" Coy unchanged. Moving up with Bde tomorrow. | ||||
"B" Coy unchanged, " " " " " | ||||
"C" Coy unchanged, " " " " " | ||||
"D" Coy. M/R 778528 Sheet 1/50000 7/F/3. Aunay-sur-Odon | ||||
Bn HQ. M/R 772524 " " " " " " | ||||
Weather fine and sunny. | ||||
8th | 1200 | C and B Coys moved into their new locns. | ||
1400 | C.O. to 151 Bde HQ and "A" Coy re proposed attack by 151 Bde tonight. | |||
1630 | Returns to Bn HQ. | |||
1930 | C.O. leaves for "B" Coy and 69 Bde HQ. Returns to Bn HQ at 2345 hrs. | |||
Bn HQ is moving tomorrow afternoon. | ||||
"A" Coy moved off with 151 Bde to put in an attack on the other side of the | ||||
Mont Pincon ridge S of Aunay-sur-Odon. Attack will take place tomorrow morning. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Breuil. M/R 772524 | 8th | Coy locns: "A" Coy M/R 815512. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/3 Aunay-sur-Odon. | ||
"B" Coy M/R 787477 " " " " " " " " | ||||
"C" Coy M/R 775527 " " " " " " " | ||||
"D" Coy M/R 778528 " " " " " " " | ||||
"Bn HQ" M/R 772528 " " " " " " " | ||||
9th | 1130 | Recce party leaves to find new area for Bn HQ through liberated Aunay- | ||
sur-Odon. even worse than Villers Bocage. | ||||
1330 | Recce part returns. | |||
1800 | Bn HQ moves off to new location. Other coys also on the move. | |||
1900 | Bn HQ arrives at new locn after a very dusty trip. | |||
Evening spent in digging in as the enemy has been doing some counter battery | ||||
work in Bn HQ area. Shells landed in Div HQ about 15 minutes before Bn HQ | ||||
arrived, killing 2 and wounding 8. "D" Coy lost one carrier whilst moving | ||||
in to their new locn - driver was killed by a direct hit. | ||||
Coy locns: "A" Coy M/R 838472 Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/3 Aunay-sur-Odon. with 151 Bde. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
le Hamel. M/R 828492 | 9th | locns cont: "B" Coy M/R 838436 Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/3 Aunay-sur-Odon, with 69 Bde. | ||
"C" Coy M/R 823472 " " " " " " " " " " | ||||
"D" Coy M/R 838488 " " " " " " | Transcription note: may be 838488 two characters overlayed | |||
Bn HQ M/R 828492 " " " " " " " " " | ||||
10th | 1000 | C.O. pays visits to all the coys and Bde HQ's. | ||
1430 | C.O. returns. | |||
1600 | C.O. to 231 Bde HQ re proposed attack tomorrow and returns at 1830 hrs to Main HQ. | |||
S.O. and L.O. contact 214 and 129 Bdes of 43 Div re attack tomorrow morning. | ||||
Attack due to go in tomorrow with Bdes leapfrogging along the main road to | ||||
Conde-sur-Noireau. Enemy air activity nil. Some enemy shelling on to Aunay-sur-Odon | ||||
by 210's this evening | ||||
Coy locns: - "A" Coy M/R 838488. Ref Aunay sur Odon sheet. | ||||
"B" Coy +M/R 849436 " " " " " | ||||
"C" Coy M/R 823472 " " " " " " | ||||
"D" Coy M/R 838484 " " " " " Bn HQ unchanged. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
le Hamel M/R 828492 | 11th | 0630 | S.O. to "B" Coy to watch progress of attack this morning. | |
1300 | S.O. returns to Main HQ - attack is going according to plan although rather | |||
slowly. 1st objective has been captured an advance of approx 2000 yds. | ||||
Attack postponed until this evening. 9 DLI captured final objective at | ||||
2130 hrs this evening Pt 262. Certain amount of enemy Mortaring shelling | ||||
on Div front today. | ||||
Coy locns:- - "A" Coy M/R 843456 Ref Aunay-sur-Odon sheet. | ||||
"B" Coy M/R 850435 " " " " " | ||||
"C" Coy no change. | ||||
"D" Coy no changes | ||||
Bn HQ no change. | ||||
12th | Americans have captured Alenson and are only 7 miles from Argentan, closing | |||
the Nazi's escape route from the Sourdeval and Mortain sectors. No enemy | ||||
shelling today. Lt. Wynd arrived as reinforcement for Lt. Phillips "B" Coy | ||||
who was wounded in action. Nothing of interest on Div front today. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
le Hamel M/R 828492 | 12th | (cont) | Coy locns:- No change. | |
13th | 1730 | Commanding Officer leaves to attend a conference. at 231 Bde HQo | ||
1930 | Returns to Bn HQ | |||
Now only one Bde forward on Divisional front i.e. 231 Bde with u/c "C" Coy | ||||
and 14 Hvy Mortar Pl. Remainder in reserve. About 750 Fortresses passed over Mont | ||||
Pinson ridge this afternoon about 1300 hrs. Object to bomb the Nazi'a escape | ||||
route between Falaise and Argentan. The Nazi's are pulling out with what they | ||||
can save from the Mortain-Sourdeval pocket, through a gap which is rapidly being | ||||
closed and is under constant air and land bombardment. | ||||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy M/R 837487. Ref Aunay-sur-Odon sheet. | ||||
"B" +Coy no change. | ||||
"C" Coy M/R 824477. " " " " " | ||||
"D" Coy no change. | ||||
Bn HQ no change. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
le Hamel. M/R 828492 | 14th | 1100 | "C" Coy moves to M/R 867404 Ref Aunay-sur-Odon sheet. | |
Very little of interest to report on Div front today. Heavy bombers are still | ||||
pounding the escape gap through Falaise and Argentan. | ||||
Coy locns: no change apart from "C" Coy as above. Weather fine. | ||||
15th | 69 Inf Bde and 151 Inf Bde are now in reserve with "B" and "A" Coys respectively | |||
and 12,13 and 15 Hvy Mortar Pls. 231 Bde plus "C" Coy and 14 Hvy Mor Pl are | ||||
still in action. Quiet day. Little air activity. Shelling and strafing | ||||
of ever closing gap goes on. Coy locns:- no change. Weather fine, | ||||
16th | 0900 | Adjt to Admin conference at Div. HQ. | ||
1030 | Returns to Bn HQ. Div admin instruction in being issued tonight. | |||
Bn HQ is moving tomorrow. Weather fine and sunny. Coy locns unchanged. | ||||
17th | 0930 | Bn HQ moves off to new location. M/R 899334 Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/5. Flers. | ||
1045 | Arrive at new locn - quite a pleasant spot apart from 5 dead COWS which were | |||
quickly burnt. Div have moved on a matter of 10 miles so we shall have to | ||||
move after lunch. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
M/R 899334 | 17th | 1530 | Bn HQ moves. off to new location M/R 940276 just East of Athis. Ref 7/F/5 Flers sheet | |
New locn quite pleasant. All Coys are moving forward with their Brigade groups. | ||||
"B" Coy with 69 Bde Group. "A" Coy with 151 Bde group and Coy with 231 Bde group. | ||||
Coy locns: "A" Coy M/R 934266. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/5 Flers. | ||||
"B" Coy M/R 887249. " " " " " | ||||
"C" Coy no change. | ||||
"D" Coy M/R 946286. " " " " " | ||||
Bn HQ M/R 940276. " " " " " | ||||
Weather fine and sunny. On above journey moved through Conde-Sur-Noireau and | ||||
St. Honorine-la-Chardonne. Moving off again tomorrow. | ||||
18th | 0945 | Moved off through Taillebois over the Bailey Bridge to M/R 025210 near the | ||
village of Chenedouit. Locn quite pleasant. Weather fine and sunny. | ||||
Coys are still moving forward with their respective Bdes. | ||||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy no change. | ||||
"B" Coy M/R 886249. Ref Flers sheet. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
M/R 899334 | 18th | "C" Coy. M/R 871388. Ref Flers sheet. | ||
"D" Coy. M/R 032211. " " " | ||||
Bn HQ. M/R 899334 " " " | ||||
19th | Stayed in the same location all day. Weather fine. Coys are still moving | |||
forward. Coy locns:- "A" Coy. M/R 129223. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/6 Falaise, | ||||
"B" Coy. no change. | ||||
Coy. M/R 908251. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/5 Flers. | ||||
"D" Coy. M/R 180209. " " " 7/F/6 Falaise. | ||||
Bn HQ no change. | ||||
20th | Stayed in the same location all day. Rained during the night. Everyone and | |||
everything absolutely soaked. No issue of bivouacs has yet been made to this | ||||
Division. Moving off tomorrow. | ||||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy. M/R 258226. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/6 Falaise. | ||||
"B" Coy. M/R 947248. " " " 7/F/5 Flers, | ||||
Coy. no change. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
M/R 899334 | 20th | cont. | Coy locns:- "D" Coy. no change. | |
Bn HQ. no change. | ||||
Weather wet. | ||||
M/R 174210 | 21st | 1000 | Bn HQ and "D" Coy leave for new location moving through PUTANGES to Montgaroult. | |
1130 | Arrived new location. | |||
Moving off again tomorrow. Raining most of the day. Coys are still moving | ||||
forward with Bdes. Little of interest to report - it is impossible to keep | ||||
up with the retreating enemy. | ||||
Coy locns;- "A" Coy. M/R 258226 Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/6 Falaise. | ||||
"B" Coy. no change. | ||||
"C" Coy M/R 167193 " " " " " | ||||
"D" Coy M/R 175208 " " " " " | ||||
Bn HQ. M/R 174210 " " " " " | ||||
22nd | 1200 | Bn HQ Moves off to new locn M/R 517468 Ref Sheet 1/50000 8/F/5. Gace. | ||
Move through Exmes to locn about 1 1/2 miles from Gace. Enormous amount of German |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
M/R 517468. | 22nd | cont. | transport knocked out on the sides of the road. Majority by the R.A.F. | |
Germans are using a colossal amount of horse drawn transport. | ||||
Country through which we travelled was very picturesque. Raining again | ||||
this evening. Moving off again tomorrow. | ||||
Coy locns: "A" Coy M/R 416496. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 7/F/6 Falaise. Just South of Chambois. | ||||
"B" Coy M/R 614484 " " " 8/F/5 Gace. | ||||
"C" Coy M/R 885405 " " " 8/G/2 Verneuil. | ||||
"D" Coy M/R 527474 " " " 8/F/5 Gace. | ||||
Bn HQ. " 517468 " " " " " | ||||
Weather wet. | ||||
23rd | 900 | Moving off to new locn M/R 750442 Route through Gace - St.Evroult-du-Bois | ||
Locn in wood. Bn HQ spent evening combing woods of Foret de St. Evroult for possible | ||||
German stragglers. Moving off again tomorrow. Weather wet. | ||||
No time to settle down - HQ remains ready packed most of the time, | ||||
Coy locns:- "A"Coy. M/R 928438. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 8/F/6. Breteuil. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
M/R 750442 | 23rd | cont. | Coy locns:- "B" Coy M/R 750458. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 8/F/5 Gace. | |
"C" Coy M/R 885405. Ref " " 8/G/2 Verneuil. | ||||
"D" Coy M/R 733443. " " " 8/F/5 Gace. | ||||
Bn HQ. M/R 750442. " " " " " | ||||
24th | 1000 | Moved off to new locn through Gace and Laigle to M/R 916419. | ||
1130 | Arrived at new locn. HQ situated in Bourth Railway Stn Buildings - quite | |||
a pleasant spot. Raining most of the day. Bn HQ have also taken over a | ||||
large building which was previously used as an SS HQ. Off again tomorrow | ||||
morning. Off at 0630. Reveille 0430. | ||||
2000 | Move cancelled until the day after tomorrow. | |||
Weather cleared up in the evening. | ||||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy no change. | ||||
"B" Coy no change. | ||||
"C" Coy 883494. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 8/G/2 Verneuil. | ||||
"D" Coy 918431. " " " " " |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
M/R 916419 | 24th | cont | Bn HQ M/R 916419. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 8/G/2 Verneuil. Bourth Railway Stn. | |
" " | 25th | Day spent in locn at Bourth Railway Stn. Day spent in cleaning and drying | ||
clothing which has been wet through for the past 4 days. Moving off | ||||
again tomorrow to Pacy sur Eure. M/R 3866. | ||||
Move cancelled again this evening. | ||||
Coy locns unchanged, Weather fine and sunny. | ||||
" " | 26th | Day spent in repairing damage done by the rain of the past few days. | ||
Now able to catch up with work it has not been possible to do whilst we were constantly | ||||
on the move. Weatherfine. | ||||
Moving off tomorrow. to Pacy-sur-Eure. | ||||
Coy locns:- "A" Coy nochange. | ||||
"B" Coy M/R 967561. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 8/F/6 Breteuil. | ||||
"B" Coy M/R 392692. " " " 9/F/5 St.Andre de L'Eure. | ||||
"D" Coy no change. | ||||
Bn HQ no change. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
M/R 916419 Bourth. | 27th | 1000 | Moved off to Pacy sur Eure and after quite a fast and orderly trip, through | |
Breteuil - St.Andre de l'eure - Pacy sur Eure arrived at new locn. Situated | ||||
about 6 kilos from Pacy-sur-Eure. Locn in a large chateau. | ||||
1130 | Arrived at new locn. M/R 412652. | |||
Recce party broke down on the way to recce the area this morning. L.O. had | ||||
to continue the journey on the back of a M/C much to the detriment of his eyes. | ||||
The 2/i/c Major H.R. Moon was recovered by the L.A.D. at the tail of the column. | ||||
All D.R.'s are suffering very badly from sore eyes, due to the fact that the | ||||
goggles issued by the army are absolutely useless against the dust which is | ||||
prevalent in this district. | ||||
Rest of day spent in this locn. Weather fine. | ||||
Coy locns: "A" Coy. M/R 425674. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 9/F/4. Mantes-Gassicourt. | ||||
"B" Coy. M/R no change. | ||||
"C" Coy. no change. | ||||
"D" Coy M/R 410675. Ref 1/50060, Sheet 9/F/3. Evreux. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
M/R 412652 | 27th | cont. | Bn HQ. M/R 412652. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 9/F/3 Evreux. | |
28th | Day spent in this locn. Chateau very pleasant. Oocupied by the Nazis | |||
before us who were not too clean, but house was soon put in shipshape order. | ||||
Orderly Room, C.O, Adjt and I.O's offices were installed inside. | ||||
Some trouble with the Americans about our locn. They finally condescend | ||||
to let us stay. | ||||
Coy locns:- unchanged. Weather raining most of day. | ||||
29th | Moving off this evening across the Seine at Vernon, We will cross at | |||
approx 2130 hrs and laager on the side of the road for the night - preparatory | ||||
to moving off on a mobile column tomorrow morning, The night was very dark | ||||
and owing to the amount of traffic using the bridge at Vernon it is only | ||||
possible to send the vehicles across in groups of ten. Leading group followed | ||||
closely by the remainder cross the bridge and contact the L.O. and move into | ||||
new area. All vehicles safely in by 2300 hrs. Number of the trucks bogged | ||||
on the way in . Vehicles with 4 wheel drive are very essential now. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
M/R 497730. | 29th | Coy locns:- Coys moving forward with Bdes. | ||
Weather wet. | ||||
30th | Day spent in this locn. Weather wet pouring with rain all day the ground | |||
is absolutely sodden and a number of trucks are bogged. Possibility we may | ||||
move off tomorrow. | ||||
Coy locns:- Coys still moving forward with respective Bdes. | ||||
31st | 0900 | Moved off to new locn at Chantoiseau M/R 834982 Ref 1/50000 Sheet 10/E/5 Beauvais. | ||
locn in some open fields. Raining most of day. | ||||
Coy locns: "A" Coy. M/R 568023. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 9/E/6 Gournay-en-Bray. | ||||
"B" Coy. M/R 474728. Ref " " 9/F/4 Mantes Gassicourt. | ||||
"C" Coy. On the move with Bde. | ||||
"D" Coy. M/R 834983. Ref 1/50000 Sheet 10/E/5 Beauvais. | ||||
Bn HQ. M/R 834982. " " " " " | ||||
Majority of the month was taken up by keeping on the tail of the retreating | ||||
Germans, during the latter Bn HQ remaining on wheels most of the time. |