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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paddockhurst | 2 | 2 H.C.R. received orders to conc on 6 hrs notice to move. Waterproofing was completed in a hurry mainly owing to atrocious weather conditions. C.O. returned | ||
| after a period of sickness. | ||||
| Roslands Castle | 11 Jul. | 2 H.C.R. moved to Marshalling Area Camp A1. A certain amount of mechanical trouble from waterproofed 3 ton lorries was experienced but owing to a quick system | Appx A. | |
| of replacement the non runners were replaced. In the marshalling area 2 H.C.R. was split into 4 ship loads and was entirely looked after by the 'hotel' service | ||||
| provided in the area. | ||||
| Roslands Castle | 12 Jul | 0400 2 ship loads (comds C.O. and 2 I.C.) moved down to Hards but after several moves and 4 hrs wait they were returned to another Marshalling Camp No. A 16. at ROCHE COURT. 1600 ship loads 3 (Major Wignall) moved to hards at Portsmouth and embarked. 2200 C.O. and 2 I.C's ship loads moved fwd to hards at Gosport. Ship load 4 (Major Ward) also moved to hards during the night. The Sqns organisation was entirely broken from the time the Marshalling area was entered until reforming in the unit assembly area abroad. This caused a certain amount of confusion at first but was soon sorted out. | ||
| 13 Jul. | 0400 C.O's and 2 I.C's parties began to embark at first light on LST's. These boats carry about 80 mixed vehs on 2 decks. All craft had a very smooth | |||
| crossing. One craft unloaded in the evening the others anchored for the night and the vehs disembarked at about 0900 hrs on 14 Jul. | ||||
| 14 Jul. | All ships loads disembarked entirely dryshod and proceeded through the Beach and Transit Areas to a Unit Assembly Area at BRECY. The voyage was an unforgettable | |||
| sight for all - masses of shipping in the Channel and no interference from sea or air. | ||||
| 5 Jul. | 2 H.C.R. conc complete (less 1 AEC Armd C) in a pleasant country of orchards and apparently of plenty. Very little war damage apparent. 2 H.C.R. had to move harbour during the day but remained in same area. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul | RHQ and D Sqn moved to area AMBLIE 9480 and harboured close to the village. | |||
| 2 H.C.R. found 6 Traffic control posts of 1 offr and 3 O.R's under comd Capt. Balding to assist in movement of 3 Armd Divs over the ORNE north of CAEN. One of these parties had a direct hit from a basket of A.P. bombs which killed Lt.Potter and 2 O.R's and wounded 2 other O.R's. C Sqn were given a job of preparing a rest Camp for 8 Corps at St. AUBIN SUR MERE. | ||||
| 17-22 Jul. | RHQ and D remained at AMBLIE. | |||
| 22 Jul. | 2 H.C.R. conc complete near CAMILLY 9476. 2 H.C.R. was very congested but this was the case throughout the area. | |||
| 22-29 Jul | 2 H.C.R. remained at CAMILLY and carried out maint and even some trg in map reading and Scout car work. Scout Cs were modified by adding smoke dischargers wired to the side light switches which with the use of tail smoke gave an instantaneous smoke screen if in a tight corner | |||
| 29 Jul | 2 H.C.R. less B moved to area BALLEROY on the WEST end of the British front to take part in op BLUECOAT which was a complimentary op to the big push by U.S. forces through NORMANDY into BRITTANY and round the West flank 8 Corps consisted of Gds Armd Div, 11 Armd Div, 15 (s) Div for the initial phase of this op. B Sgn under comd 15 (s) Div. 2 H.C.R. (less B Sqn) under comd 11 Armd Div Tac HQ SALLEN 6961 close to HQ 11 Armd Div. | |||
| 30 Jul | 8 Corps attack went in axis CAUMONT - ST. MARTIN DES BESKES, 15 (s) leading sp by by 6 Gds Tke Bde, 11 Armd Div following: the attack was preceded by heavy bombing with fragmentation bombs. D rt, C left. Owing to mines and demolition, 11 Armd Div had some difficulty in getting to this objectives but by 2000 hrs Div Comd appreciated that it would be possible to push the Armd Cs through and Sqns were moved up the centre line CAUMONT - SEPT VENTS through the night. Tac HQ remained at SULLEN. | |||
| 31 Jul | Sqns were badly held up during the night owing to rd congestion and the rd had several times to be cleared to let priority tk colns come through. However, by 0900 hrs C Sgn were able to deploy to West and S.W. of ST. MARTIN DES BESACES. Lt. Powle seized his opportunity to cross the railway just before the Germans rushed up 3 88 mm. guns, and he was able to push south to the bridge over the river, and report SOULEUVRE as clear. It was being used as a two way road by 5 G.A.F. div. Lt. Powle reported the bridge as clear and kept it under observation the whole day until the arrival in the evening of 2 tps of 2 N.Y. (Armd Recce Regt) . This exploit had meant a 9 mile drive through enemy country down narrow roads with high banks on both sides. Both C and D Sqns obtained much information during the day. Lt. Bethell in the FORET DE L'EVEQUE area disappeared with his whole tp after reporting on the air that he was in difficulty and had had several casualties. His car was later found burnt but but there was no sign of him or the rest of his tp. RHQ moved to FIERVILLE 6856 and thence to LA FOUQUERIE 6653. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul. | 2 H.C.R. was warned that 2 Sqns would take part in Op Goodwood under Comd Gds Armd Div. B and A were selected with an ad hock RHQ Gp comd by 2 I.C. C and D remained in Corps Reserve. C sqn finding 6 offrs traffic posts and doing a fatigue job at St. AUBIN S MER. A and B moved near BAYEAUX. RHQ and D moved to AMBLIE. C.O. tried to get permission to comd the 2 Sqns himself but this was refused. | - | ||
| Appx A. | ||||
| 17 Jul. | 0600 hrs | A and C Sqns under Comd Major Sir P. Grant Lawson, and Tac HQ passed to Comd GAD for Op GOODWOOD. | ||
| 2130 hrs | Moved in rear of 5 Gds Armd Bde by Northern wheeled route to forming up area south of ANGUENY 0177 arriving about 0315 hrs. | |||
| 18 Jul | 0745 hrs | H. Hr Tac HQ remained with Tac GAD throughout day. A and B Sgns moved down 5 Gds Armd Bde Antse Line in rear of 2 W.G. Route Br BENOUVILLE 1075 - RANVILLE 1173 - ESCOUVILLE 1271 - thence due south. No opportunity was given for Sqns to carry out recce. | ||
| 2200 hrs | Both Sqns moved into harbour with Tac GAD 1,000 yds south of DEMOUVILLE 1067. A Ech moved to LE MARIQUET 1173. L/Cpl. Barnes A Sqn was killed during an enemy bombing attack on Main GAD on night 18/19 Jul. | |||
| 19 Jul. | 0500 hrs | Stand to. Sqns remained in res all day. Field moderately mortared once during morning. A Ech moved HEROUVILLE 1271. | ||
| 20 Jul. | 0910 hrs. | B Sqn given task of patrolling area south of Rly incl Pt 53 (1657) - CONTEVILLE 1257 - SECQUEVILLE LA CAMPAGNE 0959. | ||
| 1015 hrs | A Sqn given task of patrolling area south of COURS DE JANVILLE - west of rd St. PAIR 1666 - ARGENCES 1761 - and north of rd ARGENCES - VIMONT- CAGNY. | |||
| 1600 hrs | Patrols withdrawn having failed to get fwd owing to enemy tks and A/Tk guns. | |||
| 1900 hrs | A Ech came under comd own Sqns in harbour. Heavy thunderstorm in evening followed by intermittent heavy showers. | |||
| 21 Jul. | Sqns remained in res. Heavy rain all day. | |||
| 1300 hrs | Enemy shell fell in harbour and wounded Lt. Murray, killing one D.R. and wounding three others. | |||
| Appx A is Diary of the doings of this party when detailed from 2 H.C.R. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in the evening. The advance had gone very fast and 326 Germany Inf Div had been virtually over-run. That night 159 Inf Bde Gp had pushed over Lt. Powle's bridge about LE BENY BOCAGE. D Sqn moved during the night to try to capture further bridges to the West and to get in touch with U.S. forces on the right of 8 Corps' advance. In this they were unsuccessful mainly owing to rd congestion as the boundary with U.S. forces had not been thoroughly tied up, and 11 Armd Div and 19 U.S. Div were both using the same road south. | ||||
| Attached notes on talk by General Sir B.L. Montgomery K.C.B., D.S.O., to senior officers. | Appx B. |
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