War Diary: 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers

Month and year: June 1944

The 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers 1944 War diary covers the unit embarking at Lyminton, landing East of Arromanches and fighting inland through Sully, Vaux-sur-Aure, Ellon and Buceels

National Archive Reference: WO 171/1380

All diaries for this unit:

Please use the contact us page to report any errors or inaccuracies.

Viewing map locations

Many of the location in this diary have been geocoded, these locations are highlighted Screenshot of highlighted location clicking on them will display them on a map. Many location also have historical maps and aerial photographs of the area available.

Found this useful?

If you've found this resource useful please consider supporting us to digitise more war diaries, documents and maps.

« Return to war diaries

Page 1 of 8

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
APO	1	1600	Trg under coy arrangements
	2	1400	ULO party left the Bn.	Appx A:- AFs W 3008 - 9E
	2	1600	Trg under Coy arrangements
	3	1430	Bn left Marshalling Area to embark
	3	1730	Bn embarked on 3 US Navy LCI (L) S at LYMINGTON	appx "B":- Bn. Orders
	3	1900	Bn arrived SOUTHAMPTON water
	4		Bn spent the day on the docks where recreation was laid on for them.
	5	2030	Bn sailed for FRANCE.
	6	1200	"D" Day. Bn landed in FRANCE on the coast of NORMANDY one mile EAST of
			ARRAMANCHES.
	6	1700	Bn arrived in Assembly Area. Fwd Body commanded by Major F.F.S. Barlow
			with "D" COY under comd cleared R.D.F. Station at map ref 814837.
	6	2350	Fwd Body captured bridge at VAUX-sur-Aure and held it till the main body
			arrived. Bn established defensive locality Vaux-sur Aure. Active
			patrolling by enemy during the night twelve prisoners taken.

Page 2 of 8

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
APO	7	0515	Bn continued advance to area 7881 and established a firm defensive locality
			forming part of the defensive perimeter of 50(N) Div bridgehead.
	7	0730	"A" Coy detailed to capture bridge at SULLY ran into strong enemy position
			and having fought a fierce action was forced to withdraw to Bn Area.
	8	1215	"A" & "B" Coys supported by one Sqn RTR one 6" cruiser, and one fd regt
			arty attacked CHATEAUX at SULLY. The chateaux had 14 ft concrete shelters
			with a defensive network of underground channels and pill boxes. It was
			held by about 200 Germans. "A" & "B" Coys showed very great skill and dash
			and on many occasions pls got right up to the chateaux. The battle developed
			into close fighting in the orchards surrounding the chateaux. Eventually
			"A" & "B" Coys were forced to withdraw owing to an enemy counter threat
			from the rear. They had taken 50 prisoners, 3 88 mm AA/Atk guns and
			inflicted numerous cas on the enemy. "A" & "B" Coys withdrew under fire
			to the East of the river where they were relieved by "C" Coy who held the
			position during the night. During this action Lt-Col CRADDOCK was

Page 3 of 8

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
8		wounded in the shoulder and Major F.F.S. BARLOW assumed command of th Bn.
8	2230	"C" Coy patrolled the area of the chateaux all night and by the morning
		reported that the Germans had vacated it.
9	1100	Bn patrolled areal North of a line SULLY - VAUX-sur-AURE and encountered no
		enemy.
	1600	"C" Coy contacted 1st US Div left flank tps at SULLY.
9	1600	First enemy aircraft seen (Fockewolf 190) flew over Bn area.
	2030	Enemy bombers attacked beaches,
10	0830	Bn comes under comd 7 Armd Div.
	0900	Bn ready to follow up advance of 7 Armd Div towards VILLERS BOCAGE.
	1400	"B" Coy, escorted by the Carrier pl moved fwd and took over bridges at
		794733 - 789728 - 784721 from the armour.
	2000	"D" Coy moved fwd escorted by carriers and took over bridge at 784716.
	2030	Bn moved fwd to conc area ELLON 8073.
11	0045	Coy Comds Conference.

Page 4 of 8

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
11	0100	"D" Coy established fighting patrol bridge 785707.
	0930	"D" Coy took over bridge from fighting patrol and pushed fwd to try and get
		bridge at LA BELLE EPINE775690. They became involved in a tank battle
		and got pinned by enemy cross mortar fire and MMG fire. They also came in
		for some shelling probably from our own guns.
	1500	OC "D" Coy returned with his coy to bridge 785707 as he could not get on
		to LA BELLE EPINE.
	1600	2 DEVONS on right had by now pushed on to LA BELLE EPINE and taken the
		bridge. They had also finished taking over the five bridges held by the
		Bn.
	1800	By this time the whole Bn was conc in area ELLON ready to move up behind
		armour.
	2130	Recce Gp goes fwd to recce Bn pivot.
	2230	Bn moved into pivot posn area BUCEELS.
12	0530	Bn withdraw to rest area JERUSALEM 8172. Day spent in organised rest with

Page 5 of 8

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
12	0530	a defensive position sighted.
	1900	Bn Recce Gp moved to area BUCELLS to recce Bn defensive locality.
		Bn came under comd 50 Div.
	2000	Bn moved in a defensive locality BUCELLS with under comd one tp. M.10 ATK
		guns.
	2315	2 GLOS withdrew through Bn posn and the Bn became part of fwd tps 50(N) Div.
	2345	Active patrolling during the night.
13	0600	Patrolling continued during the day.
	1400	DLI attacked line TILLEY - VERRIERE through Bn position. Bn area and
		particularly Bn HQ came under accurate mortar fire which lasted for about
		three hours with spells of quiet in between. The RMO who had only
		just joined us from the Fd Amb was killed by a direct hit in the RAP.
		Padre was injured in the leg.
	2300	DLI withdrew through Bn area. Patrolling during the night.
14	0800	Vigorous patrolling of enemy positions in TILLEY sur SUELLES. These patrols

Page 6 of 8

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
14	800	were extremely good and in every case got right up to the enemy positions.
		The results of this infm influenced the whole course of the battle on the
		following day.
	1400	Another attack went through the bn posn and succeeded in getting on to the
		TILLEY line at LINGEVRES and VERRIERE. During this attack the Bn area was
		shelled and mortared. One pl of "C" Coy patrolled in strength and got
		into TILLEY but had to withdraw owing to shell fire.
	1800	"C" Coy took over part of the GLOSTERS area at ST PIZAIRE as the latter
		were called fwd to help the DLI attack.
	2300	Active patrolling during the night.
15	0800	A patroll tried to get into TILLEY but found it re-occupied.
	1400	The Bn handed over posn to 2 ESSEX and went back to rest area ELLON.
16	1600	The Bn rested and went into BAYEUX for baths. The Commanding Officer told
		the Bn that the Brig Comd and the Div Comd had been entirely satisfied with
		the conduct of the Bn since they landed and congratulated the Bn on their behalf.

Page 7 of 8

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
17		Bn rested all day.
18		Bn rested and CO attended Conference at Bde.
19		Bn rested and the CO went on a recce visit of offrs to 148 Regt RAC.
20	1100	Recce of emergency defensive localities by: CO and Coy Comds. Bn still
		resting.
21	0900	Offrs and NCOs liaison visit to 148 Regt RAC.
22		Rest at ELLON.
	1430	C of E Service.
23	0900	Recce party moved to area LA SENAUDIERE 7868 to recce Bn defensive posn.
	1015	Bn arrived at LA SENAUDIERE and came under comd 69 Bde 50 (N) Div for ops
		only. Bn took over from 233 Fd Coy RE and thus filled a gap in the 69 Bde
		defensive posn. Bn dug in.
	2300	Local patrolling during night to contact flanking tps.
24	0900	Commanding Officer attended Bde Conference for planning. CO went on recce
		of new battle area.

Page 8 of 8

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
	1400	Fwd Coys under intermittent mortar fire and shelling.
	2300	Contact patrols during the night.
25		Coy Comds recce of new battle area. Fwd coys shelled and mortared
		periodically, particularly bad at 1300 hrs. Maj G Dauncey took over 2IC
		temporarily in the absence of Maj JT Boon who went to B Ech with dislocated shoulder
26		Fwd Coys shelled and mortared.
	2300	Rear Coys took over from fwd coys. Patrol activity during the night.
27	1400	6 GH attacked LA TAILLE on our left. "D" Coy sent a standing patrol out
		to observe LONGRAYE during this attack.
	2300	"D" Coy patrol stayed out all night and were shelled badly but few cas.
		Patrolling active during the night.
28	0830	Bn moved out of posn to Bde conc area 747687. 7 GH took over posn.
		Spent day digging in and resting.
29		Rest in conc area. CO's recce of GRANVILLE battle area.
		Liaison with 1 RTR.
30		Coys practised working with 1 RTR C Coy gave demonstration for Div Comd.

Found this useful?

If you've found this resource useful please consider supporting us to digitise more war diaries, documents and maps.

Layers

War Diary: 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers

Month and year: June 1944

Viewing map locations