War Diary: 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders

Month and year: June 1944

The 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders’ June 1944 war diary details their arrival in Normandy from the 7th and early fighting near Caen. Supporting attacks and holding positions under frequent shelling, they carried out raids and patrols while enduring heavy enemy fire throughout the month.

National Archive Reference: WO 171/1369

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WO 171/1369 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders

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War Diaries That Reference 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders

The 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders are mentioned in 1 other war diaries from June 1944.

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Page 1 of 15

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Camp S 6	1	1100	Gen Sir K.A.N. Anderson K.C.B.M.C. visited the Bn.
			A OC Veh Party visited his ship and inspected accommodation.

	2	0445	Veh Party moved off to S 4 and were issued with lifebelts and rations
			for embarkation.
		1200	First half of Marching Party under CO moved to S 4 preparatory to
			embarkation and were issued with lifebelts and rations.

	3		Veh Party moved to TILBURY Docks.
			Vehs loaded - personnel of Veh Party moved in Tp tpt to S 2.
			Second half of Marching Party under 2 IC marched to S 6 (GH) preparatory
			to embarkation.
		1530	First half of Marching Party embarked.

	4		Second half of Marching Party issued with lifebelts and rations.

Page 2 of 15

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
			Offrs of Second half 2 Seaforths challenged offrs of Second half 5 Seaforth
			to soft ball and won.

	5	1100	Second half Marching Party attended Church Parade.
		1400	-do- the Cinema
		1730	-do- moved in Tp tpt to TILBURY Docks and embarked
			Veh Party also embarked.

	6		D' Day.
			Veh's convoy sailed. Slight enemy shelling in the STRAITS OF DOVER

REVIERS	7	1330	First half of marching party landed in "MIKE" beach and moved to area South
7E/5 1/50000			of REVIERS969802 - took over partly dug posns from 5 CAMERONS and settled
			in.

Page 3 of 15

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
REVIERS	8	1400	Second half Marching Party landed on NAN beach and joined Bn at 969802.
7E/5 1/50000		2000	Vehs began to be unloaded.

FONTAINE	9	1400	Bn ordered to carry out sweep of woods from FONTAINE ST HENRY 9779 to
ST HENRY 37/16 N E			CAIRON 9775 to clear them of snipers. Axis of adv: River. Method -
1/25000			two coys either side of river - by given bounds - reporting bounds clear
			by R/T. 10 PWs captured.
		2130	Bn conc area 969785
		2200	Veh party completed unloading.
		2300	Last vehs arrived at FONTAINE ST HENRY.

PERRIER SUR	10		2 Seaforth move to PERRIER SUR LE DAN in tpt. Locations as per trace.
LE DAN 0476 1/25000			Proceeded to dig in.
			Plan to push South on the 12th June.
			(1) 5 Camerons to capture ST HONORINE 0971 (40/16 NW 1/25000)

Page 4 of 15

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
		(2) 2 Seaforth to capture CUVERVILLE 1069 (40/16 SW 1/25000)
		(3) Bn u/c 152 from 154 to capture DEMOUVILLE 1067 (40/16 SW 1/25000)

11		Attack postponed 24 hrs.
		R.C. Church parade.
		Day spent in cleaning and testing automatic weapons and resting.

12	1500	2 Seaforth moved to Assembly area 109746 across R ORNE. B ech remained
		at PERRIER SUR LE DAN 0476.
	1945	COs conference for all Coy Comds.
	2230	Enemy a/c attacked area of BR 105747, dropped anti-personnel bombs in Bn
		area - Casualties: Wounded, Capt A. ROSS, OC A tk Pl, Capt R. CRUDDAS, MC,
		OC Carrier Pl and 5 ORs killed 34 ORs wounded.

13	0400	Attack by 5 Camerons began.

Page 5 of 15

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
13	0430	Reveille
	0545	Bn moved off by Coys towards ST HONORINE in the following order:- C Coy,
		B Coy, D Coy, A Coy.
	0830	2 Seaforth 'O' Gp in ST HONORINE - receive final orders for attack on
		CUVERVILLE - arranged to begin 0915.
	0850	C Coy move down to protect Bn S.L. Rd ST HONORINE EAST to 107715.
	0915	5 Camerons in ST HONORINE heavily C/A.
		2 SEAFORTH Coys moving up to S.L. were ordered to take up def posns on
		Ridge 099724 to NE corner of ORCHARD 104721 facing South. C Coy remained
		area 098713.
	1130	5 CAMERONS withdraw to LONGUEVAL 0972.
	1200	C Coy is withdrawn to a reserve posn, area 107733.
	1400	Posn stable, spasmodic shelling and mortaring. Bn located as follows:-
		Bn HQ 105733 - A Coy 104730 - B Coy 101723 - C Coy 107733 -
		D Coy 103722.

Page 6 of 15

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
13		Lt FAWNS took standing patrol to area 097718 but had nothing to report.

14		Spasmodic mortaring and shelling of Bn posns during day.
		REs lay a minefield in front of Right fwd Coy posns.
		B Coy changes position with A Coy.
		D Coy -do- C Coy.
		Lt QUILTER took recce patrol to ST HONORINE and located enemy post area
		099714.

15		C and D Coys reorganise Pl layout into day and night posns.
	1150	Mustangs bomb CUVERVILLE and DEMOUVILLE.
	1300	C Coy area heavily mortared. Lt PRITCHARD and 1 OR killed.
		Minefield started on 14th was completed.
		Lt RODDAN (CANADA) Comd 17 Pl D Coy took a strong protective patrol with an
		RE party to area 102707 to blow up 3 enemy tanks put out of action on the 13th.

Page 7 of 15

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	16		Bn HQ heavily shelled and mortared. Lt WILSON (Sig Offr) and 1 OR killed.
			Bn HQ moved to new posn 104728.
			1 Sqn 13/18 H take up posns within the Bn area.
			152 Inf Bde Comd visited Bn HQ.
			Major McHARDY MC, OC D Coy wounded by shell fire.
			C Coy change with D Coy - A Coy change with B Coy.
			Lt LESLIE and party of Pioneers salvaged two Jeeps from D Coy fwd posn.

	17		Except for spasmodic Mortaring and Shelling of Bn posns there was little
			to report.

	18		2 IC 7th Bn SEAFORTH visited Bn with other offrs and men.
			D Coy changed posns with C Coy.
			B Coy -do- A Coy.

Page 8 of 15

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	19		152 Inf Bde ordered to attack ST HONORINE again.
			Occasional Shelling and Mortaring of Bn Areas.
			Attack postponed 24 hrs.
			Fighting patrol ordered to capture one enemy for identification in
			ST HONORINE - unable to reach objective owing to well placed fixed lines.
			2nd Flight arrived and disembarked.

	20		2 ICs Coys join their sub-units - Capt CORRIE takes over D Coy - Lt CUMING
			takes over IO.
			Lt STRANGE took recce patrol to area 109713, believe located
			enemy LMG post in this area,
			C Coy change posn with D Coy.
			B Coy change posn with A Coy.

Page 9 of 15

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
21		Usual spasmodic Mortaring and Shelling of Bn posns.
		More enemy air activity than usual.
		Lt HUDSON, MC, took small fighting patrol to area 109713 to est posn
		of suspected LMG post, Found not to exist.

22		9 ME 109s over Bn area.
		Spasmodic Shelling and Mortaring of Bn area.
	0930	CO and IO attend Bde Comd conference on Op PERTH - att. GOC present.	Appx A
	1400	COs Conference on Op PERTH for all Coy Comds.

23	0315	5 CAMERONS cross S.L. C Coy 2 SEAFORTH in Supp.
	0318	Fwd elements 5 CAMERONS reported entering village.
	0500	All Inf reported in the village.
	0615	HAGGIS.
	1200	Lt QUILTER returned to Bn HQ, wounded, and gave CO account of posns in

Page 10 of 15

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
			ST HONORINE. 5 CAMERONS were at this time only holding the ORCHARD 196714
			and the Woods West of it. C Coy 2 SEAFORTH were in posn along the NORTH
			edge of the ORCHARD,
		1330	Posn appeared to be fairly quiet.
			5 CAMERONS quietly taking over the whole of the Village. 2 Pls 5 SEAFORTH
			placed u/c 5 CAMERONS to relieve situation.
		1345	G.O.C. (H) Div visits Bn HQ and states attack going very satisfactory.
		1400	Brig MURRAY Comd 153 Inf Bde visits Bn HQ.
		1405	CO visits Bde Comd post - ordered to relieve 5 CAMERONS in ST HONORINE.
			D and B Coys to proceed to Village as soon as relieved in present posns
			by 1 Coy 1 GORDONS and 1 Coy 5 B.W.
			Remaining Coy (A Coy) S Coy and Bn HQ to enter ST HONORINE after dark.
			Tps u/c 5 CAMERONS - see Appx A - to come u/c 2 SEAFORTH.
		1500	B Coy moved to ST HONORINE.
		1600	D Coy -do-

Page 11 of 15

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
		2300	A Coy plus Bn HQ enter ST HONORINE.

ST HONARINE	24	130	2 SEAFORTH with att Tps in possession of and in posn in ST HONORINE,
			Digging in continues.
LA CHARDONNERETTE		1600	Brig HAUGH Comd 152 Inf Bde visited Bn and inspected Coy areas - All quiet.
0971			Change over with 5 SEAFORTH due to take place Night 24th postponed 24 hrs.
40/16 NW.			Lt MUIR took a Listening Patrol to area 103707 - Est posn of Nebelwerfer
1/25,000			firing South of CUVERVILLE, 1069
			Lt TANNAHILL also took Listening Patrol to area 098706 but had nothing to
			report.

	25	0500	Small enemy patrol endeavoured to enter B Coy's lines but was driven off.
		1000	Small enemy C/A was put in in D Coy's area - see att trace - Appx B - but
			was also driven off.
			Change over with 5 SEAFORTH again postponed 24 hrs

Page 12 of 15

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
		Lt CHRISTIE takes small recce patrol to X rds 089707 - Reports enemy
		listening post in that area.
		Lt MEIKLE takes Recce Patrol to area 099700. Reports movement of Tks and
		shouting in area East of CUVERVILLE. 1069
		Int O.P. est in House 097709 - reports enemy Inf movement in area of Wood
		and also vehs moving from EAST to WEST and WEST to EAST along CUVERVILLE -
		COLUMBELLES 0870 Rd.

26	0100)	Heavy Mortaring of Bn area.
	0400)	OC A tk Bty, Major JARMAN, killed.
	0700)
		Action of att Sqn 13/18 H less 1 Tp.
		By day. After CAIRNS WOOD 098707 had been recce'd to ensure no
		enemy patrols had entered it during the night, 1 Tp moved into def
		fire posns in the wood. 2 Tps move to def posns in 095708.

Page 13 of 15

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
			At Dusk, tks were to withdraw to leaguering area 096713. Night of 25th -
			Tks move out to Wood 103720 to leaguer - returning to ST HONORINE at
			0400 hrs. This procedure regarded as undesirable by Inf Comd and Tks
			were ordered to leaguer in original posn 096713.
		1630	Adv Party 5 SEAFORTH recce our posns preparitory to taking over.
		2300	Change over between 2 SEAFORTH and 5 SEAFORTH. It begins to rain.

LONGUVAL	27	0506	Change over completed without incident.
0872			Brigadier CASSELS takes over Comd 152 Inf Bde.
40/16 N.W.		1130	Visits Bn HQ and inspects Bn area.
1/25,000		1500	Patrol policy is changed - Patrols to be detailed by Bde in future, not
			by Bn Comds.
			Bn begun to tidy up and reorganise.
			Lt URQUHART took Recce Patrol to area 086707 - located enemy post in
			small building 086706.

Page 14 of 15

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
		Lt PAUL took Recce Patrol to area 080704 and report noise of horse drawn
		movement in CHATEAU area 078709, also digging in area 079706.

28	1000	G.O.C. 51 (H) Div visited Bn and conferred with CO.
	1700	Comd 152 Inf +Bde visited Bn HQ.
		Lt STRANGE took a Patrol to area 081710 and brought back notes on the
		thickness and length and General Topografical value of the Cemetary at
		083713 and the WALL inside the CHATEAU WOOD 081760 to 084714.
		Lt RODDAN (CANADA) took small patrol to recce Towpath between RIVER ORNE
		and CHATEAU WOOD. He made two journeys, (1) on North Bank to area 077714,
		(2) along Tow path reaching area 078712. Reported towpath
		serviceable to area 078711.
29		2 BRITISH+airmen were brought through our lines by member of the FRENCH
		UNDERGROUND movement - interrogated by CO and sent to Bde.
		Occasional Shelling and Mortaring of Bn posn.

Page 15 of 15

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
		Capt REAY, Adjt returned from hosp after malaria.

30	0900	IO to Bde, with Patral reports
	0930	OC 1 GORDONS and IO visit Bn area on Recce - 1 GORDONS are to relieve
		2 SEAFORTH in area LONGUVAL - 2 SEAFORTH to proceed to RANVILLE. 1173.
	2330	Change over begins -

Units Referencing the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders

The following units mention the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders in their war diaries from June 1944:

152 Infantry Brigade, June 1944 War Diary