View MapView MapNational Archive Reference: WO 171/856
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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1 | First party of Regt move at 1630 hrs to docks at FELIXSTOWE; loading of | |||
| LSTs and LCTs commences. | ||||
| 2 | Loading continues. | |||
| 3 | Ships anchor in rivers ORWELL and STOUR when loaded. | |||
| 4 | Delay of 24 hours due to weather; remain at anchor. | |||
| 5 | Move out from river 0915 hrs, move along coast of SE England, passing STRAITS OF DOVER in darkness. | |||
| 6 | D Day. Pass BEACHY HEAD in morning, arrive at bridgehead and anchor at 2200 hrs. Slight aerial activity. Some tks of Regt unload. | |||
| 7 | Aerial activity 0400 hrs. Landing continues by RHINOS and beaching. Move to concentration area, area 813806. 3 AFVs drowned. 1 OR wounded. | |||
| 8 | For Orders see Appx A. CO makes Recce as ordered in instructions for 8 Jun, sent out evening 7 Jun. 4 CLY in suppont of 151 Bde. See Appx | Appx A Appx B. | ||
| B. Recce Sqn sent patrols out, no clashes with enemy. Patrols reach area 810740. 1 OR wounded in action, | ||||
| 9 | Regt remain in concentration area. Sqn Ldrs go out to recce battle posns in support of 151 Bde. C. Sqn at 1900 hrs move up to support 6 DLI, 151 | |||
| Bde, area 815740. No contact with enemy. Bde Comd issues orders for move 10 Jun. Orders - see Appx C. Lt G.E. Moxon killed by shellfire in evening. | Appx C | |||
| 10 | Regt advanced through 6 DLI area 813745; Recce Sqn leading, followed by | |||
| A Sqn left, B Sqn right, C Sqn reserve on centre line. Advance very slow. C Sqn take up posn protection right, area JERUSALEM 8172. C Sqn KO MK IV | ||||
| at 809719. Two Cromwells A Sqn KO'd by friends area 830720. Impossible to cross stream SOUTH of rd, try to work round right flank. | ||||
| Locations in evening: B Sqn EAST of MARCEL 827694 | ||||
| A " 830705 | ||||
| C " NORTH of STE. BAZIRE | ||||
| RHQ 828707 |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 10 (cont) | 1 Cromwell B Sqn KO in evening. Leaguer at 830707. One Coy Gloucester | |||
| Regt in support, who mine bdges at MARCEL (829693) and bdge at 833697. Enemy infiltrated into BUCEELS during night. | ||||
| Casualties: Lt G.Milford-Cottam wounded in afternoon. 4. ORs killed and 4 ORs, wounded in action. 3 Cromwell IV and 1 Stuart V KO. | ||||
| 11 | Recce Sqn advance to bdges at first light. Bdges held by enemy, but kept under observation. Attack by two coys Gloucester Regt on left-hand bdge.; | |||
| one coy Gloucester Regt with C Sqn in sp attack right-hand bdge. Both attacks successful, and first objective, the rd parallel to river at 834695, | ||||
| gained. A and B Sqns remain in reserve area BUCEELS. Two patrols Recce Sqn pass through infantry., but held up at 839687 by two Panthers, one | ||||
| disabled on rd and one covering. 2 Tp C Sqn go round to left and destroy disabled Panther; infy with PIAT destroy other. C Sqn advance to short of | ||||
| village TILLY-SUR-SEULLES in sp Gloucester Regt, who entered TILLY (8468). C Sqn withdraw to outflank town to right; close country encountered and | ||||
| one tp is ambushed area 832690 (3 Cromwells, 1 Firefly under Lt T. S. Vine). C Sqn and Recce withdraw to battle posns NORTH side of river (830695) to | ||||
| sp Gloucester Regt, who were being counter-attackced. Leaguer NORTH of BUCEELS830705. | ||||
| Casualties: Lt T.S. Vine missing, 17 ORs missing, 2 ORs wounded in action. | ||||
| 12 | Recce Sqn ordered to advance down CL. Order of march B Sqn, RHQ, A Sqn, | |||
| C Sqn. VERRIERES (815692) strongly held by enemy. Recce withdraw to high ground to NORTH. B Sqn left in battle posns on ridge 810708-820712. | ||||
| New orders in afternoon - Regt move at 1600 hrs to outflank to right. Orders given verbally - see Appx D. Opposition encountered at LIVRY | Appx D | |||
| (735613). A Coy 15 Rifle Brigade attack, supported by B Sqn on right. Village cleared by last light, Leaguer at Xrds 733817. | ||||
| Casualties: Lt F.D. Mortimer wounded in action. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 13 | Regt move fwd first light towards VILLERS BOCAGE (8157),A Sqn leading, | |||
| followed by A Coy RB. No opposition, and A Sqn reach feature EAST of VILLERS BOCAGE (area 8358). Coln split at 823578 by two Tigers, RHQ | ||||
| brewed up complete. A Sqn continue and take up battle posns. B Sqn hold town, but unable to get through to A Sqn. A Sqn surrounded and | ||||
| attacked at 1000 hrs by Tigers and infy. Call for immediate assistance, but none could get through. At 1030 hrs, CO, who was with A Sqn, reports | ||||
| posn untenable, withdrawal impossible. 1035 hrs all stations go off the air. B Sqn ordered to hold village at all costs. 4 Tp B Sqn, with infy | ||||
| and A tk guns under Lt L. Cotton, MM, after a 6 hours street battle, destroy 4 Tigers and 3 Mk IV, 1600 hrs. B. Sqn reports village still held by us, but | ||||
| infy in area 820575. 1/7 Queens attack, but fail to clear opposition. B Sqn Ldr (now acting CO) ordered to withdraw Regt to 780580. This | ||||
| carried out without further loss. C Sqn cover withdrawal. Major I.B. Aird takes over command of Regt, Major E.P.MacColl 2IC | ||||
| Capt F.A. Jarvis, MC, commands B Sqn, Capt K. H. Hiscock commands C Sqn. Missing: Lt Col The Viscount Cranley, MC (CO),Major A. Carr. (2IC),Major | ||||
| P.M.R. Scott, MC & bar (A Sqn Ldr),Capt B.W.G. Rose (Adjt),Capt R.R.B. Brown, Capt A.R. Smith, Lt D. Colvin, Lt W.F. Garnett, Lt D.L. Sellers, Lt | ||||
| L.P. Hurley (UDF),Lt P.H. Strode, Lt R.S.A. Ingram. Wounded:- Lt J.S.W. Simonds, MM, Capt H.I.C. MacLean (remained at duty), | ||||
| Capt P. Dyas (remained at duty) 76 ORs missing, 5 wounded in action, 4 killed in action xVeh casualties see footnote | ||||
| 14 | Regt in reserve, two Tps forward covering A tk guns. Nothing during day. 2000 hrs enemy inf attack at 785576. C. Sqn go forward to seal break- | |||
| through. Enemy driven back with heavy losses. 2230 hrs posn restored. C Sqn withdraw to reserve | ||||
| xVeh casualties, 13 Jun: 20 Cromwells, 4. Fireflys, 3 Humber SCs, 3 | ||||
| Staurts, 1 1/2 - track. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 15 | 0015 hrs Regt withdraw to 730672. One Firefly drops out, but recovered | |||
| later. 1 Stuart V lost EA. Still in reserve. Reorganisation on two Sqn basis. Nothing to report. | ||||
| 16 | In reserve. | |||
| 17 | Shelled 0030 hrs.; 2 ORs killed, 2 ORs wounded. | |||
| Capt F.A. Jarvis, MC, to be Major, commanding B Sqn; Capt K.H. Hiscock to be Major, commanding A Sqn (temporarily commanding C Sqn until arrival of | ||||
| 18 | new CO). Lt L. Cotton, M.M, to be Capt. A Sqn re-forms and organises on two tp basis. | |||
| 19-20 | NTR. | |||
| 21 | Recce by CO of battle posns of 1 R Tks, area 752645-756645-758651. | |||
| 22 | Recce by Sqn Ldrs of 1 R Tks area. New CO arrives 2100 hrs. Lt Col Rankin takes command of Regt, Major I.B.Aird 2IC | |||
| Major E.P. MacColl, MC, OC C Sqn, Major F.A. Jarvis, MC, OC B Sqn Major K.H. Hiscock DC A Sqn | ||||
| 23 | B Sqn take over from 1 R Tks at 0800 hrs. Tps at areas 750645, 756645, 759651. Recce Sqn link tps at 750645 and 756645. Sqn HQ and reserve tp | |||
| at 742657. RHQ move to 745662. C Sqn in area 750661. A Sqn with A 2 Ech area 733694 No enemy seen on B Sqn sector. B Sqn leaguer with | ||||
| Recce Sqn at 742657. | ||||
| 24 | NTR. | |||
| 25 | Slight mortar and MG activity on B Sqn. Cpl Hoar returned to our lines from VILLERS BOCAGE. | |||
| 26 | Relieved by 8 H at 0800 hrs; moved to 746692. Offensive on Eastern sector begins. | |||
| 27 | Moved to 748700 to make room for 56 Bde in the evening. 2/Lt K. Horsley, BEM, joined Regt from 59 Trg Regt, to B Sqn, 2/Lt T. Tunni- | |||
| cliffe from 57 Trg Regt, to B Sqn, and 2/Lt D.P.M. Evans, from 59 Regt to RHQ. | ||||
| 28 | Recce by CO of possible battle posns in case of armd break through |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | Lt N.R. Cleaver joined Regt. to A. Sqn. | |||
| 29 | NTR. A Sqn still in process of re-forming. | |||
| 30 | NTR. |