5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment War Diary: August 1944
The 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment August 1944 war diary covers combat operations and pursuit across Normandy and northern France. The period opened with fighting around Mont Pinçon and St Pierre le Vieille, followed by a rapid eastward advance through the Orne and Eure departments, a search of the Forêt de Breteuil, and the crossing of the Seine at Port Villez and Vernon before moving north-east to the Auneuil.
National Archive Reference: WO 171/1398
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Page 1 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRANCE | 1 | 1430 | Bn moved from area 7772 to relieve 7 Hamps (43 Div) in area CAHAGNES 733566. Relief completed 020030B. Warm sunny day. | |
| Ref map 1/100,000 | 2 | 0100 hrs enemy aircraft dropped fragmentation bombs in bn area, causing | ||
| Sheet 6F | casualties six wounded; otherwise no enemy activity on bn front. One PW surrendered to 'C' Coy. 1600 hrs Bn advanced with in sp sqn 13/18 | B (1) | ||
| Ref map 1/100,000 | Hussars to capture feature AMAYE - pt 198 767563 against some small arms opposition. 'A' Coy occupied BRUYERE 772572 before dark. Bn HQ 745565. | |||
| Sheet 7F | Some shelling of 'A' and 'D' Coys areas during night. Fine weather continued but mist at night. | |||
| Ref map 1/100,000 | 3 | Warm sunny day. Bn HQ moved on to AMAYE feature 765567. Shelling of bn area continued from 1500 hrs to 2350 hrs. Lt-Col R. B. JAMES, DSO, killed | B 29, C. L. | |
| by shell fire approx 1530 hrs. Major C. G. Percy-Hardman 2IC assumed comd. | ||||
| Sheet 7F | 4 | Bn remained same location. Patrols EASTWARD maintained contact with | ||
| pockets of enemy infantry and took three PW but enemy generally inactive. No shelling or mortaring. | B (3), B (4) J (1), (2), (3) | |||
| 5 | Quiet day. No enemy activity on bn front. Lt-Col T. L. CHARLES assumed comd of bn. Weather fine. | |||
| 6 | Lt-Gen. G. H. HORROCKES comd 30 Corps addressed all officers and NCOs of bn 1600 hrs. | |||
| 7 | Bn remained same location, warned to move to Bde concentration area prior to further ops in MONT PINCON area. Fine day. | |||
| Ref map 1/100,000 | 8 9 |
Bn moved to area ONDEFONTAINE 7948 - move complete at 1150 hrs. Bn moved to BOIS DU ROI 828464 in Bde res preparatory to passing through | B (5) | |
| Sheet 7F | 151 Bde attacking SOUTH from MONT PINCON. 1900 hrs Bn advanced through LE PLESSIS GRIMOULT to area 848440 and remained in Bde res. Some shelling | |||
| of bn area. | ||||
| 10 | 0100 hrs Major A. M. N. RICE, MC, killed by shell. Bn passed through | |||
| 6 GREEN HOWARDS and attacked SOUTH with objective pt 229 feature WEST of |
Page 2 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST PIERRE LE VIEILLE 8640. Heavy shelling and small arms fire slowed adv. | B (6) | |||
| 'C' and 'D' Coys took up posn short of pt 229 feature while 'B' Coy successfully executed left flanking movement and occupied high ground | ||||
| overlooking ST PIERRE from NE, being relieved at last light by 6 GREEN HOWARDS. Bn HQ 857411. Enemy remained in strength on pt 229 feature | ||||
| and heavy shelling of bn area continued. Bn took 30 PW | ||||
| 11 | Bn location unchanged. 231 Bde passed through to attack ST PIERRE. | |||
| Attack not completely successful but progress made on left flank and village by-passed. Left flank success exploited by 7 GREEN HOWARDS and | B (7) B (8) J (4), J (5) | |||
| later by 151 Bde. Enemy shelling continued and caused casualties one killed and three wounded. Weather fine and hot. | ||||
| 12 | 0700 hrs 'C' Coy attacked pt 229 but made little progress against heavy small arms opposition from dominating ground. 'C' Coy reorganised in | B (9), B (10) | ||
| original posn. Shelling decreased. 'C' Coy suffered casualties Lieut. D. W. WHITE killed and two wounded. | J (6), (7), (8) | |||
| 13 | Patrols confirmed enemy still occupying woods and valley WEST and SOUTH of pt 229. Enemy later withdrew. Comparatively quiet day. Hot fine day | B (11) B (12) | ||
| 14 | 0830 hrs bn withdrawn from fwd area and concentrated area rear slopes of MONT PINCON 828464 preparatory to further ops in pursuit of retreating enemy. | |||
| 15) 16) |
Fine weather. Training and maintenance of equipment and vehicles. | |||
| 17 18 |
Bn at 2 hrs' notice to move from 180600 B. Quiet day. 1130 hrs Bn embussed moved to area SOUTH of ATHIS. Bn HQ 909251. No | E, F, G, I | ||
| contact with enemy. 2000 hrs visit by offrs, WO and NCOs of 2 E YORKS. Fine weather. | ||||
| 19 | 1130 hrs advance continued. Bn area LA CARNEILLE 965239. 'S' mines located in bn area caused cas four wounded, Showers. | |||
| 20 |
Page 3 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 1320 hrs bn moved into harbour area ST ANDRE DE BRIOUZE 0318 preparatory to further move fwd which began 2230 hrs. | |||
| Ref map | 21 | 0350 hrs bn arrived area VAUX LE BARDOULT 1621. Heavy rain. Rest and maintenance for remainder of day. | H | |
| FRANCE 1/100,000 | 22 | Further advance of bn began 0800 hrs to area TOUQUETTES 6347. No contact with enemy. | ||
| Sheet 7G Sheet 8F | 23 | 0730 hrs advance continued to area EAST of RUGLES 8548. Bn HQ 877479. | B (13) | |
| Ref map | Bn began search of extensive forest area in FORET DE BRETEUIL NORTH of rd RUGLES - BRETEUIL. No enemy found but many abandoned amn dumps. | |||
| 1/100,000 Sheet 8/F | 24 | Wet weather. Search of FORET DE BRETEUIL continued and completed by 1400 hrs. No enemy found. Contact made with US troops. | K | |
| 25 | Quiet day. Bn remained same location, prepared for further move at short notice. | |||
| 26 | 0630 hrs. Bn moved via CONCHE, EVREUX to banks of SEINE near N.D. de la MER. Bn HQ 456674. | D | ||
| 27 | 0100 hrs pl of 'B' Coy established on near bank of SEINE at 473697 opposite partially demolished weir. Slight sniper activity on EAST bank of river. | |||
| Visit by Div Comd. | ||||
| 27/28 | C' Coy ordered to establish Coy across SEINE Leading section ambushed | |||
| at EAST end of weir by enemy party with grenades - casualties one wounded. Difficulty of crossing postponed crossing and 'C' Coy were withdrawn. | ||||
| Torrential rain during night made crossing by weir hazardous. No boats available. One boat captured from EAST bank was not river-worthy. | ||||
| 28 | 2000 hrs 'D' Coy crossed SEINE at PORT VILLEZ 469701 by craft and patrolled to BENNECOURT and GOMMECOURT taking four PW. | |||
| 29 | Bn received reinforcements one offr and 33 ORs. Rain continued. 2359 hrs bn moved to cross SEINE at VERNON. Posn 473728 occupied 300600 hrs. | B (14) |
Page 4 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1600 hrs bn moved NE to area BEAUGRENIER. Bn HQ 677857. Fine day - rain during night. | B (15) | ||
| 31 | 1000 hrs Bn moved to new harbour area 825005 SOUTH of AUNEUIL. |
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