National Archive Reference: WO 171/921
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Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Camp S.5. Brentwood | 1 | Weather turned dull, with rain for about 1 1/2 hrs. C.O. lectured to all officers of RHQ, 258 & 260 Btys on MAPLAY code (used for | ||
encoding MAP refs),at 1200 hrs for about 3/4 hrs. Orders issued for changing money to-morrow | ||||
2 | CO, OC 258 & OC 260 and A/Adjt left Camp S.5. to go to the T areas where they are marshalling. The C.Os. recce party which comprises | |||
the above named officers is moving with 257 Bty, in order to arrive | ||||
overseas about 24 hrs in advance of their Bties etc. Changed | ||||
Sterling; withdrawn from the troops, and drew £1 equivalent per | ||||
head in the new currency for payment to troops. The money is not | ||||
to be paid over to the men until tomorrow in order to keep the | ||||
country which is to be invaded as secure as possible until the | ||||
last moment. Orders issued for marshalling personnel which is | ||||
to be carried out tomorrow. | ||||
3 | Exchange money paid out together with £1 per head pay at 0800 | |||
hrs. Rate of exchange 200 Francs to £1 Sterling Francs are | ||||
issued in denominations of 500, 100, 50 & 5. | ||||
Personnel marshall as follows:- | ||||
MT 23 (RHQ) in present area. | ||||
MT 14) | ||||
MT 26) 258 in S.7. | ||||
MY 24 RHQ & 260 in S.7. | ||||
MT 25 260 in S.7. | ||||
Parties moved off starting at 1000 hrs and marched to Camp S.7. | ||||
(Warley Barracks) about 2 miles away. At this stage, Battery | ||||
identity ceases, until we concentrate in France, and unit parties | ||||
are directly under command the senior officer from the unit on | ||||
that ship. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Camp S.5. Brentwood | 3 (Cont) | MT 23 personnel remaining in camp S.5. are u/c Adjt; warning order received that we move to embarkation point to-morrow at 1330 hrs. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Camp S.7. Brentwood | MT 23 personnel (consisting of Adjt, MO & Lt(QM) and 25 O.Rs. | |||
paraded at 1245 hrs with kit and at 1300 hrs were loaded into troop carrying vehicles. At 1330 hrs we moved off to the | ||||
docks at TILBURY arriving at about 1430. A bag ration of a packet of biscuits and 2 bars of chocolate had been provided | ||||
before leaving S.5. and this Was consumed on arrival at the docks where a mug of tea was ready for each man. After the | ||||
usual hanging about, we boarded a ferry boat at about 1630 hrs and went out to MT 23, now standing in mid-stream. MT 23 is a | ||||
"Liberty Ship" called "SS IGNATIUS DONELLY" crewed by Americans. Liberty Ships are built for cargo only, but in this case, two | ||||
holds Tween decks have been left clear of vehicles in order to accommodate troops. The overcrowding is of course immense | ||||
and everyone is most uncomfortable but in very good spirit. Cooking facilities are virtually nil, but by pooling cooks | ||||
and cooking equipment from units on board, a cookhouse is set up on deck. OC Troops held a conference of Unit party Comman- | ||||
ders, which the Adjt attended and certain points for inclusion in Ships standing orders were discussed and a decision reached. | ||||
The men had a hot meal and a brew of tea during the evening. Rations on board are the "Compo" type, and it has been decided | ||||
to make and individual issue of the tins of self-heating soup and cocoa, cigarettes and chocolate, while the remainder of the | ||||
rations go to the cooks for preparation. | ||||
Tilbury. | 5 | Ships orders were explained to the men and other points of drill such as lifebelts, etc. were practised. At 11000 hrs a | ||
parade was held at emergency stations and the Adjt explained the method of launching rafts and the procedure for "Abandon | , |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tilbury | 5 (Cont) | Ship". The various alarm signals were learned. At 1630 hrs | ||
we moved down river in company with a number of similar ships and dropped anchor again just inside the boom. | ||||
Standing off Tilbury. | 6 | Remained anchored all day. At 0800 hrs news was said to have | ||
come from the BBC that the Germans report a paratroop landing at the Seine Estuary. Later, the ships officers kindly loaned | ||||
their Radio's loud speaker to be put on the deck so that the men could hear it. Shortly afterwards, official news of our | ||||
landing between Le Havre and CHERBOURG was announced in a communique from HQ Allied Expeditionary Force. At 1400 hrs | ||||
the Adjt obtained permission to brief the men and with the aid of maps and Air Photographs of the beach (the latter | ||||
borrowed for the occassion) explained the plan, and gave the men so far as possible an idea of the immediate job on landing. | ||||
Exhortations from Generals Eisenhower and Montgomery were read. Weather cold with a high wind, a slight rain for a short while | ||||
in the evening. | ||||
7 | Weighed anchor at 0600 hrs and sailed about half an hour later, from 0800 approx to 1015 approx, the convoy (about 27 ships) | |||
moved only at a crawling pace, during which time we passed through the Straights of Dover. The French Coast was clearly | ||||
visible until many Corvettes and Minesweepers and other small escort craft, together with 2 Albacore aircraft laid a smoke | ||||
screen covering the convoy. 2 shells presumably from enemy coastal Bties landed in the sea in the convoy. Convoy proceeded | ||||
all day at the same very slow pace. Plans were made at an OC Troops conference at 1800 hrs for unloading the ship. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
7 (Cont.) | At present it is not known what craft will be used to take | |||
vehicles and personnel to the shore. The order was given that during the evening the ship should remain as quiet as possible. | ||||
It is presumed to be because of the listening apparatus on the escort ships. | ||||
On board ship. | 8 | Breakfast this morning is at 0600 hrs and the ship is made | ||
ready to unload by 0700 hrs i.e. personnel bring all their kit on deck, and hatches etc. are cleared. At 0815 we dropped | ||||
anchor off the landing beach amid a mass of shipping of all kinds - Battleships, Naval craft of every sort and size. Our | ||||
landing beach is area ASNELLES-SUR-MER 7786: Apparently unloading operations were delayed yesterday by bad weather, | ||||
and in consequence therefore we are held up today. Many landing craft can be seen stranded high and dry on the sands | ||||
and it is thought (from a ships wireless intercept) that they were ordered not to discharge vehicles until they were dry. | ||||
During the day we moved about occassionally on directions from a navy launch to form up in the order required. While the tide | ||||
was low we were resting on the sea-bed for some 2 hours. No unloading took place from MT23 all day. | ||||
Asnelles-Sur-Mer. | 9 | At about 0900 hrs an LCT came alongside to commence the unload- | ||
ing and was followed by others. Unloading proceeded very slowly and not until about 1130 was the first LCT able to move off to | ||||
the shore with 6 vehicles on board. The sea is fairly calm though the small craft are about a little. Weather dull | ||||
and windy. About 1200 hrs the LCT (and others) moved away to the shore to unload. In several cases vehicles were unloaded |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Asnelles-Sur-Mer. | 9 (Cont) | in water too deep for them and were soon drowned and completely | ||
submerged by the rising tide.When this happened the vehicles in question were of ten smashed by landing craft steering over | ||||
them. Once ashore, drivers followed the Div Axis to concentration areas, the RA concentration area being the area RYES, | ||||
8483; SOMMERVIEU, 8381; MAGNY, 8182. See Regt O.C. No1 attached | ||||
Sommervieu. | 10 | By about 1500 hrs nearly all RHQ vehs from MT ships 23 and 24 had assembled and a skeleton TAC HQ had moved to TAC 131 Bde. | ||
At 1930 hrs orders were received that 131 Bde would start to move forward to the Battle at first light the following morning, | ||||
and RHC Main + B Ech moved at 2100 hrs to the respective Echelons of 131 Bde HQ located in the POULIGNY AREA - 807827. | ||||
As the battle moves forward numbers of enemy snipers remain undetected behind our lines, and brings the need for very | ||||
careful stand to both at last and first light to importance. As it does not get dark until 2315 and starts to get light at | ||||
0430 the night is very short, and sleep thus limited. In addition enemy aircraft are active at these times, as our own | ||||
fighter cover have to return to ENGLAND or come from there in daylight. | ||||
Pouligny. | 11 | At 0700 RHQ Main moved with 131 Bde Main to area BLARY 805760. | ||
Tac are already there. Respective Bty War Diaries show the localities of Bties and their progress in the battle. | ||||
News received today that 260 Bty (17 Pdrs mounted on M.IO S.P. equipments) had destroyed a German Mk.lV tank. Still a number | ||||
of guns have not arrived, but gradually Bties are building up to their full strength. Heavy fighting is proceeding North of | ||||
TILLY SUR SEULLES840683. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Blary. | 12 | The Battle in the TILLY area is becoming static, and we are | ||
uable to advance owing to the very bad country and cross fire from easily concealed enemy positions | ||||
259 Bty (Due to land on D Plus 3) started to link up with us. | ||||
739671 | 13 | Moved at 0400 hrs to proceed down a new Centre Line, as the plan for the advance to VILLERS BOCAGE 8157 has been changed. | ||
The new Centre Line is Track junction 751759ST PAUL DU VERNAY | ||||
7470, X Roads 727634, BRIQUESSARD742594, - VILLERS BOCAGE. | ||||
It was reported later in the day, that the Brigade group had entered VILLERS but had moved out to the NORTH of the town as | ||||
the fighting inside was too stiff. Between the present Centre Line through TILLY, numerous enemy are located in woods etc. | ||||
and in fact the BRIQUESSARD - VILLERS road is cut, and the Centre Line threatened in other places. RHQ is located at | ||||
739671 and it is reported that some 500 enemy are in the woods NE, E and SE of this location, (Who are armed with small arms | ||||
weapons and possibly an odd tank or so) during the night the Adjt is placed in command of area defence for 131 Bde MAIN HQ | ||||
and attached HQs. There are however, only about 35 ORs who can be taken for defence from the whole HQ: while still keeping W/T | ||||
sets etc manned. These men, with 4 Bren Guns, and the remainder carrying rifles and Stens are put out as perimeter defence, around | ||||
the camp area. Nothing however, is seen of the reported enemy and the bulk of the guard is withdrawn at stand down in the | ||||
morning. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
739671 | 14 | Replacement arrived for the 15 cwt W/T Rear Link truck which | ||
was drowned on landing. Warning order that the Brigade is moving over to a new Centre Line FOULOGNES 7065 - X Roads 727634 - | ||||
LA PAUMERIE 731617 - VILLERS BOCAGE, and the move to the new Centre Line will take place at 1st Light tomorrow. Troops in | ||||
the VILLERS area are being withdrawn and 131 Bde are to form a firm base with the Armour behind them. The Adjt did a recce | ||||
for Bde HQ of the area to which Bde HQ is to move. | ||||
717644 | 15 | RHQ, MAIN moved at 0600 hrs to area 710653. TAC Bde moved to area 717644. Later MAIN moved to the area of TAC and the two | ||
sub-sections of RHQ joined up. The Brigade has formed a firm base from the area TORTEVAL 7563 to BRIQUESSARD 7459, with the | ||||
Armd Bde behind it. C.O. spent the day Co-ordinating A/TK layout. The infantry are very thin on the ground and there are considerable | ||||
gaps in the defence. Mobile reserves of Tanks, the Armd Bde Motor Bn and 260 Bty are available. In the evening enemy counter | ||||
attacks developed on a comparatively small scale, presumably to probe the defence line for weak spots. In certain places odd | ||||
numbers of 20 or less enemy infantry infiltrated behind our lines. In this very wooded country, with hedges everywhere, | ||||
it is not difficult for them. All attacks were repulsed with considerable losses to the enemy. | ||||
16 | Counter attacks all day along the Southern and Centre sectors | |||
of the Bde front. 257 Bty killed a Mk Vl (TIGER) tank at 150x range Bties are under Comd Bns. as follows:- | ||||
257 1/6 Queens 258 1/5 Queens. 259 1/7 Queens. 260 22 Armd Bde, mobile reserve in support of firm base. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
717644 | 16 (Cont) | 257 & 258 Bties did a good deal of damage to enemy infantry by small alms fire, killing numbers of them. | ||
17 | Enemy are still probing the line, and are being beaten satisfactorily all the time. 257 Bty again killed a tank, beleived | |||
to be a TIGER. At 1400 hrs it was reported that Major L.G. Ditchfield, OC | ||||
257 Bty had been killed, a short time before the report. Maj J.J. Barclay (2 i/c) attended a conference at 131 Bde HQ | ||||
and afterwards went out on a recce of new positions. The Bde Comd's intention is to reform the firm base on a new line some | ||||
800-1000 yards behind the present line and has been given 1 RB to be included. This will thicken the infantry considerably. | ||||
About 1830 hrs 257 Bty reported on the air that they and 1/6 Queens were being overrun by infantry. CO ordered 8 M.10's | ||||
(with 17 pdrs) from 260 Bty to proceed to the area to assist in restoring the line. RHQ TAC & MAIN moved together at 2030 | ||||
hrs to STE HONORINE DE DUCY726655 to more appropriate billets. A line was run out to Bde HQ who remained in their same | ||||
location 257 have difficulty with the enemy all night in the process of withdrawing their guns. 1 Off & 19 O.RS. joined the | ||||
Regt from 1st reinforcements. The officer, Lt. ORFORD was not formerly in the Regt but the 19 O.Rs. are personnel sent as 1st | ||||
reinforcements in the U.K. | ||||
STE. HONORINE DE DUCY. | 18 | Padre held a Communion Service for RHQ at 0600 hrs. 257 Bty are now known to have lost 4 guns during last night and about | ||
17 O.R.S. MAJ H CRANFIELD RA is posted to the Regt to command 257 Bty and Capt LOG SWAIN who rejoined this Regt on 15 June is |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ste Honorine De Ducy | 18 | posted to 257. Adjt visited Corps reinforecement unit in the evening and drew 20 O.R. reinforcements. | ||
19 | Wet weather all day to-day and cold. The front is very static and most of the Division is making up a little sleep. The Adjt | |||
gave RHQ their (usually) daily talk on the battle situation at 2000 hrs and at 2100 hrs all the men listened to the news from | ||||
the BBC which concluded with a despatch from a War Correspondent describing the 7th Armoured Division's experiences in NORMANDY. | ||||
20 | Weather still wet. Adjt visited 257 Bty to take a Summary of Evidence in two cases for which Court-Martials are required. | |||
21 | Adjt again visited 257 Bty to take an addition to a Summary of Evidence taken yesterday. Weather dull and wind cold. A few | |||
shells in RHQ vicinity during the night. | ||||
22 | Weather dull in morning again, but brightened up considerably later on. At about 1700 hrs a number of shells fell in the RHQ | |||
and MAIN HQ 131 BDE area. No casualties but a few tyres punctured, petrol cans broken and minor things of that sort. | ||||
23 | No change in the situation. B.Cs. conference at 1500 hrs to | |||
discuss promotion of NCO's to fill existing vacancies. The conference was held at RHQ and lasted 2 hours. Weather quite | ||||
sunny and warm. | ||||
24 | No change to report in the situation. Weather hot with no wind. Capt Fitxgerald and Lt. KE Flatt left the Regt. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ste Honorine Du Ducy. | 25 | Lt. P.H. Stewart inter-posted from RHQ to 257 Bty. F.G.C.M. held at RHQ for trial of Gnr Callaghan (257 Bty) Prosecution conducted | ||
by Adjt, while Lt. HA Arnold defended the accused. Very fine weather again. At about 2200 hrs shells arrived in the RHQ billet | ||||
area. It is thought probable that an enemy SP 88 mm is firing at the Steeple of the Church about 100x from our house. One shell | ||||
hit the roof of the Church, while most of the remainder crashed into the ground about 20x from our house. One OR recently posted | ||||
to RHQ was wounded in the thigh and buttock. | ||||
718659 | 26 | Moved (as the present position seems destined to be shelled accurately) at 0645 hre and leagured temporarily at 720647, while | ||
CO2 recced a more suitable area, Moved again on the result of this recce to a house at 718659. CO visited all guns of 2 batteries | ||||
during morning. Wet all day to-day, Rum issue ordered in the evening by the usual Div signal for i - "Splice the Mainbrace" | ||||
27 | Adjt visited 257 Bty to take further evidence in a Court Martial case. In the afternoon, he visited B Echelon for the same reason | |||
and them went to the re-inforcement camp at 823750 to obtain reinforcements. CO is informed of an operation due to start shortly | ||||
and lays on the A/Tk part but the operation is subsequently cancelled, and new orders issued that the CO is to co-ordinate | ||||
the A/Tk defence of a firm base consisting of the present firm base, extended to the left as far as LES ORAILLES 7666. News of | ||||
8 Corps advance West of CAEN is good. | ||||
28 | CO & CO2 recceing the new A/Tk defence during morning. Staff Capt RA visited RHQ during morning. Bties locations as from |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
718659 | 28 (Cont) | tomorrow are as follows, 258 and 260 having moved. RHQ 719659 257 HQ 745624 258 RHQ 727613 | ||
259 Hq 748632 260 HQ 740655. | ||||
29 | Orders received that we are to send a Major and 2 layers to test our new equipment in the UK. The equipment is a VALENTINE tank | |||
mounting a 17 pdr. Major Jackson and a layer from each of 258 & 260 Bties will be sent. | ||||
Lt. V.R. MINNEY joined RHQ as A/Adjt in place of Lt PH STEWART who went to 257 Bty on June 25. | ||||
A 17 pdr from 259 is ordered to report to Div HQ to-morrow morning for a water test under the CRE. The details of the test | ||||
are not yet known, but the gun is to be semi-waterproofed with Grease G.S. | ||||
30 | Weather still very dull and wet. 259 supplied a 17 pdr to carry out a trial for crossing a river. The gun was supported in the | |||
water by infantry boats tied to it, and towed across by a DUKW. Unfortunately, towards the end, due to an accident the propellor | ||||
shaft of the DUKW broke, but the trial was sufficiently carried out by then. The gun has to be waterproofed to cross a river in | ||||
this way. At about 2000 hrs between 300 & 400 RAF Lancasters and Hallifax's bombed VILLER S, THURY HARCOURT, and CONDE SUR NOIREAU | ||||
with the object of interfering with communications of 9 & 10 Pz Divs which have just appeared on the front. The planes flew over the | ||||
front and provided a magnificient sight for the army. Very few were shot down (about 3) due to the fact that AGRA and our Div Arty were | ||||
shooting hard on all known enemy AA-positions. FLAK was very meagre. At about 2030 hrs. A Party of American Officers from 2 US Armd Div | ||||
arrived at RHQ with the information that they were releiving us. News to this effect was received from Div shortly afterwards and | ||||
the Div is going to move to a concentration area North and North West of TILLY-SUR-SEULLES in the area of JERUSALEM x roads 8272. |