National Archive Reference: WO 171/868
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Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Field | 1 | Training continues. Finishing touches put to all Maintenance jobs, and painting of vehicles with new Bde signs etc. | ||
Excellent concert given by 59 Div Concert Party in the evening at our location. | ||||
1900 | Received Warning order of move to new location - area North of Gace 5448. | |||
2 | 1015 | Harbour Parties moved to new area. | ||
1415 | Bn moved via Argentan | |||
2315 | Arrived in New Harbour - 47 Miles. | |||
Strength of Unit 41 offrs and 625 OR's plus 1 Offr and 25 OR's LAD and Padre | Appx 'A' | |||
3 | Remained in present area i.e. 609573 Nr Le Sap. Owing to fairly long run | |||
for Churchill Tanks yesterday (47Miles) quite a number of heavy maintenance jobs had to be done. | ||||
4 | Maintenance continues. | |||
1030 | Received Warning Order to move. To stand by at 3 hrs notice and 2 hrs notice from 1400 hrs. Informed we had to be concentrated in area North of | |||
Louviers by 7th Sept - 3 days time. | ||||
1610 | Received orders to move to Bernay area. | |||
1900 | Tanks moved | |||
0030 | Arrived at Harbour - 29 Miles. | |||
5 | 0330 | Received Orders for move to area North of Seine. Route - Brionne - | ||
Pont de L'Arche. Arrived into Harbour Area Croix-Mane - about 2 miles NWest of Croix Mare 0334 - Journey 64 Miles. This makes 140 Miles in 4 days. | ||||
2200 | Tanks arrived in new Harbour. | |||
6 | Maintenance in morning. Tanks commenced to march to concentration area. Continued overdeaf. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Field | 6 (CTD) | 1430 | Tanks left. Croix Mare | |
1930 | Arrived at concentration area Location 613364. 29 Miles Route:- Yvetot - Bolbec - Goderville. | |||
CO attended conf at Bde HQ ref attack on Le Havre and received outline plan. | ||||
7 | 0900 | CO visited 56 Inf Bde HQ to arrange the necessary details. CO issued outline plan to Sqn Leaders. | ||
1700 | Sqn Leaders visited their respective Bn Comdrs of 56 Inf Bde and carried | |||
out Recces. Attack due to take place on Saturday 9th. Rained continually during the day. | ||||
8 | Heavy rain all day. D Day for attak on Le Havre now Sunday 10th. The day | |||
spent on Recces of Routes to FVP's and start lines and coordinating conferences with Infantry, Flails and Avres. | ||||
9 | weather still bad | |||
1930 | Tanks leave present location for Lying up position at MR Area 5434. 'C' Sqn on 'A' Route A, B & RHQ on 'C' Route. Routes difficult - steep | |||
inclines and going bad. C Sqn arrived in their area by 2300 hrs. A,C & RHQ unable to reach their | ||||
area before 2300 hrs. Instructed to cease any movement after 2300 hrs owing to noise reaching the enemy. Surprise needed. A, B & RHQ | ||||
harboured half way to lying up position. Strength of Unit 41 Offrs and 622 OR's plus 1 Offr and 24 OR's LAD and Padre | Appx 'B' | |||
10 | Weather fine | |||
0530 | A,B & RHQ moved fwd to lying up position and arrived in area 5434 by 0645 hrs | |||
Tank and Gun maintenance carried out. Attack on Ie Havre. Continued Overleaf. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Field | 10 | Attack on Le Havre. | ||
1. General. Operation Astonia was the code name used for the attack on Le Havre by 49 and 51 H Divs. 7 R Tks was in support of 56 Inf Bde | ||||
throughout the operation | ||||
2. Plan 56 Inf Bde was given the task of breaking through the enemy | ||||
defences and taking the Plateaux to the S.W. of Montvilliers as Phase 1 the operation. | ||||
The initial assault was carried out on a 2 Bn Front SWB's in support. C Sqn 7 R Tks, 1 Sqn Flails, 1/2 Sqn Flame throwers and a Tp of AVREs | ||||
Glos Regt left with In support. B Sqn 7 R Tks and other Arms as above. The Essex and A Sqn 7 R Tks were to come through the 2 leading Bns to | ||||
take 2 Posts on the Plateau and get a footing on the next plateaux to the South, | ||||
3. The Attack Phase 1. After an hours most accurate bombing of the plateaux the assault started at 1830 hrs. The Flails supported by B. & C Sqns | ||||
7 R Tks started clearing the lanes through the minefields and by 1900 hrs they had made 2 lanes on the right and one on the left Front. On the right | ||||
some opposition was met from an A/T Gun firing from the right flank. 4 Flails were hit and destroyed. C Sqn 7 R Tks then started to pass | ||||
through the lanes and in doing so lost 4 tanks on mines. This was due to the fact that the lanes were not properly cleared and there were | ||||
other mines not shown on the overlay maps, and therefore not flailed. on the left flank B Sqn passed through the minefield without mishap | ||||
despite the fact that there was only one lane. The Inf and other supporting Arms came up rapidly on both flanks and by 1915 hrs the first enemy strong | ||||
points had been taken. | ||||
Continued Overleaf |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Field | 10 | Very heavy shell fire on the right flank caused casualties to the Inf and Tank crews This delayed operations for about 30 mins, but by 2130 hrs all | ||
positions on this flank had been taken. On the left flank the attack went according to plan and enemy opposition | ||||
was slight. The Essex and A Sqn passed their Obs just before dark and completed the capture of the plateau | ||||
A Sqn remained with the Essex during the night. B Sqn rallied back and it was possible to re-fuel and re-stock with ammo. | ||||
C Sqn remained on the plateau as it was impossible for them to get back through the minefield gap owing to traffic congestion. | ||||
11 | At dawn B Sqn rejoined the Glos on the plateau and were ready by 0700 hrs to advance when required | |||
0900 | 147 Bde started to pass through 56 Bde with the Leics directed on Foret de | |||
Montegeon. They had no Tanks with them as their supporting Regt was unable to get up in time. The 147 Bde therefore asked for assistance from OC | ||||
7 R Tks. A Sqn were accordingly ordered to support and half the Sqn went fwd with the Leics. This half Sqn fought with the Leics for three hrs and | ||||
succeeded in getting them on to their objective. They then returned and were replenished by ferrying Amn and Petrol in Stuart Tanks through the | ||||
minefield. No B vehicles could get through at this stage. At approx 1500 hrs O'sC Glos and 7 R Tks obtained permission from the G.O.C. | ||||
to launch the Glos and B Sqn accross the River South of the plateau and into the town. 2 X 75mm A/TK guns were encountered at 522293, but were | ||||
quickly knocked out. The advance continued rapidly and many prisoners were taken | ||||
A Sqn with the SWB's followed up and at last light both Sqns were in the town area 508284. They remained with their Inf throughout the night. | ||||
Continued Overleaf. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Field | 12 | 0800 | B Sqn with the Glos and A Sqn with the SWB's started a race for the sea | |
B Sqn advanced along the road running West from 510283 with A Sqn on the left on the main Rd running west from 510278. Sqns first obstacle was | ||||
the Fort at 498283 which contained 400 Germans. The road was mined just short of the Fort and one A/T Gun gave a certain amount of trouble. | ||||
However after 10 mins bombardment with TK 75mm H.E. the Fort surrendered. The mines were soon cleared and the advance continued. | ||||
A Sqn had to deal with 3 A/TK Guns but otherwise met with little opposition. The operation maindy consisted of blasting Pill Boxes and collecting | ||||
prisoners. | ||||
1130 | A Tp of B Sqn raced ahead and with no Inf in support entered the main | |||
German HQ. This Tp took 400 P of W incl the Garrison Cmdr and his Staff. The latter surrendered the Fortress of Le Havre to OC 7 R Tks. | ||||
By 1500 hrs neither Sqn could find any more Enemy to take prisoner and operations ceased. | ||||
A & B Sqns concentrated in area Montevilliers for the night and C Sqn who had moved back to rear Rally during the morning remained there. | ||||
13 | During the morning the Regt moved back to its original concentration area | |||
MR 613364. Maintenance of Tanks etc. was commenced | ||||
14 | Tank and Gun Maintenance etc. | |||
15 | Tank and Gun Maintenance etc. | |||
16 | Harbour Parties moved off to Recce new area. Sheet 9 E/1 Belmesnil MR 1951 Strength of Unit 45 Offrs and 632 OR's plus 1 Offr and 23 OR's LAD and Padre | Appx 'C' | ||
Continued Overleaf |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Field | 17 | Tanks moved off at 0900 hrs. | ||
Route Goderville - Beroute - Rouville - Fauville - Yvetot - Totes - Belmesnil. | ||||
Tanks arrived at approx 1900 hrs . Length of journey - 50 Miles. | ||||
18 | All tanks commenced a heavy maintenance period under the direction of the Tech Adj. | |||
19 | Tank Maintenance. | |||
20 | Tank maintenance. Individual Training commenced in Gunnery, Wireless and | |||
D & M. | ||||
21 | Tank Maintenance and Individual Training. | |||
22 | Tank Maintenance and Individual Training | |||
23 | Tank Maintenance and Individual Training. Strength of Unit 46 offrs and 642 OR's plus 1 Offr and 24 OR's LAD and Padre | Appx 'D' | ||
24 | Recreation and Rest Day | |||
25 | Memorial Service held in morning. Individual Training commenced in afternoon | |||
26 | The maintenance. Individual Training. 95 HE Shoot for Gunners in afternoon. | |||
27 | Maintenance on Tanks continues - Individual Training |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Field | 28 | Maintenance on Tks | ||
1000 | Receive Infm - Bn to move to area South of Dunkirk, To move at 0700 hrs Friday 29th - First stage to be just west of Abbeville | |||
29 | 0830 | Bn moved from area Belmesnil en route for just South of Dunkirk | ||
Route - Belmesnil - Longueville - Torcy - Enverman - Fresnoy -Blangy. Bn harbour 4 miles South of Abbeville, | ||||
1700 | Tanks arrived in new area Mileage - 50 Miles | |||
30 | Bn continued its march. This stage took us to Forest Montiers - 3 miles SE of Rue (owing to traffic etc. Abbeville was by-passed to the West) | |||
Route: St Valery Sur Mer - Noyelles - Forest Montiers | ||||
1040 | Tanks moved from harbour area | |||
1505 | Arrived new harbour Mileage - 30 Miles. Strength of Unit - 47 Offrs and 637 OR's plus 1 Offr and 26 OR's LAD and Padre. | Appx 'E' |