War Diary: 7th Bn Royal Tank Regiment

Month and year: September 1944

The 7th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment September 1944 war diary covers the units advance through France from Gace to Abbeville

National Archive Reference: WO 171/868

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Page 1 of 7

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.

Page 2 of 7

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.

Page 3 of 7

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
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

Page 4 of 7

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
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.

Page 5 of 7

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

Page 6 of 7

Place	Date	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

Page 7 of 7

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'

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War Diary: 7th Bn Royal Tank Regiment

Month and year: September 1944

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