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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field | 3 | Bn moves to BOISSEY CHATEL 4042 (Sheet 7). | ||
| 4 | Bn leaves 31 Tk Bde and moves to LES ANTHIEUX 2103 (Sheet 9E5) in preparation of joining 34 Tk Bde now under comd 8 Corps. | |||
| 5 | Bn moves to join remainder of Bde. Harbours area 995375 (Sheet | |||
| 8E). Informed of role in attack of LE HAVRE. Under comd. 1 CORPS. | ||||
| 9 | Bn moves to FAA for Op "ASTONIA". Localities:- - | |||
| BHQ 591291; A Sqn 589289; B Sqn 583289: C Sqn 580307. (Sheets 7E4 and 8E3). | ||||
| Plan Op "ASTONIA". Original Task: 9 R Tks to support 146 Bde in mopping up area E | ||||
| of R. LEZARDE, forcing a crossing of river and entering LE HAVRE. PLAN: | ||||
| Phase 1: A Sqn to support 1/4 KOYLI, having under comd B Sqn 22 Dgns less 1 tp; Sec 294 Fd Coy; Med & Fd Arty. | ||||
| Task: To clear localities 562289; 583283; making two gaps through minefds. | ||||
| Method: (a). A Sqn deployed in area track 574295 to 575287 to support B Coy with MG and HE fire in clearing locality | ||||
| 563283. (b). C Sqn to support C Coy attacking N to locality | ||||
| 562283 from high ground area 571303. (c) 2 tps and HQ to support D Coy in attacking area | ||||
| 563279. (d). A Coy to exploit forward to line of 20 contour and | ||||
| clear locality 560279. Time: 0530, D + 1. | ||||
| Phase II: B Sqn supporting 4 Lincs; other supporting arms - 222 Sqn ARE; Sec 294 Coy, Med & Fd Arty. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field. | 9 | Task: To force crossing of R. LEZARDE at HARFLEUR and secure rly | ||
| brs at 545276 for adv on main rd W to LE HAVRE. Method: To adv on thrust line track 564288 W to 558286 across | ||||
| country to join main rd at 556286, thence S to HARFLEUR and on to LE HAVRE. | ||||
| Plan: Coln to be composed as follows :- 1 Pln Inf; 1 Tp Tks; Flails; 1/2 tp ARE: Tp Tks - HQ; Coy Inf; | ||||
| FOO: Wasps; Sec RE; Sec Mor: Sec A/Tk: Jumbo Bridge: Coy Inf and 2 Tps Tks. | ||||
| Res: - 1 tp tks and 1 Coy inf. One coy to give R flank protection as far as HARFLEUR. | ||||
| Time: Dependent on Phase 1. | ||||
| C Sqn was allotted the following tasks: - | ||||
| (1) From 1815 to 1915 on D Day to engage targets 557292, 545282; 545286, to simulate attacks from East, working on a pre- | ||||
| arranged plan with Arty and Mor fire ordered by 49 Div. (2) To assist A Sqn in supporting 1/4 KOYLI in Phase 1(b). | ||||
| (3) To stand by in reserve to support Hallams who may have to assist 147 Bde and 107 RAC in clearing Plateau area 5428. | ||||
| (4) To stand by in reserve in sup of Hallams to push through B Sqn and 4 Lincs into LE HAVRE should resistance be | ||||
| determined and formidable. | ||||
| 11 | 1815- 1915. | (All map references found on component parts of Sheets 123 NW, | ||
| NE, SW, SE, 25,000 and Town plan LE HAVRE 1/10,000). According to plan, following RAF bombardment on area plateau | ||||
| 5428 (BENTLEY) C Sqn deployed on spur 5730 engaged observed targets in wood 562288 (OSCAR) and pill-boxes' on Eastern | ||||
| slopes of plateau 5428. Both the HE and MG fire was accurate, heavy and well-controlled, and did much to soften and harass the defences | ||||
| for the attack on the following day. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field. | 12 | 0530 | Phase 1(a) starts. Owing to poor visibility, tanks had to fire | |
| on fixed lines using MG only. Nevertheless, the attack looked as if it would be successful, but the enemy withheld their fire until | ||||
| inf were within 30x of objective (OSWALD) - the inf had also got on to an unlocated "S" minefd and this with the sudden heavy MG | ||||
| fire caused heavy casualties. | ||||
| 0559 | Phase 1(b) starts but "S" minefd pinned Inf to ground - tanks | |||
| could now see to fire and went forward to cover inf while flails were brought up to make gaps. | ||||
| 0908 | Gaps to objective had been made by flails supported by tanks and with the wood 563283 (OSWALD) being smoked by tanks and two tps | |||
| supporting from the L flank, the inf had captured their first objective by 0925. While the KOYLI re-organised themselves, A Sqn | ||||
| engaged locality 563283 (OSWALD) with well-directed harassing fire so that by 1030 white flags were flown by the enemy. | ||||
| An interpreter was sent forward, but the enemy declared that they had no wish to surrender and only wanted an hour to bury their dead. | ||||
| During this lull a tp of crocodiles was brought up for extra support and at 1230 the second attack started. A Sqn had taken up excellent | ||||
| posns around the wood and maintained well-controlled fire while the flails made two gaps for the Crocodiles. These were completed by | ||||
| 1305 hrs and the Crocodiles moved forward with the inf following. With the flames on the R flank and heavy MG fire on the L, the | ||||
| KOYLI walked into the objective and all the occupants had surrendered by 1325 hrs. | ||||
| The defences EAST of R. LEZARDE had been smashed - the strongpt area 563279 (KIM) flew its white flag at 1340 hrs and about 30 | ||||
| prisoners were marched out. The estimated damage to the enemy in this phase of the attack was :- about 100 prisoners; 1/75mm gun: | ||||
| 1/50mm gun A/TK: 1 hy MG and 6 MGS. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field. | 12 | 1540 | A Sqn had moved to FR at 577278, having suffered no casualties - | |
| damage had been sustained by the RO's recce tank by tellermine. | ||||
| 1545 | B Sqn started their adv but were delayed by mines and difficult | |||
| cratered ground. While mines were cleared the tanks engaged enemy MG posns on Eastern slopes of plateau 5428 which were troubling | ||||
| the Lincs. While on R flank on main Rd, 7 Tp in support of D Coy destroyed pill-box posns with intense fire, and allowed the main | ||||
| body of inf to get forward. | ||||
| 1930 | Brs at 553282 and 551280 had been crossed and HARFLEUR cleared. B | |||
| Sqn now caused about 130 enemy to surrender to the Lincs because of the intense fire that had been directed on any point that | ||||
| offered resistance. | ||||
| 2004 | B Sqn had reached br 545276 (ROBIN) but were unable to pass | |||
| because of rd blocks, craters and other obstacles. | ||||
| 2045 | B Sqn was released and the Bn was conc area GAINNEVILLE 5828 by | |||
| 2200 hrs, with HQ at 586299. | ||||
| 13 | Owing to the unforeseen developments in the N of LE HAVRE, the | |||
| task of the 9 R Tks was to support 146 Bde in clearing area bounded by NORTH, Canal YAUBAN, SOUTH, Canal DE TANCARVILLE. | ||||
| L - B Sqn with Lincs. CL- Boulevard D'HARFLEUR, | ||||
| SL- X rds 549279. R - C Sqn with Hallams. | ||||
| CL- Boulevard SADI CARNOT - Boulevard AMIRAL MOUCHEZ. SL- Rd bend 550276. | ||||
| Sqn Ldrs concerned had received orders to RV with respective Inf COs at 0800 hrs. | ||||
| C Sqn crossed SP at 0835 and leading tp with OC C Sqn first came under enemy fire (A/Tk) at 532268. Inf were also harassed |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field. | 13 | by MG and 88 HE and fire from high ground to N. 14 Tp was called | ||
| up with 2IC and took charge of the battle while forward tanks pushed on supported by 15 Tp. 14 Tp with 2IC finally put out 1/88 | ||||
| and 5 MG posns. Demolitions and craters in the area of br 546275 prevented B Sqn from reaching Boulevard D'HARFLEUR and they finally | ||||
| passed through C Sqn to go on to their CL via Boulevard DE GRAVILLE. C Sqn forced the various strongpts to surrender; - Telephone Exchange | ||||
| 512266; Block houses at 506261; 502262; 502260; 501263 and brewery 499263, and had | Transcription note: 502262 was 502622 believed to be typo | |||
| completed their task by 1400 hrs. All opposition had been quickly engaged with accurate fire and at least 200 prisoners had been taken, | ||||
| most of whom were passed on to the enthusiastic FFI. Two 50mm A/Tk guns; 5cm and a number of MG posns had been overrun besides a large | ||||
| number of riflemen sniping from windows. B Sqn met little organised resistance and had cleared their area by 1330 hrs, over-running 2/50mm | ||||
| A/TK guns and MG posns, 30 - 40 prisoners being taken, | ||||
| 1430 | Bn released by 146 Bde, except for Recce Tp which had been doing | |||
| very useful work all day in clearing and patrolling side rds. From 1600 hrs to 2100 hrs, the Recce Tp under Sgt. Findlay gave invaluable | ||||
| assistance to Hallams in clearing their Dock area SW of Br 582259. Maneouvring up to strongpts and covering them with accurate fire, | ||||
| they were instrumental in supplying the Hallams with about 250 prisoners. | ||||
| Released at 2130 hrs, they found Bn which had now conc at 570312. Bde conc area ANGERVILLE L'ORCHER 6236 and HERMEVILLE 6137, with | ||||
| 9 R Tks area HERMEVILLE (Sheet 7/4 and 8E3). | ||||
| 17 | Bn moves to area BIVILLE LABAIGNARD 1846 (Sheet 9E1) to rest and | |||
| await further orders. Maintenance and engine changes carried out. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field. | 29 | Bn moves in preparation to join 2 Army. | ||
| 30 | Bn at VRON, 2408 (Sheet 4, 1/250,000). |
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