10th June 1944 – In response to the D Day landings the Maquis had risen against the garrison of Tulle, south of Limoges in the Massif Central. Apparently in reprisal troops of the 2nd SS Panzer Division kill 642 civilians in the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane, north-east of Limoges in central France. The men are shot and women and children are locked in a church which the soldiers set on fire.
Montgomery meets the US Commanding General, Omar Bradley, at Port-en-Bessin and agrees a plan to encircle the Caen and the Panzer Lehr Division via Caumont and Villers-Bocage with the 7th Armoured Division. However, this turns out to be “little more than a reconnaissance in force.” (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)
7th Armoured advanced through the 50th Division’s forward position. The 50th held Bayeux and had established an additional base nearby to the north-west, between the city and Gold Beach (from Frontline map in Library of Congress).
On 10th June the 8th Armoured Brigade’s position was strongly counter-attacked by the Germans. These attacks were successfully repulsed and Point 103 and St. Pierre were held but the Brigade were unable to progress towards their next objective, the Tessel-Bretteville feature (Tessel Wood?*). Supplies were brought in by a defended column from St Leger via the Audrieu area. The lorries took back the wounded to the bridgehead. The column also brought liaison officers from the American 155 unit and 50th Division, offering artillery support. (From ‘The 8th Armoured Brigade Break-Out from the Normandy Bridgehead June 7th – 12th 1944’ by Brigadier HJB Cracroft , Commander.) *Tessel and Bretteville are villages south of St.Pierre
One of the wounded was Lieutenant Gordon Rainey:
“I went forward with a reconnaissance unit to try and take up a position on the flank of a strong armoured division reported to be moving up from the south. We soon found the Germans were already established in positions on the flank. I was in a Bren gun carrier behind an armoured car, which was suddenly knocked out by an anti-tank gun. The crew of the car were blown out of the vehicle but we were not seriously wounded. We directed fire on to what we took to be the anti-tank guns position.
Then I crawled forward with a few other men to reconnoitre around the still blazing armoured car. The Germans must have been watching us all the time from some other position, for suddenly there was another burst of machine-gun firing and we were all hit. My wound was in my leg. I crawled about 200 yards, and afraid that other members of the unit might think I was a Jerry in the long grass, waved to them. They waved back, and although the enemy were still firing two of them crawled towards me. Other members of the unit provided covering fire while they brought me in."
They crept forward to him under heavy machine gun fire, and his driver, Lance Corporal Hampton, and Trooper Smith dressed his wound. The little party started crawling away on their hands and knees through the long grass back to our line.
"We could only make slow progress" said Lt. Rainey, "and my driver got fed up and he got me on his back, jumped up and ran for it. It was a very fine show. They got me to a casualty clearing station and after two hours wait on the beach I was transferred to a hospital ship." (Extract from Yorkshire Post Friday 16th June and Daily Mail (Hull) via WW2 Talk Forum.)
Eric Brewer of 61st Recce recorded for June 10th: “Still at 103. Snipers still active 2 bullets strayed(?) by Smith. Also we were forced to move back to new position and take up that position.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)
61st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:
Sergeant Leslie Eric Carpenter (age 22) of Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire
Sergeant Thomas Ruane (age 25)
who are laid to rest in the Bayeux War Cemetery,
(See 61st Roll of Honour courtesy of Recce Mitch.)
We will remember them.
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