Colonel Brownrigg continues the story of 61st Recce:
“Lieutenant Truman carried out another classic patrol, watched by the General from the top of Mount Pinçon , and some of our infantry behind a hedge nearby. Truman and the Infantry Commanding Officer had discussed who should clear up the spot of trouble ahead, and Truman had said, ‘Leave it to me’. The watching infantry were so impressed by his carrier left-flanking support by Besa* fire from the armoured cars that they clapped him as he came back to report.
Soon afterwards, (at Lénault) near Le Plessis-Grimault, Lieutenant Flint won his M.C. (Military Cross) in a brilliant patrol with his gunner, chasing down Boches in and out of houses.
It was here that the Second-in-Command*, having arrived at the allotted area for Regimental Headquarters and brewed himself some tea, put his cup down to remark, ‘This place stinks.’ At that moment a fragment of shell smashed his cup, but didn’t touch him. Le Plessis must have been one of the most evil-smelling places in the Bocage, apart from Falaise.” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)
*The Besa was a British machine gun.
**Major Stewart Johnson
Don Aiken explains why the area may have stunk: (NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH)
“We advanced from there to Mt. Pinçon - not a mountain, but a high rising area of land with a spot height of 365 (metres). Here I remember seeing a Military Policeman stood on a road junction steadfastly directing the advancing convoys of Army vehicles, enveloped in clouds of red dust, and under constant bombardment from enemy shells.
It was here too that we were paused for a few hours, and on investigating the familiar smell of death nearby, we found a German soldier lying in a covered slit trench. His face was a huge ball of maggots. We managed to get hold of some chloride of lime and scattered this all over him. I still remember the disgusting sight of the maggots flowing from his face like a living stream.”
(Extract republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine' by kind permission of Don Aiken)
61st Recce Roll of Honour for 12th August 1944:
Sergeant James John Rickwood (age 34) of Eastcote, Middlesex
who is laid to rest in the St. Manvieu War Cemetery, near Cheux, west of Caen. (See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)
We will remember them.
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