Chotie Darling

The Screaming Eagles

The 101^st Airborne Division, ‘the Screaming Eagles’, is renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, Operation Market garden and the Battle of the Bulge.  It has since paid a prominent role in many military campaigns and is one of the most highly decorated units in the US Army.

 

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 8th       Place HERVELD (west of Elst)

‘The Regiment – less “A” Echelon – crossed NIJMEGEN bridge at 1030 hours and came under command of 101 US Airborne Division.  We are based on HERVELD 6369 and RHQ and “A” Squadron are located there.  “B” & “C” Squadrons are forward.  The area lends itself easily to defence and Squadrons are mainly behind the American FDLs (Forward Defense Lines?) with the armoured car and some carrier troops forming mobile outposts looking WEST and NORTH over the NEDER RIJN.  In addition “C” Squadron assault troop and “B” Squadron Anti-tank Battery have formed a block on the railway at 580714.  The area was taken over from 52 Recce Regiment* and the relief completed by 1600 hours.  The remainder of the day was fairly quiet with only intermittent shelling of the FDLs.’

*Dick’s future regiment

 

Dick was now on ‘the Island’ again.

The regiment remained near Herveld until 13^th October 1944.

 

Eric Brewer’s diary for 8^th October records: “two counter attacks also shelling which has increased.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

Sandy Handley recalls “After the Arnhem do we was used for line holding, watching long stretches of river or open ground for which our mobility and communications were well suited.  We were sometimes supporting the 101 American Airborne.  Later we had a series of ordinary infantry positions in the lowland between Arnhem and Nijmegen.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

 

Field Service postcard sent to Chotie by Dick on 8th October 1944.

With the Yank Airborne

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 6th       Place ELST area        NIJMEGEN

'The regiment moved from divisional reserve SOUTH of the River Waal to our old harbour SOUTH of NIJMEGEN.  By 1400 hrs “A” Squadron were the only sub-unit NORTH of the river.  Efforts were made to have “A” relieved, but the relief was not completed until 2200 hrs.  The day has been generally quiet with some slight shelling of NIJMEGEN at last light.'

 

Dick was now south of Nijmegen again,

away from the front line.

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 7th       Place NIJMEGEN

'Today has been devoted to bathing, maintenance etc.  We have been warned that we return to the ‘Island’ tomorrow, it is believed to the WESTERN sector.'

 

Reg Harper tells of trying to back to Nijmegen to have a bath where Regional HQ ‘had their feet under the table in civvy billets’ by pretending he needed to take a truck back.  Unfortunately he encountered the legendary ‘Towrope’ Captain Joe Meredith, the Technical Adjutant who had organised the water-proofing of vehicles for D Day and who wasn’t to be fooled. Corporal Harper was sent packing, back north over Nijmegen Bridge to ‘the Island’.  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 Tony Rampling remembers just how important a bath might seem: 

Washing and Shaving

“Well we obviously didn’t wash very much.  They tried to get us to shave, which we did under pressure.  I actually grew a moustache to make myself look a bit older because I looked quite a boy I think.  By and large we stank so much, that, well you wouldn’t have come near us.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

 

On 6^th October Eric Brewer of 61^st Recce’s ‘B’ Squadron Assault Troop wrote in his diary:  “Moved to Arnhem.  Prisoners are only 15 years old with about 6 weeks’ service in.   Plenty of spando fire.  Our guns have been firing all the time.  We are with the Yank Airborne.”

On 7^th October he was:  “Still at Arnhem, east of it” (and remained there until the 9^th). “Gerry put in 4 counter attacks today, also plenty of shelling.  We are with the Yank airborne – they are a fine lot of chaps.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

Roy Howard explained: ‘Owing to manpower shortages in the British 2^nd Army, US 82^nd and 101^st Airborne Divisions were moved north of the Waal to the ‘Island’ to hold the tip of the salient with 61^st Reconnaissance regiment; and remained there until the end of November.  In this period their losses equalled those taken during the Airborne phase.  They became a much blooded Division’.    

The 101^st Airborne Division spent 72 days in combat in the Netherlands from the start of Market Garden  to late November 1944.  They suffered 1,682 casualties in the defensive fighting on ‘the Island’ alone.

(From “March to Victory: Guide to World War II Battles and Battlefields from London to the Rhine” by John T Bookman and Stephen T Powers, published by Haynes in 1986 and “Race for the Rhine Bridges 1940 1944 1945” by Alexander Mckee, published by Souvenir Press 1971.)

 

Over Nijmegen Bridge

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 3rd       Place NIJMEGEN

‘Today has been quiet.  “A” Squadron have returned from 69 Infantry brigade and reverted to Regimental control.

Tonight a warning order from Division arrived.  The Regiment moves NORTH of NIJMEGEN tomorrow.’

 

Eric Brewer wrote: “We were relieved to go for baths – first one since Bayeux…Saw a dog fight…Gerry is after the bridge but he got shot down and we saw the parachute.”

On October 4^th, while still at Nijmegen he wrote: “as I write this this the sound of mortar shells, air craft and machine gun fire can be heard.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 4th       Place NIJMEGEN  ‘The Island’

‘The Waal was crossed at 1400 hrs and the Regiment moved to the area 6968 just SOUTH of ELST.  We are in Divisional reserve though tactically disposed in Squadron ‘blobs’ centred on the BEMMEL* area.’

*a village south east of Elst

 

Reg Harper from 61^st Recce RHQ (Regimental Headquarters) recalled ‘the Island’ in the newsletter of the Old Comrades Association:   

“The damp, dreary and dismal ‘ISLAND’, that notorious place between Nijmegen and Arnhem we got to know so well during that October/November ’44…North it was again over Nijmegen bridge where, as Colonel Brownrigg wrote the heart sank every time you did it, and in my memory the throttle foot also went down hard on many occasions.”   (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

Dick and the rest of 61^st Recce had all moved to ‘the Island’,

near Elst (between the Waal and Lower Rhine rivers)

south of Arnhem, which was still held by the Germans.

 

 

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 5th       Place ELST area

‘Today has been quiet. “B” & “C” Squadron’s location remaining unchanged.  “A” Squadron moved from Regimental reserve and came under command of 151 Brigade* relieving 6 Durham Light Infantry from the area immediately NORTH EAST of NIJMEGEN bridge.  “A” are not seriously committed.  They have only a narrow sector to hold, and that, one which is unlikely to be the enemy’s ‘Schwerpunkt’** should an attack develop.  Five officer reinforcements ex 34 RHU***

*part of 50^th Division.

** a German word meaning literally ‘hard point’, the schw­er­punkt is the unmov­ing tar­get of a strat­egy - the one objective every­one is work­ing toward.

**Replacement Holding Unit or something to do with the Royal Hussars (part of 7^th Armoured Brigade)?

61st Recce War Diary

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 1^st. Place MILL (south of Nijmegen and Grave, Netherlands)

‘The dawn of another month finds the Regt’s location unchanged.  RHQ still at MILL 6545 with “B” & “C” Sqns East of the village and “C” Sqn patrolling the WEST bank of the R. MAAS.  The Armd Cs are now the only troops committed and the enemy is remaining quiet.

Orders were received from Division that the Regt is to move tomorrow to the NIJMEGEN area and adv parties from 3^rd (Br) Div arrived during the afternoon.  Sqns started to thin out during daylight and by 2200 hrs the relief was complete.  The relief has been on a generous scale – an inf bn relieving one of our armd c patrols at CUYK 7249.’

 

According to his diary Eric Brewer was already on his way: “Shifted to Nijmegen. Passed over the bridge the first airborne captured*…..50 of squadron allowed out to Nijmegen so we tossed up but was not lucky.”  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

*Nijmegen bridge was captured by the US 82^nd Airborne and XXX Corps on 20^th October 1944.

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 2^nd.       Place MILL (then) NIJMEGEN

‘Most of the early part of today has been spent preparing for the move NORTH.  “A” Sqn are still under comd 69 Inf Bde NORTH of NIJMEGEN and it looks as though the Regt may be complete again before long.  The move took place at 1700 hrs and Sqns were in the new locn – SOUTH of NIJMEGEN – by last light.  RHQ was est at 702585.

 

Eric Brewer describes some action on 2^nd October: “Attack went in today – Yanks and British.  Plenty of fighting going on, also plenty of bombs going over.  Shelling and mortar, 4 hrs, heavy, also a few spando active.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

 

Dick crossed the Maas and moved to south of Nijmegen.

 

Divisions, Brigades and Battalions

30^th September 1944 - ‘The whole of 50th Division was now tasked with guarding the bridge and bridgehead north of Nijmegen called the Island. The first serious German counter attack came when seventy tanks and the equivalent of an infantry division was unleashed on the division. 69th Brigade and 5th Guards Brigade were holding the line, while another attack was put in against 43rd Division across the Lower Rhine. The intensity of the attack on the 69th Brigade and the intensity of their defence can be judged by the fact that 124th Field Regiment Royal Artillery fired a total of 12,500 25-pound shells during the action and 'B' Company of the 2nd Cheshires fired 95,000 rounds of medium-machine-gun fire. For nearly two months static warfare was the norm on the Island. The forward troops rotated regularly. The great bridge at Nijmegen was under constant shellfire and journeys over it were made at full speed. The 50^th Division casualties in the battles on the island in early October were severe: almost 900 including 12 officers and 111 other ranks killed in action, 30 officers and 611 other ranks wounded and another 114 missing.' (From TT 50th Infantry Division.)

 

Colonel Brownrigg describes 61^st Recce’s role:

“After Arnhem we had a long spell of line-holding, as the war began to settle down for the winter.  We had considerable variety, sometimes watching long stretches of river or very open ground, for which our mobility and communications were ideally suited; sometimes supporting our friends the American 101^st Airborne Division:  but eventually in November we had a series of ordinary infantry positions in the ‘Island’ between Arnhem and Nijmegen.  By the time that floods drove us out of our forward positions with water washing the hubs of our vehicles, we had held the line on the extreme west of the ‘Island’, but it was a miserable place, and one’s heart sank every time one crossed the Nijmegen bridge going north.  We started by taking over a battalion position, and finished by relieving a brigade*.”  (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

*battalions typically consist of 300-800 soldiers under a Lieutenant-Colonel.  Brigades may consist of three to six battalions led by a Brigadier while a Division eg 50^th (Northumbria) Division, has three or more brigades (ten to thirty thousand soldiers) under a Major-General.

A Corps is either a large military formation of two or more Divisions eg XXX Corps, or a professional branch of the armed forces such as Recce Corps.

Regiments are permanent (and often historical) units of various sizes although many British regiments have now combined to make larger regiments eg 'The Dorsets' were merged to become 'the Devonshire and Dorset light infantry regiment' in 1958, which in turn became part of the large regiment of ‘The Rifles’ in 2007.

 

Eric Brewer reveals that the squadron shifted to Mill (south of Graves and Nijmegen) on 30^th September.  “Out on recce saw the right Ark car that the O/C of a squadron got killed – his name was Major Alexander – also his grave.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

Dick, in ‘B’ Squadron like Eric, would have been located east of Mill,

north-west of Boxmeer in the Netherlands

and west of the River Maas.

 

Eric had found some camera film in a German tank a week or two earlier and borrowed a camera, sending the film home to be developed at the beginning of October 1944.  Tony Rampling says that cameras were strictly forbidden among the troops in Europe.

Eric Brewer on half-track vehicle, in centre (photo courtesy of Derek Brewer who has copyright)

 

 

In a Dutch farmhouse - Wednesday 27th September 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA

Wednesday Sept 27^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    I posted a letter to you yesterday, but as I have a free day today I thought I’d start another, anyhow.

            I’m in a farmhouse writing this, a big rambling place with massive oak-beamed rooms – quite pleasant.  There is also the most wonderful baby you ever saw who belongs to the farmer’s wife.  In keeping with the place she’s a massive woman herself, who’s reared hundreds of children – and looks like rearing hundreds more.

            It’s raining steadily at the moment, which makes it a double pleasure to be indoors – as farmyards are always so depressing in rain.

            My friend Winsor (‘The Duke’) has now returned, after an absence of some six or seven weeks, which makes life so much more bearable.  He started off in true form last night by taking about 2 quid from me at pontoon….

            I’ve been having a look at this demob. racket.  It appears that I don’t come off too badly.  Brinner of course is worse off, as he’s younger and has less service, so he’ll probably end up in Burma after all.  How do you come off?  I suppose I’ll have to marry you in the end, if only to get you out of the army….What a price to pay!

            I’ve written a letter to Madelaine* to thank her for the books and general kindness shown at Oudenarde.  It was written in French with the aid of a Dictionary (my written French is pretty poor stuff), and I was quite pleased with the result, though I expect it will provoke some laughter in the family.

            Have just received your letter of the 22^nd, which I’m tacking on to this one.  It’s rather a long time in the post these days isn’t it?  Though I suppose it takes longer by having to go to your home address first.

            Very pleased to hear that you saw the Queen and Princess – bet you were thrilled.

            Congratulations on passing the course at all – I suppose you’ll be chucking me about when I get home again….

            It’s lovely and bright this morning – really September – though I think the Autumn will be a little tardy this year, in these parts at any rate.  It should be rather beautiful when it does come, as nearly all the roads are lined with trees.

            Mother had a letter from Monica recently telling her that her husband has returned to England from France with gastric trouble and ‘shellshock’ (now called ‘mental neurosis’ I believe, which is a kinder name), so I suppose he’s out of it for good.  I’d better write her, I suppose as she sent me a card on my last birthday.  Mother said she was after my address – a bad sign.

            I must close here, Darling as there’s plenty of work to be done, this sunny morn.

                        All my love, Chotie Darling

                                                                                    Dicker

*Madelaine Gervaert. 

© Chotie Darling

 

 

On 26^th September Eric Brewer, also of 'B' Squadron, had written in his diary that they “shifted to the Whellismi (sic) canal near Gerry on hill in front.  Can see Germany from here.  I hope to be in there soon as the plan to go to the Zuiderzee has changed because the bridges across the upper Rhine are blown so we are pushing into Germany.”  They were still in the same position on the 27^th but on the 28^th “moved to harbour for rest before the next push which I hope will be the last push needed as Gerry cannot last much longer or I hope not.”  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

Much too flat - Monday 25th September 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Sept 25^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Sorry I haven’t written to you for so long – but it’s simply been impossible, as we’ve been on the move all the time with practically no rest and plenty of work to be done.

            Was glad to hear you’re still alive and kicking(!) after so strenuous a time – and that you’ve had a welcome break in meeting those friends.  Scotland has her points I suppose, but I could never be enamoured with the country – altogether too bleak.

            The countryside we’re now in is very pleasant tho’ much too flat.  Most of the roads are made of red brick and this feature, coupled with the green moss which grows in between makes them very picturesque.  The houses also differ vastly from those in France, as they are all brightly painted and so neat as to present a doll’s house appearance.  The people are phlegmatic, stolid and less attractive than hitherto, being all of one type – blond and dull.  They are, however, honest as the day is long, industrious and clean.  Most of the townsfolk with some education speak English – very useful as my French is useless here.

            Hope you’ve been a good girl in Scotland.  From what I know of Scotland it must have been difficult….

            How much weight have you lost?  Not too much I hope; but still, I suppose you could always “recover” it before I come back…..

            I’ve been trying to read Pamela Frankan’s “I meet farm people” – an autobiography, between halts on the road.  Not very spectacular, and not comparable with ‘Micky’ Jacob’s or Ethel Mannin’s efforts in this line.*

            Was pleased to hear the ‘pants’ arrived safely from home.  Mother told me she sent them, but I entertained doubts as to their eventual arrival.  Don’t get encouraged to show them off will you?  I reckon I’ve got priority on them.  What do you think?

            Must close here, Darling, to censure about a hundred letters.

                        All my love, Chotie

                                    Dicker

*Pamela Frankan was a lesser known novelist than the English actress and author Naomi ‘Micky’ Jacob or the British novelist and travel writer Ethel Mannin.

© Chotie Darling

 

Eric Postles remembers their position as rather more perilous: "Afterwards we moved into a deserted Driel, occupying riverside houses.  We were under constant mortaring from the Germans on the other side of the river.  I remember we found bottled fruit in a cellar, which was a welcome change of diet.  The house we were in had a bath and we were able to soak in hot water.

From there we moved upstream into positions in a farmhouse by the Arnhem railway bridge, which after crossing the river passed down a high embankment.  This marked the front line with the Germans on the other side of the embankment.  One night they tunnelled under the embankment and got a patrol through into our positions so we called down artillery fire on them.  The first three salvos fell short before they got their range.  The last of the three fell in the orchard where Corporal Martindale and I were, blowing me over and stunning me.  He carried me into the farmhouse and it was found that I had a hole in my greatcoat where a piece of shrapnel had passed through.  Luckily it hit the compass in my trouser pocket putting it out of action but leaving me with no more than a few bruises."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

Eisenhower, Monty and Browning

“Monty stood up in his car,

Having espied from afar

‘Chutes in trees and gliders wrecked,

Arnhem: he gave cigarettes.”

(From ‘Destination Berlin’ by Major Frank Harding MC, in ‘War echoes over thirty years’ published by Arthur Stockwell, 1970)

 

On 25^th September Eric Brewer recorded “Monty and Eisenhower also Chief of the Airborne ('Boy' Browning) stopped and spoke to us today; asked if we were getting our food OK, also if there were any complaints.  He gave us 2,500 fags between us and also told us we were being transferred from being called the 61^st recce to the 50^th.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

Don Aiken’s account of 61^st Recce and Market Garden mentions a similar incident:

“17th September - Advance on left flank of 30 Corps to Mol and Valkenswald
18th September - Hasselt and Eindhoven (link up with US 101st Airborne)
19th September - Grave (link up with US 82nd Airborne)
20th September - Cross Nijmegen Bridge over the River Waal
22nd September - Elst
24th September - South bank of Rhine (west of Arnhem)
Until 17th October - Continuous patrols on "Island" (between Arnhem and Nijmegen)

September 1944
It had been decided to strike up through Holland on a narrow front in an attempt to seize a corridor which would reach over the Rhine and into Germany; opening up the way to Berlin.
Airborne Troops were dropped on a line up through Holland with the objective of capturing all the bridges on the line of advance.
XXX Corps would quickly create the corridor and take over from the airborne troops. The first line of smaller bridges was to be captured by the US Airborne; and the last one (at Arnhem) was to be taken by the British Airborne Troops.
Initially everything went quite well. The advance progressed rapidly; and it was during this time, whilst we were moving up behind the Guards Armoured Division, and in a period when our advance had been cut off by a German attack, that Monty stopped his staff-car, had a few words with us and handed out some packets of fags.
Very welcome !

In a few days XXX Corps had arrived at Nijmegen and captured the large bridge over the Waal. When we arrived at Nijmegen the battle for Arnhem, a few miles up the road, was taking place. This was doomed to failure, as history knows, and I won't add to it here.
The result was that the whole advance bogged down and, with the approaching winter, conditions would soon be unfit to make a further assault to cross the Rhine. We took up various defensive positions along the perimeter of our territory and a few minor successes were achieved up and down the line but it became obvious that we weren't going anywhere for a while.”

(Extract  republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine' by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Sandy Handley recalled:

“We eventually went over Nijmegen Bridge.  By that time the airborne drop had turned out very badly, so many casualties.”

(From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Chotie becomes a PT Instructor

Chotie qualified as a PT Instructor on 22^nd September.

 

Her ‘Statement of Service’ and ‘Service and Casualty’ form state:

Attended Initial P.T. Course at No. 2 A.T.S. PT School w.e.f. 30 Aug to 22 Sept 44. 

Result : - “AX”.

 

Meanwhile in the Netherlands the Guards were still prevented from reaching Arnhem bridge by determined German resistance at Elst

The XXX Corps lifeline was severed by the Germans between Uden (south-west of Grave) and Veghel cutting off the front of the advance with the US 82^nd Airborne and part of 61^st Recce. 

 

43^rd (Wessex) Division was brought up across the River Waal and attacked towards Driel, on the south bank of the Lower Rhine, where they linked up with the Polish Airborne. Dick’s former unit, 43^rd Recce protected the left flank of the Division on ‘the Island’. Some of the Polish troops succeeded in crossing the Rhine in small boats and joining Urquhart’s Airborne at Oosterbeek, who were still holding their besieged position.

Ted's crowd - Thursday 21st September 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

B.L.A.

Thursday Sept 21^st

Chotie Darling,

                                    Just a few lines (as there’s no news*) to let you know I’m OK and still fighting fit(?)

            I hope your course has softened down a bit (as you should be more used to it by now) and that you’re enjoying your first visit to Scotland.  I never managed to get to Edinburgh when I had my course in Scotland, though I managed to get to Glasgow.

            My hand’s still shaking from testing a new armoured car we’ve received.  It’s funny how driving a car fast makes the old hands so wobbly.

            Heard from Diller this morning from home, where she’s on leave – including a footprint (in ink) of Michael*….Heavy nostalgia!

            Very pleasant house I’m in, writing this – a well-to-do surgeon’s town-house, English Georgian style – front-door on the pavement.  Some very good prints of the Flemish masters.  The countryside here is very dull, being quite flat but the small towns and villages we visit from time to time are very interesting. 

        Managed to buy a fountain pen yesterday for 100f. (10/-) – really very cheap.  I’ve saved about £100 since D-day so I must have a fling occasionally.

        My mate Geoff Winzer hasn’t yet caught us up again nor Jimmy Waddell, who’s still in England.  There’s only about 50% officers with us now – which makes life much duller.  To compensate this however, the area we’re now in is much more interesting, more people, shops & BEER!

        Ted’s crowd*** are the originators of this new push, though I haven’t yet met him.  Is he still in action?

                Must close here, Darling, for tea

                                    Much love

                                                            Dicker

*Dick had to censor the letters of his men and so would have censored his own as he wrote them, leaving out anything that would indicate his unit was involved in Market Garden and possibly trying to put any interceptor off the scent.

**The Williams family dog – I think.

***Ted Lewis, married to Chotie’s sister Margaret, was in the Grenadier Guards who had charged Nijmegen bridge.  By this stage of the war he’d had two tanks shot out from under him.  As a Sergeant he was the vehicle commander so stood up in the tank to give directions and could leap out if the tank was ‘brewed up’.  The rest of his crew in Operation Goodwood (to take Caen in Normandy) were less fortunate.

 © Chotie Darling

If Dick was in Nijmegen he was certainly being deceptive – much of the northern part of the town was burned out and artillery shells were still landing in the town.  It’s possible he was still in Eindhoven and his troop was still together.

 

Although the 101^st US Airborne secured Schijndel, the town west of Veghel, they told the inhabitants not to celebrate in case they were successfully counter-attacked by the Germans.  To the south even their base at Sint Oedenrode was under attack, requiring re-inforcements.

50^th (Northumbria) Division, having crossed the Wilhelmina Canal on the 20th September, was back defending the column west of Eindhoven from 21^st to 23^rd September, although their 69th Brigade were pushed forward to the Nijmegen area on Thursday 21^st.  

Eric Brewer of 61st Recce ‘B’ squadron is moving up Hell’s Highway:  “Moved at 4.30 in the morning to Holland.  Went through to Andover (Eindhoven?) to a place called Halover.  Went out on Recce but things quiet, a few vehicles knocked out here.”  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

52^nd Recce, Dick’s future regiment, arrived in Son en Breugel on the Wilhemina Canal, coming under the command of 101^st Airborne Division.  They then moved up to Grave on the north-west tip of the salient.

‘Hell’s Highway’ between Eindhoven and Grave, was under constant attack from the east and the west.  The Household Cavalry had discovered a large German food store at Oss (west of Grave), which was now important for supplementing disrupted supplies. Neither side could spare troops to take Oss so the store was in ‘no-man’s land’, with the British taking German rations in the morning and the Germans in the afternoon.

 

By dawn on 21^st September the Germans had established a defence line north of Nijmegen from the village of Oosterhout (near the Waal to the west) to Ressen (north of the Allies bridgehead) and across to Bemmel, cutting off access to ‘the Island’ and Arnhem.  Major Julian Cook’s  paratroopers pushed forward but came up against this line.

When the Irish Guards advanced their tanks along the narrow road above the polderland their tanks were shot out ‘like ducks in a fairground booth’. 43^rd (Wessex) Division, who were now defending the Guards’ left flank north of the 50^th Division, was sent ahead instead and had a hard fight.

82^nd US Airborne were facing strong German attacks on their positions from the Reichswald, the German forest to the east, and at night German bombers were now attempting to destroy the precious Njmegen bridge.

 

On Arnhem bridge, although fighting had continued through the night, the airborne troops were over-run and forced to scatter through Arnhem.  Most were taken prisoner including Freddie Gough (who later escaped in 1945).  German traffic was now able to cross the bridge to engage to halt the advancing column of XXX Corps heading for Elst (between Arnhem and Nijmegen).

At Oosterbeek the German infantry attacked with shells, mortars and machine-guns.  Snipers, tied into tall trees, shot into the perimeter. The British still had field guns and PIATs (Projector, Infantry, Anti-tank) to see off the tanks that arrived in the afternoon but the fighting everywhere was fierce and often cruel - one group of Pathfinders (the elite group who landed first to mark out drop zones) shot a section of surrendering Germans.

The British were exhausted, short of ammunition and desperately hungry. The battle smoke meant most supplies brought in by the RAF missed their position while others were useless, containing berets, battledress, berets and blanco!  The shortage of water meant medical staff could not wash their hands or the bodies of the wounded. They were also running out of bandages (begging sheets from the citizens trapped in their cellars) and morphine.

Major-General Urquhart at last managed to make radio contact with a regiment of 43^rd Division in XXX Corps.  By the end of the day the 1^st British Airborne at Oosterbeek held only a box-shaped area of land, one and a half miles square, with the Neder Rijn river along the southern edge.

 

The 1^st Polish Parachute Brigade, delayed for three days by bad weather, dropped at Driel, on the south bank of the Nederrijn (Lower Rhine), under heavy fire from the Germans.  Their anti-tank defences had been landed north of the Rhine but on 20^th September plans changed and Major General Sosabowski’s remaining forces were to drop on the south side, crossing the river by ferry to re- inforce the British at Oosterbeek.   Unfortunately the ferry was destroyed by a German attack on the morning of the 21^st and 46 of the 72 aircraft delivering the Poles had to turn back again because of poor weather.

Two troops of household cavalry from XXX Corps made it through the German defence line to Driel and Captain Zwolański, Urquhart’s Polish liaison officer, swam the Neder Rijn to tell Sosabowski that rafts would be sent to bring the Polish paratroopers across but they failed to appear that night.

 

On 21^st September the second Dumbarton Oaks Conference in Washington begins to set out guidelines for the United Nations.

In Italy the Allies’ 8^th Army takes Rimini on the Adriatic Coast, east of Florence, and occupies the neighbouring microstate of San Marino.

The Estonian government is forced to flee after publishing their State Gazette (Riigi Teataja) in defiance of Soviet forces.

Charles of Flanders becomes Prince-Regent of Belgium because his brother, King Leopold III, is suspected of collaboration with the Germans.

In the Pacific the US Navy attacks Manila, the capital of the Phillipines under Japanese occupation.

Hell's Highway

19^th September 1944 – the Moscow Armistice is signed between the Soviet Union and Finland, ending the Second Soviet-Finnish War.

US First Army liberates the French city of Nancy in eastern France, near Germany.

 

In the Battle of Arnhem Major General Urquhart managed to escape from his hideout when the Germans briefly pulled back their blocking line by St Elisabeth Hospital.  Brigadier Lathbury had been wounded and was taken to the hospital, disguised as a Corporal. 

Back at HQ in Oosterbeek they’d found a BBC radio could send messages back to London.  This provided the only reliable radio contact with the outside world for the next two days.

1^st Para Brigade had been decimated trying to get through to the bridge and a new attack by 11^th Parachute Battalion was forced to retreat after savage encounters. The rest of 4^th Para Brigade tried to get round to Arnhem from the north but had to rapidly withdraw to avoid being trapped by German Wehrmacht (regular army) units assembled under General von Tettau and advancing from the west.  The landing zones were now battle sites and the third lift, with the Polish anti-tank squadron, arrived in the confusion of the fight, battered by flak.  The Airborne’s vital supply drop mainly landed in German positions.  Soon the last defending forces at the landing zones were also in retreat, heading for Oosterbeek.

Lt. Colonel Frost’ s men, at the north end of the Arnhem road bridge, are under increasing pressure. Low-flying RAF transport planes trying to support the airborne forces receive many casualties. The departure of the Polish Parachute Brigade, due to land near the south end of the bridge in the third lift, was delayed by weather in England and, in one of their few successful radio transmissions, the beleaguered forces on the bridge learnt that the Nijmegen bridge was yet to be captured, blocking their hoped for relief by XXX Corps.  Although they still fought savagely to maintain their position they were short of ammunition and bombs were raining down on the buildings they occupied, setting them on fire.  By midnight much of Arnhem city centre was ablaze.

 

The Grenadier Guards, now leading the XXX Corps column, passed over the Wilhelmina Canal at Son on the Bailey Bridge constructed overnight and made good progress to Grave, where they met up with Brigadier General Gavin of the US 82^nd Airborne and Lt. General Browning.  The Guards’ commander was shocked to hear they had not yet captured the Nijmegen bridge.  A plan was hastily put together with members of the Dutch underground and the tanks headed into the city, attempting to reach the bridge through the burning buildings where there was fierce hand-to-hand fighting.  The Guards also joined with the 82nd to defend their positions against heavy attacks from the east.

As XXX Corps advances the US Airborne Divisions come under General Horrocks'  command.   (See ‘Operation Market Garden, Netherlands 17th – 25th September 1944’.) 

 

The company of 101^st Airborne isolated by the blown bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal at Best were taken prisoner but then released when the Guards’ tanks were heard approaching. The battle at Best was dominated by the Allies’ tanks and some 2,600 prisoners were taken (although hundreds of Germans were killed before they could surrender).

Son and the new Bailey Bridge were also under attack and required strong defences, assisted by tanks that had found another crossing over the Dommel where it was separated from the Wilhlmina Canal in a culvert.  The Germans pincer movement failed to cut the line but Hell’s Highway ( as the Guards ‘Club Route’ was becoming known) was vulnerable, from both sides and above. VIII and XII Corps, which should have been flanking XXX Corps, were both delayed, the former by the fuel crisis and the latter by heavy resistance.

Eindhoven, rejoicing in its second day of liberation, was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe that night, blasting the centre with explosions.  Apparently 107th Panzer-Brigade had reached the outskirts of Eindhoven but were deterred from crossing the river Dommel by a gardener who told them the bridge would not hold tanks.

(From ‘Arnhem – the Battle for the Bridges 1944’ by Antony Beevor, published by Penguin 2019)

 

‘A’ Squadron of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment, with the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division, were protecting the left flank of the Guards Armoured Division as far as the town of Grave, and were then with the 101^st Airborne. (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

‘B’ Squadron of 61st Recce appears to have been split; while Don Aiken reached Grave and linked up with the US 82nd Airborne, Eric Brewer (of the Assault troop) was

“Still in base and waiting for big push again. We have been sent a personal message from Dempsey* on the job  done at Vire, also for the 2000 prisoners taken in the Falaise gap.”  Eric wrote home on 19^th September saying he was “still taking it easy” with a “PS  Will be having some good news for you soon but then again you might hear some before me."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.

*Lt. General Sir Miles Dempsey, Montgomery’s deputy.

 

Anthony Rampling remembers:

The route up to Arnhem was terrible – the 101^st Airborne called it ‘Hell’s Highway’.

Hell's Highway

“When the paras landed at Arnhem it was soon realised that it was going to be a disaster and we were ordered to get up to Arnhem as soon as possible.

We went along a route from Antwerp to Arnhem, getting over bridges etc, which were being shelled by the Germans and this route is now called ‘Hell’s Highway’ because of the incessant fire from mortars and shells.  As we got to these bridges we had to go across very quickly and they had a break in between because the bridges were being shelled all the time.

As we got to Arnhem we managed to get to the landing zones which were littered with smashed up gliders, parachutes everywhere, on a place called Ginkel Heath (sic*) which was about a 3,000 acre area of shrub and gorseland – ideal landing zone.  Everybody jumped out of their armoured cars, cut bits out of the parachutes to put round their necks.  After having this coarse uniform it was some comfort to have a silk scarf.”   From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

*Tony may be referring to the Polish drop zones, south of the Neder Rijn.  Ginkel Heath, which is north of the Lower Rhine did not come into Allied hands until much later.   He says:  “I remember British equipment, and a huge expanse of land with broken gliders and parachutes.”

 

The ‘Hell’s Highway’ route was cut by the Germans several times.  The planned route, Highway 69, was two lanes wide, generally raised above the surrounding flat terrain of polder. The ground on either side of the highway was often too soft to support vehicles movement and there were numerous dykes and drainage ditches. Observation was seriously restricted because the dykes tended to be topped by trees or large bushes and roads and paths were lined with trees.  The single road caused enormous logistical difficulties and Allied intelligence was unaware of the crack German troops in the area. (From Market Garden 1944-2014 and Wikipedia).

Leading vehicles could be quickly taken out by enemy anti-tank weapons causing a complete standstill for about 40 minutes before they could start moving again.

Army List for October 1944

Army List for October 1944 (corrected to 16^th September 1944)  see Recce Mitch's post of 7^th June 2013 – thumbnail (13 of 15 or page 368) for Army List with R.K. Williams entered as an Officer - 2^nd Lieutenant but (W.S./Lt. 1/5/44) i.e War Substantive Lieutenant.  The British Army List is a list (or more accurately seven series of lists) of serving regular, militia or territorial British Army officers, kept in one form or another, since 1702.

 

16^th September 1944 – Kythera, an island off the Peloponnese, becomes the first Greek territory to be liberated after a British and Greek force land there unopposed.

The Russian Army enter Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

52^nd Reconnaissance Regiment (Dick's future regiment) arrive at Heusden in Belgium, just east of Gent.

 

Eric Brewer was already involved in the preparation for 61^st Recce’s next engagement - Operation Market Garden:

Sept 15^th – “Moved on to another canal where we took up outpost.  Stayed very quiet but about 2 o’clock in morning there was quite a few Spandaus fishing to see if there was any one on the other side. We just kept low and let the bullets whim over our heads.   Plenty of voices can be heard, also vehicle movements."

Sept 16^{th - "}Still in same position can see Gerry walking about; also thirty of them in a slit trench no more than 100 yards away. Wish we could fire but cannot as it would let Gerry know that he was being observed and he must think no one is on the other side of canal. Saw a chap come up with bucket and bring food and mail, also heard plenty of movement." (From Eric Brewer’s diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

Jan and Madeleine Gevaert - Friday 8th September 1944

 61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA

Sept 8^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Once again a few more lines to let you know I’m still OK and a little of what’s going on at the moment.

            Hope you are enjoying yourself in Scotland* – I think you will so long as the weather’s reasonable – I certainly did.  That is, of course, provided the course isn’t too strenuous, though as you say, they usually start off fairly easily and gradually work up to more spectacular things.

            I’ve received your letter, written just before you left home – always rather a miserable business.

            I’ve been having a much more pleasant time lately – that is, pleasant as far as war can be of course.  The town** I mentioned in my last letter (where I had to hold the main bridge) turned out to be the best yet.

            The first person to great me was a chap of about 16 years of age, dressed (as they usually do here) in a plus four suit (or rather plus six) in overcheck with the inevitable ankle-socks.  He later introduced me to his sister (19) who turned out to be very charming.

            The girls dress amazingly well – they’ve saved all the best stuff to greet us.  Everything tends to tweeds and brogues, needless to say, and at least 75% wear knee-length white socks.  This is easily the most predominating feature of dress.  They never wear slacks – think that they are much too masculine.

            Clothes here are a fabulous price – you can’t buy women’s shoes (anything wearable) under 2000f. (£10) – though of course women do buy them. 

            I spent three days and two nights on the aforesaid bridge and knew everyone in the town after the first 12 hours.

            This girl and her brother (Jan and Madeleine Gervaert) were very, very pleasant and did everything possible to make things as comfortable as they could for us.  After I’d expressed an admiration for Balzac and Mozart, Madeleine brought me five of his works and Jan brought me an exceptionally good book on Mozart.  I’ve swopped addresses with them and hope to see them again after the war.  There were countless others of course, but they remain the predominant.

            Last night we had a little party in a country house where the officers of the squadron were invited.  It was a lovely place and luckily had no electric light, so we all sat round by the light of a large wood fire and some candles.  We drank, champagne, claret, Graves and Hock, and as I was the only one present who could speak French, I had the job of entertaining the daughter of the house – which I think I managed pretty well as she also had a taste for Balzac & Georges Sand, two of my favourite authors.

            The general countryside and towns here are much more like England than what we have previously visited.  And, of course, they have pubs here – honestly!  And, what’s more, they have some excellent beer – something like Stout.  There isn’t much of it though.

            I try to get as much conversation in French as possible as I won’t get the chance again.

            Well Darling must close here as there’s work to be done as usual.

            I don’t know when I’ll be able to write you again – things are rather fluid at the moment.

                        All my love, Chotie Darling,

                                                Dicker

P.S  Please excuse this wretched paper but I haven’t yet had a chance to replace the stuff I lost some time ago.  R.

 

*Chotie had started a PT course at No 2 PT School in Scotland on 30^th August, training to be an Instructor.

**Oudennarde/Audenarde, between Lille and Brussels.

© Chotie Darling

 Message (in French) from Madeleine Gevaert on her father's address card. The Gevaert family have a quarter in Oudenaarde named after them in honour of the textile business they developed in the town.

 

Although 50^th Division was still centred somewhere between Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels their Battle for Gheel had begun.  In the early morning of 8^th September 69^th Brigade’s Green Howards crossed the Albert Canal in collapsible boats to establish a bridgehead by the blown road bridge to the town with the East Yorks.  That evening the 151^st Brigade’s Durham Light Infantry cross the Canal to the south-east near the village of Stelen.  A Bailey bridge is erected across the canal overnight.

 

Apparently in Stelen church war cemetery there is a large notice:

‘On the 8^th September 1944 began from here the Battle for Geel by 50^th Northumbrian Division.’

 

Eric Brewer’s diary entry for 8^th September reads:  “Shifted to the Albert Canal, guarding a bridge.  Gerry mortaring and shelling it; a few prisoners taken today.  C Squadron and the HQ surrounded but later on Gerry forced to retreat.  Altogether he put in 14 counter attacks today.  55 captured: two carriers, also crews.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

8^th September: The Belgium government returns from exile in London.

US forces liberate Liège in eastern Belgium and Canadian troops liberate Ostend on the Belgium coast, north of Lille.  In France Beaune and Chalon-sur-Saone in Burgundy are liberated.

Germany successfully launches V2 rockets for the first time, hitting London and Paris from the Netherlands.

 

Remnants of the British Expeditionary Force

1^st September 1944 – Eisenhower takes command of all Allied troops in North-West Europe while Montgomery reverts to command of 21^st Army Group (the British and Canadians), instead of all land forces, but is promoted to Field Marshal in recognition of his achievements in Operation Overlord and the Battle for Normandy.  Montgomery’s tactical headquarters and caravan were in the park of the Château de Dangu, east of Gisors (halfway between Vernon and Beauvais).

The Canadian 2^nd Division liberate Dieppe two years after their failed invasion attempt here and Patton’s US Third Army take Verdun, near the north-west border of France and scene of the famous WW1 battle and memorials.

British forces cross the River Somme in France.

 

50th Division were still centred south-west of Beauvais on 1st September but 61st Reconnaissance appears to have advanced to Amiens and beyond with the Guards.  The Regimental HQ was established west of Amiens.

Don Aiken continues his account of 61^st Recce’s ‘B’ Squadron:

“Now the advance was in full flow. Our Regiment was put in as the spear-head of the advance which we did at rate of 60 miles in one day, and passing through towns whose names had been made familiar to me from stories of the First World War, which took place here thirty years earlier. Amiens, the Somme, Cambrai (south-east of Arras), Arras, Lille and Armentières (on the Belgium border north-west of Lille). Places which had been fought over for months, even years. We passed them by in a few days.
Often the advance was slowed by the enthusiasm of the local populace of the small towns and villages as we passed through. They were overjoyed to see Allied troops after years of oppression. Sometimes we were temporarily halted by the French Resistance who had cornered German troops in woods etc., and were asking our assistance. We had to refer them to our follow-up troops as speed of advance was paramount.
The Germans tried to slow down our progress in any number of ways, such as mines across the roads, or even sods strewn on the roads to simulate mines.
On one occasion when my Armoured Car was leading the advance along a narrow road lined with trees, I suddenly noticed a thin wire which had been tied across the road at head height between two trees. We managed to stop in time to investigate it and found that one end was fastened to the trigger of a Panzerfaust aimed at the centre of the wire and loaded with a rocket grenade." (Extract  republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine'by kind permission of Don Aiken)

Eric Brewer’s diary for 1^st September reads: “Pushed on to near Amiens. Went out on Recce, came across a camp with chaps captured in 1940 - they had been their Guards prisoners - and also a few more Gerry, must be about 200. Funny chaps as they salute us and stand to attention. Also bags of Gerry kit here and lorries.  Also officer quarters - they had left plenty of kit.”

Eric Postles writes: "1 September 1944:  We passed around Arras” (between Amiens and Lille) “and Amiens, although the crowd did their best to get us to go into the town centres.  Many of the locals took photographs of us.  The only one I had was some of the troop when we liberated Ailly” (5km north-west of Amiens on the Somme).  “A young girl named Joselyn who we met there posted it to me later.  We came across a crashed RAF bomber, which was reasonably intact, in a wood but there was no sign of the crew. 

Near Amiens a most interesting event occurred when a civilian came down the road and threw a smart salute to Lieutenant Soul” (Eric’s Troop Commander) “and said he had been hiding in France since 1940 when he was serving in the Guards with the BEF*.  He said he had valuable information and was rushed on the back of our despatch rider’s bike to RHQ.  There was a great feeling of euphoria during these days as we crossed Northern France and the feeling grew that the war would soon be over.”           *the British Expeditionary Force were the British Army in Western Europe from September 1939 to the French surrender and their evacuation in June 1940.

61st Recce's 'B' Squadron 10 Troop at Ailly-sur-Somme - Eric is missing from this photo.  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

It wasn't all plain sailing however: on 1^st September 1944, near Conty, south-west of Amiens Lieutenant Christian Ronald Griffiths of 61^st Recce was sent to an isolated patch to guard the left flank of the advance to Amiens.  He held his position “and inflicted casualties on the considerable enemy force”.  (From the Croix de Guerre Silver Star citation for Lt. Griffiths in 61st Recce battle honours.)

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 1^st September 1944:

         Corporal Arthur Richard Barnett (age 26) of Moston, Manchester

who is laid to rest in the London cemetery and extension, Longueval north-west of Amiens.

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

Amiens and the Somme

31^st August 1944 - liberation of Amiens on the Somme by 11^th Armoured Division

 

Eric Brewer wrote in his diary: “Pushed on again to near Amiens.  Stayed there the night. Captured about 60 prisoners; plenty more dead about.  Also have seen a B.B.* site. Heard that 5 have been taken today.  Came across load of Gerry kit - trucks, tanks, lorry and horses; also plenty of dead Gerrys.  Rounded up some Gerry from woods." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*Buzz-bomb - there were V1 launch sites west of Amiens.

 

Sandy Handley saw a bit of action near Amiens:

"Near Amiens our CO detailed the squadron Sergeant Major to scout out a rendezvous for harbouring all the squadron’s vehicles.  The main armour, tanks of the guards I think, had made a breakthrough at Amiens.  The 61^st Recce Sergeant Major sat himself on the bonnet of our Humber (not really Army orders) and away we went through the main street of Amiens.  There was no imminent danger so I sat back on my turret with a mouth full of an apple.  All of a sudden some French civilians waved frantically and shouted the Boche (Germans) was in their street, could we do something. 

The Sergeant Major, who was still clinging on to the bonnet of our armoured car shouted to me to aim at some windows in the street.  I still had the apple in my mouth and got into the firing position, then someone shouted “Over there, over there”.  Over on our left there were 6 Germans running like mad to get to their field gun cannon, whatever it was.  I was told to fire away at these fleeing Germans but what with a mouthful of apple and the Sgt. Major blocking my view I couldn’t let go (fire).  The Sgt. Major leaned over to let me have a good field of view but by that time the Germans had gone to ground.  If the Sgt. Major hadn’t been stuck on our bonnet in the first place no doubt I could have done a bit of damage.

We found a good harbour and returned to base but I never saw the Sergeant Major so far up the front again, well not sitting on our vehicle anyway.  Nice chap though." (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Waking the Guard

When the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment advanced from the Seine to cover the left flank of XXX Corps Major Harding’s ‘B’ squadron (including Dick's No 5 Troop) led the regiment for the greater part of the way.  (From the citation for Major Frank Harding in 61st Recce battle honours.)

 

 

 

61st Recce Humber Armoured Car - Beauvais © IWM

 

Anthony Rampling remembers ‘the great swan’:

65 miles ahead

“As we continued past the Falaise Gap and approached the Low Countries the Germans were in full retreat and my Regiment, the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment were some 65 miles ahead of the main army.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).  

 

Sandy Handley recalls a less than glorious incident:

“Later the Regiment had the job of protecting 30 Corps, left of tank.  We really got going then.  At one time our Armoured cars were 70 miles in front of Division HQ.  We were moving now towards Belgium.  Once we had drove 40 miles before breakfast.

We had scarcely any sleep.  One evening, after a long day’s motoring, we came to our harbour for the night.  We was all dog tired. 

Before we rested we had to have everything ready for the next day.  Our guns and ammunition - that was my job.  The driver had to make sure he had petrol, oil and water topped up and the NCOs and Officers had a conflab what was to happen the following day. 

Then we thought we was all set for a little shut eye but the Troop Sergeant, Bert Wheeler, came over to us and said “I know you’re tired but I’ve got a detail and vehicle guard tonight.” 

So we took our turn, two hours each but it was pitch black.  Me and another trooper kept stumbling over our sleeping mates – they had just dropped down where they were and gone to sleep.  At the end of our two hours we found the next two to go on vehicle guard and woke them and we wandered off and flopped down where we stood. 

Of course, whether the two troopers we woke up went back to sleep and if they did their stint (guard) we don’t know.  The orders were 5 o’clock reverie to be on the road by 6 am but the inevitable happened.  Everyone was so flaked out that nobody woke the Guard Commander.  The Sergeant had to get the troops up so there was a big row.  All the Guards were put on a charge pending Court Martial for being asleep on duty in the field.  What a shambles we all looked when it got light! Fortunately it was summer time and at least no rain so we had laid in the open, although this wasn’t usual.

Later as we approached Belgium, the Sergeant who had been Guard Commander that night had to see the Commanding officer who said “This is a very serious charge.  Remember we are leading the 50^th Division but I realise the troops have been going on non-stop for days and are obviously weary.  We will forget the charge.” 

That is a brief account but maybe someone was due to lose a stripe or two.  Of course, myself just a trooper, I had no stripes to lose.”  (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

31^st August 1944 – the Soviet Army takes Bucharest, capital of Romania.

Nice and Verdun are liberated by the US third Army.

Map Reading

Anthony Rampling remembers:

“The Germans smashed up all the signposts – you had to work out where you were from maps.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

 

This led his friend Sandy Handley into trouble:

“Another time we had to join the rest of our Squadron. 

We were given the map reference and Dan, our Corporal, said to me “You do a piece of map reading for a change and let me know when we have got to turn off this road”. 

I studied the map and could see a left hand turn, but somehow I’d mistaken the wrong turn. We went on, me still looking for this turn off.  However, we heard, just up the road in front, sounds of gunfire.  We came nearer and saw two tanks (ours) firing from the top of this cross-roads onto a village.  I thought ‘this is our turning left’. 

The Corporal told the driver to go to the brow of this road and ordered me to fire at the side of the road where it appeared the enemy was present.  The two tanks stopped firing as we was now in their line of fire, I should think 40yds away.  I fired away but, being a moving target, I don’t think I hit anyone.  I was more scared than they was more likely. 

Anyway our vehicle was a dangerous target being stationary for too long so we reversed from the cross-roads and, from the corner, the enemy started to fire at us with Spandau machine guns.  The bullets rattled on the side of our car.  We reversed and on seeing a slit trench at the side of the road, our Corporal Dan Polden, threw a grenade in.  We didn’t stop to find out anything else.  The tank commander gave us a wave and thumbs up.  I’m sure these tank men thought we were some daredevil commando unit.  We left them to carry on firing, their fire power was much greater than our little Bren (pea shooter) gun. 

In actual fact we had overshot the left turn.  Dan didn’t think much of my map reading, nor did I!

When we finally reached our squadron the Officer wanted to know why we’d been so long? 

Dan said “Sorry Sir, we took the wrong turning and gave some tanks a bit of supporting fire.”  I thought ‘while the rest of the squadron was in reserve, out of the line, we, that is, our lone Humber, was in the thick of it with the tanks’. 

Fortunately no-one got hurt, which was good news.  If anything had gone for a burton they would have blamed me for my bad map reading.

When I took my blankets out of the boot of the car they were all riddled with bullet holes.  I held my blanket up to show the lads; I said “There’s proof we’ve been up front”.  I wish I’d kept those blankets as souvenirs but they were quite draughty with those holes, the bullets had come within inches of making holes in me too.”

(From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

Paris and the Seine

Chotie Darling

 

Dedicated to the memory of my mother

and all those who hold the forever young of war in their hearts.

 

Part 4        Only the Enemy in Front   

 

Chapter 12          Across France and into Belgium

 

25^th August 1944 – Paris is liberated by the Free French Forces, Leclerc's 2ème Division Blindée, and the US 4^th Infantry Division and General De Gaulle enters Paris.   The German Garrison Commander surrenders having disobeyed Hitler’s orders to burn the city.

De Gaulle makes a speech to unite France against the Germans at the Hôtel de Ville:

“Paris! Paris outraged! Paris broken! Paris martyred! But Paris liberated! Liberated by itself, liberated by its people with the help of the French armies, with the support and the help of all France, of the France that fights, of the only France, of the real France, of the eternal France!”

The next day the Free French parade down the Champs-Elysees led by General de Gaulle despite shots from German snipers.

 

Avignon is liberated by the Allies in the south of France.  In Italy the Allies commence Operation Olive to crack the German’s ‘Gothic line’ across the hills and mountains north of Florence.

 

25th August 1944 - 43rd (Wessex) Division reached Vernon, on the west bank of the Seine,tasked with making the first assault crossing here. (The town had been liberated by French Resistance a few days earlier, the Germans retreating to the east bank at Vernonnet.)  The first attempt failed when the wind changed blowing away smoke barrage created to cover the DUKWs crossing at dawn.  However, a bridgehead was established on the 26th August with the support of a Folding Boat Equipment bridge using pillars from the bomb destroyed bridge and a Bailey Bridge built the next day.

*DUKWs (known as ‘Ducks’) were amphibious trucks that could be used to make a crossing or quickly assemble a bridge.  They were also used in the Normandy landings.

 

61^st Recce were beginning to assemble in the Vernon area ready for their Seine crossing.

Don Aiken recalls:  “25th August - Vernon and Seine crossing
The Free French Armoured Division was ordered to advance on Paris, and we moved on to the Seine, in the vicinity of Vernon, and there we indulged in the luxury of a short bathe in the river.” ( ‘From the Breakout to the Rhine’ from the BBC People’s War website http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/35/a5791935.shtml by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Eric Brewer wrote in his diary: “Shifted to two miles off Seine.  People are very nice.  Went out and found Gerry barracks, which had been abandoned, also loads of vehicles knocked out round here. Think we are moving tomorrow and hope to get well across the Seine, so they say.”

A letter to his family said: “We have had a few more eggs lately and it is getting quite a habit to have at least one a day. All the lads in the section have had a bath today, one of those self-made ones, and we had plenty of water as there is a well in the farmyard near us. Also there are some good apple trees round here so we are having a good share of them.

How are you keeping? Alright I hope and also hoping that the war job is going fine.  I see in the local rag that ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ is on at the Ritz so I expect you have seen it?” (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Eric Postles recalled:  "Short of the River Seine 43 Division passed through us and on 25 August successfully forced a crossing of the river on the north side of Vernon and established a bridgehead.  Their engineers constructed a pontoon bridge over the river (later supplemented with a stronger Bailey bridge) and troops poured over day and night.  The “Swan” as we termed our advance began in earnest with orders to capture Antwerp in order to provide a supply port and try to stop the launching of V1 rockets to London and the south-east by capturing the Channel coast region from where they were being fired.

The Guards Armoured Division replaced 7^th Armoured Division in 30 Corps and our division (50^th) took over transport from 43 Division to enable the infantry to keep up with tanks and provide extra supplies."   (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Falaise

Falaise was unforgettable for all of 61st Recce.

Don Aiken takes up the tale:  “22nd August - Falaise.

The American Army had now fully broken out of their less defended sector of the front, almost all the German tank forces having been thrown against the pivot point of Caen. This allowed them to partly encircle the German army from the South and a simultaneous pincer movement by our troops from the North entrapped thousands of enemy troops who were trying to flee through the only gap left at a village called Falaise.
This now became a killing field, with all the Allied gun-fire and the concentrated attacks by our rocket-firing dive-bombers (Typhoons) being rained down on the fleeing Germans. Thousands of the enemy were killed and, as we passed through the devastated area in pursuit of those who had managed to escape, I remember seeing bodies piled on top of bodies to a height of several feet.”  (Extract republished from ‘Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’  by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Eric Postles writes “… after the capture of Falaise on 23 August the gap was finally sealed but some German tanks and troops escaped to the river Seine.  All the time the Germans were being attacked from all sides by RAF rocket firing Typhoons…

The scenes of destruction were unbelievable.  Tanks were blown off the roads turretless, hundreds of vehicles were wrecked, dead bloated horses were everywhere, often still in the shafts and dead soldiers littered the area.  It was the first time that we realised how much the Germans used horse-drawn equipment.  Prisoners wandered aimlessly waiting to be rounded up.  This ended the Normandy campaign which had been costly to the Allies but more so for the Germans whose forces were shattered including Field Marshall Rommel, who was badly wounded by RAF planes.” (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Sandy Handley said “After the Falaise Gap episode….. We wondered if the Germans had got any army left.”

 

Anthony Rampling remembers:

Falaise

“When we got to Falaise this area was surrounded by the British, Americans and Polish and they encircled a German Army and they were bombed from overhead, shelled from all round and there were a massive amount killed and over 100,000 prisoners taken...The roads were full of dead bodies, dead horses (dead horses in their harness).  Very difficult to get through the roads for the chaos.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

Anthony told me that even the planes going overhead at 10,000 feet above the Falaise Gap could smell the dead.

 

Eric Brewer wrote for 22^nd August - “FALAISE.  In different harbour.  Slept with two Gerry prisoners*: one Pole, the other German, age 20.  He says his father is fighting.  Also that he has had nothing to eat.  The Pole says he was forced by Gerry prisoner to fight - would have nothing to do with him.  Name is Joseph.  Gerry's name is Karl.  We fed them in the morning and you would think they had nothing to eat for weeks."  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*Lt-General Dempsey later told 61^st Recce that they’d taken 2,000 prisoners in the Falaise Gap (See Eric Brewer’s diary for 19^th September)  

 

50th Division had now moved up to the Gap and was centred between Argentan and Trun.

Dumbarton Oaks

21^st August 1944 – representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States meet at Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown, Washington for the ‘Washington Conversations on International Peace and Security Organization’, which result in proposals for the United Nations Charter.

 

The Falaise Gap is closed when the Canadians link with the Poles at Coudehard, east of Trun, and secure St. Lambert and the northern passage to Chambois (61st Reconnaissance Regiment were in action just east of here).

 

On August 21^st Eric Brewer wrote in his diary:  "Pushed on again today, plenty of prisoners. We have passed through the town of Ruco les* (sic). First English they have seen - got mobbed and could not move for about 10 minutes. Came across blown up bridge - had to send R.E.** to lay down bridge. Waited until it was done then moved on again advanced 30 miles today in harbour near large village."  Amazingly he wrote home on the same day that he was "getting quite used to lying in bed in the morning.  All the chaps do now in the day time is play cards, write or rest.  Some of the boys are getting tired of doing nothing and it would not surprise me if they began knitting comforts for fighting lads or even start their own garden near the half-tracks as the position we are in is as good as static." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary and letters by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

* Rugles, north-east of l'Aigle, 40 miles east of Argentan and 61^st Recce’s Regimental HQ (Regimental HQ location list on re-union dinner menu 1946).  Rugles was officially liberated by the Royal Dragoon Guards on 23rd August 1944.

**Royal Engineers

 

The Battle for Normandy had cost the German Army a total of 1,500 tanks, 3,500 guns and 20,000 vehicles.  They had lost 450,000 men, 240,000 of these killed or wounded.  The Allies had achieved this with 209,672 casualties, 39,976 of these killed.  British and Canadian losses amounted to two-thirds of those suffered by the Americans.  Some 28,000 Allied aircrew were also lost over Normandy or during the preparatory bombing and the Point Blank programme (designed to pave the way for Overlord). Liddell Hart, in a 'History of the Second World War' described Normandy as "an Operation that eventually went according to plan but not according to timetable." (See ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition.)

 

'This new landing in the South' - Wednesday 16th August 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Wed Aug 16^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Sorry I haven’t written to you before, but I’ve really been very busy and could only manage a Field post-card which I trust you received.

            I’ve got a spot of rest now – two days at least.  So I’ve started by writing to you straight away.

            I’m in the proverbial orchard needless to say, which is full of baby horses and cows – all very pleasant.  The calves keep coming up to suck your fingers, though the mares won’t let you get near their respective fillies.

            Weather here still keeps pretty good – misty and cool up until about 10 in the morning when the sun breaks through.

            We’re in some very lovely country now – more open and rolling, something like the Sussex Downs though more wooded.

            I’m still waiting patiently for the rest-camp, being the next officer on the list.  This, as I believe, involves three days on the coast with swimming, riding, golf and boating, etc not to mention the chance to browse round the town & cathedral all day.  However, we must wait and see.

            Had a long letter from Brinner.  He’s been officially notified he’s on draft, though he doesn’t know where.  It appears it’s not Burma as we feared at first.  I’ll probably be seeing him out here before long.

            Very nearly had my third bath today – but someone else went instead.  I did have my third beer, however which makes 3½ pints since we landed.  The last was Bass – very good but only ½ pint.

            Sorry to hear you lost your game of tennis.  Never having played the wretched game in my life I can’t sympathise.

            Hope you didn’t pass out at your anniversary dance – or start singing….

            Cheltenham’s quite a pleasant town but like Brighton enjoyed its greatest boom in Regency days.  It’s now become the butt of many jokes with reference to retired Colonels, etc.

            This new landing in the South* must be a picnic I should imagine.  Hope to get down that way eventually – weekend in Nice….

            Must close here, Darling as there’s work to do as usual.

            All my love, Precious

                                                Dicker

*Operation Dragoon

© Chotie Darling

 

Turf kicking

14^th August 1944 – Operation Tractable begins to close the pincers around the German 7^th Army, Fifth Panzer Army and Panzer Group Eberbach.  The 1^st Canadian Army, hampered by 'friendly fire' bombing and the Germans' possession of their plans for the advance, moves forward east of the Caen to Falaise Road (avoiding the strongly held German position at Quesnay, on the road north of Falaise).  The US 3^rd Army swings north from Le Mans and Alençon to Argentan, where it is held awaiting the closure of the 'short hook' by the Canadians.  XXX Corps (including 50^th Northumbrian Division and 61^st Recce) with Second British Army advance towards Condé-sur-Noreau, north of Flers, pushing at the base of the ‘Falaise pocket’.  By 15^th August the ‘pocket’ was well formed although German forces could still escape through a 10 mile ‘neck’ around Trun.

(See 'Progress of the Front' for the Allies’ front line in Normandy and ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition.)

 

Having been 'Still at base in reserve' on the 13th August Eric Brewer “Moved to forward position on encirclement” on the 14th (from Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family).

 

After the account of Le Plessis-Grimault Colonel Brownrigg continues:

“Just further on Lieutenant Williams (later killed) overtook some armoured cars of a rival regiment halted short of some suspicious-looking grass turves in the middle of the road.  ‘We can’t get on,’ they said, ‘Mines.’  Without a word Williams threw the turves in the ditch and drove on.” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.).

Turf Kicking

“We were moving along this country road and we stopped because there were some quite large turves in the road and people suspected they were covering up mines and Lieutenant Williams got out of his armoured car and kicked the turves away and we carried on.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

Mont Pinçon and Le Plessis-Grimault

Colonel Brownrigg continues the story of 61^st 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)

 

61^st 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.

Rest Day - Saturday 12th August 1944

12^th August 1944 – the Americans liberate Nantes, a large city and critical port on the River Loire near the west coast of France, and Alenҫon, north of Le Mans, becomes the first French city to be liberated by the Free French Army under General Leclerc.

 After testing across the Bristol Channel the first ‘Pipe Line under the Ocean’ (PLUTO) is laid between Shanklin on the Isle of Wight and Cherbourg in France to supply fuel for the allied Liberation armies in North-West Europe.  (See PLUTO http://www.shanklinchine.co.uk/pluto.php Shanklin Chine website.)

 

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Saturday 12^th Aug.

Chotie Darling,

                        Have just received your letter of the 8^th, for which many thanks.

            I was sorry to read of your leave postponement – I take it that’s all it is, however.  Is this ATS only or does it affect the whole Army?  If it does I would imagine Diller will get hers, though I don’t know when she last went on leave.

            You appear to like the county you’re now in, though I suppose you’ll move back before long.  The last time I was in Cheltenham* was during the Sandhurst racket when I created a rumpus by spinning a Bren Gun carrier round in circles in the main street.  Happy days!

            You certainly seem to get your feet under the table at the slightest opportunity.  As usual I suppose it’s your tummy that dictates.

            I’m having the odd days ‘rest’ at the moment after a pretty busy time, so once again I can start getting organised.  Actually the ‘day’s rests’ involve a vast amount of work as all the armoured cars have to be maintained,  all guns taken down and cleaned and all ammo, food, water, etc replenished.  It’s a good six to eight hours job, when you consider that my crews have to do their own cooking as well.  However, we usually get the late afternoon and evening free which isn’t to be sneezed at.

            Quite a pleasant spot here though our artillery is pretty shocking…we’re living in a continual barrage.

            I was presented with a bottle of first rate brandy this morning so things are looking up.  Unhappily I haven’t been able to make any local purchases for over a month so I’m milkless and butterless at the moment.

            Haven’t had a chance to contact Ted** yet though I’ve been pretty near him at times.

            Must close here, Darling, to have some lunch.

                        All my love, Chotie Dear                          

                                                Dicker

 

* Chotie had moved to Deans Farm, Hunt Court, Shurdington near Cheltenham – although Shurdington, a village south-west of Cheltenham is heavily crossed out the first time Dick uses this address and not used subsequently (possibly because it revealed the anti-aircraft unit’s location).

The V1 and V2 rocket launching sites on the Cherbourg Peninsula, which had been prepared to fire flying bombs at Bristol, were now safely held by the Allies, as were airfields where Luftwaffe attacks had been launched on the city.  Gradually Bristol’s air raid defences were stood down – by December 12^th all anti-aircraft weapons in the Bristol Gun Defended Area had been declared non-operational. (From 'Bristol and the Blitz' by John ).

** Ted Lewis, Chotie's brother-in-law, was in the Coldstream Guards with the Guards Armoured Division. They landed in Normandy at the end of June, taking part in Operations Goodwood and Bluecoat and, at the time of this letter were working with the 11th Armoured Division north-east of Vire.

© Chotie Darling

Aunay-sur-Odon

11^th August 1944 - Florence, in Italy, is liberated by the British 8^th Army

 

Major Frank Harding’s citation for the Military Cross includes this account from Normandy:

“On 11^th August he was ordered to capture a hill, pt 266, north of Condé-sur-Noreau, thereby protecting the left flank of the main attack by 231 Brigade.  He carried out this attack with great skill, and in spite of heavy MG and 88mm* fire he destroyed, or captured all the enemy on the hill and held it until relieved.” (See 61st Recce battle honours.)

Major Harding was commander of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment's 'B' Squadron, which included Don Aiken, Eric Brewer in the Assault Troop, Eric Postles in 10 Troop and Tony Rampling and Sandy Handley in No 5 Troop with Dick Williams as their lieutenant.

*The 88 mm was a German anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun.

 

Eric Brewer was "On Recce near same place, plenty of mortars, shells and spandoes" but still found time to write home re-assuringly that there was "nothing to do except sleep and write or listen to the radio; we seem to be getting some good programmes lately...heard some Sinatra and Bing last night...PSS The Yanks seem to be doing fine don't they?"  The next day he was "Back at base - shell killed one chap, injured two." (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

According to Don Aiken they were somewhere near Aunay-sur-Odon,which occupies a vital crossroads position between Caen, Vire, Bayeux and Falaise.  The town had been completely destroyed by Allied bombing in the middle of June.

Don describes how 61^st Recce lost another of the 1060 boys that day:

“On the 11th August we moved into an apple orchard close to a cross-roads, at Aunay-sur-Odon, which was under shell-fire.  The Troop H.Q. armoured car had positioned itself in the corner of the orchard and they had dug a trench underneath it, filling in the gap below the car with a sheet of corrugated iron that they had found.  The driver, down in the slit trench, had then begun to brew up tea for the troop. 

          We were given the signal that it was ready and I climbed out and crossed over towards the H.Q. car, along with a lad from another car, when suddenly a German shell fell short of its target and made a direct hit on the corrugated iron sheet.  The blast blew us both underneath another car and we lay there with hearts in our mouths.  

          Then I said “I'm going to dash for it”, and as I stood up and took a couple of steps I heard another shell whistling its way towards us.  The next thing that I remember is being reseated in the turret of my car.  A member of another crew, who had been watching through his periscope, swore that I had leapt from the ground, straight into the top of the turret (a height of almost 6 ft.) without touching the sides!
          The tragedy was that Henry Ansell, a popular young man, had caught the full blast of the explosion which had blown the corrugated iron into large pieces and torn him apart. Corporal Mulchay lost an arm and Trooper Alan Penn was wounded in the head.”

(Extract republished from ‘Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’  by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 11^th August 1944:

          Trooper Henry Edward George Ansell (age 22) of Totton, Hampshire,

who is laid to rest in the St. Manvieu War Cemetery, west of Caen, near Cheux.  Trooper Ansell was one of the 1060 Boys mentioned in Major Frank Harding’s poem of that name.

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

Just a Postcard

 

 

On 8th August 1944 Eric Brewer wrote home that he was "still taking it easy in a kind of reserve.  Reveille for us is 7:30 instead of about 5 o'clock...These last few days I have been doing cooking as we are a bit short of cooks, lucky me again. There’s the other lads playing cards, writing or listening to the wireless and poor me doing cooking, or trying to, but so far we haven’t had any serious complaints - only stomach aches, diarrhoea and two cases of fever*. Not too bad. I reckon they will live but if they will pick on the builders merchant for cook, what more can that expect? Lucky they have lasted so long eating some of the Brewer's special fish cakes."

*Maybe this was why Dick didn't cross out 'sick' on his Field Postcard?

Eric's diary reveals he was actually on "Recce near V Bocage – now standing to for orders."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

 

 

 

 

43rd Recce joins the advance

On 6^th August 1944 elements of the 43^rd (Wessex) Division overcame fierce German resistance to secure the high ground of Mont Pinçon, the highest point in the Calvados Area of Normandy and an important strategic objective for Operation Bluecoat. (From "The Final Battle for NormandyNorthern France 9th July – 30th August 1944, a 60th Anniversary booklet .) ‘

Dick’s former regiment, 43^rd Recce, had been supplemented by a squadron of the Green Howards following the sinking of the Derrycunihy and were back in action from the beginning of August.  Having been relieved by 61^st Recce on 3^rd August (who took over holding the line near Caumont) they were deployed north-west of Mont Pinçon and heavily engaged by the enemy. (From ‘Only the Enemy in Front Every other beggar behind…’ The Recce Corps at War 1940-1946’ by Richard Doherty, Tom Donovan Publishing Ltd 1994)

Eric Postles recalled that, after capturing Villers Bocage 43 Division “pushed on to take the highest point, Mount Pinçon, which commanded the area for miles around.”  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

Eric Brewer was “in reserve, taking it easy” “in an orchard, round the radio.  This morning reveille was at 7.30; it was more like one of those Sunday mornings you used to have in civvy street.”  In his letter home he recounted how “about two weeks ago we came across a Gerry knocked out tank, a Tiger…one of the chaps found two sets of silver cutlery, also a complete carving set – about 50 different articles altogether.  I reckon they had looted them on their way out of France” (extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family).

The 1060 Boys

5^th August 1944 – US 3^rd Army liberates Vannes on the south coast of Brittany.

 

On 5^th August Eric Brewer’s diary reads: "Back in reserve. Done Recce left of Villers Bocage." (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour (see 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch) includes the following who died on 5^th August 1944:

          Sergeant Joseph Albert Dunnington (age 29) of Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire, who is laid to rest in the Hottot-les-Bagues War Cemetery, near Tilly-sur-Seules.         

          Trooper William Joseph Stevenson (age 22) of Salford, Lancashire, who is laid to rest in the St Charles de Percy War Cemetery, near le Bény-Bocage , south-west  of Villers Bocage.  Trooper Stevenson was a friend of Ernie Brobbin, who found the foxcub* and “one of the many 1060 boys who lost their lives at such an early age” (Newsletter Old Comrades Association).  *The fox was still living in the armoured car of ‘A’ Squadron’s Captain Compton Bishop.  “In Normandy he would take it for walks at night on a lead!”

The '1060 boys' were a big intake of men from north-west England for the Reconnaissance Corps in January 1942, including Eric Postles, who's service number was 10602580.

Major Frank Harding, Commander of ‘B’ Squadron wrote a poem in memory of 61^st Recce’s 1060 intake of young men ‘born about nineteen twenty-four’ who were killed.  The poem ends:

          “Their comrades, thus steeled by their death, became

                   The sterner men: those who now live believe

                             No generation better proved its worth.”

(From ‘On the Eve’ by Major Frank Harding MC, in ‘War echoes over thirty years’ published by Arthur Stockwell, 1970)

We will remember them.

 

7Able

4^th August 1944 – Anne Frank, whose diary came to symbolise the plight of the Jews under German occupation, and her family are arrested by the Gestapo in Amsterdam, Holland, after two years hiding with other Jews in a secret Annex.  Anne died of typhus in Bergen-Belsen in March 1945.  (Ted Lewis, Chotie’s brother-in-law, was among the British forces that liberated Belsen a few weeks later.)

Stalin meets a delegation of the Polish government in exile ('the London Poles') led by Stanisław Mikołajczyk but installs a 'Polish Committee of National Liberation' (the 'Lublin Poles') - a Soviet puppet government in waiting.  Churchill sends weapons and supplies to the Warsaw insurgents in bomber planes from Italy with the BBC Polish service playing 'Let's dance a mazurka again' to announce the drops.

 

Rennes, the capital of Brittany in north-west France, is liberated by the US 3^rd Army's 4th Armoured Division. 

Villers-Bocage “which we last saw during the ill-fated attack in June” (Eric Postles) was finally liberated by a patrol of the 1st Battalion Dorset Regiment (Dick’s original Regiment), 50th Northumbrian Infantry Division, on 4 August 1944.  The town was in ruins: Eric Brewer wrote home a few days later "if you could only have seen Villers-Bocage you would think that there had been an earth quake; why London is not touched compared to Villers-Bocage.  You are lucky if you see a side of a house standing... There must be about 5,000 craters and there isn’t one more than 5 yards away from the other...think of a thickly planted orchard and a bomb crate for every apple tree.  The town looks as though it's been standing for a thousand years and age has made it decay away... nothing could get anywhere in the town until they got the bulldozers busy, now only a single line of traffic can get through."  Villers-Bocage has now been almost completely rebuilt.

Évrecy, east of Villers-Bocage, was liberated on the same day as well as Aunay-sur-Odon, to the south, where only the the church steeple remains standing.

On 4th August Eric Brewer was "In harbour waiting for orders" with time to write another letter home: "Well here I am in an orchard cleaning my equipment".  Then his diary records: "On Recce 2 miles from V Bocage."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

In ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ (Brewin Books, 2004) Roy Howard of 61st Recce's ‘A’ Squadron describes how his troop (7Able) were divided into two patrols.  The other patrol, led by Sergeant Joe Dunnington investigated a building with radar masts which appears to have been wired with explosives. Sgt. Dunnington bled to death from a severed artery, dying the next day. Corporal Ronnie Washburn was severely injured losing the right side of his skull and Trooper Bill Mathews lost his right arm.  Ernie Brobbin (who found the foxcub) was there to give First Aid and saved Corporal Washburn's life. 

          Roy Howard was subsequently promoted to Troop Sergeant following in the shoes of Bill Abbey (killed 1944 on 23^rd June) and Joe Dunnington.  Ronnie Washburn was left physically and mentally handicapped, ending his days in a Royal British Legion home.  Only three of the original 7Able had survived in the troop by February 1945.

We will remember them

 

It's very peaceful here - Friday 4th August 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA

August 4^th

Dearest Chotie,

                                    I have another days ‘rest’ so herewith a few lines.

            Firstly, Darling, I must thank you very much for the tobacco and best wishes you sent for the 28^th*.  Actually the tobacco didn’t arrive until yesterday, but it’s none the less welcome for that.

            I’m now sitting in an orchard, inhaling – a blend of the finest matured Virginian and Oriental tobaccos! – which makes the world seem a better place than it actually is.

            I’ve spent most of my days ‘rest’ collecting food, ammo, petrol, etc for my troop, which has left me some two hours to call my own.  Always moaning aren’t I?

            It’s very peaceful here, on a sunny slope of meadows, thick with fruit trees.  Unfortunately this isn’t vineyard country, or I might be munching grapes instead of sour apples, which are all of the cider variety.

            Was very glad to hear of your trip home for Margaret’s birthday.  It certainly makes a break, though I’m disgusted to read of your gluttony – hope you get a tummy-ache.

            I’m afraid there’s practically nothing to write about as I’ve seen nothing of any interest in the last few days, and security puts a damper on that.

            Heard an excellent recording of Susanna (‘Phantom of the Opera’) Foster**.  It was some Mexican song or other.  Her final top C was there alright, though her lower register is still immature.  She’ll never be a Melba,*** though she’s quite pleasant to listen to.

            I’ve almost forgotten what Mozart sounds like.

                        Must close here for a spot of supper.

                                    All my love, Chotie Darling.

            We’ll definitely spend my next birthday together….

                                                           

                                                                        Dicker

*Dick’s 23^rd birthday on 28^th July 1944.

**Susanna Foster, an American film actress best known for her leading role as Christine in the film @Phantom of the Opera’ (1943).

***Dame Nellie Melba, a famous Australian operatic soprano who died in 1931.

© Chotie Darling

Top - Barbara (Chotie) and Beryl Chalkley in August 1944

Middle - Barbara, Betty Hall (Chotie's eldest sister) and Beryl (Chotie's younger sister)

Bottom - Jack Chalkley, Chotie's younger brother

Villers Bocage (again)

"Second Army continued to push forward south-east of Caumont, gaining a few miles a day by hard labour and hard fighting...For the men among the corn and hedges, each morning seemed to bring only another start-line, another tramp through incessant mortar and shellfire, coated in dust, to another ruined village from which the Germans had to be forced by nerve-racking house clearing...The fields at evening were landmarked with upturned rifles jammed in the earth to mark the dead."  (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition.)

 

Don Aiken of ‘B’ Squadron takes up the story of 61^st Recce - on 3^rd August 1944 61^st Recce was again approaching the town of Villers-Bocage (south of Bayeux), which had been a key objective on D Day:

 “1944 August
There then began a gradual crumbling in the German defences as more and more pressure was exerted.

3rd August
          We began probing again and one day as we approached the small town of Villers Bocage, on a broad front, we drew to a halt as we approached an obvious ambush point between the hedge-rows. This was a sharp bend in the road which was dominated by a farmhouse facing straight up the road. At this moment the Assault Troop*, which had been making its way through the fields and hedgerows on our right, came under fire from German infantry and sustained some casualties.
          My car was leading the patrol on the road, and every nerve was tensed for any eventuality. I was astounded when a small wicket gate, in a garden wall at the side of the house, suddenly opened and six big German S.S. troops emerged and ran across the front of the house. It was exactly like a shooting gallery at the Fairground with the ducks bobbing along from one side to the other. However, I didn't get a prize off the top shelf because I couldn't turn my turret fast enough, probably due to the turret ring having been invaded by sea water, sand and dust, and my bullets merely splattered the brickwork behind them before they disappeared round the corner.
          We sat there on the road, about 50 yards in front of the house, for about an hour. My light-armoured car was in the lead, and the Troop officer’s armoured car was sat about 20 yards further back. I don’t know to this day what we hoped to gain by standing there, but I felt terribly exposed in my open fronted, open topped turret, with the enemy lying in wait ahead. The feeling was later justified as a phosphorus grenade landed on the road a few feet to the left of my car, spitting and fizzling spitefully as it lay there.

          As it happened the unit of S.S. troops up ahead must have been merely an outpost, without any heavy weapons, or we would otherwise have paid dearly for such senseless tactics.”

(Extract republished from ‘Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’  by kind permission of Don Aiken)

*Eric Brewer, of 'B' Squadron's Assault Troop, was “Still Recceing – found mortar sites. Corporal Bater killed.”  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 3rd August 1944:

          Corporal Horace Edmund Bater (age 24) from Lee, London

          Lance Sergeant Robert Grant Ell (age 27) from Harrow Weald, Middlesex

          Trooper William Henry Heaton (age 33) from Malvern, Worcestershire

          Trooper Robert George Stevens (age 21)       

All are laid to rest in the Bayeux War Cemetery.  (See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

 

Amayé-sur-Seulles

On 2^nd August Eric Brewer says in his diary “Yanks made attack with infantry – bags of prisoners”. Eric's letter home of 3rd August is more elucidating:

"We saw about 120 prisoners coming in, giving themselves up yesterday;  one of our troops of 15 men and an officer brought in 11 of them.  One of the chaps could speak English and he said “I have been walking for five years but never thought that I would get a ride when I was taken prisoner” - he was speaking about the transport which was taking him back to the POW camp.  Most of these prisoners were smiling because they had been taken prisoner.  The third lot that came in had about five officers with them; they were walking at the back and one of the officers had about five medals and was of very high rank.  He'd come from the Russian front (one of the medals was the Russian front medal).  They were nearly all out of the Africa Corps and had seen service in Africa judging by the medals on them.

One chap here had rag round his foot in place of socks.  They looked like they had consumption, thin and dirty...it made you think how ever they managed to live under such conditions... anyway, they were as pleased as a man who had won a fortune (but instead of money it's being a prisoner to a German soldier)...  Most of these chaps are about 16-22 but some of them I bet my last penny weren’t 14...

Practically all the chaps have German revolvers as souvenirs even some of the cooks...

I suppose you have heard on the wireless about the advances our troops are making...we were doing a Recce yesterday, about 2-3 miles in front of our front line, when we were about 200 yards from a village (I can't tell you the name but I bet you have heard it on the wireless); well all of a sudden we came up against some stiff opposition and were held up for about 1 hour.  Our CO came down and told us to stay in position as the tanks and infantry were going to come up... about ½ an hour later all you could see were tanks and infantry...loads of them... We let them take over and went back about 400 yds to make our dinner but not before we had taken the prisoners back on the half track….."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

The report recommending Major Frank Harding, CO of ‘B’ Squadron, for the Military Cross details Dick’s squadron’s involvement at Amayé-sur-Seulles:

    On 2^nd August ‘B’ squadron were ordered to recce forward into Amayé-sur-Seulles.  When the leading troop were held up two miles short of the town the CO, Major Frank Harding , left them to contain the enemy and manoeuvred the rest of the squadron round the left flank, and “so pressed forward that the leading troops engaged enemy in the middle of the town, despite the enemy’s superiority in numbers.”

Lieutenant Philip Benson Truman appears to have been involved in the same action to liberate Amayé-sur-Seulles (although his citation for the Military Cross is dated 3^rd August - see 61st Recce battle honours) with his troop taking out an enemy observation post and containing the enemy until the town was taken later in the day by 50th Division's 69th Infantry Brigade.

Colonel Brownrigg gives this account:

“From Briquessard, ‘B’ Squadron, led by Lieutenant Truman’s carrier troop, carried out a textbook reconnaissance into Amay-sur-Seulles, by-passing strong opposition about a mile this side, and then moving in from a flank to take a number of Boches very much by surprise.  This was followed by a series of reconnaissance actions, usually on a troop scale, as the area of operations was still restricted." (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

However, despite the efforts of 61^st Recce Operation Bluecoat was not successful in breaking out of the Normandy bridgehead.  As British forces approached Vire on 2^nd August there was some confusion and the German Army was were able to re-inforce the town and close the gap between their 7^th Army and Panzergrüppe West.  11th Armoured Division approached the town on 2nd August when it was virtually undefended but were ordered to turn south-east.  By the time the US XIX Corps moved against it the Germans had rushed in to plug the gap and Vire was not liberated until 8th August.

The Commander of British Second Army, Lt-General Miles Dempsey, later told 61^st Recce* that they’d been 3 days ahead of the 7^th Armoured Division in Operation Bluecoat and had to wait for them outside Vire - 7^th Armoured Division was meant to be in reserve behind 50^th (Northumbrian) Division on the eastern flank of the XXX Corps attack.  Monty had ordered Dempsey to 'throw all caution to the winds and step on the gas for Vire' but XXX Corps and 7^th Armoured Division 'performed feebly' (from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition).

The XXX Corps Commander Lt-General Gerard Bucknall was dismissed and replaced by General Brian Horrocks - ‘a man who really led, a general who talked to everyone, down to the simplest private soldier’ and Eisenhower called him ‘the outstanding British general under Montgomery’. 

A Whole Day - Monday 31st July 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

B.L.A.

Monday 31^st July

My dearest Chotie,

                                                Well, my Darling.  I have a whole day to myself so here goes.

            We’ve had a pretty thin time for the last fortnight and everyone’s relieved to have a little time of their own to get organised once again.  I’ve just finished doing my laundry (?) – took me about two hours, as I have no batman here, and as it’s very sunny, I entertain high hopes of it drying quickly.

            The best part of this game is getting to a ‘safe’ area once again and being able to relax a little and have a general sort out.  I’ve also had my second bath and of greater importance still, my second beer!  Felt quite merry after it.  The first night I have in England will be sheer murder.  I won’t be able to stand more than ten pints….

            We’re in a very pleasant spot at the moment* – in the grounds of a Château, or more accurately, the home farm of a Château.

            I’ve been over the farm, which is empty, but boasts some excellent furniture, hand-carved oak, almost black.  I’d give anything to get hold of some of it.  The kitchen of course is massive, with a stone floor and two great pumps, their only source of water.  The staircase is also built of stone and leads eventually right up into the roof – a mass of oak rafters. 

            I worm my way into most of these old farmhouses as most of the Châteaux are sealed and the farms remain the most interesting buildings.

            (My boys have just ‘brewed-up’ some tea, so I’ll pause here for a few minutes….)

            Have you had anything to do with these buzz-bombs** yet?  Or don’t they penetrate that far?

            Mother & Dad hear them going overhead, but that’s about all.

            You may have heard that Diller got home for a few hours last weekend to see Brinner – I think I told you in my last letter.

            How are your people?  All very well I hope.  Don’t forget to give them my best wishes, and queries as to whether the war will be over by Xmas…(which Xmas?)  That was always a sore point between your mother and I.

            Have you heard any news of Margaret’s Ted*** lately?  I’ve seen several of his people.

            Apart from him I know of no-one else over here, except Quayle, of course, and he’s miles behind the lines, needless to say.  I’m afraid I must close here for want of material – as usual.

                                    All my love, Chotie Darling

                                                Dicker

 

*According to Eric Brewer’s diary (‘B’ squadron Assault Troop) they were still somewhere in the Caumont area.

**V1 flying bombs

*** Ted Lewis, Chotie’s brother-in-law was in the Coldstream Guards before the beginning of the war when the Guards Regiments formed the Guards Armoured Division.  He was a tank gunner and had landed in Normandy a couple of weeks after ‘D’ Day. The Guards Armoured Division, like Dick’s 50^th (Northumbrian) Division, was part of XXX Corps.

© Chotie Darling

 

Eric Brewer's diary for 31st July 1944 notes: "Got near the Caumont area, Recce patrol near Villars-Bocage."  The high ground near Villers-Bocage was 61st Recce's original target for D Day+1, the 7th June.

"We were to break out of the bridgehead on the evening of D-Day, spend the night in Tessel Bretteville wood, some ten miles on, and the next morning capture the high ground near Villers-Bocage, which commanded a view of the country for miles around.  We were to hold on there for four or five days, when it was expected that we would be relieved by the main body of the Second Army."  They would have had a long wait!

(From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lt-Col P.H.A. Brownrigg D.S.O and Eric's Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

31st July 1944 - US VII Corps liberate Avranches at the western foot of the Cotentin peninsula - the 'gateway to Brittany'.

Operation Bluecoat

30^th July 1944 – Operation Bluecoat begins.  This offensive was conceived at short notice when it was realised that only a single German infantry division defended the sector of the front near Caumont (61^st Recce were in this area at Briquessard).  The 50^th (Northumbrian) Division, with 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment, were part of this attack but were held up at Amayé-sur-Seulles (south-east of Briquessard).  However, by 31^st July the advance of British VIII and XXX Corps had secured a vital crossing over the River Soulevre about 10 miles south of Caumont, near Le Bény-Bocage and 11^th Armoured Division were advancing towards Vire, 15 miles south of Caumont.  61st Reconnaissance Regiment protected the left (eastern) flank of XXX Corps during the advance.

On 30^th July Eric Brewer’s diary says: “Sniper and rifle fire followed by mortar, but got – lucky.” In the margin Eric wrote “HARDING” (the Commander of 61^st Recce’s B Squadron) and also “INFANTRY ATTACK” – presumably a reference to Operation Bluecoat. (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Colonel Brownrigg’s account of 61st Recce welcomes a return to reconnaissance after the trenches of Briquessard:

          “Soon after (Briquessard) we were back to reconnaissance again, as the great surge forward began.  We went through Briquessard, and were glad to see that there were quite a number of fairly ‘high’ German corpses about, which we attributed to our mortars, and the quick £300 ‘stonks’ the Essex Yeomanry used to put on for us at night.  Their Liaison Officer at our Regimental Headquarters regularly worked out for us the cash value of their bombardments." (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

*World War II British slang for a massed artillery bombardment on an enemy position.

 

Eric Postles remembers resuming patrols: “The desertions from the German Army started.  First of all came East Europeans who had been willing to fight for it and then German soldiers. We often got useful information from them about their positions by giving them food, as they were always hungry. 

We were now involved in constant patrolling and once, when we were checking on a farm area in a valley, we ran into heavy fire from a German position and the first couple of our men were wounded.  We were penned in by buildings and walls.  We could not recover our men and only got out by jumping through a hole in the wall accompanied by German bullets.  One of our infantry units captured the German position later in the day and rescued our two injured lads who had been taken prisoner.  One of them, Corporal Davey, had a broken leg and both were no doubt happy that it ended as it did. 

One of the most stressful jobs was checking road surfaces where we suspected mines had been laid.  The headphones of the mine detectors cut outside sounds.  Nobody volunteered for this task. 

We passed through a heavily damaged Briquessard, deserted apart from a number of dead Germans.”   (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

 

Don Aiken also has a tale to tell from around this time:

          “We were then used on small Reconnaissance foot patrols; and during one of these night patrols we were sent to try to make contact with the Germans who were thought to have infiltrated into the grounds of the nearby churchyard. The night turned out to be extremely misty and crawling through the gravestones was, in itself, a creepy business. The thought that, at any moment, a German machine gun could rattle away into your face was even more disturbing. However, we completed our search of the area without contacting any Germans, although we found a dugout which they had recently vacated. You could always tell where Germans had been by the smell; it wasn't a repulsive smell, just strongly different - probably due to the food that they ate; German sausage perhaps.
          Then we pulled back to take up defensive positions. Along with another young Trooper, I was positioned in an old German slit-trench in a hedgerow alongside a path, armed with a Bren machine-gun. We alternately manned the gun and rested.
          During my rest period I was suddenly 'brought up sharp' by a burst of fire from my companion's gun. When I asked him what was wrong, he said that he had seen something move across the path. I looked for a long time (trying to suppress my fear) and then realised that the 'something' was a twig on the hedge, a few inches away, which had been disturbed by a sudden breeze in this otherwise still, dark and misty night.

30th July — Caumont.”  (Republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

The end of Briquessard

Don Aiken recalls the end of Briquessard: “After a week or two in this position we were relieved by an Infantry Regiment.  Apparently Lieutenant General Horrocks*, the Commander of XXX Corps, had noticed that we had been placed in this defensive position and ordered that we be withdrawn. He was a very experienced General, who knew how important it was to prevent his future spear-head troops from developing a defensive attitude to the war.” (Republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

* At the end of July XXX Corps was still led by Lieutenant-General Bucknall.  He was replaced by Lt. General Brian Horrocks in August 1944.

 

Colonel Brownrigg noted that “Whenever our General* visited us he was most upset about our casualties.  ‘This isn’t really your job,’ he said.  ‘I want you for recce-ing the crossings over the Seine.’” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

*Brownrigg may have been referring to Lieutenant-General Bucknall of XXX Corps or Major-General Graham, the popular Commander of 50^th (Northumbrian) Division.

 

Eric Postles says “We were even more pleased than the Americans to be relieved as it was so restrictive.  We watched a large force of RAF heavy bombers raiding Caen, which was quite awesome.  With some movement at Caen and by the Americans on our right, the German positions at Tilly became less secure for them.  Panzer Lehr, the armoured division, had to withdraw to check the Americans.” (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Sandy Handley remembers coming out of his trench:

“As this ten days came to an end and this area got quieter we risked a little stroll along to the next slit trench.  Lt. Williams was seen calmly smoking his pipe.  He asked if we were OK. 

      Well after ten days in that cramped slit trench I found it difficult to climb out, with the stiffness of the joints.  I was twenty four years old* but felt much older.  I thought about those boys in the 14-18 war in the trenches, not 10 days and nights but months and months in the mud and hell.  What a wicked war they had, terrible.  Our ten days in this situation was nothing compared with what they had to endure.  We should never forget them.  At least in that ten days at Briquessard it hardly rained so goodness knows what it would have been like knee deep in mud.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

*Dick was 23 on 28th July 1944.

 

However, the 61st Recce were still not safe from attack according to Anthony Rampling:

A visit from Tony's brother

“When we came out of these trenches after 10 days my brother, who was a Liaison Officer in the 4^th Armoured Brigade, saw my regimental signs and he came up to see if he could see me.  And he came to the back of Briquessard Wood in his Dingo Armoured car and I actually waved to him but he couldn’t stop because the Germans saw the dust that the armoured car had raised and they started mortaring the area …. so we were pleased to see the back of him.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

Tony remembers the only time he disobeyed one of Dick’s orders, at the end of Briquessard:

Disobeying an order

“Dick Williams, or Lieutenant Williams, was my Officer and I found him quite quiet.  He never chased us around.  He gave us the orders, one of which I had to disobey.  When we came out of Briquessard we hadn’t slept for 10 days and he said “You’re on guard”.  I said “Sorry Sir, I couldn’t keep awake” and I couldn’t have done.  I never heard any more about it.

Tony liked Dick as an Officer: “He never interfered with us much.”

 

On 28^th and 29^th July, Assault Trooper Eric Brewer was out on patrol again:

“Went on patrol. Three of us met two Gerry patrols – they threw grenades at us but luckily we are in a dip with spandaus*.” 

His letter home on the 29^th is, however, characteristically good-humoured and re-assuring: “they haven’t got anything for the Recce to do out here as Gerry is right in front of you…it’s impossible to Recce because you know where he is so the 50^th kindly put us out of the way or on the shelf until we are needed.” “…roll on the next two or three months; then I will be enjoying steak and chips with onion instead of tinned something – I’ve eaten so much in tins since I’ve been over here that I seem to rumble when I walk.” (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)-

*The British name for the German machine-guns, which were manufactured in the Spandau district of Berlin so had plates of that name on the guns.

 

 

29^th July 1944 – a series of bombing raids on Stuttgart by the RAF come to an end.  73,000 bombs have been dropped and 900 people killed in the city in south-west Germany.

 

 

'A Very Charming Spot' - Friday 28th July 1944

28^th July 1944 – in Operation Cobra the US 1^st Army capture Coutances, near the coast west of St. Lô. US XIX Corps, who had joined the advance left of VII Corps encounter fierce resistance from 2nd and 116 Panzer, sent to re-inforce the German line.  The sector south of St. Lô becomes 'stuck' compared with the rapid advance to the west.

Soviet troops take Brest-Litovsk, a historic city east of Warsaw (now in Belarus, next to the border with Poland).  Germany begins evacuation of major towns in the east, including Lublin, in the face of the Soviet advance.  The Russians are now just 25 miles from Warsaw.

 

61^st Recce Regt RAC

B.L.A.

Friday July 28th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Received your last batch of letters in very good time.  So here goes in reply. 

            Glad to hear you got the card OK – they’re the only sort we’re allowed to send, needless to say, and as you remark it was gay if nothing else.

            Hope to get a few days rest shortly when I’ll be able to write you more fully than at the moment.  Actually there’s practically nothing to write about, owing to the security restrictions.  I can’t tell you where I am or even what we’re doing.  You’ll just have to wait until we can get together again, preferably around a thick fireplace, sometime in the autumn, after a tea of hot buttered muffins…..

            What absolute rot that bloke does talk!

            There’s a slight pause at the moment for tea, which my troop Sergeant is endeavouring to brew whilst keeping himself and the smoke under cover…. The word ‘brew’ has become very popular in Army Slang.  A knocked out tank is referred to as ‘brewed-up’ etc, etc.  Also of course the old saw – “When in doubt, “brew-up” ….”

            Well, my Precious, I’ve just had some tea – bread + processed cheese and a bar of choc, and biscuits, so I’ll be alright until the morning.

            Just had three letters (from home & Diller).  Bryn had a good time on leave apparently.  Diller said he went to work on the new barmaid at the ‘Beach’.  She caught him in the act of giving her some coupons!  That sounds pretty ghastly to me, though you know how irreproachably innocent Brinner is….

            About half an hour ago I put my hand in my battle dress pocket straight on top of a razor blade which removed approx. ¼" off one of my fingers.  As if my hands weren’t cut about enough already. 

            In a very charming spot at the moment – must come here after the war*.  I’d love to come back here if only to be able to walk about as I pleased without having to duck all the time!

            It’s difficult to judge this countryside owing to the devastation but I know of many more beautiful spots in England.  There is however a certain charm, perhaps due to the fact that things are ‘different’ in some small way, from England.  They have no timbered buildings, of course, everything being built of grey stone, very much akin to the Cotswold style.  There seems to be no deviation from this general custom.

            Wish I could have heard the last concert you saw – the old 5^th** wants a lot of beating.  Last time I heard it was in Folkestone just before Xmas.

            I fancy I’d better close here as things are warming up.

                                                                                                Dicker.

 

*Sandy Handley and Anthony Rampling did just that, visiting with other veterans in 2004. 

Anthony Rampling is on the left and Sandy Handley on the right above and below.

**Presumably Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony – Beethoven’s symphonies are mentioned in letter December 10^th 1943 and Beethoven in January 1944 letters.  The opening notes were used as code to announce the D Day landings to the French resistance on BBC radio.

 

Dick’s Commanding Officer in ‘B’ Squadron, Major Frank Harding, did not seem to have such a favourable view of their surrounds:

‘Baneful Briquessard

Dank and drear

Even at

This July year

 

Patrols prowling

Cross and Cross

Lightning bursts

Catch listening posts….’

 

(From ‘Briquessard Wood - July’ by Major Frank Harding MC, in ‘War echoes over thirty years’ published by Arthur Stockwell, 1970)

 

‘B’ Squadron trooper Anthony Rampling only saw Major Harding once during the war.  This was at Briquessard: "He looked scared stiff."

 

Colonel Brownrigg tried to take a more optimistic view in retrospect:

‘Although we didn’t appreciate it at the time, our fortnight on the line at Briquessard was first-class training.  But I think that if we had been there much longer our scout troops* might have lost some of their dash, which they were to need again shortly.’ (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 *Dick’s troop was a Scout or Recce troop

A Close Shave

Sandy Handley continues his account of army life in the trenches of Briquessard Wood:

“There was no question of shaving, although some tried a little cold water shave in the mess tins, which didn’t taste very nice after. 

Each evening late a cauldron of tea was brought around by the troopers from the field kitchen behind the woods.  It wasn’t bad, lukewarm but better than nothing.  We kept busy opening tins of corned beef and tins of rice pudding (not heated of course) and biscuits; we never starved.

It was always better when morning came. We were equipped with a small Boyscout’s burner which was fuelled with a tablet.  I’d got a cold mug of tea so I lit this small stove and placed my cold tea on it.  This was a precarious job, however. I must have got a bit impatient and blew the flames up but I blew too strong and I got the flame in my face, burning and singeing my week old beard.  Our Officer* came along and detailed me to walk back up the wood to our squadron medical post and get some attention. Typical of me and tired with no sleep, I forgot my Army drill and instead of going along the line of the bushes and trees, which would have given me some cover, I clambered up the bank, which exposed me to any sniper.  I wasn’t thinking until all of a sudden I heard the whine of a bullet then another.  I soon went back to the line of trees and bushes edging this wood.  Of all the shells, bullets and mortar bombs which had passed, that one small bullet from a German sniper might have put me out of the war.

By the time I got to the medical aid post one of the orderlies dabbed some ointment on my face and said “We will be moving out soon so go back to your lines and don’t worry about shaving for the time being.”  (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

*Lt. Dick Williams

 

Eric Brewer wrote home on 27th July that "At the present moment we are on field rations and it's a vast difference from those 14 day pack rations...it seemed strange to see some potatoes on a plate for once and cooked meat and peas instead of tinned stuff.  We are also receiving bread each day, the pre-war stuff and real tea instead of comp tea (which is the tea, milk and sugar combined - more like dishwater than the usual tea but we even got used to that in the past 8 weeks)."  His diary for 27^th July reports that “Still same place. Gerry shot one our chaps through the hand.”  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

Wilf Dawson of ‘A’ Squadron, who became the pillar of 61^st Recce’s Old Comrades Association, was also severely wounded at Briquessard, ending his active service with the regiment (from ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

 

27^th July 1944 – the Allies first jet engine, the Gloster Meteor, goes into operation. The RAF and US Air Force jointly announced the development of jet aircraft in January 1944, based on the discoveries of Englishman Frank Whittle in the 1920s. Germany independently invented and developed jet aircraft and the Messerschmidt Me 262 also became operational in the middle of 1944.

The German front line in the Cotentin begins to retreat faced with the rapid advance of Operation Cobra, now including VIII Corps on the right flank heading for Coutances.

Listening

In 61st Reconnaissance, on the edge of Briquessard Wood, Sandy Handley tells of his time in the listening post:

      “Whilst we were at that place me and my friend had to have twenty four hours duty in the listening post, which was twenty yards away to our front - just a crudely scraped out trench, just room enough for five of us (four troopers and one corporal).  We had a field telephone, not a radio, to link us up with the men at the back.  We couldn’t do nothing, just lounge and listen (!) for any movement in the front.  We had to be like that for twenty four hours. In the night it was endless. In the day it wasn’t too bad as we could see the surrounding trees. Quite a few times we were mortared and of course this hastily dug trench wasn’t deep enough for protection.  I heard a mortar shell coming down and I really thought it was going to land on top of us five frightened men, but it landed with a terrific thud (it didn’t explode).  Was we relieved. 

      Of course now and again one man would leave the confines of this trench for the call of nature.  You couldn’t stand up, especially in the day time , because you would be spotted by a sniper, so there was all sorts of antics - undoing your braces and so on, balancing on your elbow in a crouched position and doing the best you could, perhaps doing your business laying down etc.  I don’t remember army training telling you had to go about that problem.  One had to be quite a contortionist to perform this exercise.  Forget about the rules of hygiene in this situation, days went by when we couldn’t wash our hands let alone anything else!!  But I was surprised how fit we were.  Our Officer* told us a little dirt won’t hurt if you swallow some."

*Lieutenant Dick Williams

 

Anthony Rampling described how even in the main trenches you could hear the Germans at night moving vehicles and equipment. "It was very nervewracking." In front of the wood there were small fields (dense ‘bocage’) with thick hedgerows where the Germans could hide. The wood was coppiced (regularly cut over to provide small timber) so didn’t provide very good cover.

He also spent time lying flat in an outpost:

Listening

          “We had to do 24 hour stints on an outpost, which was out on a hedgerow ahead of the trenches and, during that time, we hadn’t had any food and we had a phone so we rang and said we hadn’t had any food and Lieutenant Williams, our troop officer, crawled out with some food and to get the food out to us it was tied up in string and he carried it in his mouth to crawl out to this outpost.

          I think he was very brave to do this because he could have been sniped by the Germans at any time.”

Eric Brewer was "At harbour going out to STAND to position" on 25th July and the next day "Still at harbour, moved off in afternoon to the old position" so presumably the outpost again.  He'd written home that "we are not really needed out here as they don't want you for Recce...Gerry is so close to the front line you cannot get any nearer him". Gerry certainly was at Briquessard! 

Like Dick he'd obtained some supplies from the NAAFI van "we have also been issued with ... a bottle of beer, chocolate, spearmint, razor blades, envelopes and writing paper for 50 Franks or 5 shillings...the fags are 4 pennies for 10." Also "We are having some fine weather here, except for a couple of short showers its been perfect...At the present moment the sun is out and I have made my bed down in a slit trench."  The censor for Eric's letters was A.R.Stone who later received the Military Cross for action at the bridge over the Escaut Canal in Belgium on 4th September 1944. (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

26^th July 1944- After five months fighting the Battle of Narva (now the third largest city in Estonia, right next to the Russian border) Soviet forces finally capture the city from the German occupants.

 

The SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment

Roy Howard of 61st Recce's 'A' Squadron, went out on a ‘foot’ patrol (they crawled out on their stomachs) twice to find out which units they faced at Briquessard.  Having returned with a uniform jacket of the SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment* the three of them were sent out again another night to the German lines, to confirm the identification. Not knowing they were there, the British heavy machine guns opened up and they were caught in the cross-fire.  The Germans sent up very lights revealing their position and one of the trio, Lance Corporal Hampton, was critically wounded (although he later became Mayor of Evesham).  Roy got out with a perforated ear-drum.  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

*SS Panzer Grenadiers were an elite unit in the Waffen SS (the combat branch of the Nazi party).

Major Brownrigg wrote that at Briquessard "We were amused to find that some of our prisoners were converted German reconnaissance troops and (like the 61st) were very disgruntled at doing infantry work."  (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

Eric Brewer wrote in his dairy for 24th July: “On outpost again – Gerry shot Grumlish."  However, his letter home that day is wrote his typically re-assuring, if somewhat misleading: "Our job is more like spectators watching a battle...so far we have not so much fighting, apart from the first two days..they put us back here in a kind of reserve so you have practically nothing to worry about...I believe all we are doing is staying in this bridgehead 'til they get the new suits over, then they will let us finish the march to Berlin...in about one or two months time we shall be in Berlin, or Germany at the least."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Back in Britain casualties from the VI attacks have now reached about 30,000 with around 4,000 killed.

Operation Cobra, the American plan to advance on a narrow front towards Avranches, at the base of the Cotentin Peninsula, is delayed by bad weather.  Some planes could not be recalled and their bombing of the St. Lô / Periers area not only gave the Germans warning of the attack but also killed and wounded men in the US 30th Division.

 

Sleep

By the time they were at Briquessard 61st Recce had become used to sleepless nights.

“We received regular amounts of Benzedrine tablets to enable us to remain awake for up to 56 hours at a time. Sleep was one of the things we really missed out on,”  “The days throughout June and July were very long, starting at 4.45am and dusk not falling until 11.15 pm…There was never enough sleep for anyone, and in spite of the help given by Benzedrine tablets, lack of sleep was as deadly as enemy ambush.” (See ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

Anthony Rampling remembers that before Briquessard “there was a lot of hanging about. Every time nothing was on we just fell asleep. Stand to was at dusk with your gun in hand until it was dark. Attacks were generally at dusk or dawn so we were also up at dawn with our guns in our hands.”

Sandy Handley explains how much worse it could be at Briquessard:

“One of the nights we spent here the British artillery seemed to go on for hours, no question of a little doze. Being two of us in a slit trench one of us kept watch and the other tried to have a little shut eye. We’d made a small covering with our ground sheets in one half of the trench, with the support of a few twigs, but there was no dozing this night. Also a machine gun Regiment with fixed lines kept up this continuous rattle, reminding me of a pneumatic road drill, never stopping. However, it seemed the Germans were a bit fed up with the noise as well and we heard approaching aircraft. I don’t know what type they were but they came down on us, well so it seemed, but they were dive bombing the artillery at the rear. Our artillery ceased firing while this was going on - we heard the bombs whistling down. After the enemy aircraft went away our artillery started again and the machine gun Regiment resumed their firing.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

While 61st Reconnaissance Regiment was at Briquessard their Division, 50th (Northumberland), received some illustrious visitors:

Churchill and Montgomery visit troops from 50th (Northumbrian) Division near Caen on 22nd July 1944.

 

22nd July 1944 – the Bretton Woods conference concludes with agreement on the establishment of an International Monetary Fund and an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

US diplomatic observers (known as the Dixie Mission) arrive in Yan'an establishing official relations with Mao Zedong, the Communist Party of China and the People's Liberation Army.

Related articles

Briquessard begins

Nebelwerfers

A Pretty Miserable Job - Friday 21st July 1944

A Pretty Miserable Job - Friday 21st July 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

NB New Address → B.L.A.*

July 21^st

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m very sorry I haven’t written to you for such a long time, but the truth is that I simply haven’t had one moment to spare for days.  I won’t be able to explain why owing to security reasons, so you’ll just have to believe me this once.    Weather here is really miserable – almost continuous rain, day after day, and we’ve all been soaked through for nearly a week.  I expect it’s the same with you.  On the rare occasions that the sun does shine I have a wonderful view here, which tends to compensate a little for the everlasting mists which hang over the river valley I overlook.

            I can’t explain the job we’re on at the moment, but it’s a pretty miserable one and we’ll all be glad when we get something else.  We have a regular rum ration** which helps things along, especially during the night when everyone’s at their lowest ebb.

            An old friend of mine was wounded last night – not seriously I’m glad to say, though he’ll be hors de combat*** for a fortnight or so.  Unfortunately I can’t give any details of “incidents” until a fortnight has elapsed, so I can’t tell you anything about it. 

            The mail seems to be arriving a lot quicker than previously which is something to be thankful for.

            I had a letter from Eric and replied a few days ago.  He seems to be very well off, being stationed in London.  It’s only a very short run to Sevenoaks.

            Also had one from Brinner.  I believe I told you he’s at home on fourteen days leave.  I hope to contact him if he comes out here.

            I was very pleased to read of your 24 hr effort.  It was well worth it.  Also pleased to hear that all at home are well, especially Margaret, at this time.  Give them all my very best wishes when you write, won’t you?  And wish Margaret**** many Happy Returns for me.

            We had our first visit from the old NAAFI van yesterday.  I got some chewing gum, razor blades etc.  I get a bar of choc. and about a dozen boiled sweets every day so there’s no shortage in this respect.

            Hope you received the card I sent.  There’s a ban on postcards showing actual places needless to say, and there’s very little stationary of any sort out here.  There seems to be a complete absence of magazines of the old pre-war type.  We pick up Vichy papers in some German positions from time to time though they’re all propaganda stuff.

            I was hoping to get some copies of the French “Vogue” but never seem to get to a town of any size at all.  I haven’t visited anything larger than the village of Studland*****since I’ve been here, except on one occasion and then they seemed to have very little to offer.

            The French people display a keen interest in women in uniform – (also women out of uniform ….) especially the French A.T.S.  I saw several of them in the one large(?) town I went to.  People stop in the street to stare at them.

            As soon as I get my feet under the table at a farmhouse we move on somewhere else.  Very disheartening.  I never seem to get cracking at any one place.

            This letter seems to be rambling on and on without any purpose whatsoever.

There’s simply nothing to write about without breach of security. 

            Anyhow I must close here to get some sleep(?) as I’ve been on my feet for 48hrs now. 

            All my love, Chotie Darling.  I sincerely hope it won’t be long now – and then we can be together for all time.

                                                All yours Chubby.

                                                                                    Dicker

*British Liberation Army

** Gordon Minney of ‘A’ Squadron (he was the rear link with Captain Chapman and was wounded in Holland) has a story of the Briquessard Wood rum ration in ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ (Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004).

***French – ‘outside the fight’.

****Margaret Lewis (née Chalkley)’s birthday was 26^th July.

*****A very small village on Dorset’s Purbeck coast.

© Chotie Darling

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:

          Trooper John ‘Enoch’ Slater (age 21) from Gregson Lane, Preston, Lancashire

who is laid to rest in the Tilly-sur-Seulles War Cemetery.  He was killed in Briquessard Wood at the side of Bob Wilkinson of ‘C’ Squadron who survived. (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

Nebelwerfers

Roy Howard writes of Briquessard that “we experienced all the discomfort and deprivation normally only endured by the PBI (poor bloody infantry)…we suffered considerable bombardment from enemy ‘Nebelwerfer*’ (multi barrelled mortar) and normal mortars, pre-set to explode in the form of air-bursts to shower down on our trenches.”  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

*‘Nebelwerfers’ meaning ‘smoke mortars’ were misnamed to suggest they only created a smoke screen – in fact they were developed before the war to deliver poison gas, smoke or highly explosive shells.  The Americans in Sicily nicknamed them ‘Moaning Minnies’ because of their loud, shrill howling noise. They also gave off a streak of smoke on firing, making them vulnerable to riposte, and had to rapidly re-locate after use.

 

“Mornings and evenings we were subjected to salvos of shells from German Nebelwerfers, a multi barrelled gun whose shells made a weird noise.  We called them “moaning minnies”.  They made you wish the trench was a foot deeper.  Our divisional artillery Essex Yeomanry returned fire from their gun Howitzers whose shells made an equally scary noise when they descended from a great height.  A German motorcyclist came nightly into Briquessard and we greatly enjoyed calling for fire on him.  The cooks brought food up to us at night and it must have been hard work carrying it so far.”  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Sandy Handley remembered:

“Our Corporal and four men were in a scooped out trench twenty yards or so to our front, which meant they were nearer still to the enemy.  This was nerve racking.  The Germans fired their mortars (Nebelwerfers) - we could hear the crack as they fired.  These Nebelwerfers, as they were called, would really scream a horrible sound going up and on the way down.  And did we get down in these slit trenches!  These were really frightening.  At the outset of the enemy firing his mortars, our twenty five pounders at the rear used to open up - what a racket.  If it wasn’t mortars it was a series of short bursts from their machine guns (Spandau – 1,000 rounds per minute), much faster than our Bren gun with 600 rounds per minute.  Anyway if anything was flying about, our guns or theirs, we kept well down.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Don Aiken notes a particular attack:

"The main problem was that we were a good target for the German NebelWerfers ( this multi-barrelled launcher fired mortars whose bombs made a horrible wailing, or howling sound as they made their way through the air before exploding with a loud crunch somewhere in the wood) . Our Regimental Field H.Q. had been set up in the middle of the wood. This received a direct hit one night and quite a number of casualties ensued."  (Extract  republished from ‘Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’ by kind permission of Don Aiken)

The Battle of Guam

21^st July 1944 – American forces land on Guam, the largest and southernmost of the Marianas Islands, in the western Pacific.  Eventually almost 55,000 US troops are landed here while the Japanese have a defensive force of nearly 20,000.  The Battle of Guam lasts until 10^th August, with fierce fighting and 7,500 Japanese are still at large on the island after it had been secured for the Allies.

 

Eric Brewer was actually having a bit of a holiday - his diary for the 21st July says "At rest camp - taking it easy" and on 22nd: "Still there. Visit beach, went to Paclam" (sic).  In letters home (dated the 20th) he writes: "Well at last I am at the rest camp for three days and enjoying it.  You can do what you want to do and there is also a cinema, a theatre, games and writing room...I have even sent my washing to the local laundry here, which is run by French girls" "Doing nothing as usual and enjoying my rest at this new camp.  Went for a bath this morning and the pictures last night and expect to try horse riding tomorrow."   Later he wrote "slowly getting quite used to this French language but about the only thing I can't get used to is the lack of pubs, and cafes with nothing to eat in the place."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.) 

 

Briquessard begins

From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O. (commanding officer of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment):

“The first time we held a proper infantry battalion position was when we took over from an American outfit at Briquessard, near Caumont*.

          For the rest of the campaign we used to judge all ‘black spots’ by reference to Briquessard.  Anything described as ‘worse than Briquessard’ stank.  It wasn’t that our casualties were heavy there – they were comparatively light seeing that it was an obvious position on a forward slope and had at least its fair share of missiles.  The trouble was that for the first time we had to abandon every appearance of reconnaissance.  We parked our vehicles about two miles back, re-formed our squadrons of seven troops into companies of three platoons, and occupied an almost continuous trench system, with some very large gaps in which concertina wire had to do the job of men.”

* Briquessard lies east of the Normandy town Caumont-l'Eventé.  From Briquessard cross-roads a ridge runs towards the north, “an area which was ‘bocage’ at its worst.”  (From ‘A Short History of the 7th Armoured Division June 1943 – July 1945’ .)

 

Don Aiken’s account reveals the date of their arrival:  “17th July – Livry (Briquessard)

Our Regiment was detailed to defend a very long, narrow wood, named Le Bois de Briquessard. We took over at night-time from an American Regiment and took up positions in fox-holes and ditches on the leading edge of the wood, facing across a field to a hedgerow which was occupied by the enemy. Our Assault Troop sent out foot patrols at night, but there were very few incidents arising from them.”  (Extract  republished from ‘Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’ by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Eric Brewer, a ‘B’ Squadron Assault trooper, appears to have been involved in one of the incidents on 17^th/18^th July:

“Saw Tiger (tank). Done Recce patrol to find enemy positions.  Gerry fired at me and others (50yds in front) and mortared us but luckily there was a pond.  Wet but worth it.”  On 19th July he wrote:  “Garmont Area (sic - presumably meaning ‘Caumont’).  Relieved Yanks, me and Gil set up an out post here today.”  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Roy Howard of 'A' Squadron also mentions their arrival:

"The position consisted of a series of trenches, reminiscent of World War 1, dug into the forward slope of a wooded hill, facing across open country to the enemy position.  The changeover took place during the night in order not to alert the enemy that the Yanks had been replaced." (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

Eric Postles writes:  "We had the ability to perform a number of roles and we had our first experience of an infantry role when we took over from an American Unit for about two weeks.  They were holding a line at the bottom of a hill a couple of fields west of Briquessard.  We went on foot for about a mile in the dark as the positions could not be approached in daylight.  The Americans could not get out quickly enough and left behind some weapons, ammunition, rations and, best of all for most of our lads, cigarettes.  Dug outs and slit trenches were along a hedgerow and at night we took hourly turns behind a couple of sandbags about 20 yards down a hedge in front of the main positions.  It was pretty scary out there alone."  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Anthony Rampling's map of the Briquessard position:

Tony remembers:

Briquessard begins

          “We had to go to a little hamlet called Briquessard and we parked our vehicles a mile or two behind the lines and filed up to this wood at Briquessard and it was a forward sloping wood, with trenches at the bottom of the wood.

          We took over Briquessard from the American 101 – they were called 'the Screaming Eagles**' – and in the trenches they left cigarettes and even weapons.  If we’d have left a weapon behind we’d have been on a court martial.”  From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm). 

 **61st Recce was to work with the 101st Airborne Division in the Netherlands following Market Garden and in the Ardennes' famous 'Battle of the Bulge'.

 

Sandy Handley, recalls that night vividly in his story:

          “Another infantry role we had was at Briquessard, at the edge of a wood.  We had to leave our vehicles about half a mile from the front line and relieve some Americans from 101 air division.  They were all dug in on the edge of this wood, a series of foxholes as we called them, each enough to accommodate two men.  We relieved these paratroops as it was getting dusk.  I remember as we filed along the footpath someone trod on a dry twig with a cracking sound, a voice from the darkness of the slit trench said “steady fellas. They’re (Gerry) just a 100 yards away.”  

      As they got out of their respective foxholes, we got in – as I say two men in each trench.  These trenches were five feet deep, mounded round with sand bags.  We placed our Bren guns to the front on top of these sand bags.  Soon it was pitch black. Our Officer, Lt. Williams, came along, to see if we were settled.  I felt uncomfortable.  Sitting in an armoured car behind our guns was what we were trained for but here we were now all in trenches reminiscent of the 14-18 war.  Our officer told us quietly: “The enemy is not so far away, maybe 100 yards or more, so be as quiet as possible.  Remember, he’s doing the same as you - listening.”

 

Some from 61^st Recce did not survive to tell the tale...

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 17^th July 1944:     

          Trooper Charles Turner (age 27) of Norton Canes, Cannock, Staffordshire

He is laid to rest in the Cemetery at Tilly-sue-Seulles. (See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

 

The Humber MKIII

On 12^th July Eric Brewer had "moved to a new position near 'Udler Bocad' (sic) Gerry mortaring, snipers active - Lt Peters just missed bullet." He was there for two days.  On 13th July two tanks were knocked out and another overturned with two crew killed and on the 14th "mortaring and snipers" were "still a nuisance".  On returning to base for a rest he wrote to his parents telling them he was "in Div 50th reserve and as usual doing nothing except sleep".  Also (on the 15th) that they had "just got our first bottle of beer from the NAFI and also white bread for one meal every two days, which works out at about two slices every two days." (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Sandy Handley returned to Bayeux sometime in mid-July:

“At the end of July we had to play an infantry role (see Briquessard) - by this time we had had our trusty Humber MK111 back in our troop. 

      We had had to go back to Bayeux to R.E.M.E. workshops again and were surprised when the officer at the workshops said “You’re lucky”. Although he’d said previously they wouldn’t have any spares for our Humber MKIII they had found a drop arm off an old ambulance and repaired our car (a transplant so to speak).  I found out from our driver a drop arm was a part connected to the steering mechanism.  

      So we waved cheerio to the boys at the R.E.M.E. and Bayeux. I wished I’d got a specialist trade like the R.E.M.E. but their job wasn’t always safe at base; their job became pretty hazardous sometimes, towing knocked out tanks out from the front under fire.  

      Now we’d got our Humber back we felt a bit more settled - Dan, our Corporal, surveying the scenery as we went along, and the driver (I can’t remember his name, may have been Bill or Bob), and me sitting on the gunner’s swivel seat with the Bren gun on the mounting, which was attached to the small turret.  No press buttons or levers here.  Whatever way I wanted to point the Bren, I shuffled my legs and hobnailed boots to move the top of the turret around.  

      The large Humbers had a 37mm and 1 & 2 machine gun and were swivelled around by a handle.  I’d had training on these in England, both for gunnery and radio procedure. Everything was noisy: the engine was at the rear and the loud mush from the radio jangled my nerves a bit.  I can’t remember having earplugs issued; the noise was nerve racking.  The light Humber was much quieter.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

Steak

11th July 1944 - On the American front in Normandy V Corps' experienced 9th Division and XIX Corps' 30th Division withstood a fierce counter-attack by the Panzer Lehr near St Jean-de-Daye (south of Isigny and west of Bayeux).

 

Eric Postles of 61st Recce's B Squadron was involved in action south of Bayeux: “Hottot, a few miles down the road to Villers Bocage, was captured by 1 Hampshires on 11 July.  We were holding their right flank on higher ground and had a panoramic view of the action as it flowed to and fro.  We were joined in 30 Corps by 43 Division and remained with them until Holland.”   Hottot-les-Bagues was finally liberated by 50th Division on 19th July.

On 11^th July 1944 Eric Brewer wrote in his diary “Mortared = cow killed and hope to have steak for tea, everyone okay except two injured.” On the same day in a letter to his parents he said he was"still at base, taking it easy.  At the present moment I have nothing much to do except write and sleep".  He did add "Every minute of the day all you can hear is the artillery putting up a barrage and the Air Force going over." (Extract from Eric Brewer’s letter and diary included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Eric Postles reminisced about his troop's attempts to get fresh meat: "Once when we were told we would be in harbour for a couple of days Corporal Newsome who was a butcher in civvy street and I caught, killed and dressed a sheep.  We had just finished when we were ordered to move taking the carcass with us suspended above the carrier.  We cooked it later in empty ammunition boxes made into an oven."  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

Freshly killed cow or sheep would have been a lot more appetising than most of the meat around. Anthony Rampling explains why he became a vegetarian:

Eating meat

“In Normandy the Germans, as they retreated, shot all the cattle, horses and dairy cows.  They were laying in the fields, blown up, covered in maggots with chickens picking the maggots off.  It was very unappetising to eat your meals, and what with that, and the Falaise Gap, it rather put me off meat for the rest of my life, although I had to eat it in the war because there was nothing else to eat.”   From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

John Wayne

10^th July 1944 - British 8th Corps (part of 2nd Army) began new attacks toward Evrecy - a village south-west of Caen, across the River Orne from Grainville.  This was to pave the way for Operation Goodwood"a plan to employ massed armour in break through the German defences constructed on the Orne bridgehead" (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition, and Chronology of World War II.)

 

Dick's former unit, the 43rd (Wessex) Division, suffers 2,000 casualties in Operation Jupiter, trying to rest Hill 112 (see First In, Last Out) back from the Germans.  The Division also his included his first regiment, The Dorsets (see 43rd (Wessex) Division Memorial). The battle was of "shattering intensity, even by the standards of Normandy" (Hastings).

61st Recce's 50th Division was involved in fierce fighting around Éterville and Maltot south-west of Caen.  Eric Brewer was still at Grainville-sur-Odon, only a few kilometres north-west of Hill 112.  His diary records “have taken up a position in front of slit* trenches” (from Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family).

* 'slit trenches' - a very shallow excavation allowing one man to lie horizontally while shielding his body from nearby shell bursts and small arms fire.

 

Sometime in July, when Sandy Handley was still in a Bren carrier, he was involved in an assault action that may have been this one:

                                                               “I remember one little action we took part in with 4 Bren carriers.  We had to charge across to the corner of a field. I was flat on my stomach firing away, no question of taking aim.  With the motion over the bumpy field, the bullets went everywhere but the corner of this field. 

We got closer and saw a white surrender flag come up.  One German Officer and six troopers were made prisoner, fortunately for them no one killed.  Our officer* was pleased.  The Officer, Captain Truman**, got an M.C. (Militiary Cross) for a similar action.  Our officer questioned the captured German Officer*** and asked if he had any more troops in the wood.  He replied indicating he wasn’t obliged to tell us. 

However, Captain Truman ordered all the Bren Gunners and the N.C.O.s to get off our vehicles with tommy guns, to spread out and walk through the wood and keep firing. This meant walking through this wood Bren guns and tommy guns all firing, the bullets bouncing off the tree branches - pretty frightening.  I had used the Bren gun quite a lot from our armoured car since we landed but now from a Bren Carrier (which I had never had training for) and walking through a wood firing from the hip, like John Wayne, was something new. Any minute we expected a burst coming at us. 

When we were well in the wood another dirty white rag went up - six more frightened Germans, hands up.  Let’s face it, I was frightened too and I’m sure the other lads were as well. 

We now had 13 more prisoners who seemed glad it was all over for them anyway.  I hoped I wouldn’t have to go through that again but that was only July ’44.  We had a long way to go, how long no one knew."

*Presumably Lt. Dick Williams, Sandy's troop commander.

**In his account of 61^st Recce, Colonel Brownrigg describes Lieutenant Truman carrying out impressive reconnaissance manoeuvres with his troop later in the Normandy campaign at  Amayé-sur-Seulles (for which he received the MC).

*** Dick had learnt to speak German while training for Intelligence work in 1941.  He also spoke fluent French.

(From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Caen

9th July 1944 – In Caen the Germans withdrew from the north of the city overnight to a very defensible front line on the south side of the River Orne, including the high ground of the Bourg.  The Allies advance through the rubble of the city to the Orne and now hold most of the city. (From 'The Drive on Caen, Northern France 7^th June -9^th July 1944’, a 60^th Anniversary booklet.) 

 

50th Division are involved in another failed attack to take Hottot-les-Bagues, south-west of Tilly-sur-Seules. 

Eric Brewer's diary for 9th July records that he: "Moved to Grainville.  Infantry took it and we have a forward position."  He had also written home again that he was "Still at base taking it easy...I see that you have sent me on some more cigarettes...if you send me anymore I will have to send them back home as I have more than I can smoke now; I bought 400 before I came to France and also have about one hundred besides...but the writing paper and envelopes are always welcomed, also the toothpaste". (Diary and letter extracts included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Russian advance in the East

8^th July 1944 – on the Russian front the German 12^th Corps surrenders with 57,000 men.  The Germans have now lost 300,000 men in three weeks. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

Operation Charnwood continues with American bombing and resumption of the ground attack from the north.  The British 3rd Division capture Saint-Contest to the north-west of the city and the Canadians, encountering fierce resistance further west took nearby Authie and then Cussy.  (From 'The Drive on Caen, Northern France 7^th June -9^th July 1944’, a 60^th Anniversary booklet.)

The Americans at last seize La Haye-du-Puits, on the western side of the western side of the Cherbourg Peninsula, level with Carentan (from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition).

 

For once Eric Brewer was away from the fighting: "Went to Bayeux for baths.  Had look round."  He wrote again to his parents "I looked round for something to send you but can't see anything worth getting, only a lot of junk."  He never let his family know quite how near to the action he got "I don't think they needed a Recce out here as the nearest we have been to the front line is approximately 5 miles so as for you saying look after yourself I am safer than the rock of Gibraltar".  Back home at Grays in Essex they were also facing danger from the V1 rockets "I hope the rocket bombs are not worrying you too much...keep looking out of the window and one of these times you will see me coming up the road and this time there will be no more khaki for me...I can't see how it can last to Christmas with the Russians pushing on as they are and the amount of stuff we and the Yanks must have coming into France...things will happen very soon, same as they did in North Africa, but our advance should be twice as fast so roll on, shall we say October eh?" (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and  letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

 

 

Swapping Wheels

On 6^th July Eric Brewer of ‘B’ Squadron’s Assault Troop in 61^st Recc, was thrilled to be handing in his bicycle in return for a half-track (possibly the US M3 half-track/, which was supplied to 1^st Recce in Italy at around the same time?).  The next day he wrote “Blimey! More like a holiday in a half track.  No sweating on bikes.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Meanwhile Sandy Handley, a Bren Gunner in Dick’s troop, was lamenting the loss of his wheels:

“One day in July our troop was out on a patrol, our light Humber* leading as normal. We were with the infantry, out on the flank and off the road going over bumpy ground; our vehicle hit a mound and the driver soon found he couldn’t steer properly.  We stopped in the middle of all our advancing infantry, our Corporal advised the troop officer** and after a discussion the officer said ‘You’ll have to stay where you are and I’ll get R.E.M.E. to come out for you’. 

The Officer and the two other Humbers returned to base and we were literally stuck in the middle of nowhere.  It got dark - being three of us the Corporal said that one person must stay awake.  The Infantry had gone forward out of sight.  We felt quite alone, not a pleasant situation, although we knew the Infantry were up front.  In the pitch black I imagined any movement or noise could have been a German creeping about. 

Morning came and we waited and the sun came out, which cheered us up and at last we could see the surrounding area.  We looked back up the slope half a  mile away and our Infantry was coming out of the trees.  The enemy must have spotted them and soon over came the mortar bombs.  We saw one land in a flash just as a section of our Infantry was coming out of the trees.  The Corporal said ‘some gone for a burton*** there I bet’.  Soon our Artillery, 25 pounders, opened up. What a racket they made too, made me nervous. 

Later in the morning the R.E.M.E (Breakdown Department) came out. What a relief - we had been isolated for 24 hours.  The R.E.M.E. had also picked up a German armoured car (panzer wagon).  As I remember Dan, our Corporal, sat in the driver’s seat and the whole panzer wagon toppled over but Dan wasn’t hurt, in fact it was comical in a way. 

Eventually we were towed back to Bayeux to the 50^th Division workshops.  ‘We haven’t any spares for these old things.  You shouldn’t have had to land with these’.  However, we had a little stroll around Bayaux and looked at the Cathedral and mingled with the Yanks, Canadians, Polish soldiers and other nationalities, while we waited for a truck from our 61^st Recce to take us back to the Regiment.

When we did get back I was assigned to a Bren Carrier, which I’d never had any training for.  I found it pretty hairy with no cover like my turret on the armoured cars.” 

* Mark III Humber Armoured Car

**Lieutenant Dick Williams

***a cheerfully euphemistic slang phrase widely used in World War 2 to mean someone had crashed (eg RAF fighter crews), was missing or dead.

(From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

The Universal (‘Bren gun’) carrier had been employed by Recce units at regimental and squadron HQ as well as in the reconnaissance squadron since 1941 and remained a stalwart of the Corps throughout the war.  Each regiment’s recce squadrons had a carrier in Squadron HQ and another in each of the recce troops HQs and both carrier sections had three vehicles each. (From ‘The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II’ by Richard Doherty, Osprey Publishing 2007)

Recce Corps vehicles all carried the identity serial '41' (see photo on blog banner).