Chotie Darling

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.

 

Hottot-les-Bagues

On the Western Front elements of British 2nd Army advance toward Hottot-les-Bagues and Evrecy.

On 15th July XXX Corps is involved in Operation Greenline and on 16th July the follow-up, Operation Pomegranate holding operations in the Second Battle of the Odon to disrupt German re-organisation and distract from Operation Goodwood.

61^st Recce appears to have a role in the attacks.  On 15th July Eric Brewer wrote "Moving to a position about 1 mile away, going to do patrols." and on the 16th: "In observation post - 6 Gerrys gave themselves up this morning."  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

Don Aiken recounted:

“The forward movement of the invading troops all along the front gradually ground to a halt as German resistance increased and the planned occupation of Caen was thwarted again and again. The front line became almost static as both sides dug in to take up defensive positions.

16th July - Hottot les Bagues and Evrecy.” (Extract  republished from Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’ by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Hottot-les-Bagues is a village to the south-west of Tilly-sur- Seules.  The war cemetery there has more than 1,300 graves.

‘Another push to take Hottot-les-Bagues was launched on 9 July, but was pushed back by the Germans. Another attack was arranged by 11 July to be carried out by the 231 Brigade supported by the Sherwood Rangers. It was supported by a massive rolling barrage. Progress was made, but the village was not taken. It wasn’t until 19 July, after the Germans had withdrawn across the whole division front, that the village was finally securely in British hands.’ (From 50th Tyne and Tees Division.) 

 

16^th July 1944 – In Italy the 8^th Army capture Arezzo, south-east of Florence.

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)

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.)

 

 

 

Involved in the Action

1^st July 1944 – the Bretton Woods conference begins in New Hampshire, USA, involving delegates from 44 Allied countries in discussions to ensure post-war economic prosperity and economic co-operation.  By 22^nd July the conference had resulted in agreements establishing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

In Italy the Allies break through the Albert/Trasimene line, the German’s next line of defence north of Rome, advancing up the western edge of Italy towards Pisa and Florence.

In Normandy the Americans secure Cap de la Hague, near Cherbourg.

Near Caen, German 1^st SS Panzer Corps launch attacks around Grainville but are held off by British 2^nd Army. 

As usual 61^st Recce appear to be involved in the action.  Eric Brewer recorded in his diary:

"July 1^st - moved to South of Grainville to forward O.P. to direct mortar fire.  Gerry about 500 yards in front.  Code/signs for mortars light or heavy shelling light or heavy also strength or movement if any.  Only one mortar and two shellings all day rather quiet.  Stayed there all night. Rather quiet - only a few buckshee mortars coming over.

July 2^nd - still same place doing same job. Had a few enemy mortars come over but don’t think he will trouble us any more by the weight of the barrage  laid down. Located enemy vehicles moving - soon had artillery firing at it.

July 3rd - position inspected by General and found to be possible for Gerry to come through valley.

July 4th - Gerry mortared to left of us but was unlucky in finding us." (Included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)

Eric Postles, also in 'B' Squadron, recalled that in July 1944: “We continued patrolling activity always having to be cautious beyond the start line of friendly aircraft attention even though we had red and yellow fluorescent panels on display to identify us*.  We had also to be cautious on returning back through the infantry positions.  We saw little of A and C Squadrons as we operated independently and our troop often worked alone.” (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

*The front-line displayed panels on the top of their vehicles to try to avoid bombing by Allied planes.

Bread and Death

“By the last days of June the Battle for Normandy had taken on the character that it was to retain for the two months that followed: a struggle involving more than 1,000,000 men pitted against each other on a front of scarcely 100 miles.”  (Max Hastings in ‘Overlord’, Macmillan 2016 edition.)

30^th June 1944 - Since D-Day, the Allies have landed 630,000 troops, 600,000 tons of supplies and 177,000 vehicles in the Normandy beachhead. They have suffered 62,000 dead and wounded.

The remaining 6,000 Germans in the Cherbourg peninsula surrender. (From Chronology of World War II and WW2-net Timelines.) 

The German II-SS Armoured Corps, now assembled around Villers-Bocage, continue to receive the attentions of Bomber Command. Low intensity fighting persists south-west of Caen for the next nine days. (From 'The Drive on Caen, Northern France 7^th June -9^th July 1944’, a 60^th Anniversary booklet.)

 

Eric Brewer was still back at base and had just got paid: “Went to local farms and obtained 1lb butter and about 1 gallon of milk. Had a couple of chickens from bombed house - not so bad. Gun fire tonight is heavy. Weather not too bad. Bags of aircraft flying about place called Therobrot.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)

The extra food would have subsidised the ‘Compo’ pack rations “lightweight wooden crates, each containing rations for six men for a three day period.  The contents varied little, but the favourites contained bully beef or Spam, rather than the alternatives of stew or oxtail or haricot.  All packs contained greengage jam, cheese, greasy bacon, powdered milk, powdered egg, salt, sugar, hard tack biscuits, boiled sweets, cigarettes, matches and three pieces of very rough toilet paper per man.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004.)

 

Eric Postles remembered: “We were issued with 14 man compo packs consisting of tinned food and hard tack biscuits.  The latter often contained messages from the girls who packed them.

The compo packs were labelled A to G on the end of the box so you knew the contents.  The best held steak and kidney pudding, the worst ‘harricotted’ oxtail which seemed to have more bones than meat.

We used our stoves and Benghasis, cut-down non-returnable petrol cans filled with sand soaked in petrol for heating the food cans, washing ourselves and washing clothes.  For a bath you put one leg in the water at a time.  When the petrol sand went out you refilled it but if the sand was hot you would be surrounded by a cloud of white vapour.  We heard of people being badly burned if it ignited.  It never happened to anyone in our troop.”   (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

According to Anthony Rampling cooking was done in a biscuit tin with a hole in the side. They filled it with earth, “poured petrol on it, set fire to it and cooked on the top.” (PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!)

“Trying to exist was hard. Up front you couldn’t cook anything. We were given biscuits and chocolate you couldn’t bite – solid like rock.  We had tins of meat but no vegetables. We lived on tea - made in a bucket with Ideal milk and sugar all mixed in.  The biggest thing we missed was bread":

The stench of death

“Going on to food- one food we missed very much was bread.  There were no bakehouses going and I think it was three weeks before we got any bread at all and then not very much.  And going back about Normandy, with all the cattle and the dead and the bodies the stench from the beaches to Caen, the stench of death was horrific and it took a long while for it to leave you, really.”

 

Eric Brewer seems to have written two letters home that day (the cinema show may have been a re-assuring fiction?):

Friday 30^th (written on NAAFI letterform)

"Dear Mum Dad and all

Well here I am still at base taking it easy and hope you and all are keeping fine. What do you think of the Yanks taking Cherbourg? We should soon have the supplies pouring in now then the war will soon be over I hope. They say that there is a cinema show for us tomorrow, which I hope to go and see if lucky…

Got paid this morning the first time for four weeks but have no need to draw it over here, as there is not much to spend it on….

Your loving son

Eric XXXX

PS Are these stamps any good to you as I don’t need them out here and you do know that you do not have to put stamps on my letter just (ON ACTIVE SERVICE)"

 

30^th  (written on NAAFI notepaper in a NAAFI envelope marked on active service, postmarked 3^rd July 1944)

“Dear Mum Dad and all

Just received your letter glad to hear you are alright but wish you would not send me any cigarettes as I have more than I will ever smoke and if I want any they only cost 4p for 10 so it’s a waste of time you sending them to me so please don’t send anymore…..

I just stopped writing to go and see what the roar was and blimey there was so many planes going over that you can have no idea of the amount. They were as far as the eye could see going over for about 20 minutes; must have been about 400 – 500 planes. Makes you thankful that you are British, poor old Gerry, and now the artillery have started opening up on Gerry’s position….

Your loving son

Eric XXXX”

 

Three-quarters remain

29^th June 1944 – 43^rd (Wessex) Division defend the east side of the Operation Epsom Corridor while the 15^th Scottish Division defend the western side assisted by a Royal Navy bombardment from offshore.  

The Allies advance is then withdrawn on intelligence that the German II SS Armoured Corps is about to launch a major counter-attack and the Allies pull back from Hill 112.  Operation Epsom is closed down.  VIII Corps has lost 4,020 men and Caen remains in enemy hands.

Allied aircraft cause considerable destruction to the II SS Armoured Corps tanks and vehicles assembled around Noyers-Bocage (south-west of Grainville-sur-Odon) so they only succeed in securing a forward position between Rauray and Grainville-sur-Odon. (From  ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012; ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition and 'The Drive on Caen, Northern France 7^th June -9^th July 1944’, a 60^th Anniversary booklet.)

Eric Brewer, now back at base, learns that according to the Officer in Charge 25 of their men have been killed and 12 injured. He writes that, since they landed in France, about one eighth of 61^st Recce’s ‘B’ Squadron have now been killed and another eighth injured.  They have lost Sergeants Wallace (died 19^th June) and Whitehouse (died 10^th October 1944), seven corporals and the rest troopers. (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family and 61st Reconnaissance Roll of Honour.)

Carentan and Caumont

12^th June 1944 – US 101^st Airborne at last take Carentan at the base of the Cherbourg peninsula and the US bridgeheads from Omaha and Utah join up.  The Allies in Normandy now have a united 50 mile front-line, penetrating 5 to 20 miles inland from the beaches.  They have landed 326,000 men and 54,000 vehicles (from OnWar website).

Churchill visited Normandy  for the day, coming over from Portsmouth and meeting Montgomery on ‘Gold’ beach.

The US 1^st Division liberate Caumont-L’Éventé (the area Eric Brewer reached on D-day).  The village of Livry, to the north-east, is taken and cleared by the British 7^th Armoured Division but they are unable to capture Tilly-sur-Seules. 

8th Armoured Brigade launch attacks between Tessel and Bretteville from St Pierre but suffer heavy casualties.  50^th Division are ordered to hold the line from Point 103 – La Belle Épine and 8^th Armoured withdraw from St. Pierre. (From ‘The 8^th Armoured Brigade Break-Out from the Normandy Bridgehead June 7^th – 12^th 1944’ by Brigadier HJB Cracroft , Commander.)

Eric Brewer’s diary entry for 12th June reads: “Shifted to Tilly and opened up on by Spandau Squadron still active.”  He also managed to find the time to write to his family:

Tpr Brewer 14631319

B Squadron 13 Troop, 61^st Recce RAC, APO England

12^th June 1944 

Dear Mum Dad and all …

“we have not been able to write letters until today as they could not make arrangements until it was possible to get the postal side of things organised and they seem to be okay now”…

“Well I have not much news but as you can guess I am in France and keeping okay and everything is going okay. There is plenty to do and by the look of things the war can’t last much longer; don’t think no longer than Christmas at the most so cross your fingers and keep that kettle on.”

(From Eric Brewer’s diary and letters by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)

 

12^th June 1944 - Alfred Rosenberg, Head of the Reich Ministry for occupied Eastern Territories orders the kidnapping of 40,000 Polish children aged 10 to 14 for slave labour in Germany under the Heuaktion.  (From World War 2 Net.)

An Unpleasant Sunday

51st Highland and 7th Armoured Divisions are sent in to attack around Caen, from the north-east and south-west respectively. 12^th Battalion Parachute Regiment finally take the village of Bréville, near Pegasus Bridge, at huge cost.  7^th Armoured attempt to secure Tilly-sur-Seules without success.   

50^th Division’s 69^th Brigade (the Green Howards) seize Ducy-Sainte-Marguerite, a village west of Loucelles, but their attack towards the village of Cristot (north-west of Tilly and St Pierre) is delayed after the 47^th Dragoon Guards reconnaissance reports little resistance.  Panzer Lehr hold the villages of Chouain, Audrieu and Brouay and 12^th SS Panzer move in to the apparent gap. The Green Howards are forced to withdraw with 250 casualties.  “By nightfall the Germans were counter-attacking towards the British start line on Hill 103” (from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition).

Brigadier Cracroft’s account of the events of 11^th June ends: “Altogether an eventful and unpleasant Sunday” (from ‘The 8^th Armoured Brigade Break-Out from the Normandy Bridgehead June 7^th – 12^th 1944’ by Brigadier HJB Cracroft , Commander.)

See Map of the front line 11th June 1944.

Eric Brewer’s diary records “Left 103, made patrols in village. Came across machine gun post and wiped it out, then found dead Gerrys - one had a good ring on him so Lacy went and took it off and was immediately opened up on by snipers but luckily he was missed.” (Extract included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)

Around this time Don Aiken recalls a less serious event:

“One event still comes back to me. We were ‘harbouring’ in a large field which belonged to a typical large chateau. Our armoured cars had occupied dug-out emplacements which had previously been occupied by German tanks. Most of the cattle in the pasture had been killed and the accustomed stench of dead animals pervaded the air. Adjoining the field was a large wooded area in which was positioned a heavy artillery battery which had been engaged in shelling enemy positions for a considerable time.

Suddenly I heard the rumbling drone of a German heavy bomber which was seeking out the artillery position and immediately dropped a bomb very close to our vicinity. Taking cover, along with my companion, I dived under the armoured car and waited there until the bomber had dropped all its bombs and the sound of its engine died away in the distance.
As we crawled out from under our cover I felt a trickle running down my knee. Clutching at my ominously sticky pants I said to the other Trooper; “I think I’ve been hit!”. We both closely investigated the area of the ‘wound’ until - the smell hit us — I had dived into a cow-pat.”     (Republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane

10^th June 1944 – In response to the D Day landings the Maquis had risen against the garrison of Tulle, south of Limoges in the Massif Central. Apparently in reprisal troops of the 2^nd SS Panzer Division kill 642 civilians in the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane, north-east of Limoges in central France. The men are shot and women and children are locked in a church which the soldiers set on fire.

 Montgomery meets the US Commanding General, Omar Bradley, at Port-en-Bessin and agrees a plan to encircle the Caen and the Panzer Lehr Division via Caumont and Villers-Bocage with the 7th Armoured Division.  However, this turns out to be “little more than a reconnaissance in force.” (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

7th Armoured advanced through the 50th Division’s forward position.  The 50th held Bayeux and had established an additional base nearby to the north-west, between the city and Gold Beach (from Frontline map in Library of Congress).

 

On 10^th June the 8^th Armoured Brigade’s position was strongly counter-attacked by the Germans.  These attacks were successfully repulsed and Point 103 and St. Pierre were held but the Brigade were unable to progress towards their next objective, the Tessel-Bretteville feature (Tessel Wood?*).  Supplies were brought in by a defended column from St Leger via the Audrieu area.  The lorries took back the wounded to the bridgehead.  The column also brought liaison officers from the American 155 unit and 50^th Division, offering artillery support. (From ‘The 8^th Armoured Brigade Break-Out from the Normandy Bridgehead June 7^th – 12^th 1944’ by Brigadier HJB Cracroft , Commander.)    *Tessel and Bretteville are villages south of St.Pierre

One of the wounded was Lieutenant Gordon Rainey:

“I went forward with a reconnaissance unit to try and take up a position on the flank of a strong armoured division reported to be moving up from the south.  We soon found the Germans were already established in positions on the flank. I was in a Bren gun carrier behind an armoured car, which was suddenly knocked out by an anti-tank gun.   The crew of the car were blown out of the vehicle but we were not seriously wounded.  We directed fire on to what we took to be the anti-tank guns position.
Then I crawled forward with a few other men to reconnoitre around the still blazing armoured car.  The Germans must have been watching us all the time from some other position, for suddenly there was another burst of machine-gun firing and we were all hit.  My wound was in my leg.  I crawled about 200 yards, and afraid that other members of the unit might think I was a Jerry in the long grass, waved to them.  They waved back, and although the enemy were still firing two of them crawled towards me.  Other members of the unit provided covering fire while they brought me in."

They crept forward to him under heavy machine gun fire, and his driver, Lance Corporal Hampton, and Trooper Smith dressed his wound. The little party started crawling away on their hands and knees through the long grass back to our line.

"We could only make slow progress" said Lt. Rainey, "and my driver got fed up and he got me on his back, jumped up and ran for it. It was a very fine show. They got me to a casualty clearing station and after two hours wait on the beach I was transferred to a hospital ship."  (Extract from Yorkshire Post Friday 16^th June and Daily Mail (Hull) via WW2 Talk Forum.)

Eric Brewer of 61^st Recce recorded for June 10th:  “Still at 103. Snipers still active 2 bullets strayed(?) by Smith. Also we were forced to move back to new position and take up that position.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)

 

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

          Sergeant Leslie Eric Carpenter (age 22) of Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire

           Sergeant Thomas Ruane (age 25)

who are laid to rest in the Bayeux War Cemetery,

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

We will remember them.