70th Infantry Brigade War Diary June 1944.
3rd June 1944
The weekly Field Returns of manpower for Brigade Headquarters included the Defence Platoon and the Light Aid Detachment, as well as the Officers and men working in HQ itself and various “attached ranks”.
The Defence Platoon was 27 strong in total, including one Sergeant and 3 Corporals – effectively equivalent to three Sections.
The Brigade Workshops – the Light Aid Detachment – consisted of 2 Sergeants, 2 Lance-Corporals, 12 Craftsmen and 2 Privates.
The Officers of Brigade HQ numbered 15, matching the establishment. Details of the individuals can be found on the “names database” on the Brigade HQ page.
The Other Ranks working within Brigade HQ included a Class 1 Warrant Officer, 3 Class II Warrant Officers, 1 Colour Sergeant, 1 Staff Sergeant, 2 Sergeants, 6 Corporals and 41 Privates – a total of 55 men. “Attached ranks” included; a Sergeant, 2 Corporals and 16 Privates of the Divisional Provost Company, a Colour Sergeant PT Instructor, a Corporal and a Sapper of the Divisional Postal Service, an RAOC Storeman of the RASC 482 Brigade Transport Company, a REME Corporal and an RAMC private from 187th Field Ambulance. Several men identified as “residue” or “home details” from 1st Tyneside Scottish were also present in Brigade HQ.
6th June 1944
Thetford. D-Day. Movement Orders collected from MC CAMBRIDGE and maps from CSD. Moved to Concentration Area at 22:15 hours.
7th June 1944
Wanstead. Arrived in the T.1 Concentration Area – a tented Camp, and prepared the vehicles for embarkation.
8th June 1944
Wanstead. The vehicles moved from the Concentration Area to the WEST INDIA DOCK at MILLWALL DOCKS for loading.
9th June 1944
West India Dock. Vehicles and troops were loaded into S.S. STANRIDGE (Captain Phillips) and the Brigade Commander and his HQ sailed.
10th June 1944
River Thames. The S.S. STANRIDGE sailed at 02:00 hours for the anchorage at SOUTHEND.
11th June 1944
At sea. The ship sailed in convoy at 05:00 hours, passing the Straits of DOVER at noon under cover of a smoke screen. There was no opposition and the Brigadier landed.
12th June 1944
Baie le la Seine. The ship arrived at ARROMANCHES LES BAINS at 07:00 and anchored.
13th June 1944
Remained loaded at anchor.
14th June 1944
The first craft disembarked with a wet landing at 12:00 hours on JIG BEACH at Le HAMEL. This first element of Brigade HQ arrived at the Concentration Area at BRECY reference 881780 at 15:00 hours and then moved to the area of DUCY-St-MARGUERITE reference 850746 at 21:00 hours.
15th June 1944
Ducy-St-Marguerite. The remainder of Brigade HQ landed and completed concentration. 70th Brigade was placed in Divisional Reserve.
One Platoon of the 11th DLI, under the command of Lt. Bell, provided a guard for General Montgomery.
The first Brigade Intelligence Summary was completed and issued – a copy is included in the War Diary at Appendix A.
This document was expected to be destroyed by recipients within an hour of receipt – not surprisingly, as it contained the latest estimates of enemy strength and the nature and equipment of opposing units, and their likely intentions as regards operations. Several of the Patrols described in the War Diary were aimed at verifying the identities of such units – hence the importance, for identification purposes, of capturing Prisoners.
The report then went on to deal with the enemy on the Brigade’s front – thought to be 901 and 902 Panzer Lehr Regiments, with 2nd Panzer Division units further back – possibly the 2nd Panzer Grenadier Regiment. The 304th Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the 2nd Panzer Division had been identified South-East of CAUMONT. Prisoners from 26th Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the 12th SS Panzer Division had been taken that day at BRONAY.
The report commented on the defence advantages of the bocage country and added that the German troops had been briefed that they would shot on capture – reinforcing the argument to fight to the last man.
The next part of the report detailed the insignia, structure and weaponry of the enemy units – Panzer Lehr Division, including the 130th Panzer Lehr Recce Battalion, the Grenadier Regiment and the 130th Artillery Regiment, and the 2nd Panzer Division.
Mention is made in the Report of an intelligence report of the use of rocket projectiles filled with liquid incendiary fluid on another Division’s front. (This was also mentioned in a later report of the use of “oil bombs” against the 2nd Battalion, Glasgow Highlanders of the 15th Scottish Division in mid-July at ESQUAY near the River ORNE. Research in recent years had failed to turn up much concrete information on this ammunition, but in a conversation with a Senior Officer of the Bundeswehr in May 2012, part of a study tour in the area – Hill 112 - where these rounds were allegedly used, he confirmed that such mortar or Nebelwerfer rounds were in fact deployed, particularly to start fires and thereby provide illumination, during night or twilight operations. They could be seen as broadly equivalent to napalm.)
The Report concludes by summarising Allied progress since D-Day, including units being moved between higher commands.
16th June 1944
10th DLI moved forward and deployed in the area LE PONT ROC reference 8470. The remainder of the Brigade was in Divisional Reserve.
17th June 1944
10th DLI captured SAINT PIERRE reference 8568 and went under the command of 146th Brigade, while the remainder of 70th Brigade was in Divisional Reserve.
The Brigade Intelligence Officer, 138539 Captain J.W.Robson, was wounded and evacuated. Field returns were completed and a copy is attached to the War Diary at Appendix B. Information from these returns has been used to update the Brigade manpower names database. The details are almost identical to those dated 3rd June and mentioned above, with the addition of the arrival of Captain Corthor of REME on 6th June – to command the Brigade Workshops and Light Aid Detachment.
18th June 1944
10th DLI returned to the command of 70th Brigade at 12:00 hours. No change to the other Units of the Brigade.
19th June 1944
10th DLI captured an orchard South of SAINT PIERRE reference 8568.
20th – 21st June 1944
No changes to report.
22nd June 1944
Brigade Operation Instruction No. 1 was issued and included within the War Diary at Appendix C. This document set out the intentions for each of the components of the Brigade in providing a firm base to support Divisional operations. The details within the document confirmed that 10th DLI had a 17pdr troop of 217th Battery of the 55th Anti-Tank Regiment under command and that other troops of the Battery were preparing to move to the 11th DLI and 1st TS positions on the receipt of the relevant code words.
Similarly, 10th DLI also had a Platoon of the 757th Field Company, Royal Engineers in support.
The document was largely concerned with new locations and the timings of moving to them. A useful map trace of the new positions and the defensive fire tasks associated with them was also included, although for security reasons no place names were incorporated.
23rd June 1944
Brigade Operation Instruction No. 2 was issued and included within the War Diary at Appendix D.
This document was concerned with forecasting future operations and referred to Operation MARTLET. It was to be read alongside Operation Instruction No 1, mentioned above, and clarified the attacks by 146th and 147th Brigades which the 70th Brigade, as the then Reserve Brigade of 49th Division, was supporting. The document, which was restricted to Commanding Officers and their Second-in-Commands only, set out the units which would be supporting the Battalions of the Brigade in carrying out their responsibilities, including 2nd Kensingtons (machine guns), 757th Field Company, Royal Engineers, 217th Battery (Anti-Tank) and 24th Lancers (tanks), and detailed routes and areas of responsibility.
24th June 1944
11th DLI relieved the 7th Bn Duke of Wellington’s Regiment at area reference 8769 and again came under the command of 146th Brigade.
Lt. J Boys 156254 assumed the appointment of Intelligence Officer, in place of the wounded Captain Robson, and assumed the rank of temporary Captain. Field returns were submitted and included within the War Diary at Appendix E.
25th June 1944
Audrieu. D-Day for the breakthrough of the bridgehead. 70th Brigade remained in reserve. Brigade HQ moved to 860717 AUDRIEU. 1st Tyneside Scottish relieved 4th Bn Lincolnshire Regiment in the area 8871.
26th June 1944
11th DLI moved from ST. NICHOLAS FARM and captured the cross-roads at reference 886660 and patrolled RAURAY. 1st Tyneside Scottish moved to the area of ST. NICHOLAS FARM.
27th June 1944
1st Tyneside Scottish came under the command of 8th Armoured Brigade.
11th DLI captured RAURAY.
10th DLI moved to the FONTENAY area.
28th June 1944
Fontenay-le-Pesnel. Brigade HQ moved to the FONTENAY area at reference 870681. 10th DLI captured the feature at reference 891649. 1st Tyneside Scottish were on BRETTEVILLETTE but withdrew to TESSEL BRETTEVILLE.
29th June 1944
No changes reported.
30th June 1944
1st Tyneside Scottish were relieved by 4th Bn Lincolnshire Regiment and then themselves relieved 10th DLI, who came out of the line to the FONTENAY area.
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