WO 171/1349 - 3 Monmouthshire Regiment - July 1944

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
MONDRAINVILLE	1		Things fairly quiet today. No fatal casualties. Enemy can be seen on hill opposite. Capt D.I. Williams disappears; later found at 179 Fd Amb and subsequently evacuated to ENGLAND.
-do-	2		“B” Coy move to left of Bn HQ. Pte. Lewis, batman to Capt Bristow, killed.
-do-	3		Shelling and mortaring intensified, and BN HQ suffers most. Pte Davies D.O. and Pte. Staples killed and seven wounded. Office truck hit, typewriter and duplicator KO'd together with many records.
-do-	4	1300	-1400 Bn HQ moved to chateaux on left. Shelling continues. Ptes Estebanez and Hughes killed and three wounded.
	4	2200	News comes that we are to be relieved.
-do-	5	1800	Bn tpt moves off in small gps without mishap.
-do-	6	0330	Bn moves out and is relieved by 5 DORSETS. No enemy action during relief.
	6	0630	Bn reaches Rest Area at COULOMBS
COULOMBS	7,8,9,10		Bn resting, re-arming and re-equipping.
-do-	11,12,13		Bn at 8 hrs notice.
-do-	14		Bde Concert Party under Capt Bristow entertain 3 Bns of Bde. Three TCVs. Recreational tpt to Bayeux.
COULOMNS	16	2000	Bn move to conc area EAST of R.ORNE near RANVILLE.
RANVILLE	17	0100	Bn arrived at conc area complete.
	18		Commencement of great armoured thrust SOUTH from EAST of CAEN. Bn is spearhead of all inf in 2nd Army’s attack. Attack preceded by 2000 bomber force.
	18	0745	Bn crosses Start Line, and is assisted by artillery (arty) barrage of six medium and six Fd Regts. First objective was CUVERVILLE.
	18	0845	Village captured and prisoners taken. Opposition slight; most trouble being MG posts. One position of 6 MG posts wiped out by Lieutenant C.G. SHORT(Cdn Inf) and one section. This day was a momentous one in the history of the unit, and everyone is thrilled by the sight of our first prisoners. Maj. W.P. SWEETMAN, 2IC, wounded.
	18
BRAS	19	1820	The late evening was most unconfortable through German shelling, mortaring, bombing and strafing. Casualties on this op were higher, the unit losing 15 killed and 118 wounded. Lt T.J.W. ROWLAND (Devons) was among the killed, and Capt T. DAVIES (MON) and Lt G.S. PARENT (Cdn) "A" Coy; Lts P.E. JONES (SWB) and C.G. SHORT (Cdn) B Coy; Lt R.J. HORWOOD (SWB) C Coy; Capt J.H. DAVIES (WELCH) SP Coy and Capt P.W. HENDERSON (M.O.) wounded. Unit RAP received direct hits, and re-established by Med Sgt Watkins, Unit without MO until first light, when a captured German doctor was employed at R.A.P.
	20		Capt Carrick, new MO, arrives from 179 Fd Amb. Bn relieved by Canadians and are ready to disengage 1600 hrs However, and armd threat prevents this, and our own A.Tk guns knock out three Tigers out of a force of seven. Remainder withdraw, and disengagement commences 1630 hrs. Unit move back to area LE MESNIL FRESNET, and on the way is strafed and dive-bombed again.
	21	1045	Bn moves back to rest area at GRUCHY without incident.
GRUCHY	24		Lt. DFH Herbert (Berks) and GC Williams (WELCH) and 99 ORs reinforcements.
	24		Neighbouring areas heavilly bombed and strafed by the Bosche, and we come in for a small share.
-do-	25		Bn at 3 hrs notice.
-do-	28		Bn prepare to leave GRUCHY for area near CAUMONT.
-do-	29		Depart GROUCHY 0400 hrs; arrive conc area 0800 hrs.
Nr CAUMONT	30		Attack scheduled 0600 hrs; started 0655 hrs. 3 MON and 23 H leading 11 A.D. as right flank protection to 15(S) Div. Hard going and heavy fighting. BOCAGE.Adv 7 miles and encamped night in area ST JOHN BAPTIST. Capt BRETZ (Cdn) wounded.
	31		Adv continued and reached UPMINSTER, 2100 hrs. Wood clearing

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