| Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. and the Staff Manual respectively Title pages will be prepared in manuscript. |
WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY |
Army Form C.2118 |
| Unit: 23rd Hussars | ||
| Month and Year: June 1944 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. R.P. HARDING, DSO |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldershot | 1-8 | Preparations to move | ||
| 4 | 1 15-owt Truck received for LAD. 1 15-cwt Truck sent away. | |||
| 5 | Regt. small arms competition at ASH Ranges. | |||
| 7 | 5 Stuarts III received. 1 Stuart V, 9 Shermans V and 4 Humber Sc Cars sent away. | |||
| 8 | Major A.D.WIGAN and 55 ORs dep with light wehs. 4 Shermans V sent away. | |||
| 9 | Advance party leaves under comd Major V.A. DUNKERLY. 1 15-cwt Truck received.1 4-str Humber car and 1 15-cwt Bedford Truck sent away. | |||
| 11 | Main body leave Aldershot for Marshalling Area. Light party embarked TILBURY. | |||
| 13 | Ligh party disembarked M beack COURUELLES-sur-Mer. | |||
| 14-15 | Main party embarked GOSPORT. | |||
| 15-16 | Main party disembarked M beach | |||
| France | 16-25 | Regt concentrated COULOMBS | ||
| 26 | F' Ech advanced behind 15(S) Div. Fist contact with enemy by 'C' Sqn at 1900 hrs. Lt.Da CUNHA wounded by shrapnel at ST.MAUVIEU. 1 OR wounded. | |||
| 27 | 0700 | A' Sqn engaged 88mm guns South of CHEUX 'B'&'C' Sqns advance in support of 15(S) Div towards MONDRAINVILLE. | ||
| 27 | 1200 | B&C Sqns up to line of main rd CAEN - VILLERS. Held up by ants. | ||
| 27 | 1900 | C Sqn followed by B and half HQ make bridgehead over R. ODON at TOURMAUVILLE and harboured there. Remainder of HQ and A Sqn held up at MONDRAINVILLE. Lts.KERTON & WEINER missing believed killed. Capt.TAYLOR and Lts. RUSSELL, BYARD, RILEY wounded. 16 ORs killed. 20 wounded. 12 missing. | ||
| 28 | 0530 | Advanced towards Pt 112, 'B' Sqn leading. | ||
| 28 | 1200 | B and C established North half of Pt 112. HQ with 'A' Sqn in reserve move up. 8 Shermans from FDS come up and put under comd 'B' Sqn. | ||
| 28 | 1530 | Relieved on posn by 3 RTR owing to shortage of amn. Withdrew to orchard South aide of TOURMAUVILLE. Capt R.G.CLARK and Lt.P.G.HELYARD killed. 2 ORs killed.5 ORs wounded. 6 0Rs missing. Lt.D.F.KING suffering from exhaustion. 2 3-ton lorries received. | ||
| 29 | 1330 | From orchard move foward to posn South of Calvary TOURMAUVILLE, Enemy conter-attack developed 1500 hrs from West (area of ESQUAY). Beaten of by 1900 hrs.3 ORs missing. 3 ORs wounded. | ||
| 30 | 0330 | Withdrew to CULLY. 3 ORs killed. 3 ORs wounded. | ||
| 26-30 | Destroyed by enemy action:- 3 3-tonners, 1 Jeep, 1 M/C, 2 Crusaders A/A, 3 Stuarts V, 12 Sherman V, 1 Vc Enemy tks destroyed: 7 Tigers + 1 K.O., 2 Panthers + 1 K.O., 4 Mk.IVs. (minimum figures). | |||
| 30 | Lt.Col.Commanding 23rd Hussars. |
Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.
