Does anyone know what Batteries of 97 ATR were SP, and what the term was for the SPs in 97 ATR? Furthermore does anyone have the War Diaries or information for 15-18 July, specifically regarding the 17 Pounder troop that casually bimbled into Evrecy and parked up next to a load of Panzer IVs before beating a hasty retreat?
I donlt think any were SP. My notes say each battery had 2 x 17-pdr, 1 x 6-pdr tps I think the action you refer to involved it is G troop of 286. Bty. The Regimental WD notes Jul 16 1200 286 report 2 x 17 KO, 159 1 x 17 KO, 5 Quads 2 carriers, 23 missing Jul 17 0200 Remnants G Tp return However, I am not over inclined to help you, given the slurs and aspersions cast with the phrase "casually bimbled" . Serving in a 17 Pdr Troop in Normandy was a dangerous business.. There was no easy solution to providing effective anti tank defences for the infantry after they had taken a position. The 17 Pdr was the only anti tank gun capable of dealing with a Tiger, but took 12 hours to dig in and the Quad was unsatisfactory in the forward areas - as from this one incident. The actions of the men who served these guns deserve a sympathetic hearing. The notes I have from the 286 battery WD are that the plan was that when 2GH captured Esquay G Tp would move into action half mile e cover valley and open slopes to s-sw It was hoped 4 Churchill tanks would tow the guns in and a section of engrs would blow gun pits. However, there were no tanks to tow the guns nor any engineers to blow gun pits. They took casualties from Mortars, then moved and took more casualties from mortars including the Tp sgt and three No 1s. At 0800 hrs the smoke lifted and guns revealed as on fwd slope within range of six tigers 700 yds. One shot got off before Tigers destroyed both guns. 0830 Lt Sture ordered dets to Baron. By the 18th the Troop was back in action with new guns. I can think of several phrases to describe the fate of these men and casually bimbled isn't close..
Actually the casual bimble I was referring to was just that... they get lost, go into a village. Request DF on Evrecy for a referent point, realise as the shells explode amongst them that the tanks next to them are Panzer IVs and that they are in Evrecy and dash out... for no loss. Hence casual bimbling as the particular troop managed to escape by sheer luck. Hence why I was flippant regarding that exact troop (which occured between 0200-0600 at the latest 16 July) I believe the 286 *may* have been those who tried to get up into Esquay and were shot up pretty badly by anti-tank guns? But I was under the impression they lost all of their vehicles/guns (which could be an exaggeration from the 5 Quads lost which is effectively the same thing). As for the link up with tanks, that was arranged with 107 RAC - they moved to the spot to link up with the 17 Pounders but no Guides ever appeared to lead them to the Guns, so they waited around then returned to C Squadron's harbour. Apologies for any offence caused, as the flippancy was directed at the Troop who managed to waltz out of there, not the poor sods who were shot up.
The SP battery in support of the operation was 248 (M10) battery of 62 Atk Regt. B&C Troops of 159 Bty & an SP troop were assigned to support the advance of 6 KOSB.on hill 113, (Op Melrose -phase IIIb of the rather complicated operation Greenline) 6 KOSB arrived at their objective by 02.30 overlooking Evercy minus one troop of 17 Pdr guns and an FOO party. It was Captain Meridith the 181 Fd Regt FOO who was geographically embarrassed and called for fire on Evercy as a navigation aid. The possibility of missing the "front line" does seem to have been an occasional hazard for attached arms. George Blackburn recounts the story of a 4RCA FOO wounded, taken prisoner and freed after a similar incident.. The five quards lost were the total for 97 Regt and include losses from 286 and 159 Btys.
