Chateau De La Londe / 141 RAC / 1st South Lancs

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by grahame569, Jul 20, 2012.

  1. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    On 27th June 1944 my Grandfather as part of 8 Troop 'B' Squadron 141 RAC (The Buffs) was engaged in an attack on the Chateau. He was the driver of the troop commander's Churchill Crocodile. The troop consisted of 3 crocodiles.
    My Grandfather's tank was hit and the troop commander was killed by machine-gun fire attempting to bale out. Another was killed inside the tank. My Grandfather (wounded) and the remaining two although behind enemy lines managed to escape, unfortunately one was killed by mortar fire at the RAP.

    My Grandfather died in 1969 when I was 10. He rarely spoke of his wartime service, he had been a regular before the war and on 27/6/44 would have been 33 yrs old.

    About 20 years ago, with little information, I attempted to try and find out what happened. Amazingly I was able to have contact with an Eddie Jones a platoon commander of 1st South Lancs who had seen my Grandfather's tank hit. I also made contact with a member of one of the other tank's crews.

    With the help of war diaries, regimental publications and speaking with the above, I was able to piece things together.

    I have visited the Chateau on three occasions & paid my respects to my Grandfather's crew. The final member who escaped the tank was killed in July 1944.

    I have had a good read of the various postings concerning the Chateau, the 1st South Lancs etc.

    It seems little mention is made of the Crocodiles, unless I missed something. I also note several members researching the 1st South Lancs, but didn't see Eddie Jones mentioned. Unless I missed it.

    Perhaps I could share with you what I was able to ascertain?

    As a sidenote. 'B' Squadron became known as 'The Playboys'. Whilst en-route to Brest to assist the Americans at Fort Montbarey the LCT had a fault and had to put into Southampton, where the members were able to 'make the most of it' I also met 2 members who took part in the attack on the fort and were awarded American Bronze stars. Ironically in the tank that replaced my Grandfather's.

    Hopefully I have done my research on the site well and not causing repetition!!
     
    stolpi likes this.
  2. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

  3. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    I have a hand written account of the battle for the Chateau de la londe (The Bloodiest Square Mile in Normandy) by my departed best mate.... Richard Harris. The Lord Rest His Soul. Dick Harris was one of natures natural gentlemen...And I miss his company sorely. As I do of my other great friends in the Veterans.

    I have no wish to jump in on another thread.But if anyone is interested I will dig it out from where it is now????
     
  4. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

  5. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    Could you give more details of the attack? Maybe a map, or some excerpts from the War Diary. Did you take any photographs of the area?

    If you could give me a couple of day's to dig out my stuff. I have some hand drawn stuff. I have some photo's too. I'll also start to write of an account as I understand it as told to me by the two people I mentioned. I need to have a look at my stuff. I'm pretty sure there is an account written by Eddie Jones too.
     
  6. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    I have a hand written account of the battle for the Chateau de la londe (The Bloodiest Square Mile in Normandy) by my departed best mate.... Richard Harris. The Lord Rest His Soul. Dick Harris was one of natures natural gentlemen...And I miss his company sorely. As I do of my other great friends in the Veterans.

    I have no wish to jump in on another thread.But if anyone is interested I will dig it out from where it is now????

    SAPPER - Please jump in as much as you like! I would love to read your dear friend's account. Having been reading some of your stuff thus far! Thank-you for sharing & helping me understand what the likes of my Grandfather had to experience.
     
  7. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    I have two descriptions of the Chateau one by a veteran mate, and one by Captain Edwards RE.
    The Bloodiest Square Mile in Normandy!
    The Chateau de la Londe.
    Modern war is not fought by massive lines of troops who line up and advance in the face of withering shell, mortar, and machine gun fire. Having said that, strangely enough, there were times when we went into battle “En-mass” But for the most part, modern war is a series of local, but bloody actions that are fought out virtually face to face. When one hears of huge losses incurred in battle, the total is usually made up of the casualties from many local actions. 100 here, 200 there, 350 somewhere else. It is the total of local actions that so often make up a large casualty list. There is another factor that one constantly comes across, and that is; 500 yards away from a violent and fiercely fought, hand to hand battle, there can appear to be an entirely different war.
    What follows; is a description of a very violent and bloody, hand to hand battle, that became known as the “Bloodiest square mile in Normandy” A battle that is still talked about in hushed tones by those survivors who fought there.
    The Chateau stood fair and square in the centre of Third British Infantry Division’s thrust towards Caen. It had to be taken. What follows are the personal memories of men who took part in that battle.
    This is what happened!


    The trouble with some of these old documents, is that you may already have read some of it. For all of us have contributed towards many authors. That then makes it look as though we are repeating what we read in books... where in fact we supplied the original material to those authors. I also have an after battle description from the Sappers for future refernce...

    Do you still want to read these documents?


    It goes something like this.......
    On the night of June 22nd the South Lancs with two sections of 3 Platoon, 246 Field Company R.E. attacked the Chateau without a preparatory artillery barrage and “walked in” and took the Chateau. But something went very wrong after that, for some reason that has never been explained, the anti-tank guns were not brought up to support our troops. At about 4.30 am the next morning the Germans counter attacked with tanks and drove our infantry out, without anti-tank guns there was no defence against armour.
    We later found out that the Germans had been called over the coals for the disgraceful loss of the Chateau and that they would have to “Fight to the death” to regain it.

    They then set about strengthening their defenses, ready for another attack. First they were reinforced by a company of tanks about 30 to 40 strong, plus 5 Company of 192 Panzer Grenadiers and a Platoon of Sappers backed up by the H.Q. Company of 22 Panzer Regiment, fighting as infantry, A force of considerable strength!
    Our intelligence did not know about these enemy reinforcements, the weather had been very bad with thunderstorms that did not allow for good aerial reconnaissance, at the same time our patrols had not managed to get close enough to check on the enemy strength. There then followed operation, “Mitten” the retaking of the Chateau, this operation was to help the Canadians who were preparing to make a “Pincer movement” round Caen. The attack opened with the Divisional artillery laying down a barrage that our troops had to follow up close behind!


    On the evening of June the 27th,the South Lancs led the 8th Brigade and attacked first, not knowing of the superior enemy strength, they were slaughtered, every avenue was covered with tremendous enemy fire power. They were beaten back but managed to hold on to the wood at La Londe. The Suffolk and East Yorks with 2 Platoon of 246 Field Company R.E. in support, were then thrown in to the battle, cold food was brought to them at about 1 to 2 am and they attacked at 4 am. The barrage came down and what followed was a terrifying experience. An experience so bad, that those who were there will remember it to their graves. It is beyond my feeble attempt at description! The battle was confused and violent.

    To give an example, an officer of the Suffolk’s trying to consolidate his defence was harried by a Spandau, seeing two tanks in the half light, he asked one of them for fire support on to the Spandau position. A head appeared from the turret and these two looked at each other in silence. The gun began to swing round, the British officer ran for his life and just managed to reach a slit trench before the German tank fired at him. Lieutenant Woodward knocked out one with a PIAT, the other was knocked out by Private Crick, who was killed immediately by shell fire.
    I have enclosed further accounts of this battle The first account is by Captain M H Edwards of 246 Field Company R.E.
    TBC
     
    Jon Taylor likes this.
  8. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    Sapper.
    From a personal note, I would love to read anything you have. It helps so much that I've previously 'walked the ground'.
    One of the things I remember most is that there are two pigeonaires within the grounds. One is severely damaged and was used by the Germans as a strongpoint. On both occasions that I visited the actual Chateau, I had such a warm welcome from the family. Luckily both times a member of the family was present who spoke English and was able to translate for me. Not sure if anyone has ever seen it? But they have a fascinating photo album of that era. Showing the chateau before and after etc.

    I am currently sorting through my stuff, so hope to post later today the start of what I have!
     
  9. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    Shortly after the war my Grandfather's squadron had a book privately published about it's exploits in NW Europe. It was written by Captain Harry Bailey, the Regiment's (141 RAC), Intelligence Officer. It is a very personal account and based on what he witnessed and was told by squadron members.
    My Grandfather at this time was a Corporal and his name is William Marsden.

    To start my 'discussion' on what I discovered. I'll start with a direct lift from the book, to emphasis how details could be written in error, in this account the Chateau de la Londe is named in error 'Chateau De Landel' - This does exist a short distance away, and was the start point for the Crocodiles that day 27/6/1944l:-

    'Such a place was Chateau Le Landel, some three miles north of Caen. Some three or four attacks were to be made in this tough nut before it cracked. One such unsuccessful attack had already been made when "B" Squadron came on the scene and a fresh attack to take place on 27 June was laid on for one company of the East Yorkshires supported by one Troop of Crocodiles and two troops of tanks.
    In another war there had been another Brooke. It was fitting perhaps that the first to lay down his life in "B" Squadron should be Lieut Raymond Brooke, 8 Troop had got the job.
    A clear and accurate picture of what occurred is difficult, built up as it is much from deduction as from first hand information. It was an ill-fated party from the beginning. In those early days Crocodile tatics had still to be learned from the bitter experience of battle. The plan was hurried and instead of close support on to the objective from supporting tanks, these were to give indirect support by acting on the flanks as anti-tank protection. It had been estimated that the position was held by one company of engineers whereas in fact it was an absolute nest of tanks (there were 14 in the Chateau area itself), SP's mortars and dug-in infantry positions besides numerous tanks on the flanks.
    The 27 June was a blazing hot afternoon and in the F.U.P. area the moaning minnies were coming down pretty thick and fast. If you were on foot like "Herby" or Roy Moss, trying to get a last minute ringside seat and not yet attuned to judging their pitch as a matter of yards then it meant hitting the deck with a regularity anything buy monotonous. Sydney Spearpoint was flitting around amongst them in a scout car.
    For technical reasons the Crocs were unable to cross the Start line on time and lost the infantry, who by the time the Crocs had started were held up about halfway to their objective.
    Lieut Brooke on the left headed his Croc alongside a hedgerow and dashed straight to his objective, a long wall surrounding the Chateau. Unfortunately in the wall was a gate through which came a murderous anti-tank gun fire. Dug-in and unsuspected tanks just outside the Chateau wall opened up. An incredible number of shots grazed his turret and hull but it was not until 20 yards off the objective that he bought it - a 75mm from a Mk IV inside the gate penetrated at almost point blank range and killed the gunner, Tpr Woodcock, outright. The crew baled out - Brooke was killed by machine gun fire as he climbed from the turret, but the rest somehow got back to our lines. Cpl Marsden had multiple shrapnel wounds. Tpr Dady having thus escaped had the extra-ordinarily bad luck later that evening to be killed by a mortar whilst standing outside the RAP. Meanwhile Sgt Burton had rapidly become hors de combat from a jammed turret and a trailer wrapped around a tree, which had to be jettisoned. Only Corporal Hischier remained, putting up a creditable if inevitably an ineffectual show. He advanced as far as the line of trees, where our own infantry were pinned down by every kind of fire and could go no further. Moving over he shot up the wall on the left with the 75mm in an effort to breach it for the infantry. Then on Sgt Burton's instructions he moved away out on the right open flank, alone and unsupported except for a Sherman which preceded him and rapidly brewed up. But as the infantry had now gone most definitely to ground for the day he pulled out, hotly pursued by AP shots Crashing through a hedgerow a few yards behind the Start Line and by now completely lost, he was stopped by Col Waddell with a cup of combo char. Out of the driver's seat climbed the likeable Freddy Roberts, "Cor aint arf hot there sir". And Cpl Vine, the gunner most heartily concurred'

    Hopefully this sketch made at the time will make some sense!!

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5413


    To Be Continued ...............
     
  10. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Before Icontinue...Mt best friend Dick Harris cycled to the Chateau, and met the owners...Somewhere in the graden is a memorial stone to those that fell.
     
  11. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    Thought I would post a photo of my Grandfather, pictured as a Sergeant, he was busted to Corporal before 27/6/1944.
    Then the graves of his fellow tank crew
    RIP guys - Never Forgotten...........

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5414

    Lt Raymond Brooke
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5415
    Trooper Herbert Dady
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5416
    Trooper Bernard Woodcock
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5417
    Trooper John Humphrey
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5418
     
  12. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    To Continue:-

    The Regiment was asked to provide a return to the War Office of all Crocodile actions from ‘D’ Day to D + 40. For the action on 27/6/1944, the following was submitted:-


    Date: 27th June 1944 Time: 1200hrs Place: Chateau Le Landell Sub-units: 8 Troop, ‘B’ Squadron Task: Put Infantry into edge of wood Assault With: East Yorks Fire Support: R.A. Infantry Mortars and Staff. Yeomanry Approx Number of Flame Shots: 10 Casualties. Tanks: Mk VII hit by 75mm at point blank range. Shot deflected through horizontal plate behind Co-Driver. Tank burnt out. Trailers: this trailer subsequently recovered Personnel: 2 killed (1 Officer and I Other Rank). 2 wounded Remarks: Pre-arranged plan was for Crocodiles to advance and flame enemy position edge of wood area if Infantry were pinned. Infantry signal was not seen and no info went into the Eastern half. Some confusion and both liaison and execution by us were not good. Frontal attack by two troops as original assault might have paid and got Infantry into wood more easily. Support by Staffs. Yeomanry was more distant than close and liaison rather loose.


    To Be Continued........
     
  13. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

  14. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Edwards of 246 Field Company R.E.
    Chateau de Ia Londe. June the 23rd 1944.
    The First Attack.
    The Bridgehead was now fairly bulging with the later echelons of the assault force and moves were now being made to advance towards Caen. The first Battalion of the South Lancs made the attack on the Chateau, with two sections of 3 Platoon 246 Fld Co R.E in support. We went in in darkness and soon it was successfully taken. Before the anti-tank guns got themselves into position the enemy counter attacked with guns and mortars just before daylight, and under the cover of smoke their tanks quickly overran our positions. When the positions were first taken I checked round the captured defences with one of the Battalion officers to see whether there were any engineering tasks, and then, promising to give a report on the overall situation to the Battalion Commander, I started to make my way back to Battalion H.Q. Just as I walked through a gateway in the high wall and towards the cornfield outside, there was heavy firing of automatic weapons and I had to crawl - then almost immediately a tremendous “Stonk”came down and the whole area was pounded with mortars I could also hear the sound of high velocity 88mm guns firing. I was stuck in the middle of the cornfield, straddled with mortar bursts , much too close for comfort. I managed to move very slowly by rolling, in between the bursts, from one smoking crater to the next, clinging hopefully to the old saying “Lightening never strikes the same place twice” It must have taken me an hour to move about 500 yds, and when, at last I arrived at H.Q. Very shaken and rather deaf, they listened to my report with some surprise.
    The counter attack, which apparently I had just missed, had been too much for us and the position had been lost. Sappers Bob Chapman, Bill Humphries, Bill Baxter and Jim Pugh were shelled with the South Lancs for over 3 hours before their advance was ordered. Much to their relief Luckily, under the circumstances! None were wounded or killed in the action, unfortunately one of the Sappers lost everything but his life when a Tiger tank over ran his slit trench.
    TBC
     
  15. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    Thanks 'Sapper' for your continued update.
     
  16. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    To Continue:-

    On 3rd June 1997, I visited the late Corporal Dennis Hischier at his home address. Dennis you will recall was one of the tank commanders of 8 Troop during the attack on 27/6/44.
    Dennis had been badly burned on 6th July 1944 during an attack on Carpiquet airport, an action in which saw two of his crew killed. Dennis found it hard to talk about those times, but he was so pleased to meet me, that his recollections seemed to flow from him.
    The following is an account of events of 27/6/1944 as told to me by him, from which I made a contemporaneous note:-

    The day previous, along with Lt Brooke & Sergeant Burton, they went in a 4-wheeled scout car to the Chateau de Landel on a reconnaissance of the area they were due to attack, namely the Chateau de la Londe. Initially they were taken on foot by an Infantry officer until he would go no farther, as it was considered too dangerous. Lt Brooke however, wanted to get closer, so the three of them continued until they came to what he described as a stone built barn with an eaves type roof. It had a staircase on the outside as he recalls.
    They went up into the roof area, as it had already been damaged with holes in it. Once up there, they were able to look out over the German positions. They were so close they could clearly see German troops walking about and sitting writing letters.
    Unfortunately, they were discovered and the Germans directed mortar fire towards them. The roof collapsed, pinning him briefly to the floor. The other two ran from the building. He said he was annoyed that they had left him. After extricating himself he ran, stating that he took the stone stairs in his words “ten at a time!”

    On the day of the engagement he describes the following:-
    They were unaware of the strength of enemy forces they were about to meet. Due to the woodland, the route of their advance was by one method. This was by way of a grass track running along the length of the hedge line, which he described as towards the perimeter wall of the Chateau de la Londe. It gave room for one tank only. (This hedge was removed in 1995 – Source Eddie Jones 1st South Lancs). As his tank approached the track from the direction of the Chateau De Landel he came up against anti-tank fire, which gave him the best indication of the forces they would be up against. For a tank to go down the track ahead, would have been suicidal. As he stopped to inform Lt Brooke of what lie ahead via his radio and to lay smoke to shield them from the German guns, Lt Brooke came from behind him. He said for the first time ever, his ‘A’ radio failed to work, due to a faulty para-amplifier. Lt Brooke went past him up the track and came under heavy fire. He almost reached the wall, when from point blank range he was hit. He remembered seeing three get out, although Lt Brooke fell, hit by machine gun fire. The disabled tank, now blocked the track. He went back to where Sergeant Burton’s tank was. He spoke with him on the ‘B’ radio, telling him what had happened. Burton said his turret was jammed and he was unable to fight. This had been caused by a round dislodging from a rack during the turret turning, causing it to jam against the workings. At some point Burton’s tank had also snapped its trailer fixing whilst manoeuvring in the trees. The tank was now no use as a flame-thrower.
    Burton told him to go round the other way (to the right). We surmised this must have been down the track to the North leading towards the entrance avenue of the Chateau de la Londe. Now a tarmac road, but in 1944, just a track. As he did, a Sherman tank in front of him was hit and blew up. He saw its Commander get out, having lost part of one leg. It was obvious there was no way through and he had to reverse back, even with the trailer on, in order to turn round and go back. At some point he shot three high explosive shells into the Chateau wall with a 1 second delayed fuse to breach it. He managed to briefly use his flame-thrower at some point, but had to stop, due to there being British Infantry in his firing line. At some point he further remembers, following the Chateau wall and being shot at by an anti-tank gun. These shots missed, striking the wall. He remembers seeing a large ornate concrete ball, shattering on being hit. This was probably on a gateway entrance.
    As he returned to the starting line, he came across Herbert Dady, who climbed onto the tank. He was badly shaken and said that he heard Bernard Woodcock cry out about his legs when the tank was hit. He told Dady to get into the tank as German mortars were coming over. However he wouldn’t and ran off. He later found out that he had been killed by mortar fire at the R.A.P. He’d found his ID tags on a group of graves, later that day.
    He said that when they got back, his crew member Freddie Roberts brewing tea in the tanks (against regulations)! The Infantry were interested in sharing it. They continued to brew up through the mortaring.
    The following day, he went to where my Grandfathers’s tank had been hit. Brooke’s body was found, but not Woodcock’s. The turret was on the ground. He said the tank had been hit by a shell going through the front deck of the tank and then exploding up into the turret. He felt the Germans must have fired another immediately after it was hit, causing the turret to come off. The tank & trailer exploding just after the surviving crew got out. He thinks Woodcock’s body was under the turret.


    To Be Continued........
     
  17. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    To Continue:-

    These photo's were taken in 1997 of the area around the Chateau de la Londe. The ground changes year by year. I am visiting again this September.

    Memorial Stone by the entrance to Chateau de la Londe
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5419

    Front Driveway of Chateau de la Londe
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5422

    Front Aspect - Chateau de la Londe
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5420

    Rear Aspect - Chateau de la Londe
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5421

    Chateau de Landel
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5423

    Part of Perimeter Wall of Chateau de la Londe
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5427

    Looking towards Chateau de la Londe from Le Landel direction
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5429

    Looking towards Le Landel from the Road linking it to Chateau de la Londe
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5428

    Relics of 'The Bloodiest Square Mile in Normandy'
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5426

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5425

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5424

    To Be Continued........
     
  18. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    June 25th and 26th.
    Preparations started for another attack, the second assault on the Chateau de la Londe. It was a Brigade attack on the Chateau and then on to Le Mesnil wood.
    2 Platoon of 246 FId Co R.E. were engaged in support of the Infantry and the Sappers used explosives on the guns of 2 enemy tanks. The South Lancs first went in against strong opposition and the East Yorks and Suffolks attacked at dawn on the 28th of June. The South Lancs were severely mauled in this battle. They had a very Bloody time against the Panzer Grenadiers and the 22 Panzer Regiment whose Tiger tanks were well dug in and protected by mines and booby traps. They kept their dogged pressure against an equally determined enemy.
    The East York’s found that the enemy had every inch of their ground covered by all forms of fire and his troops were well dug in. The Suffolk’s were met by an enemy in far greater strength than was indicated by our intelligence reports. Prior to the attack it was thought that the Chateau defences was in the hands of a comparatively weak 2nd Battalion the 192nd Panzer Grenadier Regiment. The la Londe position was, however, held by a force comprising three companies of tanks, a company of infantry, a platoon of Engineers and the headquarters company of the 22nd Panzer Regiment fighting as infantry. Small wonder that the Suffolk’s suffered more than 160 killed, wounded, or missing on the attack on La Londe, and against tiger tanks well dug in. But the 21st Panzer Division themselves were severely hammered and withdrawn as a result.
    To be continued.
     
  19. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    The retaking of the Chateau de la Londe enabled me to check over the previous battle ground of the South Lancs, of the 23rd of June, to see whether I could find any signs which would indicate what may have happened to my three missing Sappers. I found no trace whatever of them, nor graves marked with their identity, it could therefore be fairly safely assumed that they had been taken prisoner.
    For the next few days the Company was busy laying about 2000 AITk mines and all Platoons were employed throughout the night of June 30th without incident. Again in the first three nights of July, mine-laying continued each night in front of our forward positions along the Le Mesnil-Chateau de la Londe front. Ten rows of mines were laid to give 2 mines per yard in front, the fields were then fenced and carefully recorded. On rare occasions, we could enlist the help of Infantry as a protective screen when we were mine laying, but on all of the nights laying these mines in front of our infantry in the Le Mesnil/ Chateau de la Londe front, and in “No mans land! we were on our own and set up our own “Listening posts”. Should any enemy movement occur we would stop mine laying and get down into position ready to defend ourselves until it was quiet again. The amount of work that trained troops could do at night without detection, (and right in front of the enemy) surprised me. On that particular minefield operation there was three Platoons, alongside one another in a long line, each field butting on to the other, and yet, I saw and heard nothing of the others although they came right up to my right hand boundary.
    It was while we were on the mine laying operation on the night of the 2ndl3rd of July that we were caught out in the open. We had just completed mine laying shortly before first light and 3 Platoon were moving silently back along the approach route. I had to remain behind as usual with my “Bodyguard” to complete the minefield record. As I finished my notes we began to feel an uneasy disquiet- the silence of the minutes before dawn. I decided to get back along the track, just at the moment that the enemy started to fire their automatic weapons in a wide sweep along their front, the tracers began to hit the ground behind us. In a flash we hurled ourselves into a side ditch as the bursts swept past and around us, at speed we were out on the track again to cover a few more yards before the next burst. We seemed to take such a long time to cover such a short distance.
    That completes Captain Edward’s recollection of the Battle at the Chateau.
     
  20. grahame569

    grahame569 Junior Member

    Thank-you Sapper, I really appreciate your posts.

    To Continue:-

    Eddie Jones of the 1st South Lancs was introduced to me by Lionel Roebuck, through correspondence we shared in 1997. Lionel had been a Private in the 2nd East Yorkshire Regt and had fought in the area of the Chateau de la Londe. Mr Roebuck wrote in reply to one of my letters:-


    Regarding your specific interest, from your notes, you will realise that my unit the 2nd East York’s, were involved in the area where the Crocodile Flame-Throwers were used, but not during the actual attack to which you referred. Purely by chance, the 1st South Lancs were forward on the day which it had been decided to make a frontal attack against the German salient, which stood out protecting Caen. This was from the line which had been occupied since the first few days of the landings. From 10th June there had been an alternation with the 2nd East York’s on every three days.. It was after one such change over , on the 22nd June, that the 1st South Lancs had made their initial easy night attack forward of Chateau de Londel, only to be pushed back the next day.
    At the start of the attack supported by Crocodiles, the East York’s were in Cazelle, the name by which it was known to us, its proper name was Mathieu. This was on 27th June, when the 1st South Lancs attacked again as a prelude to the eventual 8th Brigade follow up to take Caen. It was then they were supported by Crocodile Flame-Throwing tanks. They would have known about the strengthening of defences which Eddie Jones had seen while cut off in the forward position. These included German heavy tanks which had been dug in, hull down behind earth banks. The attack was initially only at battalion level, but even with tanks, they were no match for the reinforced German defences which had been built up over the three day lull since the first East attack and the German counter attack. It was reported that the first tank had its turret blown off completely before it could get close enough to use the flame-thrower.

    To Be Continued.....
     

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