A bridgehead was created over the Orne at Brieux (Grimbosq) on Aug 7. The Unit was 59 Div (176 Brig-6 North Staffs-7 South Staffs-7 Norfolks) supported by 34 Tk Brig (107 RAC Churchills) The area is just north of Thury Harcourt. Fighting was fierce with 176 Brig and 107 RAC taking significant losses. I can find accounts of action on Aug 6/7th but nothing for Aug 8th. On the 8th August 158 Brigade (53rd Welsh Div) relieved 176 Brig and I cant find any significant actions for Aug 8th. This air view is dated Aug 8 This is the area of interest on the period map. Thury Harcourt is just below the loop in the river at bottom centre and this the area of interest. As can be seen there are several plumes of smoke and buildings are smoking Anyone know the events on Aug 8th near Brieux. It seems to have been overshadowed by TOTALIZE
This is from 7 Norfolks WD - WO171/1351: THE BATTLE OF THE ORNE BRIDGEHEAD 6th, 7th and 8th Aug 44 Written by the CO On 4 Aug 44 the Battalion passed through VILLERS BOCAGE in pursuit of the Germans to R.ORNE and seized some high ground 5 miles SE of VILLERS BOCAGE by last light 4 Aug. Next morning the Battalion adv riding on Churchills of 107 RAC down to the ORNE near OUFFIERES. B Coy and sp arms composed the adv gd under comd of Major A.G.Ellis. Only lsight opposition was met until the leading pls approached the river bank when heavy spandau and mortar fire was encountered and two of the Churchills sp B Coy were hit by 88 mm shells from the near and far banks. The remainder of the Bn took up posns around OUFFIERES while B Coy proceeded to clear the near bank. An enemy strong post in some houses caused considerable trouble and some casualties, and had to be dealt with by AVRE tks using petards, but by last light no enemy remained on the near bank close to the Bn posn. During night 5/6 Aug two patrols went out to recce the river for possible crossing places. Maj H.J. Walker and Capt D.Jamieson escorted an RE Sgt on one patrol but did all the work themselves, while a fighting patrol from A Coy (Lt L.D.Paul) covered a recce by an RE offr. This latter patrol was not successful and Maj W.A. Adderson was ordered to find a suitable crossing place, if possible fordable, during the early morning fog of 6 Aug. A ford 3 ft deep was found by Maj Adderson, who waded across the river in full view f the enemy, the fog having lifted, and also gained valuable identifications of a Pz Div from a house on the river bank. However a patrol from 7 S STAFFORDS had discovered a good ford two miles NORTH of OUFFIERES and the bde Comd decided to form a bridgehead during evening 6 Aug and night 6/7 Aug with a Class 9 bridge to be built at LE BAS, where a permanent bridge had been destroyed by the Bosche. The Bde was to wade the ford in the order 7 S STAFFORDS, 6 N STAFFS, 7 NORFOLK. During the initial crossing, which was to be fully sp by fire, the bn was to create a diversion in the OUFFIERES area by firing at all known enemy localities on the far bank. It was then to conc opposite the crossing place and pass through 7 S STAFFORDS and occupy a posn SOUTH of GRIMBOSQ FOREST, thus being the fwd bn of the bridgehead. It seemed likely that the crossing would be in the dark and so all Coys were given compass bearings to their objectives. The essential vehs (18) were to cross the Class 9 bridge when built under comd of Capt W.A. Rodforn (A.Tk Pl) while the Bn carried everything it would want immediately for holding the bridgehead, eg, 22 sets, food, 150 rds per rifleman, etc. The Crossing The arrangements for marking the route to the crossing places and the beachmaster org went astry with the result that when the Bn moved down to the river the route was impossible to find in the dark. After three hours of fighting its way through the thick woods and the steep hillsides in single file, the Bn eventually reached the river bank and the CO and Capt Jamieson (Comd the leading coy – D Coy) tested the depth of the water, and selected a wading site three feet deep further SOUTH than that used by the other Bns, as the enemy by now were heavily mortaring the original site. The Bn started to cross at approx 0100 hrs 7 Aug 44 and were quickly over without a single casualty. This was a miracle as a Nebelwerfer brought down a conc on the crossing place just after the last man was ashore - 1 - - 2 - on the far bank. Coys then adv quickly to their objectives and all reached them without much opposition, although some readjustment was necessary between B and C Coys. By first light 7 Aug Coys were dug in sufficiently far enough to give cover and everyone stood to expecting developments. It was obvious, however, that the Bosche was completely surprised at the depth of the bridgehead and it took him some time to size up the Bn layout. “A” Coy’s Last Fight “A” Coy had reported reaching their objective, but had actually gone 800 yds too far SOUTH and were EAST of BRIEUX, and were completely out of touch with the rest of the Bn, except by 18 set, which later failed. Soon after the early morning mist lifted, “A” Coy found that they were surrouned by at least two Bosche Coys who were already dug in and very close to them. A fierce fight ensued and after “A” Coy had used all their amn and sixteen men had been killed, they were all taken prisoner. About six men, all wounded, got away earlier, incl Lt Paul and Sgt Birch, and it is known that Maj Adderson was wounded and taken prisoner. The Coy had sent urgent appeals for help, but as they were so far away it was out of the question to relieve them. This was a great tragedy as “A” Coy were a fine coy, and it meant that only tree rifle coys were left to hold the Bn posn. (The exact posn as regards A Coy’s capture was not known until the evening of 7 Aug.) The essential vehicles started arriving at about 0900 hrs after having to fight their way through from the bridge, as the enemy had the road covered. Several carriers were lost, but the 6-prs were got into posn quickly and everybody felt much happier. During the morning D Coy collected several Bosche from GRIMBOSQ village, and an attack on some houses sp by AVRE tks killed some more. About 12 prisoners from 271 Inf Div were captured in all incl one offr and two med orderlies. In the afternoon the CO went to a Bde “O” Gp and received orders for enlarging the bridgehead next day. However, the Bosche had different ideas on the subject. Several attempts had been made during the day to gain contact with A Coy, which it was hoped might still be holding out. Sgt Smith (C Coy) and four men sp by a tp of Churchills and a party under CSM Brown (C Coy) made a final attempt to contact A Coy at 1730 hrs but could not find them, instead about 50 Bosche were encountered and at least 20 killed and wounded. At the time it was not realised that the Bosche were forming up for a counter-attack. The whole Bn had a hot meal at 1600 hrs and it was lucky that this was possible for it was over 24 hrs before the next hot meal could be brought across the river, and so it was in the right frame of mind that the Bn met the first Bosche counter-attack. First Bosche Counter-attack, 7 Aug At 1830 hrs a Battle Gp from 12 SS Hitler Jugend Pz Div consisting of 26 Pz Gren Regt with tks launched an attack, the brunt of it falling on D Coy’s posn on the left near GRIMBOSQ. After several hrs of fierce fighting the attack was driven off and at no point were our posns penetrated. The sec of A Tk guns under comd of Sgt Courtman sp D Coy, destroyed one armd car and two Panthers while other tks incl Tigers were forced to withdraw. Sgt Courtman himself fired the guns alone in turn under intense fire of all kinds, as the majority of his proper crews had been killed or wounded crossing the bridge earlier in the day. Some enemy tks got round our rt flank close to - 3 - the br near 6 N STAFFS posn and shelled Bn HQ with 88 mm. Several cas were suffered by key Offrs and NCOs which was a sad loss. However, at last light the Bn was feeling very pleased with itself, although a watchful night was in front of them. The RAP became a small hospital as no evacuation across the river was possible as the Bosche was dominating the br. During the night protective patrols were put out and in the early hrs of 8 Aug the movement of tks was heard in the Forest. The Bn therefore got no sleep as an attack by moonlight was always a possibility. Second Bosche Counter-attack, 8 Aug The normal early morning mist came down and when it lifted at about 0800 hrs the enemy attacked again. This time with a Battle Gp from 25 Pz Gren Rgt sp by tks. Again the brunt fell on D Coy while a strong enemy force worked round the NORTH of GRIMBOSQ and attacked 7 S STAFFORDS who withdrew across the river except for one coy. “D” Coy’s Gallant Fight The Bosche had noted Sgt Courtman’s sec of A Tk guns from their action during the attack of evening 7 Aug and quickly put both out of action. Sgt Courtman went on firing the last remaining gun by himself, the remainder of the crew being cas, until he himself was killed by a shell fired by a Tiger tk. The fwd pl of D Coy (Lt A.F. Bushell) was partially overrun and a very confused situation arose. Of the tp of Churchills sp D Coy, two were quickly knocked out and so the A Tk defence of that area was reduced to one 6-pr on the remaining Churchill. The enemy inf worked round through GRIMBOSQ and attacked D Coy from two sides and it was while trying to attract the remaining Tk Comd’s attention by climbing up on the tk that Capt Jamieson was wounded in the right eye and left forearm. Shortly after this the CSM was wounded, but luckily Capt Jamieson was able to carry on comd the Coy after a short interval. He reorganised the remainder of D Coy round the res pl and Coy HQ and throughout the morning beat off all enemy attacks inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. The Bosche tks were forced to withdraw from D Coy’s posn as the arty was put down on them. They never came out of the Forest again that day for they were hunted continually by the Arty. C Coy had some close fighting, but no strong attack developed elsewhere on the bn posn. There were some anxious moments near the bridge, but 1/7 WARWICKS (who were under comd of 176 Bde) held on. Three more weak inf attacks were made on D Coy mostly from the buildings SOUTH of GRIMBOSQ, but each time these were smashed by arty and SA fire without any difficulty, otherwise the chief enemy activity was from mortars and shelling and some casualties were suffered chiefly amongst offrs and NCOs. By now, however, the bridge was open and the casualties were evacuated by jeep and carrier. The Bn had been fighting and moving for three days and nights without sleep and it was imperative that if the bridgehead was to be held against further strong enemy counter-attacks that fresh troops should strengthen or relieve those who had already held the posn. At 1700 hrs two Coys of 7 S STAFFORDS who had been withdrawn across the river, were sent fwd under Maj A.J.C. Prickett (then 2IC and a member of the Royal Norfolk Regt) to come under comd of the Bn. These coys were placed one in GRIMBOSQ village and the other relieved D Coy. - 4 - A sqn of Churchills also arrived in sp and so the situation looked far rosier. Then later in the evening the Bde Comd came fwd bringing the OC 7 RWF (53 Div) who were to relieve the Bn that night. This relief was carried out without interference from the Bosche, who had had enough and had withdrawn from the Forest. The Bn was then conc WEST of the river in res and next day it moved further back with the whole Bde to rest and re-equip. Main Reasons for Bn’s Success 1. The magnificent fighting spirit and staunchness in defence of the Inf. 2. The devastating fire of massed arty when controlled centrally. There were six Fd and one Med Regt in sp of the Bn and these were called for by the Bty Comd of 481 Bty (Maj P.Pettit) as required by the CO. There was not FOO out with coys and targets were identified by coy comds direct to the CO over the 18 set. A devastating fire was therefore put down at will within a few minutes and it was this that broke up the enemy attacks time and again with heavy casualties (One PW stated that of 400 men of 25 Pz Gren Regt who attacked in the morning 8 Aug, only 30 remained by the evening). 1,000 shells per 25-pr were fired in sp of the bridgehead during the 24 hrs. 3. The excellence of comns. The 18 set worked perfectly throughout the whole battle and the RA wireless never faltered. If any of these comns had failed the arty fire could not have been called for and the bridgehead would have been overrun. The Sig Pl is to be congratulated on this magnificent performance. Officers taking part in the Battle Bn HQ Lt-Col I.H. Freeland Maj G.M. Allen (2IC) Capt N.T. Hardy (Adjt) Lt A.A. Hammond (IO) (Missing) Capt E.N.T. Ridger (Sig O) Capt (QM) W. Carter Capt T.G. Duxbury (MTO) Capt A.D. Payne (RAMC) Rev N. Carter (RAChD) Capt R.S. Gibson (OC HQ Coy) (Killed) “A” Coy Maj W.A. Adderson (wounded and missing believed PW) Capt A.E.F. Gearanelse (Missing believed PW) Lt L.D. Paul (wounded) Lt F.C. Bell (Missing believed PW) “B” Coy Maj A.G. Ellis Lt P.G. O’Consell (Wounded) Lt W.D. Hague (Wounded) Lt G.E. Holt - 5 - “C” Coy Maj H.J. Walker Lt D.A. Hill (Killed) Lt D.H. Wood “D” Coy Capt D. Jamieson (Wounded) Lt A.F. Bushell (Killed) “S” Coy Capt W.J. Smart Lt P.W. Buckerfield (Carriers) Capt A.M. Alexander (Mortars) (Wounded) Capt W.A. Redfern (A Tk) (Wounded) Lt T.P. Oakey LOB Maj F.H. Crocker (D Coy) Lt A.J.M. Maybank (C Coy) 481 Bty Maj P. Pettit Capt D. Johnson
A Coy. Pte Leonard Cogman. Missing, later PW. RIP. http://www.edp24.co.uk/features/a_quiet_hero_of_the_normandy_campaign_1_4953893
In essence 8 August was a massive wind down as 12th SS-Panzer raced assets off to counter the Canadians, while pulling other I SS-Panzerkorps assets back (in conjunction with 271st Infanterie) to form a coherent line of defence (with Thury-Harcourt ultimately becoming a fortress). If they'd attempted to either continue the counter-attack, or try to properly kettle the bridgehead, they'd have bled their defending formations white.
