4th Grenadier Guards (Tank Bn) War Diary

Hello

WO 171/1255 has the war diary up to December 1944, but what happened after then?
Does anyone know if there is a further diary - nothing else shows up in a search on the TNA website.

Thanks
Bernie

 

Hi Bernie - I've had a look through my records and I've never copied any 4 GG war diaries. Give me a shout if you want any copying.

Cheers
Andy

 

Thanks to dbf for the info.

Andy, I'll ask my uncle (who served in the 4th Bn) to see if he's still interested. He told me he watched the D-Day commemorations on TV then dreamed about it all night.

Bernie

 

No probs - Just drop me a PM if you need anything.

Cheers
Andy

 

Bit of a long shot but thought I'd bump this thread in the hope someone might have this units WD, specifically 30th July 44, opening day of OPERATION BLUECOAT.

Thanks in anticipation

 

Hello, I came across your post by accident, here are pages covering 30th July 1944.

The tank from No2 Squadron mentioned in the last entry for the 30th was my Uncles' tank. As the diary says, three of the crew were killed, my Uncle and another crew member got out alive. He said the shell went through them like a hot knife through butter, and must have lodged in the engine compartment.

 

Here's a lint to another enquiry
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?conversations/guildford-tank.82725/

 

Bernie, many thanks for that.

I'm trying to piece together as much as I can about the action around Sept Vents - a very small, unremarked, and unremarkable, part of a very large battle, but interesting to me as the first action for one, probably very nervous, Lothians' Trooper FW Bagley - my Father !

 

Ref Map:


1947:


1972:


2012:

 

Thanks Harkness - the '47 photo is useful.

 

9 Aug 1947:

 

Interesting that the author says Sept Vents was taken by 8:30 but 4th GREN GDS war diary says "Resistance in Sept Vents was fairly strong and it was not finally subdued until 1300". The supporting 9th CAMERONIANS were still meeting enemy opposition at 0900 and didn't report the village clear until 1230. The LOTHIANS were still reporting spasmodic MG fire from the NW of Sept Vents at 1330.

My father's flail troop, commanded by Lt P B Carter, was ordered up to clear the road into the village about 0930;

"Lt P B Carter was given orders to clear the road of mines and brought up three tanks. He himself in the leading tank exploded eight mines in approx 35yds, before being blown up, damaging the nearside assembly. He wirelessed to Sgt Rawlinson to bring up his tank and flail the crown of the road. Sgt Rawlinson flailed two mines before he himself was blown up by three mines which were exploded simultaneously by one detonator. The dvr of the tank, LCpl Buck, W C B, received the full impact of one mine underneath the floor boards and damaged his right foot; he was evacuated.
The road by this time had become blocked by damaged vehs and Lt P B Carter decided to make a lane on the South side of the road and running parallel to it. He ordered Sgt Mackie to do this and make a lane up to the church, and return by the same route, thus making a 16ft lane. Sgt Mackie did this without interference and the Churchills and inf went through to capture the village."

I believe this photo shows the flails of the Lothians recovering, whilst the infantry and carriers of 15th (Scottish) Div move forward some time during the afternoon of 30 Jul.


Copyright IWM


And my apologies, we seem to have drifted off the threads' topic

 

Perhaps we should let the BAOR Battlefield Tour Notes, and in particular Brigadier, R.M. VILLIERS, DSO, CO 9 Cameronians, have the last word;

"The outline plan for the battalion was briefly this:-
Our Start Line was the main road West of CAUMONT about VILLLENEUVE and we attacked almost due South with two companies forward.
On the Right, C Company led with an objective about 500 - 600 yards South of SEPT VENTS. It was told to by-pass any opposition which delayed it.
Of the two reserve companies, B Company on the Right had the task of mopping up behind C Company, and in particular the village of SEPT VENTS."

"When C Company got going, it went fast and well.
It developed into a platoon commander's battle, supported sometimes by a troop of tanks, sometimes by a single tank. There was considerable opposition in the village, but C Company by-passed this and reached its objective, where it surprised a battery of mortars actually in action. Behind C Company, B Company took a long time to mop up the village. Originally it had no tanks allotted to it and I think this was a mistake. It could well have used a troop or two of tanks and a troop of CROCODILES. Although C Company was on its objective by about 0900 hours it was mid-day before B Company reported the village clear. Having done so, the CSM found 20 Germans in the same orchards as Company HQ! That sort of thing happens in this thick 'bocage'."

I'm finding it really enjoyable trying to piece together these small-scale actions that my father was a part of - and, of course, this place and the knowledgable people on it help tremendously!

 

Two air views of Sept Vents taken 17 days apart.

 

Hi Bernie,
I have just come across your post by accident. By amazing coincidence, the tank from No 2 Squadron, 4th Tank Battalion, Grenadier Guards that was destroyed by a German 88mm anti-tank gun on 30th July 1944 on the first day of Operation Bluecoat was my father's tank. He was the other crew member who got out alive. Those killed included my father's best friend Gdsm. Maurice Henry "Butch" Bowler, Gdsm. Albert Robertshaw and L/Cpl. Francis Raymond Thorne. They are all buried at Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery.
My father died in 1981, but he would have been 100 last week, which is what has prompted me to do some more research.
I have never been able to establish who the fifth crew member was, or what happened to them.
It would be good to hear from you.