Gold Beach. Brigadier Senior.

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Trux, Oct 12, 2015.

  1. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    I am still working on Gold Beach. (No, not making sandcastles). I have many questions unanswered but this should be easy. My records only cover D day up till midnight. Brigadier Senior was reported missing presumed captured as described below. He was still in command of the Brigade in July so presumably he turned up again. Can anyone fill in the details.

    About 1500 the Brigade Commander and the Brigade Intelligence Officer left Brigade Headquarters by jeep to visit the mobile columns. He was not heard of again and it was presumed that he and his party had been captured. However there was a long delay before his replacement took over. The Commanding Officer 8 Durham Light Infantry was to be the replacement in case of the Brigade Commander becoming a casualty and he was close to the Brigade Headquarters. He actually visited the headquarters at 2015 but did not assume command until 2230 hours.

    Mike
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  3. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Thanks Owen.

    An interesting book but £65!. I shall mention it to 'her indoors. It is nearly Christmas, at least the local garden centre is almost entirely given over the Christmas decorations.

    Mike
     
  4. Aixman

    Aixman War Establishment addict Patron

    Mike
    Perhaps the reading probe gives sufficient information:

    books.google.de/books?id=5MiBCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA151&lpg=PA151&dq=%22brigadier+senior%22&source=bl&ots=tcpPC-f-o3&sig=zVrRn2qcuCjYCJiEZ1Jtks-0JNU&hl=de&sa=X&ved=0CDEQ6AEwA2oVChMIsaOByfi8yAIVirgaCh16Gw5q

    Hope the link works. I only googled for "Brigadier Senior".

    Aixman
     
  5. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Trux

    There is some info here (although not that enlightening) http://www.unithistories.com/officers/Army_officers_S01.html - it notes that he was wounded, nothing else:
    25.03.1943 - 06.06.1944 Commander, 151st (Durham Light Infantry) Infantry Brigade (N Africa, Libya, Egypt, Sicily, UK, NW Europe) (wounded)

    But perhaps if you contact the website, they may have further details, at the top of the page is this:

    Looking for details on a British Army officer not listed here yet?
    Just e-mail me, and I might be able to help out.
    Of course, any additions, corrections etc. can also be e-mailed.


    I tried the link that comes next to his name and photos but it only took me to an untitled page.

    TD

    edited to add:
    The link Aixman gave ( https://books.google.fr/books?id=5MiBCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA151&lpg=PA151&dq=Brigadier+Senior+D+Day&source=bl&ots=tcpPC-hZw2&sig=jVKKCQ6xRppV7TdoYUf_2X7h97A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CC8Q6AEwA2oVChMItt7TyP-8yAIVyVAUCh0qFQta#v=onepage&q=Brigadier%20Senior%20D%20Day&f=false) states that "He later escaped, wounded"
     
  6. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Thanks everyone.

    It would round things off nicely to know how he escaped. My main interests were to find how a Brigadier managed to go missing when presumably surrounded by a whole brigade of troops and how the well established procedures allowed a brigade to continue functioning in action without him. I think I have it now.

    I have a lot of information and maps now for Gold but sadly lacking in the naval documents with the catchy title ONEAST/G. The best brains in the business and cash inducements have failed so far.

    Mike
     
  7. idler

    idler GeneralList

    Looks like a follow-up to his original book on 56 Indep Inf Bde, so you really ought to ask for the pair!
     
  8. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Brigadier Ronnie Senior and his Liaison Officer were travelling by Jeep near Crepon on the afternoon of 7June 1944 when they ran into a German ambush. Both officers were wounded. They were not captured, due to the timely appearance of some Bren Carriers.

    They were both forced to stay in hiding to avoid capture.

    Ronnie Senior rejoined his command the next day, but the wound to his arm was serious enough for him to be evacuated back to the UK.

    Colonel Lidwell CO 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Brigade, took over acting command of the Brigade and Major AH Dunn (2ic) took over command of the 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry; both later on the 7 June. I have no information on how it was known that Ronnie Senior was missing, but perhaps he didn't arrive where he was expected...

    Hope this assists.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
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  9. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Steve,

    Thanks very much. That about ties it all up nicely. Of course I should have asked you in the first place.

    Mike
     
  10. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    I have looked at the relevant diaries and at the maps of the area. 151 Brigade had assembled around Meuvaines and Ver sur Mer before moving off to Sommervieu. This was about three miles, as the crow flies, in a south westerly direction. Friendly troops were holding positions to the east and west but 151 Brigade columns would pass across two miles of front which was open to enemy attacks. No attacks are recorded so it seems most likely that the Brigadier was either travelling the road from Crepon to Sommervieu or was parked by the road to watch the columns moving forward. The southern side of the road had plenty of cover in orchards and behind hedges for snipers or small teams of infantry. Good ambush country.

    Mike
     
    Steve Mac likes this.
  11. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Found a comment in the 'History Of The Northumberland Hussars Yeomanry 1924-1949' (Joan Bright), Page 227, that fits with your question at message No. 6, Mike.

    "Only sporadic resistance was encountered by both the 9th Battalion and 6th Battalion [Durham Light Infantry] on their left, and both could have reached the final objectives for D-day had it not been for the fact that Brigadier Senior had been wounded and taken prisoner and the [151st Infantry] Brigade lacked direction, until Lieutenant-Colonel (Bob) Lidwell, commanding 8th Battalion [Durham Light Infantry], took over."

    The words in square brackets are mine, inserted to aid understanding by readers!

    NB. We now know Ronnie Senior was not taken prisoner, just missing. But note also that this book states he went missing on D-Day, not the day after as some books suggest.
     
  12. Maybe you should have tried the lower echelon "brains in the business" as well ;)

    PM sent your way.

    Michel
     
  13. Arty

    Arty Member

    Chaps,

    Brigadier Senior was wounded & captured in Bazenville Wood about 1630hrs 06June (not 07June) when Kampfgruppe Meyer of the 352nd Infantry Division ‘collided‘ with the 50th Division. However Brigadier Senior escaped & returned to his unit around 1630hrs 07June when B Coy 1st Dorsets moved on the Bazenville - La Croix area to mop up. Here's some info from Brit, German and Kiwi sources - complete with spelling errors et al!

    From the War Diary of 151 Bde:
    06Jun44: “Earlier in the afternoon at approx 1500hrs, Bde Comd, Brig RH SENIOR, DSO, TD, accompanied by Liaison Offr, Capt RS JACK left Bde HQ to visit mobile colns of 6 and 9 DLI. No information was subsequently received this day as to their whereabouts and it was feared that they had been made PW….”

    From the Telephone log of 352 Infantry Division 06Jun44:
    “21.00 Hours Report from the Gren Regt 726: 1 Battalion/Gren Regt 915 reported by radio that it has been pocketed in the neighborhood of Bacenville and that it has taken prisoner a Britisher general.”

    From the War Diary of 151 Bde again:
    07June44: “0800 Brig RH SENIOR still missing it was decided to send out a recce patrol to search for him, the patrol to consist of one pl of inf supported by one sec of carriers supplied by 8 DLI. Their task was to search the area NORTH of BAZANVILLE between PIERRE ARTUS and CREPON…”

    From the War Diary of 1st Dorsets:
    07Jun44: “1215 B Coy, with 1 det 3” mortars, 2 sec carriers and 1 Tp Sherwood Rangers moved out from Ryes to mop up enemy in area BAZENVILLE 8782 and LA CROIX 8781...”

    “1630 Attack successful 40 Germans being killed and 70 taken prisoner identified as 915 and 916 GR…”

    “1900 B Coy returned to Ryes. It is later learned that Bde Comd 151 Bde who had been captured was able to escape during the confusion caused by B Coy’s attack.”

    From the report of observer Brigadier James Hargest:
    “This Bde [ie. 151 Bde] had severe fighting at BAZENVILLE where a large pocket of the enemy was left. The Bde Comdr had been captured by inadvertently driving into the German position in the evening. He escaped - wounded next day - D+1 and his IO driver was killed.”

    The Liaison Officer mentioned, Captain RS Jack, was probably Captain Robert Scott JACK - KIA 06Jun44 - buried at Ryes War Cemetery, Bazenville.


    Regards
    Arty
     
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  14. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Thank you Michel.

    Three people have offered me copies of ONEAST/G and I thank them all. Michel actually sent me a copy before I had accepted his offer. One day in the far distant future I may be in a position to post my findings on the Gold Beach thread.

    I must of course point out that in referring to the 'best brains' I was referring to researchers who obtain documents from Kew. The ONEAST/G files are apparently there but are mis catalogued. Naturally there are no lower order brains on this forum.

    Mike.
     
  15. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Arty,

    Better and better. I had not thought so much information would be found on this apparently simple matter. Bazzenville woods are the area I had in mind in Post 10. German sources are a mystery to me.

    I dare say that I will post some maps eventually. They do help one to understand the text.

    Mike
     
  16. Arty

    Arty Member

    Mike,

    Re German sources...If you ever finish researching the British side of the story have a look at (for example) the "Foreign Military Studies" series - this is a huge collection of translated manuscripts. Many are available free as PDF downloads from the excellent sturmpanzer.com website, or, try fold3.com.


    Regards
    Arty
     
  17. Mike,

    Sorry, I was just teasing you :D. I do recognize the irreplaceable value provided by those who spend days combing the archives and photographing thousands of pages, enabling us to feed our thirsty brains with new, primary material. :salut:

    Michel
     
  18. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Michel,

    I have of course only dipped into the ONEAST/G documents but I can see even more detail than in those for other beaches. Pure Gold. I have already answers questions and solved problems. Food for the thirsty brain indeed.

    Mike
     
  19. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    *
    Ronnie Senior was a Colonel not a General, so not him!
    *
    *
    *
    *
    Two of these sources say he evaded capture. The other says that he was 'believed' to have been captured.

    He did get away (escaped) during the 'B' Company, 1st Bn Dorsetshire Regiment's attack, but nowhere have I seen unequivocal evidence that he was captured rather than in hiding.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  20. Arty

    Arty Member

    Steve,

    Re the quote: From the Telephone log of 352 Infantry Division 06Jun44: “21.00 Hours Report from the Gren Regt 726: 1 Battalion/Gren Regt 915 reported by radio that it has been pocketed in the neighborhood of Bacenville and that it has taken prisoner a Britisher general.”

    And your response: "Ronnie Senior was a Colonel not a General, so not him!"

    Are you saying that the Brigade Commander of 151st Infantry Brigade was not a Brigadier? Everyone else seems to think so!

    Are you completely dismissing the German report that a high ranking British officer was captured in the Bazenville area because it's German information? I've revisted the telephone log of the 352nd Infantry Division - this time I ignored the version already translated into English and personally transcribed the entry from the original German. Then using google translate I put in the reference to the officer that I/GR915 captured, which is: "...engl. Brigade-General gefangen genommen hat." The translation of which was: "..Engl. Brigadier has captured."

    The quote on page 246 of "8th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry 1939-1945" (by Major's Lewis & English) unfortunately simplified & mixed up the events of the 6th & the 7th of June. It says that on the 7th... "Brigadier Senior and his liaison officer were wounded when their jeep ran into a German ambush; they only evaded capture because of the timely appearance of some Bren carriers." It is overly apparent that Brigadier Senior ran into German troops on the 6th and escaped on the 7th. The events did not occur on the same day. His liaison officer "evaded capture" because he was, sadly, killed (as was another member of the Brigadier's party - see below). If anything page 246 should state: "Brigadier RH Senior, wounded on 06June, only evaded going to a German POW camp because of the timely arrival of some Bren carriers of the Dorsets on 07June."

    Brigadier RH Senior was wounded and captured in the Bazenville area on 06June. Here's yet more evidence:

    From the War Diary of 50th Infantry Division Signals:
    06June: "1645 Brig Senior, Comd 151 Bde, with L/Cpl Horton, MM reported missing, believed captured, holding all Div code signs and codes for next 14 days. Impossible to take any action."

    7 June: "1600.…Brig. Senior, Comd 151 Bde, returns wounded after escaping from enemy in BAZENVILLE WOOD and reports L/Cpl Horton P.J. (MM), his recce operator previously reported missing, now reported killed in ambush 1530 hours, 6 June."

    I need to add...Notwithstanding the fact that Captain (later, Major) Ian English was near the Bazenville area on 06June, the information from Major's Rissik, Lewis & English comes from post war compositions. Brigadier James Hargest was attached to the 50th Div HQ as an observer (he was killed in Normandy on 12Aug44). He landed at H+5 06Jun44 in the Gold area with the OC 50th Div. Hence he had first hand knowledge of the events. His statement, written soon after the events: "The Bde Comdr had been captured" is unequivocal.

    Regards
    Arty
     

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