Here is a link to the war diary of the above unit. 1ST BN THE DORSETSHIRE REGT - JUNE 1944 pictures by rahonour3947 - Photobucket
Cheers for posting these Rob, it lets new members see a little of what can be found in the unit war diaries. I'm always being asked what they contain and then there's all the appendices, field returns, sketch maps, nominal rolls, Part One Orders, Intel reports, casualty reports - the list is endless of what else may/can be found in these diaries held at the national archives.
NORMANDY 1st Bn The Dorsetshire Regiment (an extract from "Three Assault Landings") Has... NORMANDY 1st Bn The Dorsetshire Regiment (an extract from "Three Assault Landings") Title: NORMANDY 1st Bn The Dorsetshire Regiment (an extract from "Three Assault landings") Description (Source): UK_National_ArchiveReference WO 223/40
Page 6 (of the above transcript) - has - Shortly before midday orders were received that the Battalion was to send a company group to mop up a party of enemy in the area of Bazenville and La Croix to the east of our sector of the bridgehead. Evidently, this party of enemy had been by-passed or overlooked by one of the other brigades, and it was by them that the commander of the 151st Brigade was believed to have been captured. The "B" Company group (under Major P.Chilton, M.C. ) included carrier and 3-in mortar detachments, and had a squadron of the Sherwood Rangers in support. The operation proved most successful, and by the evening about forty Germans had been killed and another seventy taken prisoner. The carriers, under Captain E.Hannah, in their "cut-off" role had an excellent shoot. The two sections were very well handled by Serjts Slight and Pyer. Some maps and papers of the commander of 151st Brigade were recovered, and he himself was able to escape from the enemy during the confusion caused by "B" Company's attack, Although our losses were small in this action, they included another of the "B" Company platoon commanders, Lieut E.F. Mayes (who was killed). The other noteworthy incident to record on the 7th was the capture of thirty Germans, including one officer, by the "D" Company burial party (which was accompanied by the Padre) in the area north-west of Point 54 after a short, sharp action. 24th L - War Diary has... 7/6/44 During the day further vehicles of the Regiment disembarked and by 2300 hours, the whole Regimental Assault party had landed. ‘B’ Sqn together with eight tanks of ‘A’ Sqn were used during the day for mopping up operations in the area Bazenville in which the Regiment were later to concentrate. It was revealed later that ‘B’ Sqn killed or captured over 100 German Infantrymen in this operation. SRY - War Diary - has... 7/6/44 “A” Sqn, with the ESSEX attacked BAYEUX. “B” Sqn with I.S.W.B. came in from the NORTH. “C” Sqn remained in reserve with R.H.Q. in ST. SULPICE. Three Assault Landings
