Nationality:

British (1801-present, Kingdom)

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6 June 1944 WO 171/1397 - 2 East Yorkshire Regiment
Reserve Coys and Bn H.Q. touched down. Some difficulty experienced in negotiating the underwater obstacles in the increasing swell but on the whole beaching was extremely good. Cross fire and sniping was fairly considerable and accurate enemy Mortar and shell fire was causing some casualties. The difficulty of evacuating casualties was increased by the rapidly rising tide, fire, and the fact that the M.O. was hit on disembarking. The clearance of the beach perimeter was going on and C Coy were despatched to the O.P. posn SOLE. D Coy lost their Coy Comd when a mortar bomb burst among the Coy H.Q. and some difficulty was experienced in collecting them. The move across the open marshy ground towards SOLE was slowed by the nature of the terrain and was under observation and mortar fire throughout. Nothing had been seen of F.O.B. and party since landing but Arty fire was readily available from 76 Fd Regt on call. SOLE proved to be more strongly held than originally anticipated but the posn was secured by C Coy. A Coy by this time having cleared the beach had assisted in the consolidation. B Coy rejoined the Bn and the attack on the gun posn of DAIMLER prepared. Bn O. Gp held just North of SOLE came under considerable mortar fire and the R Gp in moving to a posn from which to make a suitable recce was caught by a salvo in a sunken lane. Lt Col C.F. Hutchinson was hit in the arm and in the absence of Major G.W. Field who was collecting the track vehicles on the beach the comd passed temporarily to Maj S.R. Sheath. The attack on DAIMLER was put in by A & C Coys supported by 76 Fd Regt and B Sqn 13/18 H and was quickly secured for little loss. Some 70 P.Ws of the Arty Coastal Bn surrendered and considerable enemy weapons captured of 4 × 7.5 cm several 40 mm AA Guns and numerous small arms. By this time the mortars, AA guns and some carriers had come ashore but had suffered some casulaties from shell and mortar fire on the first lateral. The Bn moved on to ST AUBIN D'ARQUENAY which was not held and in ruins. Here, it took up defensive posn until relieved by the 1 K.O.S.B. and withdrew to a posn West of HERMANVILLE where it dug in, in a cornfield. In the hrs of darkness some enemy aircraft attacked the beaches but were met with considerable AA fire.

28 June 1944 WO 171/1397 - 2 East Yorkshire Regiment
Bn attacked CHATEAU DE LA LANDE with right B Coy, left A Coy, follow up Coy, C Coy. D Coy as firm base in area of 1 S. Lan. R. posn. The start line which was the tk running parrallel to the fwd edge of LE LANDEL wood was under hvy shell fire as leading Coys moved up to cross it. Maj S.R. Sheath and B Coy H.Q. were hit moving up to the start line. However both B & A Coys moved steadily across the open cornfield to the fwd edge of the wood surrounding C. DE LA LANDE still under hvy shell fire and MG fire which made the attendence of cas extremely difficult owing to the S.Bs being unable to find cas in the standing corn. Both A & B Coys reached their objectives and were consolidating their posns when a counter attack by Tks and supported by Inf was put in on A Coys objective. An urgent call from A Coy was received by Capt Swinburne for Atk guns just before his R/T set was put out of action. A Coy was partially over-run and O.C. A Coy was taken PW together with C.S.M. Wakelin and a runner. Before their captors could get them away an S.O.S. task was called down and in the resulting confusion all made their escape. In the meantime Tac Bn H.Q. had moved up to the CHATEAU and had set up in an enemy mortar pit. This posn must have been on a D.F. task of the enemys as it was under consistant shellfire for many hours. However, comn with Bde was est by thesig line party running a line from rear H.Q. up to Tac H.Q. and maintaining it constantly. After A Coy had borne the first brunt of the counter attack, B Coy were the next to receive the follow up of a Tk. Some cas were inflicted and Lt Fetterly personally accounted for a German Tk Comd who was unwise enough to call upon his Pl to surrender. C & D Coys were up on the posn by this time and although still under enemy shellfire the posn was stabilised, consolidated and held. A Tk guns were brought up from the Bn, the Sp tp who were held up by an 88 mm suffered some cas but followed the battle up as quickly as they could. In the whole battle cas amounted to 5 Offrs wounded, 1 missing later found to have been killed, 13 ORs killed, 79 wounded and 13 missing, many of whom were accounted for later. The posn was held throughout the short night but only occasional enemy fire came down as the key to the road to CAEN was now in British hands. Later, this strong point was reputed to be the bloodiest square mile in the whole of NORMANDY.

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