WO 171/847 - 23 Hussars - July 1944

Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. and the Staff Manual respectively Title pages will be prepared in manuscript.	WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY	Army Form C.2118
	WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY	Unit: 23rd Hussars
Month and Year: July 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. R.P. HARDING, DSO

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
FRANCE	1-7		Harbour in area PUTOT-EN-BESSIN, 1 OR killed 5 Jul. Received 15 Shermans, 1 Stuart
	8		Relieve 4 CLY in counter-attack role NORTH of RAURAY under command 12 Corps. Remained there until 14 Jul – very occasional shelling and mortaring.
	15		Rejoined A Ech area CULLY. 3 Shermans, 2 Carriers S & C received.
	17	0100	F and A. 1 echs moved to harbour WEST of R. ORNE.
	17	2300	Moved across R. ORNE.
	18	0740	Adv behind 2 FF Yeo
	18	1120	A Sqn engaged from area DEMOUVILLE.
	18	1230	Action broken off and avd continued.
	18	1430	Move fwd in sp 2 FF Yeo NORTH of SOLIERS. RHQ area of GRENTHEVILLE.
	18	1800	Withdrew to cover of rly embankment GRENTHEVILLE. 11 ORs killed, Major Seymour, Capt. Jones, Lt. Cochrane and 30 ORs wounded, Major Shebbeare, Lt. Pratt and 6 ORs missing.
	19		In reserve behind rly. Lt. Addison and 1 OR wounded, 1 OR missing
	19	1700	Attacked by approx 30 FW 190s – 1 shot down
	19	2030	Harbour just SE of CAEN.
	20	0530	B Sqn fwd in sp of 159 Inf Bde area BRAS.
	20	1145	Move to DEMOUVILLE. A and A.1 echs rejoined. 1 OR killed, Capt. Walter and 1 OR wounded.
	21		Harbour DEMOUVILLE. Heavy rain. 1 M/C received.
FRANCE	22	0630	Moved to harbour area ST GERMAIN DES BLANCHES HERBES where stayed until 28 Jul. 20 Shermans received. 3 Crusaders to 58 LAA Regt. 2 Stuarts to 44 RTR. 4 Carriers S & C to 8 Corps OFP.
	29	0100	Moved to area CAUMONT. Harbour SOUTH of FOULOGNES 6570.
	30	0300	Adv carrying 3 Mons on tanks.
	30	1100	Held up by Inf and mines just NORTH of SEPT VENTS.
	30	1200	Adv to ST JEAN DES ESSARTIERS. Two 88 mms captured.
	31	0200	Harbour
	31	1400	Adv by ST MARTIN DES BESACES, FORET L'EVEQUE, LA FERRIERS. 'B' Sqn leading captured two 105 mm guns X rds 6345. 'B' Sqn cross R.SOULEUVE at 1800 hrs. followed by 'C', RHQ, 'A'.
	31		Own vehs lost by enemy action during Jul:- 14 Shermans, 1 M/c.
	31		Enemy vehs (minimum losses: Destroyed: 2 Tigers, 8 Panthers, 2 Sps, 1 Messerschmidt 109, 1 F.W. 190. K.O.: 1 Panther, 2 105 mm guns.

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Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com.

Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. Locations are calculated, so might not be in the correct place. For historical research, always check the originals.

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