WO 171/1322 - 6 KOSB - August 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: 6 KOSB
Month and Year: August 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. C.W.P. Richardson

Place	Date	Summary
702524	1	After continuous recce during the day orders were received to carry out a Bn attack from incl BARELIERE 7052 to wood and track junc 703517 commencing at 1700 hrs. In the afternoon Coys moved to FAAs and SLs and Bn HQ moved to 697528. H hr was postponed on instrs from higher authority as it was ascertained that 43 Div was progressing on the left and were dangerously close to our objectives. At 1730 hrs, however, the attack went fwd with B and D Coys leading. D Coy reached objectives without much opposition. C Coy encountered opposition which was successfully dealt with and in due course reached their objective. Infm was received that large numbers of enemy were present in le BOIS du HOMME and large arty concs were brought down on this area with great effect. 2 Lt P SOUTHWOOD was killed and Maj JD HENSON and Lt RD CHAPMAN wounded in this op. During the attack all ranks wore roses in their helmets in commemoration of the battle of MINDEN. Weather fine
702524	2	No incident occurred during the night and in the morning patrols swept the BOIS du HOMME and reported the feature clear. The Bn was placed at short notice to move during the day with a view to proceeding to occupy CATHCOLLES 7044. This move however did not materialise and in the late evening the Bn moved to an assembly area near LA FERRIERE AU DOYEN 6952 to await further orders for move. Weather fine
677459	3	No orders to move were received until late afternoon when the Bn moved to 677459 near LE TOURNEAU preparatory to an attack tomorrow on feature 279 7142 with 8RS and 1WG. Orders for this attack were given out in the late evening and as much recce as possible carried out. Weather fine
719431	4	The attack commenced at first light with A and C Coys leading, Bn HQ directing the attack from 700434. The adv continued to go well on all sectors and all coys reached their objectives without encountering any opposition. On capture of the objectives Bn HQ moved to 719431. In the afternoon orders were received to carry out a further attack on the feature LA MOTTE 7541. This attack commenced at 1930 hrs from the area LA FIEFFE 7342. Some opposition was encountered and there was very confused fighting all through the night. All tpt was compelled to remain in previous Bn area as the rds to the objective were impassable owing to mines. Weather fine
753418	5	Just before first light all objectives were seized and it became possible to bring forward the tpt by a cross country route. The Bn now occupied a def posn protecting the left flank of the adv. This posn was occupied for the remainder of the day. Weather fine
753418	6	The Bn remained in the same location throughout the whole day, but on short notice to move. No incident worthy of note took place. In the evening the Chaplain held a brief service in each Coy locality. Weather fine
L'OBTINIERE 743406	7	At 0930 hrs the Bn moved to L'OBTINIERE 743406 and adopted a def posn there, prior to a further adv in the future. In the evening the CO was summoned to an O Gp at Bde HQ when orders were received that the Bde to-morrow will attack ESTRY 7437, which place has already been attacked by 227 Bde without success. Late in the evening orders for this attack were given out. The attack will be performed with 6RSF on left and 6KOSB on right. Weather fine
ESTRY 7437	8	Early in the morning the Bn moved to an FAA in the area 735392 and remained there until about 1100 hrs when it moved to a SL south of the objective. At 1200 hrs the attack commenced, supported by a sqn of tks and a tp of crocodiles. Owing to the close nature of the country both tks and crocodiles were unable to make headway and the inf were required to go on by themselves. C Coy on the left succeeded in reaching limited objectives, D Coy on right met with less success. The 6RSF on the left succeeded early in reaching the line of the rd running EAST and WEST through ESTRY. Orders were accordingly received to consolidate on this line and after considerable confused fighting this was effected by the evening. Weather fair
ESTRY 7437	9	The Bn was ordered to maintain this posn at all costs and this was duly carried out. The enemy remained very aggressive throughout the day and several attempted counter attacks were reported and dealt with by arty. Hy mortaring and shelling continued on both sides. Capt GI YOUNG was killed and Capt AG TWOGOOD wounded as a result of mor fire during this period. Bn HQ moved to 737385. Weather fair
ESTRY 7437	10	The Bn remained in same locations throughout the day, undergoing continuous fire from enemy mors, guns and rifle grenades. No serious attempt at counter attack was made, however, and by evening the posns were the same as before. In the evening C Coy was relieved by D Coy. Weather fine
ESTRY 7437	11	During the night Maj WEJ WATERS was accidentally killed. The day was spent in similar fashion to the immediately preceding one, except that the evening fire was not so great and sustained as before. Weather fine
ESTRY 7437	12	The ESTRY posn was maintained throughout the day until the evening when the Bn was relieved by 8RS commencing at 2230 hrs. On relief the Bn moved back to a res area in the gen area 715405. Weather fine
715405	13	The relief was completed by approx 0300 hrs. During the day certain adm in the form of baths etc was carried out, but the Bn remained with a counter attack role in the event of 8RS being counter attacked and over-run. In the afternoon the Bn was relieved by 4KSLI and withdrew to a Bde conc area at CATHCOLLES 7044 to spend the night prior to moving to 12 Corps area the next day. Weather fine
960566	14	The Bn set out at approx 0900 hrs and proceeded via VILLERS BOCAGE to 960566 where it entered a Div Conc Area awaiting any call which might be made upon the Div by 12 Corps. The day was spent in rest and reorg. Weather fine
960566	15	The Bn remained in situ throughout the day and a full day's adm was carried out, incl change of clothing, baths, etc. Weather fine
960566	16	As no call to move fwd was received, the day was devoted to trg and further adm. An ENSA concert party gave a performance in the afternoon. Inter coy soccer matches were played. Maj EDF COKE, Foresters, joined the Bn and is appointed OC D Coy. Weather fine
960566	17	Further trg carried out during the forenoon. In the afternoon a Coy Comds conference was held at which various pts were discussed. A warning order to move was received and in the evening recce parties went off to area LA MOTTE 9847 to prepare new area. The remainder of the day was spent in preparation for the move. Weather fine
LA MOTTE 9847	18	Bn moved to new area in forenoon. This area is another conc area and again the Div has no role. In the afternoon trg and recreation continued. B Ech joined the Bn in this location. Weather fine
LA MOTTE 9847	19	The Bn remained in present area throughout the day. Trg of various types incl marching was carried out. Bathing etc also took place. A lecture in the progress of the campaign so far was given to all ranks by the Div IO at 1600 hrs. Final of inter coy football competition was played off and won by HQ Coy. In the evening infm was received to be ready to move the following day. Weather fine
LA MOTTE 9847	20	CO attended an O Gp at 0900 hrs and Bn was placed on 3 hrs notice to move as from 1200 hrs, to proceed eastwards behind 227 (H) Inf Bde on a gen axis towards LE SAP 5859. About 1910 hrs, however, when it became apparent that no move was likely to-night, orders to stand down were received. It later transpired that the Polish Armd Div had already proceeded along the axis and encountered and was dealing with enemy at VIMOUTIERS. Weather fair
LA MOTTE 9847	21	During the night there was a sharp attack by e/a in the area of 2 A&SH and damage and cas were caused. Owing to wet weather intended trg programmes during the day had to be altered and several coys moved from fds where they were bivouacing to neighbouring buildings. A draft of one offr (Lt ROBINSON) and several NCOs was received from 6 Bn Border Regt. Weather wet
LA MOTTE 9847	22	The Bn remained in the same location throughout the day, and carried out trg. Adm and bathing was also carried out. An ENSA concert party provided two shows in the course of the day which were attended by reps from the Bn. Weather fair
LA MOTTE 9847	23	CO attended O Gp in forenoon and orders were received for Bn to move to a conc area on the other side of FALAISE prior to taking part in an adv to contact towards the R SEINE. At approx 1600 hrs the Bn moved to area ERAINES 168373. CO attended O Gp and gave out orders for next day adv on his return. Weather fine
ERAINES 168373	24	Maj E REMINGTON-HOBBS joined the Bn as 2IC and Capt J ELLIOT rejoined from the UK after having been wounded. The Bn was prepared to move as third Bn in an adv to contact to the R SEINE, but owing to the state of the rds no movement was possible until about 1600 hrs. Eventually at about 2200 hrs the Bn reached a harbour area at approx 574674 where it settled for the night. The adv was made without incident. Weather fine
574674	25	The Bn left at approx 1015 hrs to continue the adv towards LE NEUBOURG 0283. The adv was very slow owing to brs at 925772 and 926769 being blown and crossings had to be made by a small wooden br unsuitable for hy tpt. Eventually at approx 2315 hrs the Bn reached our area at 704756 where it took up a def posn covering LE NEUBOURG. Weather fine
704756	26	The Bn remained in the posn throughout the day. No incidents worthy of note occurred. Late in the evening orders were received to expect an early move the following morning. Weather fine
205895	27	The Bn left at 0200 hrs and proceeded direct to an area near LOUVIERS with Bn HQ est near 205895. The remainder of the Bde Gp concentrated in the same area. In the late evening the 6RSF made an assault crossing of R SEINE at PORTE JOIE 2892. They met with little opposition and est a br head on the far bank. Weather fair
HERQUEVILLE 2991	28	The Bn left at 0200 hrs and proceeded by march route to an FAA at 279940. Vehs left at 0500 hrs and proceeded to a similar FAA at 255935. All marching personnel then proceeded to the near bank and by 0200 hrs had all crossed in boats. Throughout the day vehs and guns were rafted across and finally a br was completed across which the remainder of the Bn followed. Bn HQ was est on the far bank at HERQUEVILLE 2991. Weather fair
HOUVILLE 3697	29	The Bn moved off behind 8RS towards LE LONDE 3396 and HOUVILLE 3697. By 1200 hrs 8RS had captured LE LONDE, only scattered remnants of enemy being encountered. 6KOSB then proceeded and occupied HOUVILLE. Odd prisoners were taken incl two German offrs who were captured in a car. Weather wet
HOUVILLE 3697	30	The day was spent in adm and re-org. The Div Comd paid a visit to the Bn and stated that the Div was now in army res, 4 Armd Bde and 53 Div having now passed through. A party under Capt RM WOOLLCOMBE carried out a raid on BOIS DE BACQUEVILLE and recovered a quantity of arms and amm belonging to the local maquis which had been hidden there. Weather wet
HOUVILLE 3697	31	A wood clearing op was carried out in conjunction with 8RS on the FORET DE BACQUEVILLE. This op lasted the whole day but no enemy were found. Weather fair

previous month | next month

Source: The War Diaries of the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division June 1944 - May 1945.

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.

Domains

More information

Contact