WO 171/846 - 15-19 The King Royal Hussars - 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: 15th/19th Hussars
Month and Year: August 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt Col A.D. Taylor, MC.

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
	19		A fine sunny day. C.O. went fwd early in the morning to attend the planning of a battle across the R. ORNE to ECOUCHE and adv towards ARGENTAN 2618 with O.C .159 Inf Bde, CRA 11 A.D. Brig Fowler, O.C. 3rd R.T.R. - Lt.Col. Silvertop and O.C. 1st Herefords. The enemy were holding with weak forces the area of MONGAROULT 1719 and LE BOIS-SERANS 1717. The plan decided on was for 1st Herefords to cross the river at ECOUCHE and adv North from a start line running East and West through SERANS 1716 and take and hold the high ground about LE BOIS-SERANS. 3rd R.T.R. to cross behind them and adv due North up the track to MONTGAROULT and on in a North Westarly direction towards HABLOVILLE 1523. The Regt was to cross the river behind 3rd R.T.R. and protect their right flank on a line from about 2018 overlooking GOULET 2117 to about Pt 180 2121 overlooking MOULINS-SUR-ORNE 2220 and CUI 2122. Opposition was very light and the operation went completely according to plan. A certain amount of enemy tpt and inf were encountered which were shot up by the Regt and 3rd R.T.R. and up till fairly late in the evening it seemed that the Regt had had an almost perfect day for their first day real contact with the enemy. About 1800hrs 'B' Sqn moved onto the high ground West of ARGENTAN in square 2419 to endeavour to destroy enemy withdrawing Eastwards from the area MOULINS-SUR-ORNE. The Sqn achieved this with some success despite encountering minefields laid just North of the road, but 1 or 2 vehs stopped with mechanical trouble. Whilst repairing these the crews were subjected to some sniping and mortaring and shortly afterwards a Panther tk appeared and knocked out the Tp Ldrs tk of 1st Tp - Lt. J.R.D. Sharpe at approx 254193. The Sqn was ordered to withdraw to Regtl leager at about 200186. Silvertop, David Arthur Henry

Source: Jeroen Koppes, TracesOfWar.com, transcribing: Hans Houterman.

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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