WO 171/847 - 23 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: 23rd Hussars
Month and Year: August 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. R.P. HARDING, DSO

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
FRANCE	1	0700	Regt in posn high ground S River SOULEUVRE. B Sqn patrols towards BENY BOCAGE 3 RTR pass through.
6742	1	1400	Move to BENY BOCAGE. Harbour there. 1 OR K.I.A., 4 wounded. 6 Shermans received. 2 Shermans and 1 Stuart struck off.	6 F/4
7135	2	0500	Advance 23 H leading with 8 RB on route BEAULIEU - LE DESERT - PRESLES	6 F/6
	2	1000	2 A/cs destroyed LA IEHHARDIERE.
	2	1500	B Sqn made contact CHENEDOLLE and held up. A Sqn attacked by panhers EAST of LE BAS PERRIER.
T 7233	2	2000	Regt moves to posn S of LE BAS PERRIER with 8 RB in support.
	2		3 ORs K.I.A., Major WATT, 2/Lt.GUNYON and 9 ORs wounded.
	3		In posn LE BAS PERRIER. Heavy shell fire and mortaring.
	3	1400	8 RB relieved by 2 Warwicks. 4 ORs K.I.A., 12 ORs wounded.
	4-5		LE BAS PERRIER. 3 ORs K.I.A., 5 ORs wounded, 4 ORs missing.
	6	0300	A and B Sqns withdraw to harbour LA BARBIERE 6938.
	6	1500	RHQ mote to LA BARBIERE.
	6	1600	Ennemy begin to counter-attack LE BAS PERRIER posn. Beaten off by C Sqn and 2 Warwicks. Estimated enemy strength 1 Bn.Lt. ROBSON and 3 ORs K.I.A., Capt. PHILIMORE, 2/Lt. TREANOR, Capt. CROUCH and 9 ORs wounded, 2 ORs missing.
	7	1500	C Sqn harbour LA BARBIERE; Capt. Taylor and 7 ORs wounded.
	8-10		LA BARBIERE. 6 Sherman V, 3 Sherman Vc, 1 3-ton lorry, 5 half-tracks received.4 Sc cars, 1 3-ton lorry, 4 half-tracks 12 Sherman V, 3 Sherman Vc struck off. 1 OR K.I.A.
	11		LA BARBIERE. 1 Sc car, 6 Sherman V, 3 Sherman Vc, 1 3-ton lorry, 1 M/c received.5 Sherman, V struck off.
	12-31		30 Corps Op «KITTEN».
965376	12	1700	Break harbour and move to MONTCHAMP. Peace time march.	Sheet 6 F/6
744407	12	1900	Arrive harbour area.	Sheet 6 F/4
	13	1700	B Sqn move to secure Pt.208 (Sheet 7 F/5), 722390, with one Coy 8 RB. Find one tree obstacle asross road and some mines.
	14		RHQ in harbour. B Sqn holding Pt.208. C Sqn with one coy 8 RB forward to X rds 779360. Lose two tanks. Joined by A Sqn during evening. 3 ORs K.I.A. 3 Sc Cars received.	Sheet 7 F/5
	15		A Sqn push forward to area WEST of CANTELOUPE and secure. B Sqn move through and capture area Pt.203, 808387. Rhq at X rds 779360. 2 ORs K.I.A., Lt.BATES, and 3 ORs wounded, 1 OR missing.
	16		C Sqn move through and recce area Pt.203, 808387, Regt in reserve and follow
	16	1600	on route ST GERMAIN DU CRIOULT 8432 - LE PERTILLIER 8429 - ST PIERRE D’ENTREMONT 8027 - CERISI BELLE ETOILE 8226. Harbour on road to CALIGNY 8247.
	17	0800	Form complete Regt-Bn group with 8 RB, Regt leads on route CALIGNY 8247 - AUBUSSON 8724 - ATHIS 9127 - TAILLEBOIS 9626. Some mine met. Bridge over R. ROYE blow but ford found NORTH of site.
	17	1500	A Sqn and one Coy cross but meet strong MG and mortar fire and one A.Tk-gun short of NOTRE DAME DU ROCHEN 9825. Capt.R.H.HART (ex 24L)K.I.A.
	18	0830	Whilst RE complete bridge Regt group leads. B Sqn in front reaches area MEGUILLAUME 0322 by 1100 hrs. Report bridge at PUTANGES blown.
	18	1150	One abandoned Panther met at X rds 052209. Over 20 PW taken.
	18	1200	RHQ move to 080209. C Sqn group recce area LAUNAY 0622 for crossing at ST CROIX SUR ORNE, which believec intact. Coy 8 RD unable to take LAUNAY	Sheet 7 F/6
	18	1550	owing to heavy MG and mortar fire. B Sqn contact VS patrol at 099200.
	18	1900	Sqns and RHQ remain in posn whilst 3 Mons create bridgehead over river at PUTANGES site.
	19		Sqn 2 FF Yeo secure Pt.208, 1221. Regt group leads through on route PUTANGES - COURTEILLES 1322 - track junc 183215 - SENTILLY. Harbour north of SENTILLY. 120 PW taken at COURTEILLES, inel 1 Offr & 39 ORs of 9 Coy 304 PGR (2Pz Div). Vanguard loses one tank (2 tp C Sqn) at C.V.I. 2122 L.O.B. Tp of A.1 Ech
	19	2100	destroys two S.P. guns and one lorry in area
	20	1000	Vanguard take hospital of 92 patients, 6 doctors and 100 orderlies and 50 Russian deserters CVIL. Advanced on route OCCAGNES - Pt 202, 2525 - BAILLEUL 2825.
	20	1110	Area 255214. 2 Tp B Sqn and platoon lose one Sherman V and 3 carriers.
	20	1120	Destroy 2 Panthers. One abandoned Panther found area Pt.202, 2524.
	20	1200	-1700 RHQ at OCCAGNES.
	20	1700	Adv continues. A Sqn reach X rds 267514 and capture Lieut. General KURT
	20	1950	BADINSKY, comd 276 I.D. amd staff.
	20	2100	Harbour area WEST of BAILLEUL 2825. 2 ORs K.I.A.
	21	1215	Move in reserve route ARGENTAN - AXMES 4546 - X rds 5145 - track junc 528419- track junc 562395 - 572399.Ennemy reported incl one 88mm on Pt.309, 5941. Harbour area 5740.	7G/2, 8F/5, 8G/1
	22	1000	Rgt leads through 2 FF on route ST ANDRE 6041 - ST GAUBURGE 6338 - L’AIGLE 7842. Mines encountered on road. Bridges at ST GAUBURGES blown but ford made. A and B Sqns cross at ST HILAIRE 6840. Regt harbours area 7541 for rest and refit.
	22	2100	Lt.CORNWALL and 1 OR KIA. in individual Sc Car recce of bridges EAST of L’AIGLE
	26		1 M/c, 4 Sherman V, 2 Sherman Vc, 1 Sherman I.c received.1 M/c, 9 Sherman V, 2 Sherman Vc struck off.	98.
	28	0800	Leave RAI near L’AIGLE. Peace time march to ST COLOMBE pres VERNON 3375.	9 F/3
	28	2100	Start to cross R.SEINE over VERNON bridgehead 4474 to harbour SOUTH of TILLY 4778.	9 F/4, 9 F/2
	29	0800	Move in reserve behind 3 RTR on route TILLY - LES THILLIERS VEXIN 5489 - ENTREPAGNY 5596 - MAINEVILLE 6104.	9 E/6
	30	0700	Lead on route MAINEVEILLE - TALMONTIERS 6405 - rd june 695095 - ST AUBIN EN	10 E/5
	30	1700	BRAY 7607 - HODENC EN BRAY 7712 - CRILLON 8018 - MARSEILLE EN BEAUVAISIS 8228.
	30	1900	Stop for refill. 3 RTR lead on route CREVECOEUR-LE GRAND 9127 -
	30/31		CONTY 9841 - AMIENS	10 E/1
	31	0700	In posn DURY 0752 - X rds 0653. Much tpt shot up inel GeneralEVERVACH’s, Comd 7 Army, staff car containing maps of all scalesmarking in all detail Proposed German line from ABBEVILLE - AMIENS - CHALONS SUR MARNE - BELFORT.	113
	31	0900	C Sqn plus H Coy 8 RB advance into AMIENS and seize main bridge 101582. Regt in posn high ground 0954.
	31	1600	Regt moves through AMIENS and leads on road to harbour at CARDONETTE 1464. Shoot up large AA site en route, incl four 105 mm Hy AA guns and 100 men. Capture force of 100 men and 15 Lt AA guns at ALLONVILLE 1563.	Sheet 113
	31		Lt Col.Commanding 23rd Hussars.

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Source: 11th Armoured Division.

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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