WO 171/1250 - 1 Coldstream Guards - 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: 1 Coldstream Guards
Month and Year: July 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer:

Place	Date	Summary	Reference
IN TRANSIT	1	Second Party disembarked from L.S.T.s between ARROMANCHES and COURSEULLES.
	1	5th GUARDS ARMOURED BRIGADE under command 12 CORPS.
	1	Field Returns issued.	Appendix A
ESCQUAY-SUR-SEULLES, NORMANDY, FRANCE	2-16	Battalion remained in Concentration Area. They spend in visiting the Battlefield —Lectures — Talics — Bathing- Shooting.
	2-16	On the 16th, at 1200 hrs, the Div Commander addressed all Officers, on the coming battle.
	2-16	Field Returns issued for 8th and 15th July 1944.	Appendix B & Appendix C
RIVER ORNE, NORTH of Area CAEN	17	The Commanding Officer gave out orders at 1100 hrs.
	17	At 2115 hrs Battalion moved. The move was done by cross-country tracks during the night and owing to the dry state of the ground, the dust was very bad, but the Battalion arrived at its halting area, about 1 mile short of the River ORNE, in the early hours of the morning of the 18th.	Appendix D
INTO BATTLE	18	Battalion rested, topped up with petrol and had breakfast.
	18	At 0800 hrs just after we had witnessed the 2,000 bomber raid, a Staff Officer from 8 CORPS arrived, and ordered the Battalion to move immediately. The Battalion crossed the River and Canal by an R.E. bridge and drew on down to the Start Line.
LE MESNIL FREMENTEL	18	The Battalion advanced 2 up and reached CAGNY with comparatively little opposition. Arriving at LE-MESNIL-FREMENTEL, the Battalion was ordered to approach CAGNEY being finally occupied by the 2nd Battalion GRENADIER GUARDS and took up a position facing SOUTH, between the road and railway, Battalion HQ being at 105642 (Sheet 7F/1). At about 2200 hrs there was slight enemy air activity, during the harbouring, but no casualties were incurred.
	18	No. 1 Squadron claimed the only enemy tank — a Panther — knocked out by the Battalion that day, it was seen to catch fire.
	18	During the night, a sharp air attack was made on the Brigaded 'A' Echelons, who were harboured on a large glider park — near the bridge across the River ORNE — bombing and attacks with M.G. and Cannon fire caused casualties (wounded) as under:-
	18	Sgt. HICK
	18	L/Sgt. JACKSON
	18	Gdsn. CASSIDY
	18	Gdsn. BEVIS
	18	T.Q.M.S. BUTTERILL
	18	Gdsn. BERESFORD, and
	18	L/Cpl. TURNER,
	18	and damaged more or less severely 9 wheeled vehicles. They were the only casualties suffered by the Battalion during the course of the day.
	19	Orders were received, first thing in the morning, to resume the attack and capture VIMONT, but these orders were cancelled just after the Battalion had started. The Battalion remained in a defensive position, by our harbour area, all day, watching to the EAST, whilst infantry came up and consolidated.
	20	Battalion remained in the same area, in a defensive role.
	20	There was occasional enemy shelling.
MONDEVILLE.	21	Battalion moved in the afternoon, with the remainder of the DIVISION, into CORPS reserve, and came under command of the 2nd CANADIAN CORPS.
GIBERVILLE	22	Battalion harboured for the night.
	22	Field Returns issued.	Appendix E
	23	Battalion rested in this area. There was intermittent mortar shelling by day and short bombing attacks during the night.
	24	Received orders, be prepared to move, in the near future, to take part in Operation `SPRING'.
	24	The Commanding Officer gave out orders at 2100 hrs.
	24	This Operation, carried out by 2nd CANADIAN CORPS, was designed to thrust SOUTH towards FALAISE, seizing the high ground just NORTH of BRETTEVILLESURE-LAIZE.
GIBERVILLE	25	Operation 'SPRING' did not prove successful, and though the first objectives of MAYSUR-ORNE, TILLY-LA-CAMPAGNE and VERRIERES were taken, most of the ground won, including the two former places, were lost by the evening. The GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISINO were therefater not required, as it was only to be used in the later phases of the Operation, which were dependent on the success of the first.
	26-30	The Battalion remained concentrated at GIBERVILLE.
	26-30	On the 30th the Battalion moved first to ESQUAY-SUR-SEULLES, where it remained until 2240 hrs and then moved again to the woods near TROMQUAY — Map Reference 7174, Sheet 6F/4.	Appendix G
	26-30	Field Returns issued 29th July 44.	Appendix H
CORMOLAIN	31	The Battalion moved to near the village of CORMOLAIN, Map reference 6763 Sheet No 6F/2. Came under Command of 32nd GUARDS BRIGADE, No. 1 Squadron being put under Command of r Battalion IRISH GUARDS and No. 3 Squadron under Command of 1" Battalion WELSH GUARDS.

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Source: WW2Talk.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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