WO 171/1257 - 3 Irish Guards - 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: 3rd Bn Irish Guards
Month and Year: August 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. J.O.E. Vandeleur

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
SOURDEVALLE	10	0200	The BN. took over this new position without incident and the take over 0200 was completed by 0200 hrs. All through the day the whole of the BN. area was subjected to shelling and Mortaring,and during this time, Capt. D. Kingsford (no.1 coy. comm) was killed by a shell splinter. Capt. D. Compton was wounded and 17 ORs wounded. In the early evening, the two forward coys.-No. 1 (now commanded by LT. P. Doyle) and no. 4 coy.were attacked by what was thought to be a recce force in strength - this was easily repulsed and the attack petered out,but unfortunately no identifications were obtained,although we inflicted several casualties on the enemy,but it was impossible to go forward in the daylight to search bodies. This was attempted after dark by the intelligence section and several dead Germans were found in the standing corn immediately in front of nos. 1 and 4 coys. positions, but the search still did not reveal an identification so urgently required by higher formation. In the evening,orders were received that the BN. would attack the.next day, and as a.preliminary to this,a strong patrol from no. 4 coy.led by LT. Kingan was sent to recee the bridge and river by LA JARRIERE immediately to the SOUTH of SOURDEVALLE. They discovered the bridge to be strongly held,but no identification's could be obtained,and it was impossible to get across the bridge to the houses on the other side. Kingsford, Desmond Glover

Source: Antoine Leprince, transcribing: Jeroen Koppes.

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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