20th June 1944 – the naval Battle of Saipan, in the west Pacific, ends with a decisive victory for the US fleet. Although the Americans lost about 100 planes the Japanese lost 400 planes and three aircraft carriers. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)
The 8th Army take Perugia in the centre of Italy as the Allies advance north continues. (From WW2-net Timelines.)
Russian Army attacks on the Leningrad and Karelian Front (Finland) divert attention from the huge build-up of forces for Operation Bagration.
Eric Brewer’s diary for 20th June reads:
“Leaving Granville* as Div 7 attack is going in. Went back to rear position to be reinforced, also some Gerry plane knocked down. Have at last found a farm to obtain milk. Things seem to be quiet - only thing we have to worry about is Enemy infiltrating through our front line but everything has been quiet...had a bath in the stream a change to get this dirt off of us.” (Included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)
*Grainville-sur-Odon
Anthony Rampling wasn’t so lucky. He remembers moving nearly every day in Normandy, on constant alert, living in conditions that were "almost as bad as the war". They went 40 days without taking their boots off! Even so they were encouraged to shave as they were meant to look ‘up and ready’ for the Germans. The Sergeant –Major ruled the roost and would bellow “Get a shave boy!”.
“We didn’t even take our boots off, or clothes off, didn’t wash, and we stunk like foxes.” (Anthony Rampling’s WW2 account, personal comm.)
Eric Postles writes for 20 June 1944:
“We were still patrolling in the Tilly area but the tactics changed by providing a tank or self-propelled gun to trundle along behind us adding to our fire-power. We had to admire the Military Police controlling junctions often under enemy shelling. A number were killed particularly at the busy Jerusalem crossroads where they lie in a small cemetery made and cared for by locals.
We did long stops for infantry attacks. It was sad to see the wounded coming back in jeep ambulances. On advance patrols we sometimes came across snipers from the infantry operating on their own in no-man’s land. German snipers were a menace and got short shrift when caught*.” (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)
*”Snipers were detested and feared as much for the strain they caused to men’s routine movements in forward areas as for the casualties they inflicted… Both sides habitually shot snipers who were taken prisoner.” (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)
On 20th June Don Aiken had run into trouble near Caen:
“As my armoured car now had no commander, I was sent back to Squadron H.Q. and given the job of 'shotgun' on the 3 ton truck which was used to bring ammunition from the dump near the invasion beach.
On 20th June we set off on our first journey. The truck was driven by a Trooper Docherty and the passenger seat was occupied by a Corporal.
I was sat in the back of the soft-topped lorry; armed with a rifle. Now that the weather had improved to become quite hot and dry there were signs nailed to posts along the road-side saying DUST MEANS DEATH; indicating that rapid movement by vehicles along the roads would create swirls of dust which would immediately attract the enemy guns and mortars.
We picked up our full load of ammunition without problem, the other members of the crew being obviously used to the procedure, and we set off to return to our H.Q. Now I was sat on 3 tons of ammunition. It wasn't long however before I realised that our Corporal had lost his way, as we did a couple of reverses in cul de sacs etc.. Then the surroundings began to change from rural roads to rubbled streets, and we did the sharpest reverse of all when we found ourselves in the middle of a street fighting scene, which was no place for a lorry-load of ammo. We had arrived in the besieged town of Caen - a long way off our course.
Eventually we recovered our direction and as we bowled along through a little village I suddenly heard a loud bang and our truck came to a sudden halt. A detachment of infantry was positioned in the village, and there were loud shouts and frantic gesticulations in my direction. I hesitated, not knowing what could be wrong. I didn't hesitate for a second longer however when my Corporal appeared, running rapidly past me and wildly waving for me to follow.
After we had sorted ourselves out, and the Corporal had told me what he knew, we went back to our truck to arrange the next move.
What had happened was this: A lone German fighter plane had spotted us making our way down the road, had turned round facing towards us and fired off a single cannon or rocket. This had hit the truck immediately in front of the driver and had blown a hole in his middle, killing him instantly. The ammunition, with me atop, had been separated from the driver by a thin wooden partition.
I was then returned to my Squadron, as a new Corporal had been found to command my armoured car. He was a Welshman named Evans, a reticent type, who never became very friendly or communicative.
The next few days continued to be quite eventful, although I have forgotten most of the detail and the sequential order of events. Some of the village names still spring to mind; although they lack any substance. - Tilly, Hottot, Caumont, Grainville.”
(Extract republished from 'establishing a foothold in Normandy' by kind permission of Don Aiken)
61st Recce Roll of Honour for 20th June includes three of those mentioned as lost by Eric Brewer on 19th June and Don Aiken’s truck driver:
Trooper Arthur Cole (age 29) of Peckham, London
Trooper Matthew Docherty (age 31) - he was in Eric Brewer's B Squadron Assault Troop
Sergeant Kenneth Ekins (age 20) of Grimsby, Lincolnshire
Trooper Frank Kershaw (age 21) of Ashton-under-Lyme, Lancashire
All are laid to rest in the Bayeux War Cemetery except Trooper Docherty who lies in Ellon churchyard, between Bayeux and Tilly-sur-Seules. Eric Brewer mentions his death in his entry of 21st June.
(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour courtesy of Recce Mitch.)
We will remember them.
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