Roy Howard of 61st Recce's 'A' Squadron, went out on a ‘foot’ patrol (they crawled out on their stomachs) twice to find out which units they faced at Briquessard. Having returned with a uniform jacket of the SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment* the three of them were sent out again another night to the German lines, to confirm the identification. Not knowing they were there, the British heavy machine guns opened up and they were caught in the cross-fire. The Germans sent up very lights revealing their position and one of the trio, Lance Corporal Hampton, was critically wounded (although he later became Mayor of Evesham). Roy got out with a perforated ear-drum. (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)
*SS Panzer Grenadiers were an elite unit in the Waffen SS (the combat branch of the Nazi party).
Major Brownrigg wrote that at Briquessard "We were amused to find that some of our prisoners were converted German reconnaissance troops and (like the 61st) were very disgruntled at doing infantry work." (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)
Eric Brewer wrote in his dairy for 24th July: “On outpost again – Gerry shot Grumlish." However, his letter home that day is wrote his typically re-assuring, if somewhat misleading: "Our job is more like spectators watching a battle...so far we have not so much fighting, apart from the first two days..they put us back here in a kind of reserve so you have practically nothing to worry about...I believe all we are doing is staying in this bridgehead 'til they get the new suits over, then they will let us finish the march to Berlin...in about one or two months time we shall be in Berlin, or Germany at the least." (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)
Back in Britain casualties from the VI attacks have now reached about 30,000 with around 4,000 killed.
Operation Cobra, the American plan to advance on a narrow front towards Avranches, at the base of the Cotentin Peninsula, is delayed by bad weather. Some planes could not be recalled and their bombing of the St. Lô / Periers area not only gave the Germans warning of the attack but also killed and wounded men in the US 30th Division.
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