National Archives catalogue number WO 171/960.
Abbreviation
|
113762 2i/c Airldg ATk BC Bde BHQ Bn Bty Comd Div HQRA Pdr RA Rd SP SS X rds |
Map Reference Second-in-Command Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery Captain Brigade Battalion Battery Command Commander Division Headquarters Royal Artillery Pounder Road Self-Propelled Troop Crossroads |
Month and year : June 1944
Commanding Officer : Major T.H.P. Dixon MC RA
1st to 5th June 1944
Place: Tarrant Rushton
Bty under comd 6 Airlanding Bde at Transit Camp.
6th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0055 - Recce party landed in area RANVILLE NORMANDY with 12th + 13th Para Bns.
0330 - Main Glider party arrives. 11 Guns and 2 i/c only Guns into action.
1030 - 4 SP German guns destroyed.
1400 - Forward ATk gun lost. 2 Glider Pilots and 1 gunner killed and 2 wounded. Sgt. Woodridge is attempting to rejoin unit lost gun and jeep.
7th June 1944
Place: Ranville Area
Sgt Guest and 3 guns killed in action. Gun knocked out by German S.P. which was subsequently knocked out by 17 pdr of 3rd Bty attached to us.
8th June 1944
Place: Ranville Area
B.C. and 1 Tp Comdr. and Glider party rejoined Bty after having been landed East of the R. Dives at 03.20 hrs 6 JUNE 1944. Bty reverted to H.Q.R.A. 6 Airborne Div.
9th June 1944
Place: Ranville
1830 - Parachute re-supply - 6 jeeps and 6 x 6 pdr guns. 4 guns supplied to this Bty. 2 Detachments came under comd 1 S.S. Bde. 14 guns in action. Intense shelling Bty H.Q. area.
10th June 1944
Place: Ranville
1700 - Seaborne forces arrived.
11th to 18th June 1944
Place: Ranville
Bty remained deployed. Intermittent mortar & shell fire.
19th to 20th June 1944
Place: Ranville
Intermittent mortar & shell fire continues.
21st to 22nd June 1944
Place: Ranville
Positions maintained.
23rd June 1944
Place: Ranville
Heavy shelling Bty H.Q. area.
24th June 1944
Place: Ranville
Bty remains deployed - Heavy shelling Bty H.Q. area.
25th June 1944
Place: Ecarde
1400 - Bty H.Q. area to quarries at Ecarde. G + Z Tp come under comd 4 SS Bde in area HAUGER.
26th to 29th June 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained.
30th June 1944
Place: Ecarde
Rest area established at RANVILLE. G Tp moved to LE MESNIL under comd 3 PARA BDE to replace A Tp 3 A TK Bty withdrawn to rest area.
Month and year : July 1944
Commanding Officer : Major T.H.P. Dixon MC RA
1st July 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained.
2nd to 4th July 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained.
5th July 1944
Place: Le Mesnil
B Tp of 3 A TK Bty relieved.
6th July 1944
Place: Ecarde
Reinforcements arrive. Positions maintained.
7th July 1944
Place: Le Plein
1400 - C Tp of 3 A TK Bty relieved. Capt W. Hunt assumes duties of 2 i/c of Bty.
8th July 1944
Place: Ecarde
1200 - AFW 3008 & 3009 rendered.
9th to 11th July 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained.
12th July 1944
Place: Ranville
0430 - Heavy shelling of rest area.
1100 - Rest area and rear H.Q. moved to area 113762 (France 1/50000 7 F/2)
13th to 14th July 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained.
15th July 1944
Place: Ecarde
1200 - AFW 3008 & 3009 rendered.
16th to 21st July 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained.
22nd July 1944
Place: Ecarde
1200 - AFW 3008 & 3009 rendered.
23rd to 28th July 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained.
29th July 1944
Place: Ecarde
1200 - AFW 3008 & 3009 rendered.
30th July 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained.
31st July 1944
Place: Ecarde
Regrouping - Z and G Tps in support of 1 SS Bde and 3 Para Bde South of Le Mesnil X rds. E & H Tps in support of 5 Para Bde RANVILLE area.
Month and year : August 1944
Commanding Officer : Major T.H.P. Dixon MC RA
1st August 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained with slight re-arrangement with 3 Airldg ATK Bty RA.
Place: Hauger
One Troop relieved by tp of 3 Bty.
2nd August 1944
Place: Ecarde
Positions maintained.
3rd to 17th August 1944
Place: Ecarde
No changes of any consequence. Troops in action in TROARN area.
18th to 21st August 1944
Place: Dozulé Rd
BHQ moved forward with Div HQ. Tps on move.
22nd August 1944
Place: Dozulé Rd
Battery moved to 3 Para Bde area.
25th August 1944
Place: St Maclou
BHQ moved forward to St Maclou area.
27th to 31st August 1944
Place: Equamauville
Bty withdrawn to rest in EQUAMAUVILLE and programme of maintenance & recreation carried out.
29th August 1944
Place: Equamauville
Advice received of Divisions return to UK to re-group & retrain.
30th August 1944
Place: Equamauville
General instructions for return issued.
31st August 1944
Place: Equamauville
Preparation is laid for return of unit to England.
Month and year : September 1944
Commanding Officer : Major T.H.P. Dixon MC RA
1st September 1944
Place: Equamauville
Preparations completed for move to port.
2nd September 1944
Place: Equamauville
Marching Party moved by road to Transit Camp. Night spent in Transit Camp.
3rd September 1944
Place: Arromanche
Marching party embarked on the "Ben-My-Chree". Vehicle party moved quick to port from EQUAMAUVILLE and embarked.
4th September 1944
Place: Arromanche
0700 - "Ben-My-Chree" sailed. Disembarked Southampton 2200 hrs. Vehicle party disembarked Gosport. Night spent in transit camp.
5th September 1944
Place: Southampton
Marching party entrained approx 0900 hrs. Arrived Bulford 1200 hrs. Vehicle party proceeded by road from Gosport arrived Bulford 1200 hrs.
6th September 1944
Place: Bulford
[Stables?] and re-kitting. Checks of equipment for reconstitution. Re-organisation of personnel.
7th September 1944
Place: Bulford
Reconstitution proceeds. Preparations for leave in hand.
8th September 1944
Place: Bulford
Bty less small rear party proceeded on 10 days leave.
16th September 1944
Place: Bulford
Four days extension of leave granted.
