Military history

Notes

PEGASUS BRIDGE WALK: 6TH AIRBORNE DIVISION AT BÉNOUVILLE

1

Intelligence papers in WO 171/1357.

2

Ibid.

3

T. Buck, Normandy 1944 (Fields of Battle, 2004), p. 44.

4

Ibid., p. 47.

5

2nd Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry War Diary, WO 171/1357.

6

Ibid.

7

Buck, Normandy 1944, p. 52.

8

2nd Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry War Diary, WO 171/1357.

9

‘Story of 7 Bn. Light Infantry, The Parachute Regiment, 1943 – 1944’, WO 223/18.

10

Ibid.

11

Ibid.

12

Ibid.

13

Ibid.

14

Ibid.

15

Ibid.

16

Ibid.

17

Ibid.

EASTERN FLANK WALK: THE MERVILLE BATTERY AND AMFREVILLE – BRÉVILLE

1

N. Barber, The Day the Devils Dropped In (Pen & Sword, 2002), p. 74.

2

No. 3 Commando War Diary, DEFE 2/38.

3

No. 6 Commando War Diary, DEFE 2/42.

4

Ibid.

5

Major E. Dean, Up The Airborne: The History of the 12th Yorkshire Bn The Parachute Regiment, available at www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/rep12thBn.htm (accessed 10 February 2011).

6

H. St G. Saunders, The Red Beret (Michael Joseph, 1950), p. 201.

7

5th Black Watch War Diary, WO 171/1266.

COMMANDO WALK: THE 1ST SPECIAL SERVICE BRIGADE ON D-DAY

1

M.C. McDougall, Swiftly They Struck (Odhams, 1954), p. 66.

2

From papers in the author ’s collection.

3

McDougall, Swiftly They Struck, pp. 76 – 77.

4

Ibid., p. 80.

5

Ibid., p. 83.

6

Ibid., pp. 88 – 89.

7

No. 6 Commando War Diary, WO 218/68.

8

From papers in the author ’s collection.

SWORD BEACH WALK: 3RD DIVISION ON D-DAY

1

N. Scarfe, Assault Division (Collins, 1947, repr. Spellmount, 2004), p. 64.

2

Ibid., p. 67.

3

Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Denis Bradford Cocks DSO, commanding 5th Assault Regiment Royal Engineers, 6 June 1944, aged 39. His body was recovered from the beach and taken back to the UK. He is buried in Frimlet (St Peter ’s) churchyard, Surrey.

4

Major John Frederick Harward, 1st South Lancashires. He died of wounds on 7 June 1944. He is buried in Hermanville War Cemetery.

5

Recommendations for Honours and Awards for Gallant and Distinguished Service (Army), WO 373/48.

6

WO 373.

7

WO 373.

8

WO 373.

9

Scarfe, Assault Division, p. 74.

10

P.R. Nightingale, A History of the East Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of York’s Own) in the War of 1939 – 1945 (n.p., 1952), p. 123.

11

WO 373.

12

Nightingale, A History of the East Yorkshire Regiment, p. 123.

13

1st Suffolk War Diary, WO 171/1381.

14

From information supplied by Brian Guy.

15

1st Suffolk War Diary, WO 171/1381.

16

Ibid.

17

Scarfe, Assault Division, p. 85.

JUNO BEACH: NAN BEACH WALK – INLAND TO TAILLEVILLE

1

Lieutenant Colonel D.B. Buell was awarded the DSO for bravery on 6 June 1944.

2

W.R. Bird, North Shore (Brunswick Press, 1983), p. 201.

3

Ibid., p. 202.

4

W.T. Barnard, Queens Own Rifles of Canada (Ontario Publishing Co., 1960), p. 194.

5

C.C. Martin, Battle Diary (Dundurn Press, 1994), p. 6.

6

Ibid., pp. 8 – 9.

7

80th Assault Regiment RE War Diary, WO 171/1808.

8

G. Brown and T. Copp, Look to Your Front: Regina Rifles (Wilfred Laurier University Press, 2001), p. 32.

JUNO BEACH WALK: MIKE BEACH – THE FIGHT FOR COURSEULLES

1

C.P. Stacey, The Victory Campaign (Queen’s Printer, Ottawa, 1960), p. 104.

2

1st Hussars War Diary, WO 179/2989.

3

Ibid.

4

A. Brandon Conroy, A History of the First Hussars Regiment 1856 – 1980 (self published, Canada, 1951), p. 52.

5

Recommendations for Honours and Awards for Gallant and Distinguished Service (Army) WO 373/48.

6

Ibid.

7

Ibid.

8

1st Canadian Scottish War Diary, WO 179/2969.

9

Private C.H. Evans from Alberta, Canadian Scottish, 6 June 1944, buried Ryes War Cemetery (II-A-2) and Private W.E. Fahnri from Berne, Switzerland, Canadian Scottish, 6 June 1944, buried Ryes War Cemetery (II-A-1 ).

10

R. Roy, Ready For The Fray: The History of the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Evergreen Press, 1958), p. 226.

GOLD BEACH WALK: 50TH DIVISION ON D-DAY

1

D.S. Daniell, The Royal Hampshire Regiment Volume Three: 1918 – 1954 (Gale & Polden, 1955), p. 216.

2

Ibid., pp. 216 – 217.

3

Ibid.

4

Ibid.

5

Ibid.

6

A.E.C. Bredin, Three Assault Landings (Gale & Polden, 1946), p. 52.

7

E.W. Clay, The Path of the 50th: The Story of the 50th – Northumbrian Division in the Second World War, 1939 – 1945 (Gale & Polden, 1950), p. 241.

8

R. Hastings, An Undergraduate’s War (Bellhouse Publishing, 1997), p. 224.

9

Ibid., p. 227.

10

London Gazette, 15.8.44, pp. 3807 – 3808.

11

Hastings, An Undergraduate’s War, p. 225.

12

Clay, The Path of the 50th, p. 243.

ARROMANCHES WALK: D-DAY LIBERATION AND THE MULBERRY HARBOUR

1

W.S. Churchill, The Second World War (Time, 1959), p. 214.

2

Major L.F. Ellis, Victory in the West Volume I: The Battle of Normandy (HMSO, 1962), p. 272.

OMAHA BEACH WALK: ‘BLOODY OMAHA’

1

Anon, 741: D Day to VE Day (n.p., n.d.).

2

Anon, OMAHA Beachhead (Historical Division, War Department, Washington, repr. 1984), pp. 42 – 43.

3

Ibid., p. 43.

4

Ibid., p. 56.

5

Ibid., p. 58.

6

Ibid., p. 53.

7

Ibid., p. 60.

8

Ibid., pp. 109 – 110.

POINTE DU HOC WALK: THE 2ND RANGERS, 6 – 8 JUNE

1

Anon, Small Unit Actions (Historical Division, War Department, Washington, repr. 1982), p. 2.

2

Ibid., p. 6.

3

Ibid., pp. 12 – 17.

4

Ibid., p. 21.

5

Ibid., pp. 29 – 33.

6

Ibid., p. 44.

7

Ibid., p. 53.

8

Ibid., pp. 58 – 59.

UTAH BEACH WALK: THE 4TH INFANTRY AND 101ST (AIRBORNE) DIVISIONS ON D-DAY

1

4th Cavalry account from website http://www.25thida.com/4thcav.html (accessed 24 June 2011).

2

Anon, UTAH Beach to Cherbourg (Historical Division, War Department, Washington, 1948), pp. 45 – 47.

3

Ibid., p. 55.

4

Ibid., pp. 14 – 15.

5

Ibid., pp. 41 – 42.

AIRBORNE WALK: STE-MÈRE-EGLISE – LA FIÈRE – 82ND AIRBORNE ACTIONS ON D-DAY

1

G.A. Harrison, Cross Channel Attack (Historical Division, War Department, Washington, 1951), p. 291.

2

Ibid., pp. 346 – 347.

3

Heim account from http://www.thedropzone.org/europe/normandy/heim.html (accessed 10 June 2011).

4

Harrison, Cross Channel Attack, p. 293.

5

From documents in the author’s papers.

6

Harrison, Cross Channel Attack, pp. 292 – 293.

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