On this day 14th July
1857 - 52nd - took part in annihilation of Sealkote mutineers.
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – VILLERS-AU-BOIS
1.30am – Relief by 13th Essex regiment, 6th Infantry Brigade complete.
To ESTREE CAUCHIE.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – COIGNEUX
Battalion in Bivouacs.
Bivouacs handed over to the 11th Bn MIDDLESEX REGT & the 1st BUCKS BN moved in motor lorries to BOUZINCOURT, marching thence to billets at SENLIS.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – CHATEAU ST COME.
Last night Bde carried out a propaganda broadcast in German and Polish from the hedgerow between 'A' + 'C' Coy fwd posns. The result was most satisfactory as this morning five deserters came into 5 Para Bde's lines on our right as a direct result of hearing the broadcast. Our snipers had a good day and claim three probables. We had one or two quite lively exchanges of mortar and arty fire and hope that we silenced for good an enemy SP gun which had been harassing us. No.9 (MMG Pl) carried out harassing fire against some of the fwd enemy posts on our front between 23.00 and 2359 this evening. This was the first indirect shoot our MMGs have done and it went according to plan and we hope inflicted a number of casualties on the enemy. The enemy reacted with MG & Mortar fire which proved it had stirred him up somewhat at any rate.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – NORMANDY.
Le Quatorze Juillet was celebrated by the local inhabitants for the first time since the German occupation and the Battalion provided a guard of honour outside the church in Ouistreham. D Company provided the guard, consisting of one officer (Captain Lee) and forty soldiers. Despite the fact that they had spent most of their time so far on the beach and in slit trenches, their appearance and turnout were a great credit to the Battalion, and were much appreciated by the populace. After the service the Mayor made a speech in French and the local civilian band played the Marseillaise and the National Anthem. The latter was a little difficult to recognise owing to the fact that this was the first time the band had played together for four years. Nevertheless, the members of the band seemed well satisfied with their rendering, and in fact were so encouraged by its reception that they played it over and over again whenever there was a lull in the proceedings. This became a little embarrassing after a while, with the guard presenting arms at frequent intervals as soon as the commander recognised the tune, but he finally managed to disentangle his party and march them off during a prolonged spell of cheering.
In the afternoon the Regimental band arrived and provided us with an excellent concert in the large theatre in the centre of the town. The theatre was crammed full with civilians and military, the 52nd sending a large number of officers and men. We had been a little apprehensive about filling a place of this size with troops in view of the danger of enemy shelling, which was still active, but apart from rather a lot of external noises and explosions, caused chiefly by our own anti-aircraft replying to the Boche, no untoward incident occurred.
1857 - 52nd - took part in annihilation of Sealkote mutineers.
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – VILLERS-AU-BOIS
1.30am – Relief by 13th Essex regiment, 6th Infantry Brigade complete.
To ESTREE CAUCHIE.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – COIGNEUX
Battalion in Bivouacs.
Bivouacs handed over to the 11th Bn MIDDLESEX REGT & the 1st BUCKS BN moved in motor lorries to BOUZINCOURT, marching thence to billets at SENLIS.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – CHATEAU ST COME.
Last night Bde carried out a propaganda broadcast in German and Polish from the hedgerow between 'A' + 'C' Coy fwd posns. The result was most satisfactory as this morning five deserters came into 5 Para Bde's lines on our right as a direct result of hearing the broadcast. Our snipers had a good day and claim three probables. We had one or two quite lively exchanges of mortar and arty fire and hope that we silenced for good an enemy SP gun which had been harassing us. No.9 (MMG Pl) carried out harassing fire against some of the fwd enemy posts on our front between 23.00 and 2359 this evening. This was the first indirect shoot our MMGs have done and it went according to plan and we hope inflicted a number of casualties on the enemy. The enemy reacted with MG & Mortar fire which proved it had stirred him up somewhat at any rate.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – NORMANDY.
Le Quatorze Juillet was celebrated by the local inhabitants for the first time since the German occupation and the Battalion provided a guard of honour outside the church in Ouistreham. D Company provided the guard, consisting of one officer (Captain Lee) and forty soldiers. Despite the fact that they had spent most of their time so far on the beach and in slit trenches, their appearance and turnout were a great credit to the Battalion, and were much appreciated by the populace. After the service the Mayor made a speech in French and the local civilian band played the Marseillaise and the National Anthem. The latter was a little difficult to recognise owing to the fact that this was the first time the band had played together for four years. Nevertheless, the members of the band seemed well satisfied with their rendering, and in fact were so encouraged by its reception that they played it over and over again whenever there was a lull in the proceedings. This became a little embarrassing after a while, with the guard presenting arms at frequent intervals as soon as the commander recognised the tune, but he finally managed to disentangle his party and march them off during a prolonged spell of cheering.
In the afternoon the Regimental band arrived and provided us with an excellent concert in the large theatre in the centre of the town. The theatre was crammed full with civilians and military, the 52nd sending a large number of officers and men. We had been a little apprehensive about filling a place of this size with troops in view of the danger of enemy shelling, which was still active, but apart from rather a lot of external noises and explosions, caused chiefly by our own anti-aircraft replying to the Boche, no untoward incident occurred.
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