On this day 25th August
1800 – 52nd – Both battalions of the 52nd which had left England about midsummer with a force on secret service under Sir John Pultney landed in Spain.
1857 – 52nd – engaged all day before Delhi (Indian Mutiny).
1914. - 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI:- Retreat from Mons
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – BUS-LES-ARTOIS.
2nd Lieutenant A S Holiday joined and posted to A Company.
2nd Lieutenant H Davies joined and posted to C Company.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – BATTALION IN TRENCHES
The enemy relieved trench 31 – 79 across the open at about 4.45am – our Lewis guns opened fire on them & caused them about 20 casualties.
At 7am the Battn was relieved by the 1/5th GLOSTERS & returned to gunpits behind the USNA REDOUBT.
1918 - 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI - Capture of Behagnies and Sapignies villages.
1944 – 2nd (AB) Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – MANNEVILLE -Normandy:-
The Regt spent the night 24/25 Aug in the area of GABIN 4814, out of contact with the enemy. Orders were received to continue the adv at 0615 hrs 25 Aug on the route X rds 488139 - ST PHILIBERT 5111 - LA CORRESPONDANCE 5412 - PRETREVILLE 5713 - MALBORTIE 6012.
The Regt moved off to time with 'C' Coy acting as vanguard and the mobile recce pl ahead, and passed through 1 R.U.R. at ST PHILIBERT at about 0700 hrs. 'C' Coy was ordered to seize the feature about Pt 127 5513 and establish a firm base there. This was effected without incident by 0900 hrs and 'A' Coy with the recce pl still ahead was passed through and seized PRETREVILLE again without incident.
From here 'D' Coy was passed through and seized the area X rds 595132 without opposition but while in their posn information was received at about 1130 hrs from the BELGIAN Recce Regt that they had reached the line of the rly but had had a scout car knocked out by an enemy post holding the bridge at MALBORTIE 604124.
At about the same time the Bde Comd arrived at Regtl HQ and ordered the Comd Offr to seize the crossing over the river as soon as possible.
'B' Coy (Major Edmunds) was ordered to pass through and seize the bridge and consolidate on the high ground immediately EAST of it. At the same time 'C' Coy were ordered to be prepared to carry out a right flanking attack to cross the river and seize the high ground in event of 'B' Coy being held up. 'B' Coy's attack went in at about 1330 hrs and the bridge was seized intact and some prisoners captured.
One pl of 'B' Coy succeeded in est themselves on the high ground EAST of the bridge but the left fwd pl was held up for some time by an enemy post to their left.
As a result the Comd Offr ordered 'C' Coy to carry out their right flanking attack and on arrival at their first objective to be prepared to consolidate on the right of 'B' Coy or, if the situation permitted, to push on and seize the line of the rd running North and South through MANNEVILLE LA RAOULT. 'A' Coy was shortly afterwards ordered to move fwd, clear the wooded slopes East of the river and consolidate on the ridge on the left of 'B' Coy. 'C' Coy started off on their rt flanking movement at about 1500 hrs and reached the ridge and made contact with 'B' Coy about 1700 hrs. The Coy Comd then decided to go in and make the line of the road to the East. Enemy opposition was encountered when the leading pl were still about 300 yds short of the village.
Arty fire was put down on the village of MANNEVILLE LA RAOULT and 'C' Coy succeeded in infiltrating fwd, driving out the enemy and est themselves astride the road South of the village about 630110 at about 1900 hrs. Unfortunately wireless comn broke down with 'C' Coy shortly after the attack started and it was not until 2200 hrs that their posn and the fact that they had been successful was eventually discovered.
At the same time as 'C' Coy's attack started, 'D' Coy (Major Howard) who had been moved up into the ridge on the right of 'A' Coy were ordered to infiltrate into the centre part of the village.
This movement started at 1835 hrs and was successful though stiff enemy resistance was encountered just East of the village and mopping up continued until after dark (2200 hrs). Contact between 'D' & 'C' Coy was not effected until nearly midnight.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion (Normandy):-
AM - Conference all comds. New cadre given out and all told that this is now firm. This leaves, after deduction of personnel attached away on 1 Corps duties and with Airborne Div, 6 offrs and 201 ORs.
1100 - Rep from 2 Army Reforsec arrives to get our drafting figures. Arranged that Adjt will go over to 1 Corps with this rep and sort it all out as it appears that 1 Corps are to be given first chance of our drafts, but they must be posted to Bns by 26 Aug which had been given as a deadline date by 21 Army Gp for final posting of Bucks Bn.
1400 - Adjt and rep visit DAAG 1 Corps and after 4 hrs, arrangements are made with DAAG 51 Div to absorb 6 offrs and 169 ORs in the various Bns of 51 Div in their own specialist roles. Exact details are worked out on the spot as it appears there is no time for consideration. Protests are made but with no avail. Everyone agrees once more that the whole thing is quite ridiculous and entirely unnecessary, but that the powers that be have laid it down that it will be all completed by 26th, or else they will all be posted to RHU's. This is considered to be punishment worse than death, so arrangements are made to post them direct to Bns as asked, despite short notice. It is arranged that tpt shall collect from this HQ at 1000 hrs 27 Aug 44.
1800 - CO visits 5 Kings to learn that on the same day as the 'Bucks' drafted offrs and men to 51 Div and 1/4 KOYLI, they, the 'Kings', had drafted men to 1 Bn Oxf Bucks. This despite General Montgomery's letter saying that 'all due consideration would be given to Regimental Associations'. No very encouraging.
1800 – 52nd – Both battalions of the 52nd which had left England about midsummer with a force on secret service under Sir John Pultney landed in Spain.
1857 – 52nd – engaged all day before Delhi (Indian Mutiny).
1914. - 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI:- Retreat from Mons
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – BUS-LES-ARTOIS.
2nd Lieutenant A S Holiday joined and posted to A Company.
2nd Lieutenant H Davies joined and posted to C Company.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – BATTALION IN TRENCHES
The enemy relieved trench 31 – 79 across the open at about 4.45am – our Lewis guns opened fire on them & caused them about 20 casualties.
At 7am the Battn was relieved by the 1/5th GLOSTERS & returned to gunpits behind the USNA REDOUBT.
1918 - 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI - Capture of Behagnies and Sapignies villages.
1944 – 2nd (AB) Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – MANNEVILLE -Normandy:-
The Regt spent the night 24/25 Aug in the area of GABIN 4814, out of contact with the enemy. Orders were received to continue the adv at 0615 hrs 25 Aug on the route X rds 488139 - ST PHILIBERT 5111 - LA CORRESPONDANCE 5412 - PRETREVILLE 5713 - MALBORTIE 6012.
The Regt moved off to time with 'C' Coy acting as vanguard and the mobile recce pl ahead, and passed through 1 R.U.R. at ST PHILIBERT at about 0700 hrs. 'C' Coy was ordered to seize the feature about Pt 127 5513 and establish a firm base there. This was effected without incident by 0900 hrs and 'A' Coy with the recce pl still ahead was passed through and seized PRETREVILLE again without incident.
From here 'D' Coy was passed through and seized the area X rds 595132 without opposition but while in their posn information was received at about 1130 hrs from the BELGIAN Recce Regt that they had reached the line of the rly but had had a scout car knocked out by an enemy post holding the bridge at MALBORTIE 604124.
At about the same time the Bde Comd arrived at Regtl HQ and ordered the Comd Offr to seize the crossing over the river as soon as possible.
'B' Coy (Major Edmunds) was ordered to pass through and seize the bridge and consolidate on the high ground immediately EAST of it. At the same time 'C' Coy were ordered to be prepared to carry out a right flanking attack to cross the river and seize the high ground in event of 'B' Coy being held up. 'B' Coy's attack went in at about 1330 hrs and the bridge was seized intact and some prisoners captured.
One pl of 'B' Coy succeeded in est themselves on the high ground EAST of the bridge but the left fwd pl was held up for some time by an enemy post to their left.
As a result the Comd Offr ordered 'C' Coy to carry out their right flanking attack and on arrival at their first objective to be prepared to consolidate on the right of 'B' Coy or, if the situation permitted, to push on and seize the line of the rd running North and South through MANNEVILLE LA RAOULT. 'A' Coy was shortly afterwards ordered to move fwd, clear the wooded slopes East of the river and consolidate on the ridge on the left of 'B' Coy. 'C' Coy started off on their rt flanking movement at about 1500 hrs and reached the ridge and made contact with 'B' Coy about 1700 hrs. The Coy Comd then decided to go in and make the line of the road to the East. Enemy opposition was encountered when the leading pl were still about 300 yds short of the village.
Arty fire was put down on the village of MANNEVILLE LA RAOULT and 'C' Coy succeeded in infiltrating fwd, driving out the enemy and est themselves astride the road South of the village about 630110 at about 1900 hrs. Unfortunately wireless comn broke down with 'C' Coy shortly after the attack started and it was not until 2200 hrs that their posn and the fact that they had been successful was eventually discovered.
At the same time as 'C' Coy's attack started, 'D' Coy (Major Howard) who had been moved up into the ridge on the right of 'A' Coy were ordered to infiltrate into the centre part of the village.
This movement started at 1835 hrs and was successful though stiff enemy resistance was encountered just East of the village and mopping up continued until after dark (2200 hrs). Contact between 'D' & 'C' Coy was not effected until nearly midnight.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion (Normandy):-
AM - Conference all comds. New cadre given out and all told that this is now firm. This leaves, after deduction of personnel attached away on 1 Corps duties and with Airborne Div, 6 offrs and 201 ORs.
1100 - Rep from 2 Army Reforsec arrives to get our drafting figures. Arranged that Adjt will go over to 1 Corps with this rep and sort it all out as it appears that 1 Corps are to be given first chance of our drafts, but they must be posted to Bns by 26 Aug which had been given as a deadline date by 21 Army Gp for final posting of Bucks Bn.
1400 - Adjt and rep visit DAAG 1 Corps and after 4 hrs, arrangements are made with DAAG 51 Div to absorb 6 offrs and 169 ORs in the various Bns of 51 Div in their own specialist roles. Exact details are worked out on the spot as it appears there is no time for consideration. Protests are made but with no avail. Everyone agrees once more that the whole thing is quite ridiculous and entirely unnecessary, but that the powers that be have laid it down that it will be all completed by 26th, or else they will all be posted to RHU's. This is considered to be punishment worse than death, so arrangements are made to post them direct to Bns as asked, despite short notice. It is arranged that tpt shall collect from this HQ at 1000 hrs 27 Aug 44.
1800 - CO visits 5 Kings to learn that on the same day as the 'Bucks' drafted offrs and men to 51 Div and 1/4 KOYLI, they, the 'Kings', had drafted men to 1 Bn Oxf Bucks. This despite General Montgomery's letter saying that 'all due consideration would be given to Regimental Associations'. No very encouraging.
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