Since the last update I've continued adding more maps to the archive, continuing the push inland to the South mainly around the American Sector. At the same time, behind the scenes, I've continued geocoding more maps from the GSGS 4250 series in preparation to fill in some gaps to the East and continue the push inland.
New Maps
The latest maps added to the archive are all 1:50,000 sheets from the GSGS 4250 series, also carrying the American AMS M672 designation.
5G/3 Dinan An AMS (Army Map Service) printing of the map from May 1944 (sourced from US archive)
5G/4 Combourg An AMS (Army Map Service) printing of the map from May 1944 (sourced from US archive)
6G/3 Antrain A January 1944 printing of the map published by the War Office 1943
6G/4 Landivy A January 1944 printing of the map published by the War Office 1943
7G/3 Ambrières, 7G/4 Alençon, 8G/3 Mortagne and 8G/4 La Loupe are georeferenced and should follow shortly, with another twenty or so in progress and more sheets still being scanned. Neighbouring maps have to be georeferenced together to keep the mosaic lined up, so it stays a batch job rather than one sheet at a time.
War Diaries: 4th County of London Yeomanry, July 1944
I have added two diaries together: the regiment's own and that of its Light Aid Detachment, the small REME party that kept the tanks running.
The regiment spent the first half of July in Corps reserve before supporting 29 Brigade's capture of Bras on the 19th, during Operation Goodwood. Second Lieutenant K.G. Horsley, BEM, was shot by a sniper from his reconnaissance vehicle on the 20th. From the 28th, at Carpiquet, the 4th amalgamated with the 3rd CLY.
The LAD diary is the fitters' side of the same weeks: recovery and repair of Cromwells, Shermans, Stuarts, Humber scout cars and White armoured cars around Caen, and some experimental work on Cromwell exhaust modifications before adopting the 30 Corps specification. On amalgamation the 4th's LAD handed its equipment, two drivers and a sergeant-major to the 5th Inniskillings.
War Diaries: 21st Beach Recovery Section REME, October to December 1944
October, November and December 1944 are now up, which completes the section's full year on the site, from the landing on 6 June through to the end of December.
In October the headquarters moved from Varengeville to Abbeville, taking over the Garage de Picardie, with detachments spread out to Neufchâtel, Torcy-le-Petit and Rouen and dock recovery work starting at Ostend and Boulogne. Three BARVs were sent on towards Brussels.
November brought the section's hardest loss of the year. On the 1st, three men of the detachment that had gone up to the Ostend area on 22 October were killed on the beach at Ostend by an underwater mine. A D8 tractor drowned there on the 22nd, two BARVs were damaged beyond local repair, and an NCO had his leg run over by a D8 on the 13th.
What's Coming
More of the GSGS 4250 series as the batches come through, pushing the coverage further into Brittany and lower Normandy, now that the 21st Beach Recovery Section's year is complete I've started work on the 8th Infantry Brigade HQ 1944 war diary (WO 171/611).
As always, thank you for supporting the site. It is what keeps the servers running and new maps and war diaries going up.
Phil