5630040 Private Angus Fletcher MacVICAR, 5th Bn. Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment: 27/06/1944

The Germans were believed to be holding positions at Colombella, which was a large house with several farm buildings girdled by clumps of trees. A patrol sent out after dark on June 26 clashed with an enemy patrol, and it was decided to seize and occupy Colembella that night. At 2.40 a.m. CCompany (Captain Harper) went forward after artillery concentrations had been fired on the buildings, There was no resistance from the enemy. The company entered the fringe of trees and began to put the buildings in a state of defence. Before this could be completed the Germans counter-attacked from all sides. The three platoons of C Company were soon hotly engaged. The trees interfered with their field of fire, and Sergeant Healing went out in front of his platoon in full view of the enemy and calmly directed the fire of his sections. At another threatened point Lance Corporal Haigh, who had been wounded in the right arm, also went forward and, holding his Tommy-gun in one hand, accounted for several of the enemy. Sergeant Marsh, whose platoon was under fire from positions which overlooked it, moved it section by section to better cover. These efforts were unavailing. The Germans press in.
As C Company was now in danger of being cut off, Colonel Whitty ordered thme to withdraw under cover of artillery and machine-gun fire to a triangle of roads south of Colombella, where A company had established a firm base. The withdrawal was conducted with great skill by Captain Harper and Lieutenant White, who was last away from Colombella, stood up and defied the enemy while he thinned out his platoon. At one point some high corn prevented aimed fire, and Private Cockle, armed with his own and another Tommy-gun which he had taken from a wounded man, went forward to a suitable position and kept the enemy at bay until his platoon had withdrawn. Eventually the firm base was reached successfully, although the Germans were now mortaring the triangle of roads. Casualties in C compant had been six killed and som eforty wounded, and A company had lost twelve casualties from mortar fire. The Germans made no attempt to follow up. During the morning, while artillery and mortarts 'stonked' enemy positions, light tanks tooks up ammunition and rations to the triangle of roads. The situation remained unaltered until the evening, when C Company were withdrawn into reserve.

5th Battalion at Colombella
The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment 1920-1950 Lt. Col. H.D. Chaplin