Fontenay-le-Pesnel

This is a lot of new info in the book.

This well-know pic of a knocked out Sherman in Fontenay



Has been used to orient IWM Film A70 58-12.








The cameraman is facing back toward the British front-line (west) and this made identification difficult because our minds automatically think the way he is facing would be the German front line (east)

This another then-and-now

 

Knocked out Sherman in Fontenay

The Sherman tank on the roadside was commanded by Sgt. George GREEN 558252, age 29. He was severely wounded during this encounter together with Trooper Robert Alinson SMITH, aged 19, both of D Squadron The Sherwood Rangers/Nottinghamshire Yeomanry. Both subsequently died of their injuries and are buried together in the cemetery at Fontenay Le Pesnel. Due to the location of the shell penetrations on the Sherman, they were the only two crew members who were wounded.
The driver of that tank wrote to the families of the deceased soon afterwards expressing his condolences and passing them details of what had taken place.

 

I think I have seen other refs' to "D Squadron The Sherwood Rangers/Nottinghamshire Yeomanry" e.g.

25 June 1944: Tank attack into Fontenay-le-Pesnel

But also ones to George Green being in "B Squadron SRY" - e.g.

"George Green" "Sherwood Rangers" - Google Search

e.g. The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry 1939-1945

In here: The Polar Bears

It says - B squadron SRY too. Operating there around that time. .

In Kevin Baverstock's "Breaking the Panzers" on p36 it says "the 7th Duke of Wellington's Regiment, supported by tanks of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry , had begun their "Walrus" assault from the outskirts of Fontenay-Le-Pesnel. At 930 hrs, Dukes "C" and "D" Companies attempted to advance south across the open ground leading to their objective" etc.

So wonder if perhaps this ref to a "D squadron" of the SRY comes from some confusion perhaps with references to the "D" Company of the Duke of Wellington's in some source?

The ref. in 25 June 1944: Tank attack into Fontenay-le-Pesnel

"Robert SMITH August 15, 2016 at 2:58 pm
The Sherman tank on the right hand side of the road was commanded by Sgt 558252 George GREEN. he was injured during this encounter together with my Uncle Trooper Robert Alinson SMITH, aged 19, both of D Squadron The Sherwood Rangers/Nottinghamshire Yeomanry. They both died of their injuries and are buried together in the cemetery at Fontenay Le Pesnel. Due to the shell on penetrating the front of the Sherman, they were the only two injured members of the crew. The driver of that tank wrote to my grandparents soon afterwards expressing his condolences and passing them details of what had taken place."

Seems to be from a post on that page and may be a typo or a confusion - re. which SRY Squadron?

B Squadron SRY landed with the DD's - although as they were incrementally replaced they switched to the more regular Shermans etc. and got Fireflies added to their Troops.

 

Any update on Frederick Jeannes book about Fontenay? Is it out, yet?

 

Hopefully by June i beleive

 

This thread is quite old, but still seems to be interest.

It is the 75th anniversary of the 1/4 KOYLI attack on Tessel Wood tomorrow, 25th June. This was the attack that followed the initial attack on Fontenay.

I'm live tweeting my father's memoirs that describe the attack. It will be here if anyone is interested:

Lewis Keeble MC (@KeebleKOYLI) | Twitter

David

 

Hi all,
A lot of "funny" and "interesting" theories in the Heimdal book "Fontenay-Rauray". Too bad they mismatched so many information about the fightings of 26th and 27th with the Tigers, Panthers and the Sherwood Rangers.
Most of their texts and so called researches are wrong therefore it becomes a real fiction.
It's almost insulting to most of the veterans who wrote their accounts after the war as they are very accurate and very precise... The Tiger story in Fontenay is very interesting.
Too bad the two authors didn't mention it and worse ask for some "expert" to give false information.
Fred

 

Firstly apologies... I am new to posting on this forum and don't think I've quite got the hang of it!!!
I will be visiting the Cemetery week commencing 8th Sept at some point.
Have visited several times over the years, as a family we visit the grave of our mothers 1st husband. With respect on her behalf as she never had the chance to visit herself.
I have done a lot of research on him and have been trying to locate where he was killed. The only information my mother was given was that he was shot in an Orchard.
From my research I'm thinking he was killed during operation Pomegranate.
Any information, advice gratefully received.
Hope I'm going to upload photos I have., if it's a shambles attempt...sorry... View attachment 248723 View attachment 248722 View attachment 248721

 

For the people interested in the Operation Dauntless (including Martlet) you can join my Facebook page : The Bear and Fox, Ready for the Fray.
Best Regards
Fred

 

Google books - Battle of the Odon - with "24th Lancers"

Has a few 24th Lancer refs. including, curiously re. IWM B6043
24th Lancers? Relatively recently too - Pen and Sword, 30 Sept 2017 - History - 288 pages.

Google books - Battle of the Odon - with "Panther" - for the IWM B6043 - link

 

It is a translation of a 2008 Heimdal title

 

Pen & Sword link - Battle of the Odon

There's a comment there in the reviews about the original - but not whether it was a direct translation or a translation with subsequent updates, possibly.

 

Operation Martlet...

 

Lots of info on the battle in that area in Kurt Meyer's book Grenadiers (Grenadiere)

 

Project '44 (project44.ca)

Operation " MARTLET " - 1st Objective - " BARRACUDA"



------- x ------- x -------

Operation Epsom - Google Books

The frontline assessment shown here below - just prior to Operation Barracuda - differs in that it puts places like Audrieu, Cristot and Point 102 more firmly in the allied area of control...



146 Brigade : 4th Lincolns.

147 Brigade : 1/7th Duke of Wellingtons