7th Survey Regt. R.A. Jul 1944

Caumont area 1 July   D Srg troop in action on 6 mics and 2 Aps
716629       Flank mics - M1 699606 M6 747650
La Vitardiere       AP P 726609 AP Q 747630
         
Nonant 1     Lt K.N. Wood RA and Lt C Orbell RA returned to 53 Bty from attachment to 4 Svy Regt RA
         
La Vitardiere 2     Communications established between D SRg tp and 78 Armd Arty Bn (American) for CB purposes
         
Nonant 2     C Srg tp 53 Bty received orders to deploy on D SRg tp base with Hq at La Vitardiere 716629
827765       Z tp established BP for 112 HAA Regt RA at 384106.2 184464.5
        All wireless sets netted on respective frequencies
La Vitardiere 3     Little enemy arty on D SRg tp front. 5 HBs located during the night 2/3 Jul
716629       Nebelwerfers thought to be present
Nonant 827765   0815   C SRg tp moved out to take over base from D Tp
La Vitardiere       C SRg tp in action
Nonant       D SRg tp moved back to base for rest and maintenance
  4     Recce of possible FSp bases by OC 53 Bty and OC "A" FSp tp. Lt Palmer attached
        to 2 Armd Div American Army as LO
  5     Regt less C SRg still at present location
La Vitardiere 6     C SRg tp obtained 28 HBs in 24 hours - possible HB grouping in Caumont front
  7     Heavy thunderstorm put base out of action for one hour
  8     Recce of D SRg tp short base for mortar locations in 53 Div
Cheux 9167 9     D SRg tp in action - communication to 53 Div RA by rear link on CCRA net and
        by line through 160 Bde
Longues 10     Z Svy tp fixed BP Longues and PF for 76 HAA Bdes (Longues BP 379849.4
798871       187115.5 PF 382316.8 187102.6)
La Vitardiere   0630   C SRg tp commenced reeling in base - no casualties during the occupation of
        the base - total locations obtained 114
Nonant   2200   Warning order sent out to Btys to prepare to move - recce parties at 1 hrs
        notice from 0900 hrs 11 Jul 44
Nonant 11 1300   BCs and recce parties move to meet CO at Putot-en-Bessin 902728 - recce of
        old 10 Svy Regt area
    2100   Recce completed and parties returned to Nonant
Bretteville   1300   RHQ moved to 922722 Bretteville l'Orgueilleuse. L/Bdr Edwards and Gnr
l'Orgueilleuse       Bloy of Y tp killed by shell which landed on Svy Report Centre. Buried at
9272       942763 (temp)
Nonant       F section of Z Svy attached to A FSp tp
        E section fixed captured enemy experimental mortar for 76 HAA Bde
  12 0800   Movement of 53 Bty to following areas : BHq 946685, A FSp to 950692,
        X Svy tp 950684, C SRg tp 959656.
        A FSp tp deployed Ops at A post 939670, B 957674, C 977675, D 995690
        "Item" post (manned by Z Svt tp) 913680
Mouen 9565       C SRg tp deployed - mics at 913640 - 926646 - 939652 - 955658 - 967665 -
        983668. APs P 932629, Q 979644. 53 Bty ordered to take over from 10
        Svy by 1200 hrs 13 Jul 44. Svy of mic posns completed by dark by X Svy
        tp.
La Gaule 9268       54 Bty moved to the following areas: BHq 916682, B FSp tp 916682, D SRg tp
        919661, B FSp tp deployed Ops at A 911680, B 937660, C 909641, D 956673
Bretteville       RHQ moved to new location 906710, south of Putot- en-Bessin
l'Orgueilleuse        
Nonant   1500   Z Tp moved to Bretteville L'Orqueilleuse 922724
    1100   F section of Z tp moved to 911681 to man "item" post for A FSp tp
977675 13     C post of A FSp tp heavily shelled but post personnel withdrawn to dug out
        Communications difficult owing to constant enemy shelling, particularly
        between BHQ and C tp and also on C SRg tp base - 3 mics only in action
916682       Communications in 54 Bty cut by shell fire
Putot- en- Bessin   1530   Z tp moved to new location 905714, south of Putot - en - Bessin
        E section Z tp fixed "mike" post on ranging base for 59 Hy Regt RA. "Mike"
        coords 391254.1 170123.4
946685 14     53 Bty communications bad, average life of lines 5 minutes owing to own
        tanks and enemy mortar activity; slight shelling of C SRg tp HQ; X Svy tp
        tasks completed and BPs fixed. A FSp tp suffered casualties from shelling
995690       at D Post, Bdr Hume and Gnr Quin killed; wounded - L/Bdr Collins, L/Bdr
        Webber, Gnr Baggs, Gnr Gillard. Fatal casualties buried at 950692 (temp)
    1800   A Post new positions 393525 167090 (Tower) wired and surveyed. D Post
        out of action due to shelling.
959656       C SRg tp 2 mics on wireless, 3 on line Recce for new position of AP Q
        400x to the rear owing to mortaring of AP. L/Bdr Abbot, casualty,
        serious, later - leg below knee amputated - heavy loss of stores
916682       54 Bty
911690       A Post, B FSp tp heavily mortared, new post recced
919661       D SRg tp lines badly cut by enemy mortaring - work by L/Bdr Davis and
        L/Bdr Backshall under mortar fire is commended.
  15     53 Bty. C SRg tp report definite interference by enemy radio - fairly
        heavy air activity during night
911681       Item post taken over from Z tp by B FSp tp
905714   1100   F Section rejoined Z tp
        Fixation of 3-Post Ranging Base for fuze testing shoot with 112 HAA Regt
    2200   E Section manned "Item" Post, A FSp tp base.
9265       54 Bty
9365       Heavy shelling on COLLEVILLE- MOUEN area during night
919661   0430   D SRg tp HQ bombed, also lines out by shell fire. Communications
        satisfactory during a fairly quiet day
  16     53 Bty.
        12 Corps Op GREENLINE. C SRg tp lines out of action due to shelling and
        mortaring. Radio link working only occasionally.
        X Svy tp fixed forward controls
        54 Bty
        A Post heavily mortared
        B FSp tp deploying oriented base on ridge E GRANVILLE 9060. S ODON and
        CARPIQUET aerodrome 9769.
Putot - en - 17     F section Z tp deployed. BPs fixed for 81 Med and 75 Med Regts
Bessin       53 Bty
        Heavy bombing of area during night 16/17, also shelling of CARPIQUET
        aerodrome. C SRg tp withdrawn and resting in area 914712. Gnr Clements
        received chest injuries from shell fragments. Gnrs Meen and Hillier wounded.
        54 Bty
        Shelling and bombing activity over Bty area during night 16/17
911681 18     E section relieved at Item post and rejoined Z tp
        53 Bty
        B, C and D posts of A FSp tp under fairly heavy shelling. New A post at
        approx 035690 - old A posr renamed Item and manned by section from
        Z tp
        C SRg tp resting
        54 Bty
        D SRg tp deployed on base Right 898650 - Left 953662. AP1 907639 AP2
        948652
  19     Area of APs shelled during night and heavy mortaring reported on extreme
        flanks of D SRg base
Putot-en-Bessin       E Section Z tp manned base for calibration shoot with 59 Hy Regt
        visibility cancelled shoot after 4 rds had been fired.
937672       F section manned Item post for A FSp tp
Cheux 20     E Section surveyed ranging base for calibration shoot with 3 AGRA, CHEUX area
937672       54 Bty
        Recce for S/Base for zone valley of R Odon completed
        New Mic 6 and AP2 recced - wiring and survey in progress
  21     53 Bty
        X tp fixed forward control pts
        A FSp tp resting until afternoon, in action on old base later
         
        54 Bty
        D SRg tp report that the enemy is trying to counteract SRg by synchronising
        the fire of his batteries
Tournaville       FSp OP recced area TOURNAVILLE 9362 but post not deployed. Lt F Vickers
        injured in back from mortar fragment - sent to hospital
        D SRg base out of action from 1520 hrs due to drop in resistance to earth
        caused by heavy rainfall
  22 1400   53 Bty
        C Srg tp occupied D SRg base M1 898651 M2 913655, M3 928657, M4 943660
        M5 953661, APs 922637 962643
    1820   A FSp tp reported flying bomb exploding CAEN area
024649       Gnr Kilroy injury to lower leg by m/c
         
906711       54 Bty
        D SRg tp returned to new location for rest and maintenance; Capt De Payrecave
        broken collar-bone caused by accident - sent to 20 General Hosp, Bayeux
  23     53 Bty - new coords of A Post 402456.5 164970.2
        C SRg tp in action less mic 5
937672       E section Z tp finished manning Item post
8767       54 Bty
        recce new Bty and tp HQs in area FONTENAY PESNIL 8767; communications good
        all day
  24     53 Bty - heavy tank movements caused dammage to lines
999669       A FSp tp moved to occupy new HQ 399900 166900. D Post established
        401100 167150; A post established 402456 164970.2
        B Post 395708.0 167372.0 C Post 397733.7 167497.0
        C SRg tp recce of new base. M1 913655, M2 928657, M3 944662, M4 957664
        M5 976671, M6 993674.
        Tp HQ at 944653. X Svy to completed survey of mic positions
         
        54 Bty
  24     proposed D Post in tower at 861664
  25 0600   53 Bty - Gnr Keogh broken arm and leg in m/c accident
    1800   4 - Pen recorder for mortar locating placed u/c 53 Bty
        M1 398004.3 165283.4 M2 398604.3 165283.4
        M3 399204.3 166283.4 M4 399804.3 165283.4
        HQ 988653
    1400   C SRg base survey completed
        54 Bty
853701       FSp S/base deployed at 853701
        D SRg base in action
  26     53 Bty
        X Svy tp fixed FSp BP 401036.5 167014.0
        FSp instrument 401083.5 167140.0
935670   1400/   Z tp carried out calibration shoot on Cheux base for 3AGRA
    1800    
        Guns calibrated 2 59 Hy Regt, 1 each from 13, 59, 67 and 72 Med Regts
        Wiring parties loaned to C SRg tp
  27     53Bty
        Interference great on wireless
        C tp new HQ 951675
        PF fixed by X tp at 397488.9 165995.0
        F section Z tp loaned to C tp to help digging in of Tp HQ
  28     New D Post at 00910 167317
        RHQ moved to new location 897690
        Wiring party for Z tp on loan to C SRg tp
  29     53 Bty
        Bombards fired on 2 HBs found by A FSp tp - good effect
  30 0400   Lt KN Wood died in 74 General Hospital as a result of injuries sustained in
        the head from shell fragments at 963642 whilst arranging intermediate AP -
        suspected possible D/F.
        Lt A Angus RA joined 53 Bty to replace Lt Wood
        New Item Post 913648 for night observation only