John Kettler Posted April 30, 2021 Share Posted April 30, 2021 (edited) Probably a year ago or more I posted that I was trying to find a link for an online account of a British Rifle Company in action in Normandy. Want to say it was the diary of a Major Foster or Forster and that the unit was part of the Hamps, though that could well be wrong. Try as I might on several occasions, I couldn't find it, and no one ever reported finding it, either, though it's somewhere on this Forum, I believe. The level of detail was truly impressive, such as how many men with shovels were rapily advanced to defend a newly captured farm against German counterattack, moving to the assault, necessity of capturing the Jumping Off Point in order that the entire assault by a division (?) could go forward. His company was the spearhead of the whole effort. It talked about fire support, timing, lifting the fire, etc. As a reference on the nits and grits of the British Army at CMx2 level, it was priceless, and I wish I could find it, for myself, and for the Members in general. Can anyone please help? Regards, John Kettler Edited April 30, 2021 by John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted April 30, 2021 Share Posted April 30, 2021 Runs over to the gramophone, cranks the handle and puts on "I'm Still Waiting" by Diana Ross. We normally rely on you for this kind of stuff John. I was never able to find a Major Foster or Forster serving with The Hants. The only Major Forster I could find served with The Berks in WW1. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted April 30, 2021 Author Share Posted April 30, 2021 (edited) Warts 'n' all, Too funny! I did find it to begin with and definitely passed the word tomy CM colleagues, too. Would've made all the sense in the world to put it on the CMBN Forum, but for the life of me, I can't find the blasted thing. Maybe because it's no longer existent? That happened to me when I failed to print out a most illuminating analysis of what Russian ATRs did to a Tiger Kompanie at Kursk. So extensive were deliberately targeted vision block losses to the cupolas that the entire Kompanie was unfightable, despite Abteilung stocks being exhausted, forcing getting them from Regiment, which took two weeks. Just as well, for many TCs had glass in their eyes, putting them temporarily out of action, and a few had the vision block and bracket smashed straight into their faces. The guys who got the hit in the face with armor glass and the stout steel bracket for it were hospitalized for upwards of two weeks. When I next looked for the account, it was gone. Huge informational loss of some highly unusual and valuable information! As for the current matter, I think the problem lies in defective memory as to the unit. Believe it was one of those two or three part names, but the short form was five, with the last letter being "S" for sure. As it is, I don't really have enough to use the Internet Wayback Machine, either. That's why I was hoping that seeing the OP might jog someone's memory. So far, no miracles on this project. Regards, John Kettler Edited April 30, 2021 by John Kettler 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted April 30, 2021 Share Posted April 30, 2021 It is annoying when you find something interesting on the net, but then when you try to find it again it has either disappeared, or you can't quite remember how you found it in the first place. It happens to me quite a bit with local history. Hopefully one day someone will find an answer to your query. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted April 30, 2021 Share Posted April 30, 2021 Control-S / Command-S is your friend. If you are spending more than 7 seconds on a web page, spend another second to save it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLeftFlank Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 On 4/30/2021 at 12:14 PM, John Kettler said: As a reference on the nits and grits of the British Army at CMx2 level, it was priceless, and I wish I could find it, for myself, and for the Members in general. Can anyone please help? Not directly responsive to your query John, but Brigadier Hubert Essame (43rd Wessex) and Eversley Belfield wrote "the Battle for Normandy" (1965) which alas is no longer in my possession but has a lot of ground level detail of the kind you mention. Another good read on a similar topic: From D-Day to Bremen with the `Unspectaculars'- the roles of the infantrymen of the 2d East Yorkshire Regiment, 8th Brigade, 3rd Division [Thesis paper 2007] 'We set off to clear a small wood. Chris Lochran said "Do I have to lead you buggers everywhere? " and I took umbrage and said "No bugger has to lead me, I can lead myself. But he's getting paid for doing the job". So Chris Lochran said "If you get paid will you bloody well do it? " and I said yes. So I was section commander just like that' Classic Yorkshiremen, lol! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted May 16, 2021 Author Share Posted May 16, 2021 LongLeftFlank, Great info and hilarious, too! Know of Essame and think I read one of his books. The "Unspectaculars" is hands down the best bizarre sounding unit name yet. Reminds me of a list of rude RN ship names I once saw, with such gems as HMS Incontinent. HMS Incompetent, etc. While we're on humor, have you seen this?https://www.facebook.com/BritishMilitaryHumourToo Loads of fun and oh so very NOT PC! Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLeftFlank Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 It's a postwar monicker, adopted with classic British irony after the Regiment got slagged off by Ryan in "The Longest Day." This was on the hearsay of Lord Lovat's Commandos who were miffed at having to storm some bunkers the first wave was supposed to clear. They then just assumed the Snappers had panicked and cowered on the beach under shellfire, accumulating "bodies stacked like cordwood". That was in fact a distortion. It's in the paper. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 Ryan is best taken with a pinch of salt. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 Was it "Accidental Warrior" - by Geoffrey Picot with 1st Hants in Normandy to the end of the war - although about 2/3rds is about DDay to Brussels He commanded the Mortar platoon in Normandy as a captain and went on to be a company commander after Normandy 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.