THE GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION GOES INTO ACTION IN THE NORMANDY 'BOCAGE' [Allocated Title]

A Guards Armoured Division road convoy heads towards the Souleuvre valley past a series of German direction signs. A Taylorcraft Auster flies over the column of lorries and carriers. 1st Battalion Welsh Guardsmen trek across country in single file towards St Pierre Tarentaine. At their harbour near St Denis Maisoncelles, men of the 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards clean their weapons, write letters, brew up a pot of tea or simply lie in their sleeping bags before being called into action. A 21st Panzer Division Mark IV 'Special' is found wrecked and abandoned; nearby German equipment, etc. litters a deserted slit-trench. The 2nd Army commander, Lieutenant-General Dempsey, confers with Major the Marquis of Hartington, temporarily in command of the 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards. Riding in 3-ton lorries and carriers, the Coldstream Guards leave their harbour and drive through Le Tourneur accompanied by the 2nd Irish Guards' armour and 21st Anti-Tank Regiment RA's self-propelled guns. On the road to Estry, the 5th Battalion comes under fire; Guardsmen alternately run and crawl forward and PIATs are brought up to deal with German armour. A captured Swastika flag is displayed by jubilant Guardsmen.

35mm