1st KOSB WAR DIARIES

On the 8th of July we moved up behind the KSLI in 185 brigade to Lebisey, where we passed through the KSLI during the hours of darkness and then dug in on the slopes leading to the bombed outskirts.

1st KOSB Veteran, Jeff Henderson

9th Infantry Brigade War Diary

First reports of the capture of LEBISEY began to come in by 0740 hrs.

2 LINCOLNS had occupied HEROUVILLETTE early in the morning. At 1200 hrs 33 Armd Bde less 148 RAC was placed under comd 9 Brit Inf Bde with a view to cutting off any possible line of enemy withdrawal.

Bde Comd moved to the Div Comd Post 075759. Main Bde HQ was ordered fwd to BIEVILLE 056739 and opened at 1730 hrs. Bde Tac HQ later set up at the northern edge of LEBISEY wood.

For the exploitation phase, 33 Armd Bde (less one Regt) and 2 KSLI were placed under comd.

2 RUR and 2 KSLI were est on the 60 contour feature and 1 KOSB provided a firm base SOUTH OF LEBISEY by 2200 hrs.

Tk and inf patrols were pushed out to COUVRECHEF, ST JULIEN and CALIX. At 2200 one coy 2 RUR with a Sqn N YEO attempted to penetrate into CAEN, but the mass of rubble resulting from our own air and arty preparation rendered the going impossible for tks and very slow for inf; as a result it was decided not to push on into CAEN until morning. Enemy shelling and mortaring along the main rd LEBISEY - CAEN was intense at times during the afternoon, but few mines were encountered.