8th June - Reconnaissance of Cambes Wood

On the 8th June, the Commanding Officer made a reconnaissance for a Battalion attack on Cambes, this time attacking from the village of Afisy, some 1200 yards to the west of Le Mesnil, and 1500 yards north of Cambes.

This reconnaissance was carried out with Lt-Colonel Hussey, commanding 33 Field Artillery who was killed later in his tank, and Lieut. Colonel Williamson, commanding East Riding Yeomanry, protected by the Battalion Snipers under command of Sjt F. Pancott.

As a result, Company Commanders were given the plan in outline at Anisy at 1630 hours 8 June, after which they made their reconnaissance.

The ground from Anisy to Cambes was very open, rising slightly from Anisy for about 400 yards, the remaining 1100 yards to Cambes being quite flat and open. Consequently the Company Commanders reconnaissance was not carried out under very satisfactory conditions.

Captain W. H. Baudains, MM, was detailed to make a reconnaissance of a route for a night patrol, and took with him the Platoon Commander and three Section Commanders of 11 Platoon. On the way he met an enemy patrol of one officer and ten men, of which five were killed and six taken prisoner without injury to our party of two officers and three NCOs.

During this time an enemy fighting patrol of about thirty men had attacked C Company in its defensive position at Le Mesnil and had been driven off, the attack costing us one killed and five wounded.

During the night. 8/9th June, C Company retaliated with a nuisance raid on the enemy position at Cambes, and the Germans again attacked C Company at Le Mesnil, both these actions causing no further loss to the Battalion. Sporadic mortar fire and machine gun fire was experienced during the night.