Summary: Scenes from 29th Armoured Brigade's combat debut during Operation Epsom.
Description: I. A Sherman from the Brigade's HQ Troop is refuelled by one of its crewmen while its commander scans the surrounding countryside through his binoculars. Deployed for combat, Shermans belonging to the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment advance from their start-lines. The commander in the cameraman's own Sherman peers through his binoculars. A Sexton self-propelled gun troop from the 13th Royal Horse Artillery's 'I' Battery moves up past the Brigade's HQ Troop and an Army Film and Photographic Unit jeep. An entire regiment (3rd RTR) of Shermans, Humber scout cars and Bedford 3-tonners deploys outside Norrey-en-Bessin. The cameraman inspects a destroyed SdKfz 11 halftrack artillery tractor. The 3rd and 44th RTRs assemble on the ridge above the Caen - Fontenay-le-Pesnel road overlooking Cheux. An 'A' Squadron Firefly approaches a copse of trees where it will take up position. The Brigade's HQ Troop and detachments from the 8th Rifle Brigade's 'G' Company assemble in the drizzle near Cheux (?).
II. A crewman dumps filled jerrycans by his Sherman. 3rd RTR crews and rear-echelon personnel have a breakfast cup of tea. The cameraman films a Sherman ploughing its way through mud towards the Caen-Fontenay road and Cheux.
Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor)
Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
Evans, L J (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Bde, Armoured, 29 (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Tank Regiment, 3rd Battalion (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Tank Regiment 44 (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Artillery, Royal Horse Artillery, 13th Regiment, 1st Battery (regiment/service)
British Army, Army Film and Photographic Unit (regiment/service)
British Army, Rifle Brigade, 8th Battalion, Coy G (regiment/service)
Keywords: armour, United States - tank: M4 Sherman & [British] (object name)
armour, United States - funnies: M4 Sherman Firefly & [British] (object name)
armour, Canadian - SPG: Sexton 25-pounder & [British] (object name)
armour, British - armoured car: Humber scout car (object name)
armour, German - halftrack: Sdkfz 11 artillery tractor & [wrecked] (object name)
transport, British military - truck: Bedford 3-ton truck (object name)
supplies, British, storage [FA] - pol: petrol (object name)
operations, British military - movement: armour (object name)
operations, British military - preparation: combat (object name)
01/5(4-16).232 [ Operation Epsom] (event)
Norrey-en-Bessin, Calvados, France (geography)
Cheux, Calvados, France (geography)
