29TH ARMOURED BRIGADE GROUP ADVANCES BEYOND THE SOULEUVRE VALLEY [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: 29TH ARMOURED BRIGADE GROUP ADVANCES BEYOND THE SOULEUVRE VALLEY [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: A70 110-6
  • Other titles:
  • Summary:
  • Description: Self-propelled guns, half-tracks and other soft-skinned transport belonging to units serving with the 29th Armoured Brigade Group gather in the cross-roads village of St Charles de Percy, situated astride the N177 Caen-Vie highway. A long procession of vehicles from the 11th Armoured Division, including universal carriers from the 2nd Independent Machine Gun Company, the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, and field guns and tractors of the 151st Field (Ayrshire Yeomanry) Regiment RA, makes laborious progress through the Souleuvre valley soon after crossing 'Dickie's Bridge'. Parked all the way along the N177 highway between Beaulieu crossroads and St Charles de Percy, Sherman tanks of the 3rd RTR and half-track ambulances await their turn to go into action. The remains of two 9th SS Panzer Division SdKfz 250/9 half-track recce cars burn themselves out after their destruction by the 23rd Hussar's 'B' squadron, during the advance towards Chênedollé. 'A' Squadron Shermans, accompanied by a regimental command half-track, raise dust as they race along a road running parallel to the route taken by the rest of the 23rd Hussars to the Bas-Perrier ridge.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-08-02
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor) Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company) Laws, George E J1916-02-15 (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Corps 8 (regiment/service) British Army, Hussars, 23 (regiment/service) British Army, Royal Tank Regiment, 3rd Battalion (regiment/service) British Army, Shropshire Light Infantry, King's, 4th Battalion (regiment/service) British Army, Bde, Armoured, 29 Gp (regiment/service) British Army, Div, Armoured, 11 (regiment/service) British Army, Royal Artillery (regiment/service) British Army, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Independent Machine-gun Coy 2 (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: transport, British military - truck, special: Morris Quad 4x4 tractor (object name) weapons, - gun: 25-pounder field gun (object name) armour, United States - tank: M4 Sherman & [British] (object name) armour, British - carrier: Universal (object name) armour, United States - halftrack: M5 (object name) armour, German - halftrack: Sdkfz 250/9 & [wrecked] (object name) Operation Bluecoat, Mont Pinçon 1944, North West Europe, Second World War (event) Calvados, France (geography) Normandy, France (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Footage: 93 ft; Running time: 1 min
  • Notes: Note: See with A70 107-1, 2 and 3, 108-5, 109-1, 110-5 and 115-4 for footage showing the 11th Armoured Division in action during Operation "Bluecoat". 'Dickie's Bridge' was so named because of its capture by an armoured car detachment from the 2nd Household Cavalry Regiment led by Lieutenant R Powle. This feat opened the way for 8th Corps across the Souleuvre river to Le Beny- Bocage and beyond. Remarks: Good 'action' footage in which the closed, restricting character of the countryside and the problems it imposed upon both the rapid deployment of mechanised armies and their successful, unhindered advance are immediately apparent. Documentation/associated material: read 'Taurus Pursuant - the History of the 11th Armoured Division' by BAOR, 'La Charge du Taureau' by Jean Brisset (in French), 'The Story of the 23rd Hussars 1940-1946' and Boden Orde's 'The Household Cavalry at War : the 2nd Household Cavalry Regiment' for details of the fighting in the 'bocage'.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    A70 110-6

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