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Summary: The Royal Scots Greys seen in action during Operation Epsom.
Description: I. While making plans for their unit's deployment, Lieutenant-Colonel Readman, officer commanding the Royal Scots Greys, and Major Bowlby, his second-in-command, scan the countryside south east of Cheux from their M5 halftrack. Readman takes a compass bearing; his wireless operator relays orders over radio to the Greys' squadron commanders. A Sherman, camouflaged with branches and twigs, traverses its turret and elevates its 75mm gun in its defensive position behind a row of trees. From his Sherman, a tank commander observes smoke rising from an ammunition dump in the direction of Mouen (?); in the adjoining field, armoured fighting vehicles can be seen in harbour. Smoke from a vehicle hit by German artillery hangs over a field, through which Shermans advance under German shellfire. Three of a Sherman's five-man crew are seen at their hatches as they traverse its turret and elevate its main armament.
II. At dawn (?), field artillery goes into action near the Greys' harbour at Cheux; a wireless operator speaks down his wireless microphone in the foreground. Cheux burns after being shelled. 4th Royal Horse Artillery Sexton self-propelled guns are seen in action nearby. A Valentine bridgelayer passes defensively deployed Shermans. RHA and Greys officers make plans for a forward observation post party.
Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor)
Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
Watkins, R V (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Readman, A G J (person)
Bowlby, F E S (person)
British Army, Dragoons 2 (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Artillery, Royal Horse Artillery, 4th Regiment (regiment/service)
Keywords: armour, United States - halftrack: M5 & [British] (object name)
armour, United States - tank: M4 Sherman & [British] (object name)
armour, Canadian - SPG: Sexton 25-pounder & [British] (object name)
armour, British - funnies: Valentine bridgelayer (object name)
communications, British military - electronic: wireless (object name)
weapons, British - gun: 75mm gun (object name)
combat, British - artillery bombardment (object name)
destruction, French military - area: artillery bombardment (object name)
01/5(4-16).232 [ Operation Epsom] (event)
Cheux, Calvados, France (geography)
Mouen, Calvados, France (geography)
Notes: Summary: the 4th Royal Horse Artillery, a 5th Army Group Royal Artillery unit, was placed under 4th Armoured Brigade's command for Epsom. Valentine bridgelayers were allocated 6 per armoured brigade
Remarks: good action footage
