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Brigade, passed through to capture the village of Ryes. At the entrance
to the town two large craters were found, which completely blocked the road.
Men of 295 Field Company, Royal Engineers, used their tanks as bulldozers,
and crashed a diversion round them, thus enabling the attack to proceed.
The good people of Ryes were very anxious to know if this was merely a raid,
or the real thing at last. On being assured that it was indeed the real
thing, their delight knew no bounds, and bottles which has long been stored
for this occasion quickly made their appearance.
69 Brigade, with the 6th and 7th Battalions, the Green Howards, and
the 5th East Yorks made the landing to the West of La Riviere. Tanks
flailed oaths for the infantry, and a large crater on the road to Vers
was quickly bridged. After assaulting across the beaches, the company
commander of D Company noticed that two pillboxes had been bypassed bu the
leading platoons, and in company with C.S.M. S.E. Hollis, he decided to
yards of one of them, when a machine gun opened fire from it. The C.S.M.,
completely disregarding his own safety, rushed straight at the pillbox,
firing his Sten gun as he went. He leaped on to the top of it, recharging
his Sten, and threw a grenade in through the door. He then fired his Sten
into it, killing two Germans, and the remainder surrendered.
He captured several Germans from a nearby trench, and by his gallant
action he undoubtedly saved his company being fired on from the rear and
enabled them to clear the beach.
The sea wall was giving protection to German infantryman who were
engaging our men with machine guns and grenades, Captain D.A. King R.E.