"Keep 'em Moving"
St Honorine, France 1944.
| The Queens Own Cameron Highlanders
"Keep 'em Moving" | 5th Camerons St Honorine, France 1944. |
 Citation for the Military Medal On 13 June 44 after the attack and capture of
St Honorine La
Chardonerette, Pte. Sands was Bren
gunner of a section of 'D' company which had consolidated in some enemy
trenches. About 09.15 hrs a heavy counter attack developed and Pte Sands section
was attacked by about 20 Germans and a tank. Pte sands was wounded in both legs
but continued to operate his Bren gun until the attack on his front had been
repulsed. He refused to be evacuated and crawled to a position from which he
could engage another expected attack. He did this continuing to operate his gun
until the company withdrew. Only then was he evacuated. |
The events according to George. Our barrage started and the first of our own shells fell amongst us in the forward companies.There were about 20 casualties around me before we had even begun to move forward. My section of "D" company were in the garden of a large Chateau type building by a 14 feet high wall which had been breached by our artillery. I was firing the Bren with my Sergeant, 2933041 A (Sandy) Sinclair, reloading for me. I was firing tracer and a German Spandau heavy machine gun pinpointed our position. Sandy took a full burst of machine gun fire through his upper arm. The next burst of fire took the barrel clean off the Bren, and a spent round ricocheted and lodge in my face, where the two jaw bones hinge. I went mad. I fitted the spare barrel that we always carried and ran at the Spandau firing the Bren from the hip as I went. I took out the Spandau and the three crew manning it but then I ran into about twelve or so Germans and a Tiger tank. I took out some of the infantry but I had no chance against the tank. I ran back to Sandy (he was in a real bad way, his arm was almost torn away) and dragged him by his collar under cover. I set up the Bren for another expected attack but we were ordered to withdraw. Me and Sandy were taken to a dressing station. I hadn't noticed the wounds to my legs (only minor), but my jaw hurt like hell. Ten days later I was on my way back into St Honorine, feeling decidedly sorry for myself, head bandaged and blood stained tunic. This time we took and held St Honorine, probably because we had tank support this time. |
 My Ticket Home After the attack at St Honorine, George went to a dressing station near the Normandy Beach and had his wounds treated and dressed. He was labelled with an evacuation ticket and was waiting to board ship to come home when he was called out of line. He was sent back to his unit. 22nd June saw him on his way back into St Honorine. |
| After St Honorine, 5th Camerons were involved in the fighting around Troarn in what was known as the "Triangle". Followed by such places as Falaise, Tilly-La-Campagne, St. Pierre-sur-Dives, eventually reaching the Seine at the end of August 1944. On 1st September, "D" company under command of Major A. N. Parker, led 5th Camerons and 152 Brigade on their return into St Valery-en-Caux, to avenge the 4th Battalion and original 152 Brigade who had been forced to surrender there in 1940. |
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