23rd Husssars

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The 23rd Hussars was part of the 29th Armoured Brigade of the 11th Armoured Div., which comprised 23rd Hussars, 3rd Royal Tanks, 8th Rifle Brigade & The Fyfe & Forfar Yeomanry.

Two lads from Formby, my dad and his mate, John Laidlaw, volunteered to do "their bit". As John said later, "It's better to drive to your death, than to walk to it". This was a reference to their decision to join the tanks from the infantry. A good decision, as it transpired, they made it through the war in one piece.

Operation Dracula: They "covered 3010 miles throughout England, testing and reporting on the performances of all the current tanks of the British Army. 100 miles by road, and then 100 miles across country." It was hard work, but the outcome was worth it."

Verbatim.

Date	Theatres of action included:	Lots of reminiscing going on at Feldgrau.net mostly by one of the lads who was there, Will Gray.
June 16th.	Colombes.
June 28th.	Cheux	Sherman (the ‘Ronson’ - one strike and it lights!) More
June28	Hill 112	SNAFU. My dad & Bill Dorrington's tank was knocked out at Hill 112, they were missing, presumed dead. “Adam Cochrane’s crew re-appear from the dead” (taken from page 12, ‘Do You Remember?’). My Dad’s tank ‘brewed up’, and my Dad was trapped, as the gun was over his hatch. Bill got out, looked back, and returned to free my Dad. Bill was yet another hero. His action will be remembered by my family for all time. I’m sure there were many more acts of courage, I’d like to hear them.

July 18th.	Caen	A bit more info here (Wiki)
August	Presles	Intense weeks under fire.
	Bas-Perrier.	A' Echelon were bombed. 24th Lancers arrive.
	Beny Bocage	88's all around. 1994- my Dad received a certificate of thanks from the good people of Flers, for their liberation 16th/17th August 1944
	L'Aigle.	First rest for a long time.
	Amiens	The latest game: chase the bosch.
September	Belgium	Scenes of joy from the Belgians.
	Antwerp
	Ijsselsteijn
October	Leunen
Christmas 1944	Ardennes
January 1945	1945	Re-equipped with the new Comet tank, my Dad (on top with the glasses) throwing a few into Dunkirk from the firing line at Gravelines. Personal photo of the tank crew.
March	Schoot	Gliders overhead.
15th April 1945	The 23rd were the first troops to reach Belsen . And everything you have ever heard about that place is true. The camp commandant, Josef Kramer, (Wiki) had the notorious Irma Grese (Wiki) to help him. She was eventually hanged.
May 4th.		Germans pack it in.
May 8th		“Yes it's true, just heard it on the B.B.C.!". THE END.

Follows a potted piece excerpted from the official 23rd Hussars "Do You Remember....?" booklet.

To-day (2014)

An interesting article on one of my Dad’s crew, Fred Cook .

Been sent interesting images by Dorothy. Thanks, keep them coming.

War Diary (Intelligence)

Page 1: 1st - 4th September 1944

Page 2: 5th -19th September 1944

An interesting site carries a “Will Gray Tale”

Bill Dorrington