Brighton 18th September 194006:30-06:35

8th Recce Coy reported fire from entrenched positions in the woods at 8,8 and 9,9, and that they were returning fire.

Orders from HQ 8 th Infantry Regt. To 38th Bn: “Spread along road 7,10 to 9,12. Await lifting of artillery bombardment, then attack wooded area. Engineers arriving shortly will support.” To Mortar Platoon: “Commence smoke at map ref 7,9 (railway line). Extend by 250m after 5 minutes.”To 8th Recce Coy: “Support artillery bombardment with fire before the assault of 38 Bn.”To 1st Pln, 643rd SP AT Pln: “Seek and destroy enemy armour.”

Orders from FO 6 th Artillery Regt. To 1st Bty, 44th Artillery Regt. – No contact.To 1st Bty, 8th Artillery Regt. “Up 250 new target map ref 9,8”

Orders from HQ 49 th Infantry Battalion To all rifle companies:“Seek a way into town from the south and keep up the attack. Avoid town square.”To Mortar Platoon: “Open Fire HE at town square map ref 2,6”

Support fire1st Bty, 44th Artillery Regt. and 1st Bty, 8th Artillery Regt. hit their targets in the woods at 8,8 and 9,9

The Stukas made a strafing attack on enemy armour on the south slope of the high hill. The tanks returned fire with their turret-mounted machine guns and no apparent damage was caused.

The three rifle companies of 49th Battalion started to pick their way through the ruins of South Brighton

38th Battalion moved to their FUP along the Lewes road south of the rail bridge, and their Battalion HQ arrived to direct the attack.

28th Artillery Regiment HQ with the FO also arrived and set up on the south side of Windmill Hill. The two 105mm Batteries deployed 2500m behind the lines.

0635-06405th Coy 49th Infantry Bn to HQ 49th Bn. “Enemy has evacuated the immediate area (map ref 2,8). Unable to progress due to fires in all surrounding buildings.Orders - ArtilleryFO 8th Artillery Regt to 1st Bty, 44th Artillery Regt. “Up 250. New target ref 8,7.”FO 8th Artillery Regt. to 1st Bty. 8th Artillery Regt. “Up 250. New target ref 7,7.”

FO 28th Artillery Regt. to 1st & 2nd Bties. “Bombard infantry positions at edge of town Ref 3,9”

Orders – 38 th Infantry Bn HQ 38th Bn to Mortar Platoon. “Lay smoke at Ref. 7,9”HQ 38th Bn to MG Platoons. “Fire to left flank in support of the advance.”HQ 38th Bn to Rifle Companies. “Commence advance. Take the woods.”

Support fire.49th Bn mortar fire fell short of the town square.1st Bty 44th Artillery Regt. missed their designated target. The fall of shot was to the left of the aiming point.1st Bty 8th Artillery Regt. were less accurate, their fire being widely scattered.

The Stukas made a strafing attack on an infantry company advancing towards the churchyard, but with no noticeable effect.

3rd Bty 28th Artillery Regt. deployed with 1st and 2nd Batteries behind the lines.North of the railway a platoon of 263 Pioneer Company arrived from Lewes, having left the bridging equipment safely to the rear.

5th Coy 49th Bn attacked the remaining houses in the Rottingdean Road and drove the enemy back. Meanwhile 6th Coy tackled the large warehouse south of the road. Enemy firing ceased but the enemy could still be seen in the buildings.

Opposite Windmill Hill the enemy machine guns continued to fire and sought out the position of the Artillery FO, who was killed. HQ 28th Artillery Regiment took over observation and control.

The rifle companies of 38th Bn pushed through the hedgerows in preparation for the attack across the railway line,

but as they were forming up to move forward several squadrons of enemy tanks emerged from the wood to their front and halted on the far side of the track.

06:40-06:4528th Artillery Battalion HQ spotted machine gun fire from the buildings at map ref 3,9 directed at the regimental OP, which fell silent on the radio. The Battalion HQ ordered all three batteries of 105mm guns to fire at that location. 1st and 2nd Batteries already had that order from the FO.The fire of 2nd Battery fell first. When the smoke cleared the enemy fire had ceased.3rd Battery was ordered to join in the fire at the same target.1st Battery 64th Artillery Regiment (150mm Howitzers) joined the three battalions of 105mm guns to the rear of the southern flank.

To the north 38th Infantry Battalion HQ moved onto the railway bridge, from whence they had an excellent view of the unfolding events.

1st Platoon, 643rd AT Battery (PzJg1) spotted several enemy tanks moving through the woods and beat a hasty retreat along the railway line to the east.38th Infantry Battalion was fired at by rifles and machine guns from the left flank at around 750m range but no casualties were suffered. Two of the three companies of 38th battalion were paralysed by the sudden appearance of the enemy armour from the woods but 11th Company’s concentrated fire from close range stopped the attack directly to their front. The battalion was ordered to fall back to the hedge line.

The arrival of the three platoons of 37mm AT guns of 8th AT Battery was welcomed by the beleaguered infantry on this flank.

The Stukas continued to strafe the enemy infantry near the north church, but with the cover of the trees in the churchyard they were ineffectual.

8th Artillery Battalion issued orders to both batteries under command to move fire to map reference 7,9 (the edge of the woods) with immediate effect.

To the south 49th Infantry Battalion made some progress towards the centre of town. The enemy were seen to be falling back. 5th and 6th Companies advanced.

06:45-06:50

THE AERIAL VIEW OF THE BATTLEFIELD WITH EXAMPLE MAP REFERENCES

28th Artillery Battalion HQ ordered all four of his batteries to fire at reference 3,9. The first fire was ineffectual, but the second completely destroyed one of the houses and the enemy was seen to be running from the position.

The rifle companies of 49th Infantry Battalion made good progress to occupy the town at references 2,8 (5th Coy), 1,8 (6th Coy) and 2,9 (7th Coy).

8th (support) coy targeted the enemy at the road barricade (4,9) and drove them back. The company was ordered to move forwards toward reference 2,9 in support of the rifle companies.

10th Company 83rd Infantry Battalion arrived on the road at reference 3,11.

On the northern flank the rifle companies of 38th Infantry Battalion began to fall back in the face of the enemy tanks. 8th Recce Coy advanced to probe into the woods. They fired at the the enemy infantry and caused some panic but were then met by fire from tanks at reference 9,9 which knocked out the scout car platoon. 8 th

Artillery OP immediately switched his guns to target map reference 9,9.The PzJg 1 platoon backed off to a safe distance and prepared to find a better firing position.

Those guns were currently firing at the enemy armour at reference 7,9, which advanced and smashed through the positions of 11th Coy 38th Battalion. The well-trained infantry had been taught how to deal with these attacks and no casualties were suffered, but the enemy continued to position 7,11 behind the lines of 38 th Battalion.

The 37mm AT guns of 8 AT Battery, deployed at 7,10; 8,10 & 9,11 were in a good position to engage the enemy tanks from the rear if they swung the guns around.38th Infantry Battalion was now deployed at 5,10; 6,9; 6,10 & 7,10

1st & 2nd Companies (amalgamated – 3 Rifle Platoons) of 28th Infantry Battalion arrived at reference 9,12.

The Stuka made a final useless strafing attack against infantry and tanks on the Bolney road and departed.

06:55-07:001st Platoon, 643rd AT Rgt (PzJg1) attacked and destroyed a troop of enemy tanks that had broken through the infantry lines. 11th Company 38th Battalion destroyed the second troop with close assault tactics.Further tanks were destroyed in the woods by the accurate bombardment by 1st Battery 44th Artillery Regiment’s 105mm howitzers. In a matter of minutes the enemy had lost 2/3 of an Armoured Regiment.

10th Company, 38th Battalion maintained fire to their southern flank but with little effect.9th Company also kept up the fire against the entrenched enemy infantry in the woods at 8,8.

3rd Company 28th Battalion arrived to support the northern attack. 1st & 2nd (amalgamated) Companies continued to push forwards.

263rd Pioneer Bridging Company elements supported 8th Recce Battalion’s attack in the north. They attacked the enemy’s entrenched position in the woods but were repulsed.

5th Company 49th Battalion continued to advance to the crossroads at 2,7, where fierce resistance was met.6th Company 49th Battalion made good progress, severely disorganising the defenders of the street at reference 1,7. However, an enemy counter-attack resulted in total chaos. Both our own troops and the enemy needed some time to sort themselves out.

7th Company also tried an assault against enemy machine gun positions but could make no progress.8th Company moved up in support. The battalion HQ ordered 8th Company to halt and clear the remaining enemy at reference 4,9 at the east of Brighton.

8th Anti-tank battery, searching for armoured targets, spotted a carrier unit in the woods at 8,8 but was ineffective. So too were the attempts to hit the last remaining enemy tanks to the south-west.

9th and 10th Companies of 83rd Infantry Battalion arrived from Rottingdean and began their advance in support of 49th Infantry Battalion.

1st Battery, 28th Artillery Regiment was ordered to fire on the east end of town at 3,8. Their fire was inaccurate, landing 250m too far west. In fact, more damage was done, as the entire west side of the Lewes Road collapsed into rubble, severely hampering the defending enemy.

28th Artillery Battalion HQ issued new fire orders: All four batteries to target the road junction at 4,8.2nd Battery responded immediately. The enemy infantry was hit badly and about half began to run to the rear.These were encouraged on their way by 12th Company, 38th Battalion with their mortars and machine guns. Caught in the open, they were an easy target.

06:55-07:005th Company, 49th Infantry Battalion reported that they were reorganising at the crossroads at 2,7. They were still under MG fire.6th Company succeeded in driving the enemy back from reference 1,7 and took the ground. They were now very close to taking the town square itself.7th Company attacked the enemy at map reference 3,8 and had some limited success.8th Company moved up in support to reference 2,9.Battalion HQ advised all companies that it was moving to position 1,8.

10th, 11 and 12th Companies, 83rd Battalion advanced in support.

1st Battery, 8th Artillery Battalion fired at the British infantry entrenched in the woods at 8,8. The armoured carrier platoon was seen to be destroyed, but the state of the enemy infantry was not determined.

28th Artillery Battalion HQ spotted enemy MGs in the ruins at map reference 4,8. All four batteries were ordered to continue to target the map reference.2nd Battery immediately responded and caused severe disruption to the enemy position. One platoon was seen to be running to the rear.12th Company, 38th Battalion hastened them on their way with MG and mortar fire.1st Battery then fired a salvo at the road junction with a devastating effect.1st Platoon, 643rd SP AT Battery moved south-west to take up a position behind the hedge on Windmill Hill at 6,10.1st Battery, 64th Artillery Battalion (150mm Howitzers) then targeted the position and the enemy was most discomfited.

3rd Platoon, 8th AT Battery, 8th Infantry Regiment targeted the last remaining troop of 2nd Dragoon Guards and sent them back in disorder.2nd Platoon joined 1st Platoon on the railway bridge.

3rd Company, 28th Infantry Regiment joined the attack on the north flank.

HQ 38th Battalion ordered all rifle companies to advance west to take the woods. 12th company was ordered to support the advance by engaging targets of opportunity with its MGs and mortars.

The remains of 8th Cycle Recce Company with the support of 1st Platoon, 263rd Pioneer Bridging Company and 9th Company 38th Infantry Battalion who made a second assault, attacked the enemy infantry entrenched in the woods at 8,8. The enemy retreated in disorder and our forces took over the position. They were immediately counter-attacked by an enemy infantry company and driven back. But the enemy was hit by our own artillery and left the position once more.