1st KOSB in Normandy

1st KOSB in Normandy An online archive for the 1st Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers actions during the D-Day/Normandy Campaign in World War 2.

An online archive charting the 1st Bttn KOSB during their time in Normandy. Comprises, War Diaries, Maps, Casualty lists and photographs.

Tuesday 29th August, 1944. La Chappelle Au Moine. Reinforcement draft arrived of 3 offrs and 7 ORs.Night attack exercise...
29/08/2026

Tuesday 29th August, 1944. La Chappelle Au Moine.

Reinforcement draft arrived of 3 offrs and 7 ORs.

Night attack exercise was carried out.

*

Whilst 1st KOSB were in La Chappelle Au Moine they paid tribute to an American Airman who was shot by the SS.

Summary of the story below and link to the full article here

https://graylingmedia.wixsite.com/1stkosbinnormandy/post/us-airman-shot-by-the-ss-found-by-1st-kosb

The US Airman in question was 2nd Lt Thomas Lee Crow Jr (navigator) aboard US B17 (Flying Fortress) serial No. 42-97353 named 'BEV' after the pilot's wife, Beverley, flying out of Chelveston, Northants, UK with the 305th Bomb group/366th Bomber Squadron.

They failed to return from a 'battle area support' mission when their aircraft was hit by flak over Flers - where the 1st KOSB and American Rainbow Division were meeting heavy resistance.

When 1st KOSB moved into the village of La Chappelle Au Moine and were told about what had happened, they set about finding Thomas' body and giving him a proper burial.

Captain Edward Dishington and members of the Support Company of 1st KOSB carried his body to the local church, flanked by pipers, and gave him a military burial and both a Catholic and Protestant service.

21/08/2026

Developing a series of WW2 Home Front educational activity sheets for primary schools, which will accompany a small hands-on museum display where children can explore and learn about wartime life through artefacts and interactive activities. I'm also exploring how Microsoft Copilot can be used to create engaging, museum-branded worksheet headers.

21/08/2026

Monday 21st August, 1944. Boat training near La Chappelle Au Moine, Normandy

The Bn carried out special training* for an assault river crossing operation, using the equipment as follows :-

(a) Class 9 FBE Bridge

(b) 9 Close Support Raft

(c) Storm boats.

This trg was designed for an assault crossing of the SEINE. Owing to recent news bulletins, however, it does not appear probable that this will be necessary.

Read the detailed plan for 1st KOSBs preparation for crossing the Meuse later next month.

Sunday 20th August 1944. Flers to La Chappelle Au Moine. Advance party left to recce new area in the vicinity of LA CHAP...
20/08/2026

Sunday 20th August 1944. Flers to La Chappelle Au Moine.

Advance party left to recce new area in the vicinity of LA CHAPELLE AU MOINE at 0645 hrs.

Main body arrived at Bn HQ 851161 at 1215 hrs.

The rest of the day was spent getting the troops settled in the new area.

An invitation was extended to all RCs in the Battalion to attend a Service at the local church.

https://graylingmedia.wixsite.com/1stkosbinnormandy/day-by-day/76/75

Thursday 17 August, 1944. LandisacQ to Foret D'Halouze1st KOSB War Diary The Bn was ordered to sweep a large area of cou...
17/08/2026

Thursday 17 August, 1944. LandisacQ to Foret D'Halouze

1st KOSB War Diary

The Bn was ordered to sweep a large area of country SOUTH of FLERS.

Companies were taken out in 3 ton lorries and at 1100 hrs the sweeping started. A holiday atmosphere was obvious ahead, and the men and vehicles were soon covered with flowers pressed on them by the French.

Five prisoners only were found although the area included the large FORET D'HALOUZE.

An enemy gun park and three tanks - one of them a Panther in good condition were found. It was evident that a fairly large proportion of German armour had used this area in its retreat towards the gap between FALAISE and ARGENTAN.

*

From 9th Infantry Brigade War Diary for 17th August:

A quiet day; 6 German prisoners, mainly deserters and stragglers of Russian origin were brought in. On being interrogated, they all gave evidence of the complete state of chaos existing among the Wehrmacht in this area, and confirmed the stories of hy cas sustained through the med of our arty. The prisoners represented 84 Inf Div, 9 SS Div and 3 and 5 Para Divs.

The search, (Landisacq area) which commenced at 0900 hrs, brought to light quite a number of interesting items of enemy eqpt, chief among these being a Panther tk in good condition abandoned at LE CHALIER 853133 - other items were a gun dump containing 10 guns of varied calibre, most of them in good condition, at 847175 and three burned out tks scattered around the area.

https://graylingmedia.wixsite.com/1stkosbinnormandy/day-by-day/73/72

Wounded in Normandy. Pte Fred Tattersall. Fred Tattersall was born on 12 March 1920 in Smallbrook, Lancashire. He left s...
16/08/2026

Wounded in Normandy. Pte Fred Tattersall.

Fred Tattersall was born on 12 March 1920 in Smallbrook, Lancashire. He left school at 14 to work as an apprentice artisan, but soon enlisted (under age) into the Territorial Army in 1936.

Two years later, he joined the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and, after completing his depot training at Berwick-upon-Tweed, was posted to the 1st Battalion in Portsmouth. Upon the outbreak of WWII, the battalion was sent to France as part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division which was commanded by General Montgomery, returning via Dunkirk on 02 June 1940.

He was wounded again in April 1945 in Germany when he stepped on a land mine and was ferried back to England for treatment. He ended up having his lower leg amputated and was discharged from the Army.

There's a remembrance plaque for Fred, and his wife, Marian in Sannerville in Normandy. (Bottom right on photo - courtesy of Rob Bowie)

Photo from the BLESMA website.

https://graylingmedia.wixsite.com/1stkosbinnormandy/1st-kosb-wounded/3189428

Wednesday 16th August, 1944. Tinchebray to Landisacq. It has now become evident that the enemy rearguards (composed of 3...
16/08/2026

Wednesday 16th August, 1944. Tinchebray to Landisacq.

It has now become evident that the enemy rearguards (composed of 3 Para Div) who have been opposing us have completely withdrawn.

Early in the morning the Bde was moved up towards TINCHEBRAY to be ready to move fwd behind the Div Recce Regt which was directed on FLERS.

By 1100 hrs the Recce Regt had reached the outskirts of FLERS which they reported held only by very small rearguards.

The Bn moved up to an area just WEST of LANDISACQ where it took up a def (defensive) posn, although it was evident that all enemy tps (troops) had already withdrawn well beyond this area.

https://graylingmedia.wixsite.com/1stkosbinnormandy/day-by-day/72/71

Monday 14th August, 1944. Viessoix, Normandy Patrols reported no enemy except at 707316 where two sentries were heard. T...
14/08/2026

Monday 14th August, 1944. Viessoix, Normandy

Patrols reported no enemy except at 707316 where two sentries were heard.

Towards evening a prisoner was taken at 693320, identified as 10 Coy 21 SS Pgr (10 SS Pz Div).

Patrols were sent out at night and one reported tank movement in wood 722312.

From 9th Infantry Brigade War Diary for 14th August:

Later on, a strong patrol of 1 KOSB visited BOULAY AUX CHATS which was suspected of being the harbour of some enemy tks. As a result of this patrol a Victor task was laid on with 76 Fd Regt for 0730 hrs the following morning, target being the tk harbour.

https://graylingmedia.wixsite.com/1stkosbinnormandy/day-by-day/70/69

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