Brighton 18th September 194006:30-06:35

BritishObservation5th East Yorks and 2nd Lothian & Borders reported the enemy moving into ruins on the south side of the Rottingdean road. Buildings on the north side of the road afire. 2nd Platoons of both companies pulling back to the west.Enemy artillery fire was observed to the north, and German infantry appeared to be massing on the Lewes Road in preparation for an attack across the railway line.

6th Coy East Sussex to HQ 10 Bn. “Moving E to investigate firing heard in the woods.”

7th Coy Green Howards moved east to map ref 1,8 to attack the enemy south of Brighton.The Home Guard companies withdrew to map ref 1,7None of the new counterattacks were successful. German infantry could be seen in the ruins to the south side of Rottingdean Road.

7th Field Platoon RE and the 2nd King’s Rifle Regiment arrived from Bolney and drove to the centre of town, awaiting orders.

Enemy aircraft continued to strafe the tanks of 2nd Arm’d Regt. but were driven off by Bren fire.

06:35 - 0640

From the church tower German infantry were seen advancing towards railway in the north-east.They were also spotted by 6th Green Howards manning the barricade on the Lewes Road and in the allotments by the railway line. These platoons opened fire but with little effect.

6th East Surreys radioed that they were under being machine gunned by stukas, but had no casualties.7th Green Howards, who had advanced and occupied the large warehouse south of Rottingdean Road reported German infantry attacking the warehouse buildings with flamethrowers.3rd and 4th Platoons 5th East Yorks, with their machine gun support platoon opened fire on a German OP spotted behind the hedge on the soth side of Windmill Hill. No further movement was seen from that area. Enemy mortar fire landed in and around the Town Square, but no casualties were inflicted, which was lucky as the three platoons of King’s Royal Rifles had just driven into the square. They withdrew to the crossroads and debussed.

Orders from HQ 10th Bn to 6th East Surreys. “Never mind the stukas! Push on towards the woods. The enemy is preparing to attack there.”

6th East Surreys moved into the churchyard, while the Battalion HQ moved into the northern outskirts of the town.2nd Coy Beds & Herts arrived on foot from Bolney, while the 1st West Kents arrived on the Arundel Road.

The remaining five troops of A-13s from 2nd Arm’d Regt. crashed through the woods and halted beside the railway line opposite the enemy infantry which was forming up to attack.

06:40-06457th Company Green Howards were forced to evacuate the burning warehouse and fall back towards the town square.

6th Company Green Howards, further north fired again at the flank of the Germans trying to cross the railway, but with no noticeable effect.

The transport for the Rifle Company holding the woods was hit by an artillery stonk. One platoon’s transport escaped but the other two were destroyed. The Rifles, now reduced to one platoon and the HQ carrier platoon in the old hill fort, held out, supported by the armour of 3rd Armoured Regiment.

On the A27 from Arundel a traffic jam began to build. 1st Queen’s Own West Kents reached the crossroads with the A23 from Bolney. The CO met with the CO of the King’s Royal Rifles who advised him that the town square was under mortar fire. The situation was reported to 12th Infantry Battalion HQ (Queen’s Own) and to 3rd Armoured Brigade HQ (King’s Rifles). Next to arrive was 2nd Company Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, under direct command of 4th Brigade HQ, who were duly advised. 12th Infantry Battalion HQ followed, to add

to the confusion. Finally two troops of 2pr AT guns of 14th AT Company joined the back of the queue.

On the Bolney Road the HQ of 10th Infantry Battalion (4th Brigade) moved towards St Stephen’s Church to the north of town. The churchyard was occupied by 6th East Surreys, who were strafed again by the Stukas, but were protected by the poplar trees around the graveyard. After the air attack the East Surreys moved north towards the woods in support of the Rifles.2nd Company Beds & Herts Battalion arrived on foot, followed by 7th Field Platoon RE in trucks.

Back in the centre of town the HQ of 1st Motor MG Battalion in the church, encouraged the 5th/16th Lancers and 17th/21st Lancers to hold out and attack targets of opportunity. 17th/21st Lancers Machine Guns engaged the German infantry crossing their front at 750 yards range, but to no advantage.

To the east the mix of troops holding the houses guarding Rottingdean Road North came under intense artillery bombardment and fell back as far as the Lewes Road.

The German attack to the north was stopped by the armour emerging from the woods, but the 9 th Lancers were faced by a determined group of infantry and machine guns. Their fire caused the tank commanders to close down and rely on periscope view only, which considerably hampered their response.

2nd Dragoon Guards, now reduced to one troop, kept up the pressure but with the enemy to their front now taking cover were unable to have any effect. Similarly 10th Hussars to the left tried to dislodge the enemy infantry from their position beneath the railway bridge but to no effect. With the regimental HQ lost, squadron commanders were working on their own with no coordination.

Captain Braveheart of the Home Guard led two platoons forward in an attempt to stop the Germans after the retreat of the 7th Green Howards from the warehouse area. He noticed with some disapproval that someone had opened a “Patisserie” where the baker’s shop used to be on the corner.

06:45-06:50

THE AERIAL VIEW OF THE BATTLEFIELD, WITH EXAMPLE MAP REFERENCES AS REFERRED TO IN THE TEXT

3rd Armoured Regiment arrived from Bolney at reference 9,4. The two troops of A-13s of 5th Royal Tanks were just ahead of the HQ on the road, while 2nd King’s Royal Rifles had deployed the carrier platoon and three rifle platoons at the crossroads at reference 2,4.

2nd & 3rd MG Platoons of 2nd Lothian & Borders reported to HQ 1st Motor MG Battalion that they were now reforming at the bend in the railway line at reference 3,7 having been driven back from the East end of town by heavy artillery and MG fire. 1st Platoon was supporting 5th East Yorks in a counterattack against the Germans on the Rottingdean Road.5th/16th Lancers were still in the houses either side of the Lewes Road between reference 2,7 and 4,8, while 17th/21st Lancers had withdrawn to the railway at 4,7.

69th Infantry Battalion HQ received reports from 5th Company east Yorks that they were being pushed back to the Lewes Road from their positions at the east end of town. They were ordered to consolidate at the Croosroads at reference 2,7 and block the German advance.

6th Company Green Howards were ordered to move from their scattered positions to the blocking position on the Lewes Road junction at reference 4,8; and 7th Company to establish a defensive position in the factory at reference 4,6.

10th Infantry Battalion established its HQ in the church at reference 5,6. 6th East Surreys continued their advance towards the woods, reaching 6,6. 2nd Company Beds & Herts reported that they had reached reference 6,4 on the Bolney Road.

9th Squadron Lancers broke through the enemy infantry line at reference 7,10. 10th Hussars engaged enemy infantry and armoured cars at reference 9,10 and destroyed the armoured cars. The remaining troop of 2nd Dragoon Guards engaged enemy infantry at map reference 6, 9 and saw them retreating.

The 4th Brigade troops (12th Infantry Battalion HQ, 2nd Company Royal Fusiliers, 14th AT Company, 7th Field Platoon RE) were still stuck in a queue along the A27 Arundel Road. Their way was blocked by the King’s Royal Rifles of 3rd Armoured Regiment. 1st Company Queen’s Own West Kents by-passed the bloacage and made for the factory at reference 1,4.

06:50-06:55The A-13s of 2nd Troop, 9th Lancers came under fire from SP AT guns on the left flank and were wiped out. 1st Troop also came under attack from an infantry company on the right and they too were destroyed.The 2nd Dragoon Guards troop continued to shoot at the German infantry behind the hedgerow to their front, but with no noticeable effect.

10th Hussars in the woods to the north reported a heavy artillery bombardment, then went silent.The remaining platoon of the Rifles, still entrenched in the woods at 8,8, fired at the attacking infantry to their front but the Germans continued to attack the position with both close range rifle fire and artillery shelling. German infantry was seen moving to outflank them to the north, and they beat off a frontal infantry attack.

2nd Company, Beds & Herts Battalion reported that they had reached map reference 4,5 on the Bolney Road. They were ordered to move to the walled garden of the rectory at 5,7.6th East Surreys continued to move north-east towards the woods as ordered.2nd Company DCLI reported that they had reached reference 8,4 on the Bolney Road.

69th Battalion HQ in the church by the town square issued orders to 5th East Yorks to immediately attack the enemy infantry at map reference 2,7 (just east of the square), then advised all companies that the HQ would be relocating to the railway station.

6th Company Green Howards advanced to the road junction at 4,8. 1st Platoon, already in position, opened fire on the nearest Germans but to no effect. They were then subjected to an artillery stonk. Two Platoons retreated, and a third was thrown into confusion. To add to the confusion the retreating platoons came under MG and mortar fire as they scrambled back up the hill.7th Company Green Howards reported that they had established defensive positions in the factory at 4,6.1st and 3rd Platoons, 5th Company East Yorks attacked the enemy infantry at the crossroads east of the town square and caused a considerable disruption to their advance. The enemy did not fall back but was clearly disorganised.

1st Motor machine Gun Battalion HQ made its move to the railway station.2nd Lothian & Borders Horse were ordered to support the infantry attacking the enemy on the Rottingdean Road at 2,8.4th Platoon 17th/21st Lancers fired their machine guns at the same enemy but did not slow their advance. The enemy made an assault on their position which was defeated.1st and 2nd Platoons 5th/16th Lancers, established with their machine guns in the Old Town House north of the square and the Town Hall to the south, added to the Germans’ discomfiture but such was the enemy’s resolve that they did not retreat.3rd & 4th Platoons, 5th/16th Lancers, at 1,7, reported that they were under attack by enemy infantry in force.The street at 3,8 was hit by an intense artillery bombardment. No casualties were suffered but the entire west side of the street collapsed into ruins, severely disorganising the defenders.

HQ 4th Brigade received a radio message that 7th Field Platoon Royal Engineers had reached map reference 6,4 on the Bolney Road.

12th Infantry Battalion HQ, stuck in a traffic jam on the A27, ordered 2nd Royal Northumberland Fusiliers to leave the road and debus to the south, then to continue eastwards on foot. They did so, and the transport moved south to map reference 1,2.6th Company Black watch reported that they were now at reference 3,1 on the A27.1st Queen’s Own West Kents reported that they had established a defensive position in the factory at 1,4.

2nd King’s Royal Rifles advised 3rd Armoured Regiment HQ that they were holding the crossroads at 2,4.5th Royal Tanks reported that they had reached point 6,4 on the Bolney Road. They were ordered to move to map reference 7,7 and take up positions behind the hedgerow.

06:55-07:00 6th Company Black Watch, recently arrived from Arundel, advanced south of the A27.

5th Squadron Royal Tanks moved NW to take up position on the rear slope at map reference 7,6, with the Regiment HQ. Their view of the battlefield:

17th/21st Lancers, 1st Platoon, joined by 2nd Platoon, Lothian & Borders Horse, tried to halt the German infantry approaching the town square with MG fire, but failed. The remaining platoons of the 17 th/21st Lancers advanced in support. 1st Platoon, 17th/21st lancers was attacked by enemy infantry and unable to respond.

At the road junction (4,8) the mixed elements of 17th/21st Lancers and 6th Green Howards came under severe artillery attack. One platoon ran to the rear, encouraged by enemy MG fire, two more were wiped out and another was disorganised. In the woods at map reference 8,8, the remains of the Rifle Company of 1st Motor Machine Gun Battalion was suffering from enemy artillery fire. The carrier platoon was wiped out,

10th Infantry Battalion HQ ordered 2nd DCLI to move north-east and occupy the ancient hill fort. They began to move in that direction.2nd Beds & Herts Company moved north-east to reference 6,5 following orders.

The Home Guard holding the position at 4,9 after the regulars had fled, withdrew.

1st Motor MG Battalion HQ, now established at the railway station, ordered all companies to hold their positions against enemy attack.

In the centre of town, south of the crossroads of the Lewes and Rottingdean roads, the MG platoons of 5 th/16th

Lancers were wiped out and the enemy infantry occupied the Lewes Road.

69th Infantry Battalion HQ abandoned the church at the town square and began to move to the railway station.6th Green Howards managed to reorganise at reference 4,7.

12th Infantry Battalion HQ, stuck on the A27, ordered all units to debus and push east with all haste.1st Queen’s Own West Kents, moved east to reference 1,5.

1st Troop, 2nd Dragoon Guards, the last remnant of 2nd Armoured Regiment, were hit by enemy artillery and withdrew in disorder.

In the woods, the last platoon of the Rifles withdrew after an assault by enemy infantry and engineers. The 6 th East Surreys retook the position, but were then driven out by enemy artillery.