Stanley Whitehouse's book on Black Watch

[Crewman]

Hi Mark!

Originally posted by Mark W. Tonner
The book "FEAR IS THE FOE" is a basic account of a Private, who on D-Day was a Private serving with the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion and landed as part of No. 6 Beach Group over Sword Beach. In mid-July, the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion was broken up for reinforcements and the author was posted to the 1st Black Watch, with whom he served until 1947.

There is no mention in the book of any contact with Polish forces in Normandy.

Thank you very much! This is also valuable info for me because I thought if to buy or not to buy this book.

Originally posted by Mark W. Tonner
From the book: "THE HISTORY OF THE 51st HIGHLAND DIVISION 1939-1945", by J.B. Salmond, page 158:

"The Polish Division had not too satisfactory an experience. They passed through the Black Watch making for Robertmesnil, but one hour later they came back and took up a position behind our lines."

The Black Watch battalion concerned, was the 1st Battalion and this took place on 8 August.

You are reading in my mind . I wanted to ask also about this book

Yes, August 8th and 9th for the Polish 1st Armoured Div. was a time of hard combat debut. I think that it would be hard to find the unit with excellent and successful moment when the unit entered action for the first time. Since Operation Tractable the image of the Poles is totally different than in the case of Totalize.

Originally posted by Mark W. Tonner
From the book: "MONTY'S HIGHLANDERS, 51st HIGHLAND DIVISION IN WORLD WAR TWO", by P. Delaforce, pages 151 and 152:

Referring to 8 August:

on page 151:

"About 1400 the Polish Armoured Div Shermans passed through heading for Roberts Mesnil and St Sylvain where 88mm anti-tank guns gave them a very sticky time. The Poles reported that they had taken St Sylvain, but their second and third attacks all failed."

and on page 152, an account by Major Benson (1st Black Watch):

"30 tanks of the Polish Armoured Div moved into "D" Coy's area where they milled about for an hour attracting considerable shell and mortar fire. After a two hour Recce towards La Bu-Sur-Rouvres they withdrew through the battalion area attracting more shell and mortar fire."

Mark, you are fantastic!

I thought also about this book but I did not want to overload you.

This very interesting for me text is more or less the same situation as described by Ken Tout in his "A Fine Night for Tanks". These are the same groups of the Polish tanks coming from two armoured regiments and one recce regiment. This situation is a picture of the Polish Division's HQ obsession that the left flank of the unit is not protected what was not true. That is why general Maczek decided to brake the 1st Army orders to attack southwards and he directed approx. one-third of the division eastwards to build artificial left flank made of own divisional units. Today the greatest secret is why the Poles did not know that their left flank is protected however. There was special general Crerar's directive how the British 51st Div. and British 1st Corps are to protect and support left flank of the Polish 1st Armoured. No even the smallest information about it in general Maczek's memoirs and the same goes for divisional colonels. Hard to believe. As I can see this situation is extremely hard to understand also for all Western, mainly Canadian, authors who are not able to understand correctly what happened on August 8th between the Polish and British lines. Theoretically no right for the Poles then to be at the lines of the 51st Div. none the less they were there in large quantities. I would love to know how Mr. Brian A. Read got through with this complicated story in his newest "No Holding Back" book on Totalize. I bought it and wait for delivery.


Thank you very much Mark!