As dawn began to break (05.00 hours) on the 26th August, the Worcestershire Regiment was given the order to cross the damaged road bridge. Lieut. Johnnie Davies commanding 7 Platoon of ‘A’ Company crept along the broken bridge under cover of artillery smoke. Meeting no opposition, they were quickly followed by the remainder of the Company and afterwards by the marching elements of the Battalion.

Lieut. Stan Trimnell (8 Platoon, ‘A’ Company) recalls: “We set off in single file as fast as we could across the bridge and arrived unscathed in Vernonnet. We advanced up a steep hill on a narrow winding road. Suddenly a German truck came hurtling around the bend towards us. One of my Bren gunners firing from the hip gave it a burst, killing the driver. The truck out of control ricocheted off the walls of a building, turned completely around but stayed upright. A German soldier jumped over the tail board, threw a grenade at us and then put his hands up!”

Worcestershire men in the narrow alleys heading for Vernon bridge

Corporal W. Gould

Corporal Bill Gould (Signals) recalls:
“The dawn crossing over the bridge was almost without incident, but our cable line took some getting over and when we eventually managed it we were an isolated unit. When laying a telephone communications line it is impossible to keep up with the advancing infantry for you have of necessity to make the line safe as far as it is possible from clumsy feet and following vehicles. ‘Dosey Denby’, my most loyal companion, worked heroically to ensure that we made the far bank and several bursts of machine gun fire greeted us when we arrived. However we maintained progress and reached ‘A’ Company who had dug themselves in round the church in Vernonnet. We informed the Colonel, who was anxiously waiting on the Vernon side for news, that all was going well, for which he was delighted and decided to send the rest of the Battalion over. ‘B’ Company came first and we tee-d on to the existing line and prepared to advance along a road which was parallel to the river.”

By 09.00 hours on the 26th August the company positions were as follows; ‘A’ Company in the centre near the behind the church, while "C" Company on the left reached their objectives with comparative ease, dealing with two light machine guns and a few prisoners in the course of their advance. ‘B’ Company, however, strayed too far to the right encountered considerable opposition.

Climbing on to the damaged Vernon road bridge

(IWM BU225)

‘A’ Company cross and take positions in Vernonnet
07.00 hours, 26th August

By 09.00 hours on the 26th August the company positions were as follows; ‘A’ Company in the centre near the behind the church, while "C" Company on the left reached their objectives with comparative ease, dealing with two light machine guns and a few prisoners in the course of their advance. ‘B’ Company, however, strayed too far to the right encountered considerable opposition.

Crossing the damaged Vernon road bridge (IWM BU224)

Sergt. H. C. Harrison

Worcestershire position 09.00 hours 26th August

Worcesters ‘C’ Coy taking German prisoners at Vernonnet

Pte. T. Dutton

Private Tommy Dutton (17 Platoon, ‘D’ Company) recalls:

“Moving off the bridge into the town of Vernonnet, we found it was badly damaged and still on fire, lots of buildings in a state of collapse. With brick-ends and debris under our feet we moved on down the street to a small church on our left; we moved up the side of this church, through the churchyard, up through the cemetery, over a fence into a small field beyond, which was surrounded by hedges. Suddenly there was an exchange of small-arms fire up ahead, 16 Platoon had encountered the enemy. The sun was well up now and rather warm.”