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Badges of the

“C” Company, 1st Bn. The Royal Ulster Rifles

6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division

June 6-14, 1944

Hugh Harvey Overlord 2008 Tournament Page 1

Order of Battle

Company Headquarters

Company Commander: Major Bob Hynds (WIA July 7, 1944)

Second-in- Command: Captain Hugh Weldon

Company Sergeant Major: CSM C. S. McCutcheon (KIA March 24, 1945)

Company Quartermaster Sergeant: Color Sergeant Richard Boyce

Combat Platoons

No. 15 Platoon: (Platoon Commander Unknown)

No. 16 Platoon: (Platoon Commander Unknown)

No. 17 Platoon: (Platoon Commander Unknown)

No. 18 Platoon: Lt. M. Gann

Weapons Platoon (from Battalion Support Company)

Anti-Tank Platoon: Lt. Richard Quinn (KIA June 16, 1944)

Support Platoons

“C” Troop, 211th Airlanding Light Battery, Royal Artillery: Captain Hugh Ward (KIA June 12, 1944)

Light Tank Troop, “A” Squadron, 6th Airborne Armored Reconnaissance Regiment

Operation Mallard

The 1st Battalion The Royal Ulster Riflemen departed Brize Norton airfield at 1840 hours on June

6, 1944. The battalion landed on LZ-N, near Ranville, at 2100 hours. They were greeted by

German mortars and a degree of small-arms fire. These, however, did very little to hinder the

forming up of the Battalion and only one casualty was sustained. The battalion formed up in

less than an hour and moved to Le Bas de Ranville to await orders.

The Ulstermen were assigned the task of enlarging the southern sector of the Orne River

bridgehead by capturing the villages of Longueval and Sainte Honorine. “C” Company occupied

the high ground called ‘Ring Contour 30’ between Ranville and Sainte Honorine with the

mortars, anti-tank guns, and machineguns of the Support Company at 0200 hours on June 7th.

From this position the company could support the assault on Longueval and Sainte Honorine.

Longueval was occupied without incident, however the attempt to move on Sainte Honorine

“C” Company, 1st Bn. The Royal Ulster Rifles

6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division

June 6-14, 1944

Hugh Harvey Overlord 2008 Tournament Page 2

was dogged by communications difficulties and determined German resistance. The Ulstermen

were forced to retire to Longueval having suffered in excess of one hundred casualties. Major

Hynds and Captain Wheldon were awarded the Military Cross for gallantry while covering the

retreat.

The Ulstermen remained in this area for the following week and endured a great deal of

shelling and numerous harassing attacks throughout, although no truly serious attempt was

made to dislodge them. On the 13th June, with the 51st (Highland) Division arriving to assume

responsibility for the southern flank, the 6th Airlanding Brigade was moved northwards and the

1st Royal Ulster Rifles were ordered to relieve the beleaguered 12th Parachute Battalion in

Bréville.

Men of the 1st Battalion

The Royal Ulster Riflemen

move off from LZ ‘N’.

(IWM)

Sources:

Georges Bernage, Red Devils in Normandy: 6th Airborne Division,

5-6 June 1944, Heimdal: 2002.

Peter Harclerode, “Go To It”: The Illustrated History of the 6th Airborne

Division, Caxton: 1990.

G. G. Norton, The Red Devils: The Story of the British Airborne Forces,

Leo Cooper: 1971.

The Pegasus Archive Web Site (www.pegasusarchive.org)

Major Bob Hynds

“C” Company, 1st Bn. The Royal Ulster Rifles

6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division

June 6-14, 1944

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“C” Company, 1st Bn. The Royal Ulster Rifles

6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division

June 6-14, 1944

Hugh Harvey Overlord 2008 Tournament Page 4

British Airlanding Company

Company HQ with 1 PIAT team 85 pts

Airlanding Platoon (Full) 230 pts

Airlanding Platoon (Full) 230 pts

Airlanding Platoon (Full) 230 pts

Airlanding Platoon (Fulll) 230 pts

Airlanding Anti-tank Platoon (Full) 175 pts

Airlanding Battery, RA (Full) 140 pts

Airlanding Armored Reconnaissance Platoon (Full) 205 pts

(with OQF 3” Howitzer and 2 Littlejohn Adapter Options)

Priority Air Support (Typhoons) 220 pts

Total 1745 pts

Seize & Hold Mission Alternate List

Company HQ with 1 PIAT Team 85 pts

Airlanding Platoon (with Coup-de-main Option) 375 pts

Airlanding Platoon (with Coup-de-main Option) 375 pts

Airlanding Platoon (with Coup-de-main Option) 375 pts

Airlanding Platoon (with Coup-de-main Option) 375 pts

Airlanding Armored Reconnaissance Platoon (3 Tanks) 155 pts

(With OQF 3” Howitzer and 2 Littlejohn Adapter Options)

Total 1740 pts