Alan John Biddlecombe

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from John Hamblin, Researcher

Alan John Biddlecombe, Trooper 14429871 C Squadron, 2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons). Killed in action on the 12th June 1944 aged 19.

Alan John Biddlecombe was born at Lewisham in 1925, the son of William Charles Biddlecombe, a railway clerk at the General Enquiries Office, Victoria Station, and Maud Alice Biddlecombe (née Bellringer) of 81, Chaldon Way, Coulsdon in Surrey.

On the morning of the 5th of June 1944 B and D Squadrons of the 2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons) set sail for the invasion of Normandy in twelve landing craft. C Squadron landed on Gold Beach the following morning just to the west of the village of La Rivière where they were to support troops of 69 th Infantry Brigade. When they landed, their tanks met opposition from an enemy 88mm gun which set fire to two vehicles from the Royal Engineers. One of the Dragoon tanks fired five shots at the bunker and managed to get the fifth shot through the bunker’s aperture and destroyed the gun.  Meanwhile, B Squadron landed on the same beach to their right near the village of Le Hamel in support of 231st Infantry Brigade. Three hours later, A Squadron, which consisted of anti-mine flail tanks, landed on Queen sector of Sword Beach, near Lion-sur-Mer.

At 9pm on the 11th of June 1944, the regiment was leaguered at Brecy when they received urgent orders to move to La Belle Epine where the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment was reported to have been overrun. They managed to retake the village, in spite of the darkness and returned to Brecy where they deployed seven tanks at 11.30pm to protect the approach roads to the village.

At noon on the 12th of June 1944, Lieutenants Hoban and Pear left Brecy with six "Crab" tanks to support 231 Brigade in their advance from La Froide Rue to La Sanauiere. By 2pm they had arrived at their start point "in very close country" where they were expected to advance "without proper infantry support" in "impossible" terrain. As they advanced they were met with small arms and mortar fire but also came under fire from an enemy 88mm gun. This gun quickly knocked out three of the tanks including that of Alan Biddlecombe, whose commander, Corporal McCall, although wounded himself, was the only member of the crew to escape the tank as it caught fire. Members of the other crews were also wounded, with Lieutenant Pear being hit in the head by shrapnel. The surviving tanks leaguered at 7pm.

He is buried at Hottot-Les-Bagues War Cemetery, Plot III, Row J Grave 9 and he is commemorated on the war memorial at Lloyd’s of London.