Peter Gordon Harriott

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

Peter Gordon Harriott, Lance Corporal 14409196, 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Killed in action on the 16th of July 1944, aged 20.

Peter Gordon Harriott was born in Surrey in 1924 the only child of James Gordon Harriott, an estate agent and auctioneer, and Hilda Jennie Harriott (née Packham) of 95, Wensleydale Road, Hampton in Middlesex. He was educated at King's College School, Wimbledon.

He served with the 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry which set sail from London Docks on the 23rd of June, bound for Normandy where they landed the following day.

On the 14th of July 1944, the Battalion was at Haut du Bosq when it received orders for an attack on the enemy held hamlet of Cahier (sic - Cayer). The approach to the objective was surrounded by close country with thick hedges, small fields and deep ditches. The town was to be attacked on two flanks with the left flank advancing at 9pm on the 15th of July and the right flank advancing at 5.30am on the 16th of July. The Battalion was to be on the right of the attack and was deployed with B Company on the right, A Company in the centre, both with orders to make directly for the town, and with D and C Companies detailed to capture a mill and two bridges. The battalion arrived at Colleville at 10pm on the 15th of July where they were given a hot meal before moving to their jumping off positions.

At 3am on the morning of the 16th of July 1944 the Battalion began its attack with C Company clearing the mill at the point of the bayonet before being pinned down by German machine gun fire at Tiny Copse. Meanwhile, B Company had broken into the hamlet itself before coming under heavy mortar fire which killed or wounded all of its officers. A party of twenty men attacked the German headquarters where they captured twenty prisoners while the rest of the company kept the hamlet under fire. An enemy counter-attack was broken up by mortar fire when they broke through to the open ground by Tiny Copse. At 2pm an artillery barrage from three British field regiments was fired as support to an attack by A Company, also supported by machine guns from the 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment. It was soon clear that the enemy had had enough, but further heavy casualties were inflicted on them as they withdrew. By 4pm all the Battalion’s objectives for the day had been taken and secured. The Battalion was relieved at 11pm by the 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment. Casualties had been nine officers and one hundred and sixty six other ranks killed, wounded or missing.

Peter Harriott was among the dead and was buried the following day in Brouay Cemetery, Plot III, Row C, Grave 2. He is commemorated on the war memorial at the King’s College School, Wimbledon.