3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)
1939-44
NORTH WEST EUROPE 1944
Both 3CLY and 4CLY spent the first half of 1944 preparing for the invasion, and both were among the first armoured regiments in, landing on D plus 1.
3CLY, with 4th Armoured Brigade, were, for the early stages of the invasion, the armoured reserve for 1st British Corps. They had been re-equipped with Shermans and Fireflies (Shermans fitted with the British 17 pdr gun). After an early attack on the radar station at Douvres, 3CLY remained in reserve against a possible major German counter-attack.
Their first important battle was in operation 'Epsom', the assault on the River Odon, west of Caen.They were involved in the Defence of Rauray, against a powerful counterattack by several German Panzer Divisions.
They remained on the defensive in the Rauray area until they met up with 4th CLY at Carpiquet airport near Caen on July 30th, to amalgamate as the 3rd/4th CLY.