Brighton 18th September 1940Dawn - 06:00

Having been informed of German forces advancing from both Lewes to the NE and Rottingdean to the E, we have established a defensive perimeter around the eastern outskirts of Brighton.

At 06:00 the Germans began a cautious approach to the town.On the southern flank enemy infantry moved up the road accompanied by a platoon of engineers with flamethrowers. On reaching the fork in the road they spread out to left and right.At this point they were spotted by the riflemen of 5th Company, East Yorkshire Battalion in the houses and the Home Guard who were manning a road block on the Rottingdean Road. A second Home Guard Platoon defending the gardens on the right (north) branch of the road also opened fire.

The Germans on the Rottingdean Road having been spotted by 5th East Yorks, the information was passed to 69 Battalion HQ, and the MG platoons of 2nd Lothian & Border Company had been roused. 69 Battalion HQ immediately contacted the RAF local sector for support. The RAF apologised and said they had nothing to spare.69 Battalion also alerted the 2nd Armoured Regiment HQAll rifle and MG units were ordered to stand firm and defend their sectors.Four MG platoons and one rifle platoon opened fire on the approaching Germans.On the northern flank, the enemy infantry had been spotted dismounting from their bicycles.

Only 1 rifle unit could fire. (1st Platoon, Rifle Bn.) They rather foolishly opened fire, giving away their position. At the same time they tried to alert 2nd Armoured Regiment HQ but failed to make contact.

06:05-06:10A German armoured car platoon began to machine gun the Rifle Battalion’s positions in the woods, but nobody was hit. The Rifles reported the armoured cars to the company HQ, who relayed the information to 2 Armoured Regt HQ. Orders: HQ 2 Arm'd Regt to 9th Lancers. "Move NE on railway. Investigate enemy armoured cars at rail bridge area." The two troops of A13s from 9th Lancers crashed through the fence onto the railway line and rattled north along the track until they reached the curve west of the bridge.

Further south enemy machine guns at the road junction opened up on the positions at the east end of Rottingdean Road. Again, no casualties were suffered, but this was followed by a company strength assault on the barricade manned by the Home Guard, using flamethrowers. The Home Guard melted away (in one or two cases literally) and the barricade caught fire, halting the Germans in their tracks. The rifles of 5 th east Yorks and the machine guns of the Lothian and Border Horse returned the fire and the Germans began to scatter for cover. More German infantry were seen approaching the road junction. 7th Coy Green Howards were alerted to be ready to move up in support of the defenders.

06:10-06:15 

1st Troop, 9th Lancers to 2nd Armoured Regiment HQ. "Infantry advancing under railway bridge. Engaging."2nd Troop to 1st Troop.: "Look out! There's an SP gun behind the hedge to your left!"2nd Troop opened fire with the 2pr gun. The shell hit the enemy gun which backed off. 1st Troop machine gunned the enemy infantry spotted beneath the railway bridge. The bullets ricocheted from the stonework beneath the arch.

3rd Platoon, 2nd Lothian & Border Coy to HQ 1 Motor MG Bn: "More enemy infantry arriving from Rottingdean. Houses to our right are on fire."Two rifle platoons of 5th East Yorks and two MG platoons of the Lothian & Borders opened fire on the road junction. German infantry were spotted running back down the road.The rest of the East Yorks and Lothians were forced to evacuate the houses at the end of Rottingdean Road which had caught fire. They fell back to the next pair of houses. The fire was effectively stopping the German advance for the time being.

VIEW EAST FROM THE CHURCH TOWER IN THE TOWN SQUARE.

HQ 2nd Armoured Regt to 9th Lancers. "Engage enemy. Support on its way." HQ 2nd Armoured Regt to 10th Hussars. "Move left through the woods to cover Lewes Road."

06:15-06:20

9th Lancers reported coming under heavy artillery fire. 2nd troop withdrew towards the woods. 1st troop was then attacked by infantry with grenades and bombs and also fell back in disorder.2nd Dragoon Guards reported that they were under fire, apparently from naval guns. 1st Troop was still in action but 2nd troop had pulled back with casualties.1st Platoon 5th East Yorks advised they were pulling back because the fire at the east end of town was spreading. German infantry had been seen moving around their position to the south.

Alerted by the shell fire to the north-east, the C.O. of 69th Battalion in the church tower off the main square scanned the area with his binoculars.(see separate file for the view)Of the Germans there was no sign, but he could see the conflagration at the end of Rottingdean Road and several explosions around the wooded area to the north-east.

Orders were issued:HQ 69 Bn to 7 Green Howards. “Assemble town square ready to move East in support of East Yorks.”HQ 2 Arm'd Rgt to 9th Lancers. “Rally on the hill west of the woods. Await further orders.”

6th Coy E.Surreys of 10th Infantry Battalion arrived on foot from Bolney

0620-0625

2nd Tp, 9th Lancers reported seeing German infantry at the north end of the rail bridge. The Germans also appeared to be shelling their own men on the railway line.From 3 Pln, 2 Lothian & Borders: “Enemy spotted setting up HMG and Mortar positions at ref 4,11. We have engaged and they have retreated”9th Lancers retreated through the woods to regroup on the hill at 8,7.6th East Surreys (4 rifle platoons) arrived at the north-west edge of Brighton.10th Battalion HQ with an engineer platoon and an Anti-tank platoon arrived from Bolney.

0625-0630

2nd Platoon, 5th East Yorks. and 2nd Platoon, 2nd Lothian & Borders reported they were falling back due to the spreading fire. A house across the road has just collapsed in ruins.2nd Troop, 2nd Dragoon Guards came under attack by dive bombers. They attack was witnessed from the Church Tower. It is assumed the troop was wiped out in this attack.

At the same time a further salvo of naval shells fell to the west of their position and 2nd Armoured Brigade HQ fell silent.From the Church tower enemy infantry could now be seen crossing the railway bridge.

HQ 69 Infantry Bn to 7th Company Green Howards (assembled in the town square): “Advance to counter the enemy attack south of Rottingdean Road.” The infantry guarding Rottingdean Road North spotted enemy MG teams setting up at the road junction, but a few bursts of Vickers MG fire sent them back the way they had come.To the north, as the rest of the armour rendezvoused behind the woods, the Rifles dug in amongst the trees opened fire on the infantry moving out from under the railway bridge. They too fell back in disorder.Hearing the firing from the woods, the CO of 6th East Sussex ordered his men off the Bolney Road to support the Rifles.