Normandy


	By 1942, British troops were fighting in Burma and the Western Desert. Pretty soon they would also be landed in North Africa. There wasn't much call for alpine troops. New weapons and new military methods had also been introduced whilst the Lincolns had been in Iceland, and they were out of date--"snowbound" as one senior officer put it. There was a lot of catching up to do. Officers and NCOs were sent on courses to battle schools and gradually the role of mountain troops was abandoned. The 4th Lincolns were in the 49th (West Riding) Division and there was a new GOC when Major-General E H Barker took over. Nicknamed "Bubbles" because of his effervescent and vigorous nature, he had the same manner and voice as "Monty" - and he even looked a bit like him. One of his first acts was to change the division's emblem, for he thought that the polar bear seemed to be too droopy and submissive. "Lift its head up and make it roar", he ordered.


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	Montgomery mounted an offensive (Operation Epsom) to the west of Caen on 26th June. To protect the right flank of the 15th Scottish Division, the 49th Division would have to capture the ridges around Rauray the previous day. The 4th Lincolns were on the extreme right of two other battalions--the Hallamshires and the 11th Royal Scots Fusiliers. They had to capture the Juvigny-Fontenay road just to the west of Fontenay. Once this was done the KOYLI would move through to capture Tessel Wood and then the Hallamshires would go forward to take up positions to the south of the wood. The Lincolns were the right flank of the whole of 49 Division so it was vital that they should take their objective and then hold on at all costs. They were issued with rum to steady their nerves. Just before dawn there was a devastating crash as the combined guns of 8 Field Regiments, 4 Medium regiments and the guns of the Royal Navy in the Channel opened fire.