The diary’s and accounts of Lt Karsten, WO2 JA Dyer and Cpl Frank Wallbank.
Awoke at dawn to the sound of a dog-fight and saw 2 Spitfires and 2 109’s above us. 2 minutes saw the end of one of the 109’s which broke up in 3 pieces – the other promptly took his leave.
At 10am, about 40 fighters were in combat overhead, one of our Hurricanes getting hit and limping away – the remainder drifted away still firing.
From the last day’s action in which our tanks took part, 2 of them are missing and the 10 occupants are put down as such. Official casualty list this morning gives our total losses as 25 killed or missing though any being prisoners are considered doubtful.
Total number of enemy tanks destroyed – 132, prisoners 2,4000 – increased this morning by another 1,000 when the 1st Armoured Division carried out a successful attack. Plenty of air activity during the day though we only saw 4 planes.
