concentrations in support of the armour. 11th Armoured Division led off, followed in turn by Guards Armoured Division and 7th Armoured Division. The Germans were stunned by the bombing and initial bombardments, but recovered quickly and the attack was held up short of Bourguébus Ridge. 8th AGRA fired an additional fireplan on Bourguébus at 16.30, and at 20.55 146th (P&C) and 107th (South Notts Hussars) Medium Rgts fired again to help 11th Armoured's brigades as they withdrew to 'harbour' for the night. 8th AGRA was moved across the River Orne and loaned to II Canadian Corps for the diversionary Operation Spring on 25 July, firing a large programme of harassing fire (HF) tasks to assist the advance towards Verrières Ridge and Tilly-la-Campagne, though one troop of 146th (P&C) Med Rgt remained behind to continue HF tasks from its previous positions. There was an air raid on Mondeville in the early hours of 25 July, with German aircraft dropping anti-personnel bombs and Strafing while 146th (P&C) Med Rgt was firing an HF task. An ammunition dump was set on fire about behind Sergeant B.L.Jones's gun, but he and two members of his detachment put out the flames, for which he was awarded the Military Medal. VIII Corps (including 8th AGRA) was then sent from the Orne to attack on the west flank of 21st Army Group (Operation Bluecoat). This meant cutting across the lines of communication of the whole of Second British Army. Moves were mainly made by night and VIII Corps' formation signs were covered up, in order to disguise the movement. 8th AGRA moved from Giberville across the Orne to an area south of Bayeux during the night of 28/29 July, then a further to deploy north of Caumont during 29 July. There was no time for registration of the guns before the operation began, though this helped the surprise effect. 8th AGRA was allocated a flight of Air Observation Post (AOP) aircraft to direct its fire after H Hour. Radio silence was maintained until 03.55 on D Day (30 July). There were fewer guns than normal for an attack by Second Army, and ammunition supply was limited because the 'tail' of the corps was still strung out east of the Orne when the battle began. 146th (P&C) Med Rgt was assigned to 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division for the first two phases of the attack and was then released