Normandy – the Bocage to Belsen: The Memoirs of Lieutenant Colonel Harry Mainwaring MC

In 1989, Major Harry Mainwaring, a veteran of two wars and career officer of the Royal Artillery, recorded six hours of memories covering some of the defining military events of the twentieth century. His son Jes Mainwaring has shaped those recordings into a first-hand account of service with the 53rd Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Commissioned in 1940, Harry experienced the long years of preparation in Britain before landing in France shortly after D-Day. His recollections follow the regiment through the artillery battles of the Normandy bocage, the advance through Belgium and Holland, and the final campaign into Germany. His military career continued after 1945 when he returned to uniform with the Royal Army Education Corps and later served during the Korean War. Combining personal testimony with operational context, the memoir provides an unusually direct view of artillery warfare, leadership, and the experience of a British officer across two major conflicts.