Several tanks received orders to move forward - to protect the infantry from possible enemy fire from Boeiink. The troop leader, Major Francis moved out to cross the road, but had to make a quick dash back to the protection of a house. They had no idea of the precise location of whatever was firing - either and AT gun or an SP. The enemy were, as usual, using flashless ammo and were exceedingly well camouflaged. There came a heavy bang, and bits of debris fell into the turret. The tank of Major Francis had been severly hit, most of the crew seemed to bale out although the co-driver Trooper John Smith (a.k.a Jimmy) was beyond earthly aid. Trever Greenwood described the following" (Not for sensitive readers!) : "It was difficult to drag his body from the vehicle and eventually Dicky had to lever his limbs whilst two of us dragged from the outside. His body then came out - leaving most of his legs in the vehicle: he had been cut in two by an AP, and must have died from loss of blood very quickly. We lay the body on the ground and covered it with a tarpaulin.*

His body was repatriated to a fieldgrave in Kalmthout at the junction of Zwanenberg / Dorpstraat and then reburied in the cemetery of Heverlee

*source D-Day to Victory: The Diaries of a British Tank Commander by Serjeant Trevor Greenwood