1050 Port Maintenence RE - D-Day and beyond

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Stuart.tdb, Dec 23, 2011.

  1. Thanks to Mike - Trux - I now know that this area was called Roger beach and was used for landing vehicles and personnel after D-day
    Shelling meant that it was short lived. No more LSTs arrived after D+8 since five were hit by shells in one day.

    Does this mean that the photos were taken at this time or later?

    ROGER Sector was indeed used for unloading after D Day but Villa "Les Algues" is definitely located in QUEEN Sector, WHITE Beach, and "House 1" is on QUEEN RED Beach. See the Sector/Beaches map (first map) on this link:
    D-Day : Normandy 1944 - SWORD BEACH : British Troops

    I marked the location of both on the attached copy.

    I think what Mike meant is that the two localities mentioned in your 2-pages document with the history of the unit: Ouistreham (where your uncle's unit landed and spent the night of D Day) and Riva Bella where they then stayed for 4 weeks, were in ROGER Sector. Your document states that the day after D Day

    "After an uncomfortable night we moved to Riva Bella where we stayed for 4 weeks, working on crawler cranes on the beaches. We then moved to Luc-Sur-Mer as Riva Bella was still under fire."

    This means that the photos (of the villas) where probably taken during this 4-week period, as Luc-sur-Mer is some 4 km West of Villa "Les Vagues", in OBOE Sector.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Michel will be right concerning the location of the villas. His knowledge of the actual area far exceeds mine. I did place the location further along the beach towards Riva Bella.

    I sent Stuart information from the Landing Tables and later reports. Also information on the beach lateral, the lateral road with tramway running from Ouistreham to Lion etc., and beach exits. I must learn to upload material on to this forum.

    I posted a piece of information concerning photographs of this area on a new thread.

    Mike
     
  3. See attached photos of House 1, on D Day and nowadays, taken from the front this time.

    As an aside, House 5, villa "Les Algues", was known as "Sad Sack Villa" to the crews of 2 Tp 77 Aslt Sqn RE for whom it was the landmark for their landing point, since they were supposed to make a gap to Road No. 12 running along its left side.

    The LCT carrying them first set course to land 10 yds port of the house, i.e. right opposite Road No. 12, but beach congestion forced them to touch down 280 yards to the West (starboard)

    However, 3 Tp 77 Aslt Sqn RE succeeded in opening a gap to Road 12 and dropped an assault bridge opposite "Les Algues".

    Michel
     

    Attached Files:

  4. The larger buildings on "normandy 3" and "normandy 6" looked similar... and familiar. It's indeed one and the same villa called "La Maison de la Mer" which is visible on two well-known photos showing Commandos landing on D-Day. For rear and front views of Maison de la Mer see:
    http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/42882-hermanville-sur-mer-sword-beach-picture-mid-1930s/?p=547316

    "normandy 3" was shot looking west along the Rue de Lion (or Route Départementale 514). The photographer was located slightly ahead of the former train stop for the Holiday Camp, the ruins of which can be seen to the right. For the location of the train stop, see this post by Danny:
    http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/42882-hermanville-sur-mer-sword-beach-picture-mid-1930s/?p=520678

    On "normandy 6 " the small house on the foreground is also visible to the right of IWM B5103. It is called "Les Embruns" (Sea Spray). The photographer must have been located on or just left of Exit 21.

    The current address of "Les Embruns" is 55 avenue du Commandant Kieffer, Colleville-Montgomery. La Maison de la Mer was destroyed post-war and new houses built at the current address 16 rue de Lion at Colleville.

    Michel

    normandy 3 - Maison de la Mer.jpg normandy 6 vs B5103.jpg Maison de la Mer - Exits 20-26 GE.jpg Exits 20-26 aerial view.jpg Les Embruns 1.jpg Les Embruns 2.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Jun 19, 2019
  5. Ian Hickman

    Ian Hickman New Member

    Hi I am researching LCT 750. I noticed "normandy 7 shows the wreck of LCT 750". Any ideas where I can find "normandy 7"? I do not seem to be able to find it. Thanks in advance.

     
  6. Hello Ian,

    Welcome to the forum!

    "normandy 7" is one of the photos which disappeared during the change of forum software. I'll try and repost them in their respective posts, but in the meantime here's "normandy 7" for you:
    normandy 7.jpg

    Can you tell us what your interest in LCT 750 is and what you have found so far?

    Michel
     
    4jonboy likes this.
  7. Ian Hickman

    Ian Hickman New Member

    Many Thanks. That',s very interesting. I thought it would be interesting to try and find out what happened to a selection of the vessels built at the Mabey yard Chepstow now it has been demolished and houses being built on the site. Would you know if there is anywhere I could look to find out why it was abandoned on the beach or any other info. Thanks again.
     
  8. Ian Hickman

    Ian Hickman New Member

    Thanks again. By the way I am also working on a 3d printable model which is still a work in progress but I put it here if anyone can spot any problems please point them out as I was working from photos and models that others have made. here: MK4 TANK LANDING CRAFT by IAN4444
     

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