LCTs at Gold Beach

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by David Clements, Mar 24, 2019.

  1. David Clements

    David Clements New Member

    Does anyone have a list of which LCTs landed at Gold Beach? My father was the skipper of LCT 737. I'm pretty sure he went into Gold Beach. He also skippered the same craft in Infatuate 2 at Walcheren.
     
  2. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Forum member Mike (Trux) is your man for answers. I have sent him a private message to alert him to your query.

    Lesley
     
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  3. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    David (and Lesley).

    I am sorry to disappoint you but I searched my files this morning and I do not have the pennant numbers for the LCTs on Gold. I have only the LTIN numbers. These are the numbers used on the landing tables and relate to craft loads rather than to a particular craft. I can confirm that 737 was assigned to Gold but cannot identify its role.

    Mike
     
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  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    a start perhaps - HMS LCT 737 (LCT 737) of the Royal Navy - British Landing Craft Tank of the LCT (Mk 4) class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net

    TD

    HMS Blackwood, Mourne, Sickle, Elba Landings killed and died, also other RN casualties June 1944
    LCT.737
    GEE, Brian G H, Ty/Sub Lieutenant, RNZNVR (on books of Copra), second-in-command of LCT.737 serving off Normandy beaches. Crushed between two LCT's during storm on 19 June, and taken to US medical facility, but DOI (with thanks to David Clements, whose father was in command of LCT.737)
     
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  5. Hello David,

    Welcome to the forum!

    On D Day LCT(4) 737 was one of the twelve craft in 53 LCT Flotilla, "D" LCT Squadron, assigned to Assault Group "G" 1. I do not know what her Serial or LTIN was, but since at least three other craft in her flotilla have been identified as belonging to the LTIN block 2160 to 2169, she stands a good chance to also belong to that same block. She therefore possibly carried one of LTINs 2160 to 2162 or 2166 to 2169.
    For detailed loads see Trux' post GOLD BEACH.

    LCT 737 on 5 May 1944 during Exercise FABIUS II:
    LCT 737 during Ex FABIUS II, 4 May 44 - A70 14-7 06.54 [Walter].jpg

    Source: EXERCISE FABIUS II: AMPHIBIOUS LANDING PRACTICE BY 50TH NORTHUMBRIAN DIVISION AT HAYLING ISLAND, HAMPSHIRE [Allocated Title]
    between 06:34-07:06

    During the Westkapelle landings LCT 737 was part of 20 LCT Flotilla, "N" Squadron, was code named "BRAMBLE" and was assigned the Serial 5.
    IWM B11630:
    B_011630 - Story of 79 AD p164.jpg

    B11631:
    B11631.jpg

    B11632:
    B11632.jpg

    Michel
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2019
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  6. David Clements

    David Clements New Member

    Thanks all for your responses. It's good to know that there is a lot of knowledge and expertise out there. Following on from Tricky Dicky's post, Brian Gee's CWGC entry had him shown as belonging to HMS Copra, the admin base. From my father's letters, I knew that Brian had been injured on 737 and died in a US hospital in Normandy. Fortunately, I was able to convince the CWGC to change his entry, so it could be seen that he died on active service.
     
  7. AnneR

    AnneR Member

    Hi, my dad was also on 737 as a Sub Lieutenant (I think) John Revell, with Combined Ops. He migrated to Perth, West Australia so has not said a lot of what happened on DDay. He remembers your fathers name David when I asked him.
    He was on 737 for quite a while in Holland but a shrapnel thigh wound meant he left.
    I am interested in knowing more after reading what I can glean from many documents online. Does any one more detail about what they did on D Day after 1st assault onto Gold Beach. I understand that they did a few return trips??? Dad at 96 (Jly) is still alive but gets very confused about details. Regards Anne. Email: annerobinson@iinet.net.au
     
  8. Spitfires of the Sea

    Spitfires of the Sea Stephen Fisher

    As everyone else has already said, 737 was in the 53rd LCT Flotilla, D Squadron, G1 on D-Day (listed as such in the Force G orders). From a quick comparison of the orders and reports, I agree with Michel that the flotilla would almost certainly have been LTINs 2160 to 2169, carrying priority vehicles for 231 Brigade and its associated units (including the Sherwood Rangers).

    The flotilla embarked their loads at S4 Hard on the River Itchen in Southampton (now sadly removed) between 12 midday and 7.30pm on D-3 (bearing in mind the delay, this will have been 2nd June) and moored off Calshot to wait, before sailing past the Needles at 3pm on the 5th.

    The flotilla beached at H+90 (ie. 8.55am) on Gold Jig beach. The flotilla leader, LCT 1078 "endeavoured to find a suitable space but failed" to find a way through the obstructions. Of the ten craft from the flotilla taking part, "8 craft were damaged by mines and other obstructions, the remaining two being undamaged." (D Squadron CO's report).

    I've attached the report for you.
    Cheers,
    Steve

    D Sqn Report.JPG
     
  9. David Clements

    David Clements New Member

    Thanks Steve
    As a matter of interest, do you have details of which LCTs were in the 53rd Flotilla?
    Regards
    Dave
     
  10. Spitfires of the Sea

    Spitfires of the Sea Stephen Fisher

    No problem Dave.

    According to the distribution list for the Force G orders the following were in the 53rd Flotilla, all LCT Mk IVs: 710, 737, 902, 928, 1034, 1074, 1076, 1078, 1079, 1118, 1119, 1009.
    That's twelve in total, so two were spare and almost certainly allocated to join the first follow up Starlight convoy.
     
  11. David Clements

    David Clements New Member

    Thanks!
     
  12. AnneR

    AnneR Member

    Thanks for all the information. I have found some hand written information from my dad, that confirms what has been shared. There were 12 LCTs in the Flotilla. "The assembly of LC about 7 miles offshore was very difficult due to high seas. It was too rough to launch amphibious tanks due at the beach ahead of infantry. It was fortunate that due to sea sickness the infantry were held back from the initial landing to recover in the more sheltered water nearer the beaches and the LCTs carrying full loads of tanks were sent in first and were engaging the enemy positions by the time the infantry waded ashore weak from vomiting and thoroughly wet and cold. The flail tanks and AVRE (engineer clearance tanks) were a little late and arrived at same time as the infantry craft. LCTs landed 15 mins after first wave at Gold Jig beach but due to congestion beached to left of others. Had to wait 10 mins for a beach party to find a clear path thro' beach obstacles for our loads.Tanks were unloaded first and immediately went into action. We grounded well seawards of first beach defenses and vehicles could be safely landed. Each craft in our flotilla had a mix of 5 Sherman tanks and 10 replenishment supporting 3 ton trucks and 2 command vehicles (jeep type). We also carried an armoured bulldozer for the beach engineers. The trucks usually carried shells & ammo for tanks (3), jerrycans of fuel (3), spare parts, rations and self defense weapons incl light machine guns were carried in the other four. About 45 army personnel manned the vehicles. Army preferred a mix load of Shermans and trucks to be carried rather than just one type in each LCT. Half an hour after beaching, we hauled off and commenced our 20 hour return journey to England to pick up our first back up load. So we continued through June, all July and August taking loads of tanks and loaded trucks to Omaha and Utah in American Sector. Once over 300 soldiers bedded down on the tank deck or tank boards for the overnight trip in company with 9 other similarly loaded LCTs - about 3.5 thousand men altogether on one night about end of June. Towards end of August there was an attempt to launch DD amphibious tanks aginst coast NE of Le Havre which was abandoned, involved 4 LCTs & 8 DD (dual drives)." He also comments on coastal defenses in position that were made the areas "unhealthy", despite 2 hours of bombing. John Revell was Temp Sub-Lieutenant with Special Ops Overlord/Neptune and noted LCTs 1074, 682 and 737.
    I have no information on dates and no Service Record. Interesting and appreciative of you sharing your detailed knowledge of these times. Thanks Dave and Steve for LCTs list in that flotilla. Anne R
     
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  13. AnneR

    AnneR Member

    Does any one have information on LCT 1074 that is listed in this 53rd Flotilla that was eventually sunk on Aug 25,1944. My dad has noted that he was on LCT 1074 but with no dates. He may have been on that one during D-Day and for a bit later. Then he went onto 737 but I have no dates at moment. Enjoying reading the reports.
     
  14. Hello Ann,

    Thank you for posting the notes by your father. Do you know approximately when he wrote them?

    The same remarks apply to LCT 1074 as to LCT 737 (see [post #5 above), i.e. that LCT 1074 probably carried one of LTINs 2160 to 2169.

    However, as you can see by comparing your father's notes with the planned loading of the craft in this probable group (see link already posted above: GOLD BEACH.), the loads were quite different from what he remembers. In that group there was no "replenishment supporting 3 ton trucks" (actually, no 3 ton lorries apart from three specialised recovery/repair lorries), so it is possible that LCT 1074 was one of the two craft in 53 Flotilla not part of that group of ten.

    Additionally, no LCT could possibly carry 5 Sherman tanks and 10 3 ton lorries, plus the craft in this group landed at high tide, not "well seawards of first beach defenses", where only the first LCT (those carrying the Breaching Teams) landed.

    An account by Ron Mead, who manned one of the Oerlikon AA guns, says her load was "6 Sherman tanks and a 6 wheeled truck". Unfortunately, even bearing in mind that for most sailors every large tracked vehicle is a "Sherman tank", this does not match any planned load, except maybe LTIN 2161 which did have the 6 Sherman tanks, but no "6 wheeled truck". Maybe some other vehicle was exchanged for a 6 wheeled truck, or maybe Ron Mead misremembers one of the two M14 half-track as a truck with 6 wheels.

    LTIN 2161 does seem to be the strongest candidate, but more evidence would be needed to confirm that it was indeed LCT 1074's load.

    LCT 1074 was first reported as mined, but it appears that she sank during a submarine attack:

    Admiralty War Diary 25.8.44
    Following report received from S.O. of STARLIGHT 76. L.C.T. 1074 struck a mine in swept channel at 0715 August 25 between 14C and 14D buoys in 00 degs. 45' 24" W. 049 degs. 50' 00" N. The stern was blown off this craft but bow section was towed to Utah Station ship THOMAS BAKER ROBERTSON by L.C.T.800. Survivors were given medical attention at T.B. ROBERTSON.
    (C.T.F. 125.1.3, 251610B to C. in C. Portsmouth)


    uboat.net website states that LCT 1074 was sunk by U-764:
    HMS LCT-1074 (British Landing craft) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net

    The same website also has her casualty list:
    Crewlist from HMS LCT-1074 (British landing craft) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net

    Michel
     
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2021
  15. AnneR

    AnneR Member

    No Michel, I don't know. They were not from letters written at the time, so maybe a bit later. Thanks Anne
     
  16. AnneR

    AnneR Member

    I now have dad's (John Revell) Service Record and wondered if anyone knows what this means for dad on LCTs on DDay "turtle in pool, Shuttle service" from 2/6/44 to 8/7/44.
    Dad remembers being in Gold Bay, also Juno and Omaha at times.

    Also he was on LCT 2074 from 28/6/43 to 10/9/43 and I can't locate where this LCT may have been except for Sicily invasion on July 10, 1943? Any ideas?

    LCT 682 from 11/9/43 to 15/5/44 and 15/5/44 to 1/6/44. Any ideas to find any info?

    Thanks
    Anne
     
  17. Spitfires of the Sea

    Spitfires of the Sea Stephen Fisher

    Hi Anne,

    'Turtle in pool' is presumably HMS Turtle, a Combined Operations shore establishment in Poole, Dorset. Shuttle Service was the work carried out by landing craft (predominately LCTs) resupplying Normandy. Although there was an embarkation hard for LCTs at Turtle, after D-Day I rather expect he will have run between the Solent and Normandy more often than not.

    Cheers
    Steve
     
  18. Hello Anne,

    Could you post good photos or scans of your father's Service Record here? This should help us find out more about his whereabouts in Normandy and elsewhere.

    Michel
     
  19. Mark Lewis

    Mark Lewis New Member

    Hi All ,my Partners father was from what I can gather on LCT 737 and it is pictured landing on Juno Beach having Transported C Sqn the Inns of Court Regiment
    Is there a loading Log ,he would’ve been driving a Daimler Dingo and apparently they were held up disembarking as the hit a mine and a vehicle on board was damaged and this blocked the ramp and were to far out and had to wait for the tide to turn to unload
    possibly the number put on the LCT in the picture is incorrect
     

    Attached Files:

  20. Mark,

    Although they are nice illustrations of the atmosphere on the landing beaches, artistic paintings like this one are best ignored as regards historical accuracy of the markings depicted.

    I am not sure which part in your post comes from your partner's father and which part is derived from the painting or possibly other sources? Was he in C Sqn Inns of C? What makes you think he was on board LCT 737? A clarification and any additional information would help.

    Michel
     

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