GOLD BEACH.

Hello

I have just found the BAYEUX OS Map that you posted a few years ago and wonder
Please could you let me have a copy of the adjoining map to the south if you have it. My father was Adjutant of the Hallamshire Battalion and was involved in the battles around Fontenay le Pesnel

Thank you kindly

 

That particular map is a 'one off' intended to show Port Winston and the other infrastructure developments in about August 1944. I'm not aware of any other maps in the series. Lots of maps exist of the Fontenay le Pesnel area, the best likely being 7F/1 Caen at 1:50000 scale (copies are available online in various libraries).

 

Link to Caen 7F/1 for you (McMaster University Archives). You can download it in two resolutions, medium or high (1Gb file) (give it a minute to download)

Caen

A quick “screen shot” from the map……you can zoom in and out, take a screen shot of the area you need…….or download the entire file for your use as required.

 

...and I'm guessing Tessel Wood in particular?

 

Paddy,
did you keep copies of the LSI Empire Arquebus pics and the LCAs at Spithead? If so would very much like to see them?
Roy

 

Has anyone got anymore detailed information on 176 battery / 146 Regt HAA - my grandfather served with them and I am investigating his movements through 1944 and 1945

 

[/quote] Ram SP 25pr from 147 Field Regiment RA [/quote]
I thought for the invasion that everyone converted to 105mm and M7 Priest with conversion back to 25pdr in late June.
Wonderful listing never seen anywhere else

 

Only 3 Br Inf Div and 3 Cdn Inf Div converted to M7. The three Fd Regts under command 50 (N) Div were Sexton-equipped. More details here:
Sexton Units in NW Europe question

Michel

 

can anyone provide any information on the 1048 port operating company and specifically an incident on 3rd August 1944 when 11 men from the company were killed. I am particularly interested in the person below


George Alfred Pearson - 13034621

George Alfred Pearson was born in Sheffield in the third quarter of 1913, first child of James Henry Pearson and Annie Elizabeth (nee Herring). Later the couple lived at
26 Green Arbour Lane, Thurcroft He was married in Rotherham in 1935, and the couple had four children and lived at 1 Granville Street, Laughton Common.
George enlisted in the Army, service number 13034621, and was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, 1048 Port Operating Company. He died on 3 August 1944, one of eleven men from the unit that died that day. He was 31 years old and is buried in La Delivrande War Cemetery, Douvres, which is about 8 miles north of the strategic town of Caen in Normandy, France.

Other deaths from 1048 same day

George Blewitt – sapper age 21 no known grave - https://ww1.wales/other-counties/montgomeryshire-memorials/welshpool-war-memorial-ww2/

Leonard William gridley- sapper age 25 no known grave - https://www.roll-of-honour.com/Suffolk/Hundon.html

Frank turner – sapper age unknown - Spr Frank Turner (unknown-1944) - Find a Grave...

 

Hello Chris,

Welcome to the forum!

I see that you asked the same question in another thread:
14565139 Sapper Leslie TAYLOR, 1048 Port Operating Company, Royal Engineers: 25/06/1946

Better avoid duplication so that all responses may interact.

Michel

 

hi Michel

yes I di das I had convinced myself that he had landed at Sword beach but then later found out it was actually Gold so apologies and than you for the link to the war diary

 

Hi Roy
Apologies, I didn't see this until now. Sadly not - all are in the archive of the D-Day museum at Southsea.
regards
Paddy

 

Hi Paddy,

Thanks for the reply,
Regards,

Roy

 

Trux, I think you are probably right on the pre WW1 French 75mm gun at Wn37 (Dday-overlord.com agrees with you), but there seems to be a lot of confusion over the size.
Wikipedia on 'Asnelles' and James Holland in his book 'Brothers in Arms' say it was a 77mm gun. James is a phenomenal historian and rarely wrong. I don't like to go against him!
Specialist sites Atlantikwall.co.uk, strijdbewijs.nl, Germanbunkers.com, and Normandywarguide.com all say it was an 88mm.
Can you throw any more light on it?

 

... oh, and I forgot, the Sherwood Rangers plaque on the side of the casemate says it was an 88mm.

 

"Large gun emplacement for French 75 mm wheel gun with wheels removed and
fitted on to a swivel mounting. The gun fired eastward along the beach
with an arc of fire of about 60° centre on bearing 050...."

 

I guess you have found JH's "phenomenally historical" source for the 77 mm version...
As for the 88 mm one, everybody knows that every German gun was an 88 mm...

Michel

 

Lol! No I'm not sure I have got to the bottom of JH's provenance, but you are spot on with the 88mm!

 

Hi Michel

So, I have established that the explosion was as a result of an attack on merchant shipping on the 3rd August 1944.

He was on board a ship, “Fort Lac La Rongue” that was was hit by a “torpedo” **** and 7 people were killed, 4 reported missing presumed killed and 2 wounded.

Source: GHQ 2nd Echelon war diary

****

The ship was damaged by either a German radio-controlled exploding motorboat known as Linsen or a manned torpedo known as Neger boats off the Normandy coat. The ship was beached at langrune sur mer which is just off sword beach.

I am trying to establish when George Pearson would have landed in France and his port of departure. I have the war diary for 1048 port operating company buy unfortunately it is closed until 2043.

Fort Lac La Rongue – ship information link:

https://www.nauticapedia.ca/dbase/Query/Shiplist4.php?&name=Fort Lac La Ronge&id=10010
Fort ship - Wikipedia
Kriegsmarine - Wikipedia

Chris

 

Hey! I’m looking for any info on my granddad. His name was Leslie Giddings and he apparently played an integral part in the D-Day Landing.

Leslie Giddings served with the 147th Essex yeomanary regiment RA from October 1940 until demobilisation in 1946. Although he made no secret of the fact that he did not join the army involuntarily. He quickly settled to the life and became a very good soldier. As a no 3 (gun layer) he was unsurpassed and all the members of F1, our 25 pdr, special gun had reason to be grateful for his speed and efficiency in laying the gun and firing successfull shots whilst under fire. He was able to knock out the German 88mm gun in the blockhouse at Le hamel, shortly after landing with the early arrivals on D Day in support of the 50 th (Northumbrian) division. He was a very important part for England on D Day, he helped us land.

After a short illness ( cancer) Granddad passed peacefully away on the 24 th April 1981 aged 71 - unfortunately before I even had chance to meet him & my mum was just 15 atthe time. Granddad never spoke about his time in the war, it broke his heart and we only truly know this story thanks to another soldier who fought with him.