Clearly visible, different emotions on the faces of the men, just before the D-Day landing. I would very much want to know from what unit they came from. And, who the officer is, in the right bottom corner. See slow motion footage on http://marketgarden1944-2014.pre-jump.nl/footage/
Everyone usually quiet and inwardly reflective regardless of their outward appearance as they face, yet again, the unknown . . . Joe Brown
[SIZE=1.2em]Film still showing commandos of No. 4 Commando, 1st Special Service Brigade, aboard a LCI(S) landing craft on their approach to Queen Red beach, Sword area, 6 June 1944.[/SIZE] Label Film still from the D-Day landings showing commandos aboard a landing craft on their approach to Sword Beach, 6 June 1944. D-DAY - BRITISH FORCES DURING THE INVASION OF NORMANDY 6 JUNE 1944. © IWM (BU 1181)IWM Non Commercial Licence
They look remarkably calm to me - I can't say I'd have their karma, may be I have the benefit of knowing what happened next.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll268/vickersmachinegun/Website%20images/collection/insignia/P1030287.jpg http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30071987 There were two principal versions of this badge, one circular and one rectangular with a domed top. The latter was worn by Naval personnel and the round version by the Army. RAF personnel wore the Army version but at the bottom of the jacket cuff. However, non-combattant staff also wore versions of the basic badge and the exact distribution of "tombstone" and circular versions is not clear. badge A naval anchor with the RAF eagle at the top and a Tommy Gun midway, all in red, on a dark blue circle. badge, formation/unit, Combined Operations (Army pattern). © IWM (INS 6096)IWM Non Commercial Licence one chap looks like he also wearing wireless operators badge. cant find decent image of lightning flash wireless op badge to post. like this one. http://www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com/bad03-107regt.htm
Nijmegen, The Commando Veteran Association identifies the man in the beret top left as Joe Burnett. That's just quick breeze through and I may have missed other identifications in their gallery and forum. "Joe BURNETT 4 CDO B Troop is on the back left with beret." http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/4/4+CDO+D_DAY.bmp.html Regards ...
Nijmegen, Wild guess, how about Lt. Alexandre Lofi for your man with shoulder flap insignia (2 pips?). See short man in the middle of posted pic in CVA gallery. http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/4/4+Cdo+Dec45FF.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 Another Edit - Second thoughts ... :P I don't think a French Commando would have been on the the same landing craft as "B" Troop. I'm not sure how accurate this table is for landing craft carrying 4 Commando. From other sources the two LCIs carrying the French Troops were named as 523 and 527. Lofi did, however, go in on D-Day with the French Troops (1/5, 8/6) attached to 4 Commando. If the identity of Burnett is correct and he's standing amongst other members of B Troop perhaps the man with the pips is Lt. Glass who bears some resemblance? http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/4/troop+photos/b+trp/4Cdo+BTroop.jpg.html That is, of course, pure speculation at this point. Regards ...
Owen, On your enlargement of the photograph you can see a Commando rope "Toggle". Commandos carried a Toggle rope which could be connected to another to form Long ropes or even rope bridges if required. Regards Tom
Nijmegen, I still haven't found a good landing table/schedule for the Commandos arriving on D-Day. Beside the LCI (s)I'm confused on how the LCAs were used in their case? A good site for viewing Commando short clips is on the Commandant Philippe Kieffer Facebook site. Your clip is much better in showing in the Officer in question. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10151556811024691 I'll take a look around for anything more on Lt. Glass Regards ...
They do don't they? My dad had just landed in front of them and was clearing the beaches of mines and obstacles and generally tidying up - maybe they were watching him?
Joe Burnett is, indeed at the back. He's from my neck of the woods and I had the pleasure of meeting his daughter a couple of years ago at Fort William. Alec MacAulay is in the front with, I believe, Jack Mullaniff behind him. I think my friend's father is somewhere in there too (half-hidden) - William Y Harvey (Also from round here). I'll be meeting Alec's daughter in Flushing ... and Bill Harvey. The calm before the storm. L/Cpl Syd Meddings on the right?
No.4CommandoBairn, That's great information and points strongly to the Officer indeed being Lt.Glass. So those guys in Nijmegen's clip are riding in on an LCA? I believe that's what the craft are in background which would be carrying men from the British Troops of 4 Commando. There's an interesting account by Captain Joe Patterson, the Medical Officer of 4 Commando in Julian Thompson's book, Victory in Europe. On the beach he comes across a wounded man named Donald Glass whose rank he doesn't give. "I saw Donald Glass at the water's edge, badly hit in the back. I went to him and started to cut away his equipment. As I was doing so, I was conscious of a machine-gun enfilading us from the left front. In a minute I was knocked over by a smack in the right knee, and fell on Donald, who protested violently. I tried my leg, and found it still worked though not very well. I got Hindmarch to open a stretcher and put Donald on it. I looked round for help, but the only other standing figure anywhere was my batman, who was working on his own with drowning wounded in the water. He smiled, and waved to me. I tried my leg again, and took one end of the stretcher. Hindmarch is a big strong fellow, between us we began to carry Donald up towards the wire. At the finish I was beat, and just lay and gasped. We took the stretcher from Donald, we knew we would be needing it later, and left him in a hollow in the sand." I wonder if this is Lt. Glass? Regards ...
I'll find out more from the folk I know. I don't see his name on No.4's Roll of Honour. I remember dad telling me that loads of them were very seasick in those landing crafts - him too - could account for the solemn looks. 7hr 15 - just before Dawson gestured with his hand for the French gentlemen to go first.
Interesting the way you can tell who were likely Officers and who were ORs. Patterson probably knew Glass as a fellow Officer and was on first name terms with him wheras ORs would only be known by their surname.
Thanks Guy, it's good to know Lt. Glass lived a good many years after. I think your right Mike about Officers knowing each other on a first name basis and the fact it's a personal account written sometime after probably contributed to the informality. The first casualty Patterson encountered on leaving the landing craft was "little Sapper Mullen". Regards ...