249th (Airborne) Field Company RE on D-Day and Battle of Normandy

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by PRADELLES, Jul 9, 2015.

  1. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Xavier asked me to also post here the part of Cyril Larkin's IWM interview concerning the encounter with the gunboat approaching the bridge from the north on the Caen Canal.

    "Still early in the morning a German gunboat ... well, a river patrol boat that wasn't .. anyway I never saw any armament on it at all. Although some of the stories said that they had come at the bridge and were firing at the bridge, but where I saw it it didn't happen that way. I jumped into my slit trench and fired at the wheel house. I only fired one shot. It was quite a windy morning and I had my rifle down on the soil and with the strong wind I fired just one shot and the wind blew a lot of grit over my rifle so I couldn't pull my bolt back. So I had to push it, butt down, on the bottom of the trench and kick it, the bolt back, with my heel to draw out the spent cartridge and that was the only shot I fired.

    But anyway there were other people firing as well. Some of the Ox n' Bucks lads were there, some of our engineers. Claude had a shot or two at it as well. The leading boat just ran aground and eventually the crew came aboard, or came off I should say. But Claude went along and went aboard this German craft, (..?..) like a small river craft. I didn't see any armament on it. There might have been, but they certainly weren't firing, not that I could see anyway. And I think there was only two people aboard, the skipper and someone down in the engine room or somethin'. And they were captured and a bit of boost came from them so we understood. They wondered what on earth we were doing there - why we were there being idiots to come shoot and do what we do."


    Regards ...
     
    PRADELLES likes this.
  2. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Xavier,

    The use of the term "rafting site" suggest they were working on the approaches to what eventually became the pontoon bridge over Orne River south of Ranville Bridge. Attached is photo IWM B5231 taken June 8th which claims to show:

    "Royal Engineers constructing a pontoon bridge across the River Orne, close by 'Horsa Bridge' near Ranville, 8 June 1944. The bridge was captured by 6th Airborne Division in the early hours of D-Day."

    Orne Bailey Raft.jpg

    I'll attach the WD for 246 Field Company RE that Andy put up on another thread. My impression is in the initial phase this actually was a rafting site before the pontoon bridge was built. Or it could be the centre part of the pontoon bridge is named a "raft"? The bridge across the Caen Canal (London Bridge) was an elevated pontoon bridge from the looks of it on various videos.

    p1510931.jpg p1510932.jpg p1510933kx.jpg p1510934.jpg

    Aerials from June 7th show the approaches for the bridge over the Caen Canal by the Benouville Chateau were being worked on as well. So I'm not sure if that decisively answers your question. The fellow to ask would be Sapper (Brian Guy) who was actually there at the time.

    Box-0303-7-June-1944.jpg

    Regards ...

    Edit: 246 Field Company RE
     
  3. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hey,

    Does anybody can help me to find information about exercises "BIZZ 1", "BIZZ 2" and "MUSH" ?

    Thank in advance,

    Xavier
     
  4. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Xavier,

    It would be great to find documents detailing the overall planning and objectives of the various major Airborne exercises. I find when searching for information you tend to end up with the role of a particular unit or squadron in an exercise. The Bizz exercises I'm a little blurry on. Exercise Mush pitted the 1st Airborne against the 6th Airborne. The 1st were dropped against the 6th who were assigned the defensive role on the ground. Some tentative dates:

    EX BIZZ I - March 20th to 23rd
    Ex BIZZ II.- March 25th to 27th
    Ex Mush -April 21st to 25th

    Major John Cramphorn mentions the exercises from the 13th Parachute Battalion's perspective in the "Luard's Own" report.

    http://www.pegasusarchive.org/varsity/repLuardsOwn.htm

    Do you have the war diary for the 249th Field Company RE prior to June 6th?

    Regards ...
     
  5. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Exercise "BIZZ II".
    Extract from "http://www.lightbobs.com/1944-preparation-for-d-day.html" :

    "From the 25th to the 27th March the Regiment took part in a divisional flying exercise known as“Bizz II.” It involved the use of the ‘greatest number of planes and gliders ever used in an exercise in this country. The whole airlanding brigade, less D Company, 52nd, was lifted in Horsas, with either Albemarles or Stirlings as tugs, while at the same time the 3rd Parachute Brigade was lifted in Dakotas. The objects of the exercise were to test the air planning and the division in a typical operational role.

    The north coast of France was represented by the line of the road running south from Banbury—all west of this line was considered to be Northern France. Typical enemy dispositions were laid out and very full intelligence summaries were pro­duced which conformed almost entirely to the latest information available about German dispositions in areas over which the division might be expected to operate when the invasion actually began. The bridgehead was to be formed by V Corps occupying the area Banbury—Lechlade-Shifford, the initial seaborne landings taking place at 0630 hrs on D day (the 26th March). The coast south of the projected bridgehead was to be attacked by a special service brigade to neutralize coastal defences, etc., while the 6th Airborne Division landed in area Faringdon, with the 6th Airlanding Brigade north and the 3rd Parachute Brigade south. The particular tasks were the seizing and holding intact, until relieved by V Corps troops, the bridges at 7319 and holding area
    Aston Pill—Littleworth—Faringdon by the 6th Airlanding Brigade, while the 3rd Parachute Brigade seized and held the high ground Badbury Hill and destroyed the medium battery at 7312 before first light on D day. The airborne division was to land during the evening of D minus 1 day. The Regiment was allotted thirty-seven Horsas and took off from airfields at Keevil, Fairford and Brize Norton at 1630 hrs.

    All landed at Brize Norton at approximately 1900 hrs. Route—south over the coast at Bournemouth—east over the sea to Lulworth—back north­east to the landing area. Three gliders had slight mishaps and had to make forced landings, one of them in the sea, where a very valuable cargo was lost, although all on board were rescued. This glider made a very good landing and all the occupants climbed out on to the wings and remained there until picked up by a Walrus air-sea rescue plane, which taxied them to a naval launch. The passengers included the adjutant, medical officer, padre, regimental serjeant-major and two privates from the Regiment, together with a wing commander, R.A.F., two glider pilots, two driver-operators, Royal Signals, and one R.A.M.C. orderly. Although they all suffered from shock and were rather badly shaken and bruised, none was seriously hurt. The other two gliders made forced landings some distance from the landing zone. This was a good experience for commanders, as it showed how things can go wrong in action and made them modify their plans as the result of being short of troops and supplies.

    After landing, the Regiment made its way to the rendezvous by individual glider.
    Before the Regiment landed at Brize Norton D Company had crash-landed (by troop-carrying vehicles) on the objective with the task of capturing the bridges and holding them until the Regiment arrived. The reconnaissance platoon was meanwhile moving ahead and feeling its way towards the bridges in an endeavour to discover D Company’s position. When contact was made it found that the enemy had been driven off, but that a counter-attack was expected. The Regiment moved up towards the bridges, and B Company was able to beat off the company counter-attack that was put in by the enemy at 2330 hrs. The Regiment then took up a defensive position at the bridges, digging in to give all-round defence, and prepared to await V Corps force.

    At 1530 hrs. V Corps advance guard arrived and the Regi­ment moved to a recently
    evacuated enemy position at Coleshill.

    The Regiment again dug in and continued an offensive patrolling policy throughout the night Patrols gained much information of enemy movements and strength and the
    Regiment was pre­pared for the strong attack that developed later in the morning. Using tanks, the enemy overran part of the Regimental area and several counter-attacks met with no success. ‘The enemy eventu­ally retired and our position was restored. We still held the same ground, though we were very depleted in strength. Thus ended the first full dress rehearsal for the invasion which was to come nine weeks later, though few realized the full significance at the time. Valuable lessons were learnt, especially by D Company in its assault on the bridges where the points brought out by the exercise were to prove invaluable during later planning."
     
    Cee likes this.
  6. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Exercise "MUSH".
    From http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/john_howard.htm

    In May, the Division mounted a pre-invasion exercise named Operation Mush. Howard's coup de main force were ordered to capture a bridge that was being held by men of the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade. Gliders were not used to land the Company next to the bridge, instead the men were driven to the general area in trucks and marched to a point within yards of the bridge, on the spot where their gliders would have landed, and here they were to lay low until a signal was given to indicate that they had "landed". The signal was given and Howard's men moved silently forward and on to the bridge. An umpire was present on the ground and, although the Company had captured their objective, he ruled that they had not and that the bridge had been blown. Lieutenant Hooper of No.4 Platoon argued furiously with the umpire over this point but to no avail. Further problems were highlighted too, the most serious one being that, in the dark No.1 Platoon had mistaken No.5 Platoon for the enemy and "wiped them out" with their blank ammunition. The role of the coup de main force in Operation Mush had ended in failure, however to Major Howard it had been a blessing because he and his men had learned so much about the techniques that were needed to capture a bridge successfully.

    Exercices on Exeter bridges.
    (no name ?)
    From http://www.lightbobs.com/1944-preparation-for-d-day.html

    D Company and two platoons of B Company were by now attacking bridges all over the South of England. Every pair of bridges which in any way resembled those to be captured during the opening stages of the invasion was attacked in every con­ceivable way and from every direction. Speed and dash were to be essential during this important operation. They became the foundations of every phase of training, from the taped rehearsals in a large field near Wing Barracks at Bulford right up to the final piece of training that was done on the Countess Wear bridges near Exeter. These bridges were a good replica of the bridges over the Caen Canal and River Orne in Normandy.

    The Exeter bridges were only 100 yards apart, whereas those in Normandy were 500 yards, but from the training point of view the shorter distance was an advantage, as the attacks were easier to control. By order of the brigadier (Brigadier The Hon. H. K. M. Kindersley, O.B.E., M.C.) the party for the coup de main was given every facility and priority for training, e.g., transport was “on tap.”As it was known that 5-cm. anti-tank guns were part of the German defences, captured 5-cm. guns were therefore made available and everyone in the party was trained to use them. Each platoon had a complete team of five with reserves ready to take over one of the guns on the other side. Every advantage was taken of these past few weeks’ train­ing. Nothing was left to chance.

    Best regards,

    Xavier
     
    Cee likes this.
  7. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Exercise "BUZZ I".
    From http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/frames.htm

    It was only one step up from a battalion drop, to one involving the whole Brigade group, and that was on the cards only weeks later when the Battalion was briefed for Exercise "Bizz I'. There was to be another step in the development of the Division, because this time we would be flown by the American Air Force. On a bright, breezy afternoon we emplaned, and flew round southern England before heading out towards France. As a precaution, fighter aircraft circled overhead, and eventually the great mass of transports turned and flew back inland. Number Ones were standing in the door as we approached the D.Z. when the red Verey lights arched skywards cancelling the drop. Next day we tried again, but the wind was even stronger and we didn't even get airborne. However, the drop and R.V. [Rendezous] were simulated, and the ground exercise started. The Battalion were to seize a bridge over the Thames near Faringdon, and in order to attack both ends simultaneously, a volunteer force, led by Lieutenant "Joe" Hodgson swam the river in the dark. I mention that because, less than a week later, the 13th acted as enemy on "Bizz II when the rest of the Division were deployed on an identical scheme. On this occasion, three truckloads of Infantry drove up the bridge, claiming to have landed by "coup de main" gliders, and the umpires ruled they had taken their objective. None of us realised the significance of this action at the time.


    Strange information, Major Howard Ox and Bucks troops have not taken part in "BUZZ 1". May be the choice of the unit for "coup de main" party were not decided at this moment...the alternative could be the 13th Battalion Parachute...

    Xavier
     
  8. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Xavier:

    On April 15 Major Howard was informed by his CO, Colonel Mike Roberts, his company, two platoons from B Coy and 30 Sappers were chosen to be the Coup de Main party. This allowed him to prepare more fully for the Mush Exercise where they took on the Poles defending the bridges at Cerney Wick. So there was a bit of competition as to who would get the job based on performance in previous exercises. There is some coverage for this in the Barber book and others. 7 Para also undertook training at the Countess Wear Bridges in Exeter prior to the Oxf and Bucks.

    Regards ...
     
  9. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Countess Wear Canal Bascule Bridge (Exeter bridge)
    [​IMG]
     
  10. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

  11. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hey,

    The son of sapper Dennis Chatham of the 249th inform me that his father landed by Horsa Glider on about 9pm on 6th June 1944, during MALLARD operation, and was a dispatch rider on a Matchless Motorbike along with other duties.

    He was 21 on 8th June 1944, and when his son asked him what he did that day, he just smiled and said he tried hard not to get killed. It was a bad day, they were fighting against a 21st PANZER group.

    Big thanks to his son,

    Cordialy,

    Xavier
     
  12. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hey,

    I try to understand the role of the 249th during the fight of the 9th June 1944.

    Extract of the war diary of the 249th :

    [SIZE=13pt]"9th June 1944[/SIZE]
    Place: Normandy

    Continual spasmodic shelling during the day. Intensified in the evening to a pre-attack barrage. Sudden confusion at 2100 hrs. Rumour that German attack had broken through in our sector, and wrong order caused part of coy to retire. Remainder stood firm. 12th Devons were contacted by patrol and it was found that this bn. was holding out against a strong German attack. Small party drawn from 2 pl & HQ pl under command Capt Neilson took up position on 12th Devons' right flank. Devon coy on right flank then counter attacked and restored the position. Capt Neilson's party then returned. Today's casualties:- 1 officer wounded (Capt Clive - 2 i/c). O.R's - 2 killed 14 wounded 16 missing."

    I create a new topic, "9th June 1944 : Von Luck counter-attack" to find more information about this battle...
    9th June 1944 : Von Luck counter-attack

    Regards,

    Xavier

    PS : Pensée sincère en hommage aux victimes du 13 Novembre 2015 à Paris...
     
  13. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hey,

    I found information in the war diary of the N°1 Wing The Glider Pilot Regiment.
    "Chalk Number 37 : S/Sgt. Sheperd Sgt. Bullivant returned to base due to their glider being uncontrollable."

    It could be the glider of sapper Denis Chatham, who landed in the evening of the 6th June, anormal hour for this unit.

    It's possible to know in which landing zone this glider landed ?

    Regards,

    Xavier
     
  14. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi,

    I had to edit this post as some of the information it contained was faulty and I didn't want to leave as is to cause confusion. A spreadsheet list I used claimed that CN37 was carrying 6AAR men and the Regiment's 2i/c Major Welstead. I have since discovered in the 6ARR diary that Major Welstead was actually on Op Mallard glider CN76 that forced landed above Winchester due to tow rope problems on the evening of June 6th.

    As Xavier notes above Op Tonga glider CN37 had to return to base due to aileron problems. I suspect after reorganizing they would have left on the evening of June 6th and been added to the end of the line of gliders leaving Brize Norton.

    The highest chalk numbers for gliders leaving from Brize Norton on Operation Mallard were CN 112 (Adm Tpt), 112A (9 Para Bn) and 112B all headed for LZ N. No idea if the aileron problems was repaired or if they were provided with a replacement glider.

    Edited

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2020
  15. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    A big assumption, yes, but the war diary of the 297 Squadron, 38 Group could confirm that :

    "Phase III, 8 Albemarles instead of 9 (V1778's Glider was u/s) followed from 01:10 on 06 June, plus 8 of No.296 Squadron, with the main glider force to be cast off near the DZ N. In these Gliders towed by No.297 were 5 Gliders with troops of 5th Parachute Brigade and 2 Gliders with Royal Engineers (V1778’s Glider should also have carried Royal Engineers)."

    http://www.raf38group.org/297squadron


    Another source, the 6 Airborne Division operation instructions n°. 1, part 2, inform us that Chalk Numbers 37 to 44, embark "RE Br & Clearing Eqpt". No information about "6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment"...

    http://www.paradata.org.uk/media/852?mediaSection=Operation+instructions

    Regards,

    Xavier
     
  16. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    The following is a copy and paste from Steve Wrights' book, "Operation Tonga", for the gliders carrying RE men and equipment from Brize Norton on Operation Tonga.

    Wave Three: Brize Norton ‘B’ Sqn
    (Towed by Albemarles of 296 Sqn)
    (Allocation known)
    Loads:

    CN 37–44: RE (41-43 carried bulldozers)
    CN 45: FOO 5th Parachute Bde.

    CN. LZ. Glider Pilots Comments

    37 N S/Sgt Shepherd, A. Sgt Bullivant, L. Returned to base. Aileron trouble.
    38 N S/Sgt Corry, F. Sgt Wright, R. Prem release, landed on school sports field in Ranville.
    39 N S/Sgt Goodwin, B. †Sgt Beveridge, H. Hit pole. Beveridge killed. Load OK.
    40 N ‡Lt. Norton, H. M. R. Sgt Waterhouse, C. Prem release, landed on LZ.
    41 N S/Sgt Evans, K. A. Sgt Thompson, J. On landing Evans injured, Thompson wounded.
    42 N †S/Sgt Brabham, J. †Sgt Lightowler, E. Drowned when glider came down off coast.
    43 N S/Sgt Ashby, R. Sgt Donaldson, J. Landed on LZ.
    44 N S/Sgt Steele, R. ‡Sgt Greene, J. Landed on LZ.
    45 N *S/Sgt Jones, W. *Sgt Potts, D. J. Landed well off LZ. Potts wounded by flak.


    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2020
  17. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hey all,

    I found a picture where we can see engineers of the 249th Field Company closing the gap in the tank wall in the Landpoortstraat in Willemstad, Holland.

    upload_2017-1-12_13-45-25.png upload_2017-1-12_13-45-59.png

    I wish you an Happy New Year.

    Xavier
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Jan 12, 2017
    Cee likes this.
  18. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hey,

    Monument in Carlton Colville near Lowestoft
    The village of twins Larkin

    upload_2017-1-26_15-25-11.png

    Road name :
    Ranville
    Merville
    Airedale
    Gondrée
    Benouville
    Ridgeville...
    upload_2017-1-26_15-29-21.png

    Thank you to "son of a rat".

    Cordially,

    Xavier
     
  19. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hey all,

    There is a difference between the "6th Airborne Div Troop report" and the "War diary" of the 249th Coy RE.
    At what time the 249th landed on NAN beach ? 9.15 or between 12.00 and 14.00 ? What document should we trust ?

    6th Airborne Div Troop report :
    upload_2017-8-14_12-46-53.png

    War diary of the 249 th :
    Nos 1, 2 and 3 March parties landed between 1200 hrs & 1400 hrs at or near BERNIERES SUR MER and moved independently to Airborne Assembly Area "ARCHIE"

    Regards,

    Xavier
     

    Attached Files:

    dbf likes this.
  20. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Another difference between the number of prisoners taken during the capture of ARCHIE.

    Report = 5 prisoners
    War diary = 1 prisoner

    6th Airborne Div Troop report :
    upload_2017-8-14_15-17-22.png

    War diary of the 249 th :
    Slight German resistance in ARCHIE. One prisoner captured.

    Regards,

    Xavier
     

    Attached Files:

    dbf likes this.

Share This Page