6th Airborne Division - Liaison officers on Dday

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by PRADELLES, Dec 14, 2020.

  1. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hi all,
    On Dday, some Liaison Officers were in charge of various missions.
    For exemple :
    "1 SS Bde. One LO with 3 Para Bde HQ to meet 1 SS Bde on arrival at RANVILLE brs. One LO 45 (RM) Commando with 9 Para Bn to meet 45 (RM) Commando on crossing CANAL DE CAEN."
    Brigade Headquarters, 5th Parachute Brigade
    I try to understand their missions and what they finally did on Dday...
    Kind regards,
    Xavier P
     
  2. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    "L.O. LIEUT DUTTON, LO 1 SS Bde will jump with Rear Bn HQ and will remain with this party until br head is secured; he will then join the battle outpost on the SW approach to X rds 093766 and contact leading elements 1 SS Bde at first opportunity."
    Extract from : 7th Parachute Battalion
     
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  3. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    "Lt. Peter WINSTON of 45 RM Commando. In the early hours of 6 June 1944 he jumped with 6th Airborne as the Liaison Officer for the Special Service Brigade. 6 June 1940 was Peter's 20th Birthday. Peter and the rest of his stick were dropped miles away from the intended Drop Zone. What followed, as shown on the map was an odyssey across occupied France to evade capture. He was to eventually to link up with the Americans in September near Bordeaux and flown home. Sadly, Peter Winston did not survive the war. He was killed in action in January 1945 during the 45 RM Commando action at Belle Island on the River Maas in the Netherlands. He lies today at Nederweert CWGC Cemetery. Peter's story is told by his great friend, Bryan Samain in his book 'Commando Men'. Bryan is still very much with us and his book on 45 Commando from Normandy onwards is an excellent read.
    Extract from : Twitter
     

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  4. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    "Men of the 1st Special Service Brigade making their way ashore. Third from the right is the Airborne Liaison Officer."
    Extract from : Sword Beach
     

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  5. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Attached Files:

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  6. Jonathan Ball

    Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

    Thought that paragraph looked familiar... :)
     
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  7. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    Lt. David Haig-Thomas No. 4 Commando liasion jumped with 3rd Parachute Brigade HQ with his batman Sam Ryder; he was in Brigadier Hill's aircraft.

    Explorer, Olympian & Cambridge educated, Etonian wrote three books in the thirties.

    "0600 - Lt HAIG THOMAS, 4 Cdo att, killed near BAVENT"

    Casualty Details | CWGC

     

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  8. Gary Wood

    Gary Wood New Member

    Please excuse my hijacking of your thread but I can find no other way to get info. I'm new to the forum and really want to 'post' a question but can NOT figure out how. Starting a 'New Conversation' requires knowing "Up to 5" participants and not only do I not know 5 members, I'd like as many members as possible to see my question. so here goes - I've seen a number of pics taken during the war and assume most were by unit photographers. My uncle was with the 551 Heavy Pontoon Engineer Btn in Europe. Where could I find if his unit had one? Also if anyone sees this I'm just hoping it CAN be seen by members. I can find no option to do a new post and just hope I'm starting a 'new conversation' that people can reply to. How in HELL do I put up a 'post' that can get replies? Again please forgive me for hijacking your thread - I have no idea how to post my own. Thanks Gary
     
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  9. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hi Brithm...
    What is exactly the mission of Haig-Thomas ?
    Regards,
    Xavier

     
  10. Ludo68000

    Ludo68000 6th Airborne D-Day

    Lieutenant Peter WINSTON parachuted in the Blonville Sur Mer where he stayed until 19th june 1944. He left the area with a group of 18 men all parachuted on 06 june 1944, and went to the South Of Troarn area where they stayed until 04 july 1944. The group split, some tried to get back to the lines, some like Peter WINSTON decided to go South.
     
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  11. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    Pradelles,

    Haig-Thomas was to link up with No. 4 Commando and liase between the Commando and 3rd Parachute Brigade

    brithm
     
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  12. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    About David Haig-Thomas on Dday :

    "He was assigned very shortly before D-Day to Sixth Airborne Divn. as a liason officer and that is why he and Sammy parachuted in early on the morning of D-Day. I understand that his stick came down on marshy ground close to the River Dives and well away from where they should have landed. They were ambushed near a cross roads and he was killed."
    HAIG-THOMAS, David | ͏

    "ce lieutenant était au courant du scénario des opérations projetées, il était conscient de son rôle et savait qu’un commando français allait débarquer à l’aube de ce jour sur les plages de Ouistreham et qu’il fallait préparer le terrain » - il s’agissait peut-être de la neutralisation de Merville avant 6h30 ? [ou bien de préparer l’avancée de la 1ère Brigade commando, initialement projetée vers Cabourg, et qui fut ajournée après l’arrivée de Lovat à Ranville]."
    La ferme de la rivière à Petitville
     
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  13. Airborne44

    Airborne44 Junior Member

    Hello Xavier,
    There is a piece on David Haig-Thomas and Sam Ryder in Chap 6 of The Day the Devils Dropped In. It particularly explains the incident where he died. The information came from a marvellous Frenchman that I spoke to, called Robert Godey. He was actually leading the party at the time. Hope it is of some use.
    Happy New Year.
    Regards,
    Neil.
     
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