D day. Landing ship personnel.

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by Trux, Mar 30, 2011.

  1. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    I have managed to identify most ships and craft involved in the D Day landings but this one eludes me.

    In the landing tables for 1 Corps there are several interesting landing ships including the three original LSTs Tasajera, Misoa and Bachaquero. Arriving with them at H + 23 Hours (so not strictly D Day) is Serial 3209 an LSP which sailed from London with 1864 men for 1 Corps (3 Division and 3 Canadian Division).

    Any ideas which ship this was?

    There are also some Motor Transport Ships. What type would these be? The Administrative History of 21 Army Group says no Liberty ships arrived at the British beaches until D + 9. Plenty of Motor Transport Coasters arrived on D+1.

    Mike.
     
  2. idler

    idler GeneralList

    There's a comprehensive-looking list of LSPs here on page 2. No idea how to establish which one it was, though.
     
  3. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    There is a document with the full description of all the ships of all types.I Have one here if I could only find it
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    There is a document with the full description of all the ships of all types.I Have one here if I could only find it

    You need to find all those files Brian-I suspect there are many answers to many unanswered questions in them.
     
  5. Jonathan Ball

    Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

    Does that document cover just the vessels used on D-Day itself Brian or for later e.g D+8 or D+10?
     
  6. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Idler,

    It is helpful to have an idea what I am looking for. LSP does not seem to appear in British literature. We have a confusing mixture of
    RN LSIs which were converted to a high standard.
    Merchant LSIs which were converted to a good standard.
    Merchant troop transports
    Merchant troop transports temporarily converted to LSIs
    Merchant troop transports used as LSP. These are not clearly defined.

    I have looked at the list in your link and it more or less matches lists from British sources and containing transports used temporarily as LSIs. The Landing Table says they will be landed by Ferry Service so they do not carry small landing craft. Probably fitted with communications and scrambling nets. A fair number on the list were in the Mediterranean or elsewhere so the list of candidates is small enough to try Googling them all.

    One lead might be the fact that this LSP is carrying 532 men of 5th Camerons.

    Sapper,
    Such lists seem hard to find. If you have one it would be of great interest.

    Mike.
     
  7. idler

    idler GeneralList

    One lead might be the fact that this LSP is carrying 532 men of 5th Camerons.

    That is probably the lead - I wasn't hopeful of the history/war diary/museum route if it was carrying only odds and sods.
    Pity it's not Cameronians as I've got their history.
     
  8. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    These Landing Tables are the least detailed of any that I have seen so far and the entry for the 5 Camerons is entered at the bottom in poor writing. BUT it will be Camerons since they were in 51 Division of I Corps.

    I have found more ships it can't be.

    Mike.
     
  9. cally

    cally Picture Prince.

    Sorry guys LSIs and LSTs have never been within my sphere of interest or my photo/picture database.
     
  10. fandg2

    fandg2 Junior Member

    Hi Mike a bit late to the party but I think from this Link Serial 3209 was on the SS Lancashire

    102 Beach Flight | RAF Beach Units

    You'll need to scroll down a bit.

    Came across it as I'm trying to 'prove' my grandad landed on D-day, as per his memoires and not D+1.

    He was Robert Charles Cheeseman CQMS 'C' Company King's Regt, who were part of the Juno Beach Group. I know the company landed on D+1 but my guess is that as a CQMS he landed as a recce on d-day. Anyway found some scribbling to suggest that he might have been with serial 3209 so now I'm trying to find the make up of that serial, hence me stumbling across this thread
     
  11. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    The First Liberty convoy arrived at the |British beaches at 0700 7 June:

    Convoy ETM1, Liberties six for Juno & six for Sword arrived 7/0700

    Samark (Br) 7,219 1943

    Samarovsk (Br) 7,219 1943 IWM Photos B 005215 (& B 5214?)

    Sambut (Br) 7,219 1943 Shelled in Dover Strait, burnt out

    Samdel (Br) 7,291 1943

    Saminver (Br) 7,210 1944 IWM photo A 23033

    Sammont (Br) 7,219 1943

    Samneva (Br) 7,219 1943

    Samos (Br) 7,219 1943

    Sampep (Br) 7,219 1943 Daily Telegraph correspondent

    Samphill (Br) 7,219 1943

    Samvern (Br) 7,219 1943

    Samzona (Br) 7,219 1943

    All Red Ensign merchant ships - not HM Liberty ship SAM*** as TNA would have it!
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2021
    Edward Pattinson likes this.
  12. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE INVASION OF NORMANDY (PART 2) [Allocated Title]

    I. Transport belonging to 51st (Highland) Division units queues up along a quayside in the East India Docks before being hoisted aboard HM Liberty ship Samarovsk.

    II. Men belonging to units serving with, or temporarily attached to, the Highland Division (notably the Black Watch, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the first category and Second Army artillery in the second) climb aboard the Samarovsk and go below to their accommodation in the stern of the ship, after having their embarkation tags checked and torn off by a CMP checkpoint at the foot of the gangway.

    TD

    REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE INVASION OF NORMANDY (PART 2) [Allocated Title]
    Film Number:
    A70 36-4

    It also mentions Sambut
     
  13. Edward Pattinson

    Edward Pattinson Active Member

    Anyone know if the 61st Highland Anti Tank regiment is with the 51st HD on the samarovsk? Where did they land? I'm thinking Juno nan Beach D+1
     
  14. See the other IWM films in the same series as the one pointed out by our much regretted Tricky Dicky:
    Find an object | Imperial War Museums

    Part 4 (A70 35-2) specifically mentions 61 A Tk Regt on board SAMAROVSK, but elements of this unit must have been carried by other ships too:
    REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE INVASION OF NORMANDY (PART 4) [Allocated Title]

    "The cameraman surveys the passage of craft ferrying men, stores and vehicles from merchant shipping anchored off Bernieres-sur-Mer to 'Nan' Beach. Troops on board the Samarovsk watch a Morris Quad artillery tractor from the 61st Anti-Tank Regiment RA being lowered into LCT 2296."

    The date is indeed 7 Jun as you also correctly surmised.

    Michel
     
  15. Edward Pattinson

    Edward Pattinson Active Member

    Thank you Michel, it's very easy to get swept off course when investigating these details. My grandfather was in battery 241 with the 61st. Thanks again
     

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