D-Day - naval statistics.

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by Peter Clare, Jun 6, 2009.

  1. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    The Normandy landings were the largest amphibious operation ever undertaken. The naval force consisted of......

    138 Bombarding ships.
    221 Escorts.
    287 Minesweepers.
    4,000 + landing craft.
    423 Ancillary ships and craft.
    1,260 Merchant ships.
    79% of the combatant ships sailed under the White Ensign.
    On the first three days, 38 convoys, comprising 743 ships had been sent across the Channel.
    By the tenth day, 500,000 men and 77,000 vehicles had been landed.

    Off Sword beach the destroyer Svenner (Norway) was sunk by torpedo and the destroyer HMS Wrestler was irreparably damaged by a mine and was towed to Portsmouth.
    In the Dover Strait, the cargo ship Sambut, the Thames to Normandy beaches with vehicles and almost 500 troops was sunk by gunfire from enemy shore batteries.
    The destroyer USS Corry was mined off Utah Beach
     
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  2. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Here is a little more about the loss of the Sambut from the website about the 92 LAA (The Loyals) Regiment, RA, some of whose men were on board and I quote:-

    "The Sambut had sailed from Southend in convoy early on D-Day, with the remainder of 318 and RHQ -120 officers and men - aboard. In all, the liberty ship was carrying a total of more than 500 troops from 28 different units, plus vehicles, weapons and large quantities of ammunition and high explosives. Just after midday on June 6, disaster struck. Three miles off Dover, the ship was hit by two 16-inch shells fired from German gun batteries in Calais - the most terrible misfortune, for the salvoes could not have been aimed. Fierce fires broke out and could not be tackled because the pumping gear was put out of action. After about 45 minutes, the master had to order abandon ship. `The troops went over the side in a very orderly manner,' wrote Captain W D Almond of 92nd LAA. `The wounded were also taken off the ship and by 1400 hours she had been completely abandoned and the survivors had been picked up by a variety of small craft. One officer and 73 other ranks swam to a corvette and were not disembarked in the UK until three days later, after enjoying a ringside view of the landing beaches, whither the corvette was steaming at the time.' Of the 92nd contingent on the Sambut, three men were killed, four were missing presumed dead, one died of wounds and 14 were wounded. All equipment and records were lost. The burning hulk of the ship, rocked by explosions, was finally sunk by a Royal Navy torpedo at location 51 08 N, 01 33 E.

    Those who died were Sergeant Frederick Blaker, Sergeant Percy Ring, Bombardier John Wolfe, Gunner Wilfred Lever and Gunner Walter Hartley - all of 318 Battery - Bombardier Sidney Crane and Gunner Herbert Davies - both of RHQ - and Corporal George Challinor, of the Royal Corps of Signals, attached RHQ." :poppy:

    Here is a link to the site about 92 LAA (The Loyals), from where the above information came. Well worth a look.

    index

    Cheers - Robert
     
  3. Bart150

    Bart150 Member

    Peter,
    Thanks for the statistics. May I ask you for a little clarification?
    We can distinguish:
    1 The initial force that set out from the south coast of England, and got to Normandy at high tide on the morning of June 6
    2 The forces that set out from the east coast of England and the south coast of Wales, and got to Normandy at high tide on the evening of June 6
    3 Further forces on the following days.

    Do your figures apply to 1 only? or 1+2? or 1+2+3? (If the latter, how many following days?)
     

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