D-Day Sword Beach: Company Commanders

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Hannover, Dec 11, 2021.

  1. Hannover

    Hannover Member

    I have been trying to compile a list of all of the Company Commanders and above that landed on D-Day. I have yet to find a comprehensive list available from a single source and internet sources seem far from complete. This has disappointed me somewhat as information on the Axis side seems to be more readily available. I have contacted several Regimental Museums to attempt to fill in gaps that I have. Finding the names of even some of the Regimental commanders has also been surprisingly problematic considering that these were the men that fought against fascism.
    I hope eventually to list the Company Commanders of all the beaches on June 6th but have decided to begin with Sword Beach. I will list the information I have for each Infantry Brigade, then the Armoured Brigade and finally the supporting units. If anyone could add any names or corrections on the information that I have collected it would be most appreciated.
    So to begin with:
    8th Infantry Brigade
    Brig. E.E. Cass

    Suffolk Regiment/1st Battalion

    Lt-Col. Dick Goodwin

    Company A: Capt. Ryley
    Company B: Maj. Mac Caffrey
    Company C: Maj. Charles Boycott
    Company D: Maj. Philip Papillon
    Support Company: unknown

    East Yorkshire Regiment/2nd Battalion
    Lt-Col. G.F. Hutchinson

    Company A: Maj. C.K. King
    Company B: Maj. Sheath
    Company C: unknown
    Company D: Maj. Barber
    Support Company: unknown

    South Lancashire Regiment/1st Battalion
    Lt-Col. Richard Burbury

    Company A: Maj. ‘Spook’ Harward
    Company B: Maj. Harrison
    Company C: Maj. Eric Johnson
    Company D: Maj. J. Egglington
    Support Company: unknown
     
  2. Hannover

    Hannover Member

    Next is the brigade I have least information on
    9th Infantry Brigade
    Brig. J.G. Cunningham

    Lincolnshire Regiment/2nd Battalion
    Lt-Col. Christopher Welby-Everard

    Company A: unknown
    Company B: unknown
    Company C: unknown
    Company D: unknown
    Support Company: unknown

    Kings Own Scottish Borderers/1st Battalion
    unknown

    Company A: unknown
    Company B: unknown
    Company C: unknown
    Company D: unknown
    Support Company: unknown

    Royal Ulster Rifles/2nd Battalion
    Lt-Col. ’Tommy’ Harris

    Company A: unknown
    Company B: unknown
    Company C: unknown
    Company D: unknown
    Support Company: unknown
     
  3. Hannover

    Hannover Member

    185th Infantry Brigade
    Brig. K.P. Smith

    Royal Warwickshire/2nd Battalion
    Lt-Col. H. Herdon

    Company A: unknown
    Company B: unknown
    Company C: unknown
    Company D: unknown
    Support Company: unknown

    Royal Norfolk Regiment/1st Battalion
    Lt-Col. R. Bellamy

    Company A: Capt. Adrian Kelly
    Company B: Maj. Eric Cooper-Key
    Company C: unknown
    Company D: Maj. Papillon
    Support Company: unknown

    King’s Shropshire Light Infantry/2nd Battalion
    Lt-Col. F. Maurice

    Company W: Maj. A.F. Slater
    Company X: Maj. G.M. Thorneycroft
    Company Y: Maj. P.C. Steel
    Company Z: Maj. P.H. Wheelock
    Support Company: Capt. T.H. Read
     
  4. Hannover

    Hannover Member

    27th Armoured Brigade
    Brig. G.E. Prior-Palmer

    13th/18th Royal Hussars
    HQ Squadron: Lt-Col. Harrap
    Squadron A: Maj. Wormald
    Squadron B: Maj. Rugge-Price
    Squadron C: unknown

    1st East Riding Yeo.
    HQ Squadron: unknown
    Squadron A: unknown
    Squadron B: unknown
    Squadron C: unknown

    Staffordshire Yeo.
    HQ Squadron: Lt-Col. J.A. Eadie
    Squadron A: Maj. M.A. Spencer-Nairn
    Squadron B: Maj. G.J.W. Turner
    Squadron C: Maj. P.B. Griffin
     
  5. Hannover,

    Welcome to the forum !

    13/18 H
    CO Lt Col Richard Thresher Giles 'Dick' HARRAP (38712)
    A Sqn Maj Derrick Bruce WORMALD (67087)
    B Sqn Maj Anthony Arthur Keith 'Dag' RUGGE-PRICE (63560)
    C Sqn Maj Sir Delaval James Alfred 'Bart' COTTER (52615)
    HQ Sqn Maj John Roger CORDY-SIMPSON (49810)

    Michel
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2021
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  6. tmac

    tmac Senior Member

    F Troop, 318 Battery, 92nd LAA (Queen Red)

    Captain Robert Tennant Reid, CO of 318 Battery
     
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  7. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    List of officers in 2 Bn Royal Warwickshire Regt 4th June 1944.

    Regards

    Danny

    2 Bn  Royal  Warwickshire  Regt   June 1944.jpg
     
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  8. 2 RUR
    CO Lt Col Ian Cecil HARRIS (47584)
    2iC Maj Basil James FitzGerald DONLEA, MC (56784)
    HQ Coy Capt Michael Dennis George Conybeare RYAN (64645)
    A Coy Maj William Davidson TIGHE-WOOD (100901)
    B Coy Maj John Waymari HYDE (105343)
    C Coy Maj John Charles Stewart Grant DE LONGUEUIL (85696)
    D Coy Maj John Richard St. Leger ALDWORTH (117163)
    S Coy Maj Charles Raymond Patrick SWEENY, MC (74698)
     
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  9. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    1 KOSB

    CO - Lt Col G.D. Renny

    Company Officers 9th June

    A Coy - Major R.G. Wardie, MC
    B Coy - Major R.E. Laurie
    C Coy - Major H.S. Gillies
    D Coy - Major A.J. Rennie
    S Coy - Captain T.D. Sanderson
    HQ Coy - Captain G.E. Barker
     
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  10. From the Regimental History of 2 LINCOLNS, their OOB at embarkation for OVERLORD:
    2LincsP11 - OOB 6 Jun 44.jpg
    2LincsP12 - OOB 6 Jun 44.jpg
     
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  11. Hannover

    Hannover Member

    First of all can I thank everyone for their responses so far, they are much appreciated.
    Now for the first part of the supporting units. I know that not all companies from some formations were involved or some units failed to land and did not arrive until after 6th June so I have tried to mention this where appropriate but have included them as part of a full unit for completeness. For Royal Artillery Regiments I have tried to include the battery numbers when known.

    2/Middlesex Regiment - MG & Mortar Bn.
    CO: unknown
    Company A (MG):unknown, landed at H+45
    Company B (MG):unknown
    Company C (MG):unknown
    Company D (M):unknown

    I am unsure which of these companies landed on 6th June.

    Royal Artillery - 7th Field Regiment (SP)

    CO: Lt-Col. N.P.H. Tapp
    9/17 Battery
    16/43 Battery
    Trew in Battlezone Normandy records the Batteries as 9, 16 and 17/43

    Royal Artillery - 33rd Field Regiment
    CO: unknown
    101 Battery
    109 Battery
    113/114 Battery

    Royal Artillery - 76th (Highland) Field Regiment (SP)
    CO: Lt-Col. Mervyn Foster
    302 Battery (Fife)
    303 Battery (City of Dundee)
    354 Battery

    Royal Artillery - 20th A-T Regiment
    CO: unknown
    41 Battery
    45 Battery
    67 Battery
    101 Battery

    Royal Artillery - 73rd Light AA Regiment

    CO: Lt-Col Armstrong
    218 Battery landed at H+45
    220 Battery
    296 Battery

    Royal Artillery - 92nd (Loyals) LAA Regiment

    CO: Lt-Col C M Adderley
    317 Battery
    318 Battery
    319 Battery
     
  12. 7 Fd Regt (SP) RA
    CO Lt Col Nigel Prior Hanson TAPP, RA (30558)
    2iC Maj Alastair CAMERON, RA (47530)
    Battery Commanders:
    9 (Irish) Fd Bty (SP) RA Maj John Faulder LISTER, RA (86756)
    16 Fd Bty (SP) RA Maj Robin Horace Walford DUNN, RA (74516)
    17/43 Fd Bty (SP) RA Maj Ian Hamilton Keith RAE, RA (79808)
     
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  13. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    A couple more.

    Suffolk Regiment/1st Battalion


    Support Company: unknown - Major W.D. Gordon


    South Lancashire Regiment/1st Battalion

    Support Company: unknown - Captain I.G. Harrison ?
     
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  14. tmac

    tmac Senior Member

    Re 92nd (Loyals) LAA. As I mentioned above, F Troop of 318 Battery, comprising six SP Bofors Guns, was the only unit of the regiment to land on D-Day itself, commanded by Captain Robert Tennant Reid. Its task was to protect the bridges at Benouville and Ranville (Pegasus and Horsa bridges). The remainder of 318 Battery and RHQ was due to land the following day, but the liberty ship on which they were travelling, the Sambut, was sunk by German gunfire in the Dover Strait around noon on June 6.
     
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  15. Quis Separabit

    Quis Separabit Junior Member


    Details below might help with some of your research....

    2 Royal Ulster Rifles (as at D-Day - based on Research of "The Rifles Are There"; War Diary; Official History)
    CO : Lieutenant-Colonel I.C. Harris
    2IC : Major B.J. FitzGerald Donlea M.C.
    IO : Lieutenant G.P. Flack
    Adjutant : Captain W.E.S. Sturgeon
    QM : Captain C.H.D. Henniker
    MO : Captain C.R. Wright R.A.M.C
    Padre : Father O'Brien
    RSM S. Fleming

    HQ Company
    CO : Captain M.D.G. Ryan (wounded 9th June at Cambes)
    2IC: ??
    1st Platoon (Signal Platoon) : Lieutenant F.W. McFaull
    2nd Platoon (Transports) :
    CSM ???

    Support Company :
    CO : Major C.R.P. Sweeny M.C.
    2IC : ???
    3rd Platoon (Mortars) : Captain A.G. Sellers (wounded 6th June in assembly area)
    4th Platoon (Carriers) : Captain H.M. Gaffikin (wounded 7th June at Cambes)
    5th Platoon (Anti-Tank) : Captain C.R. Gray
    6th Platoon (Pioneers) : Lieutenant D.R.R. Greer
    CSM Lutton

    A Company :
    CO : Major W.D. Tighe-Wood
    2IC : Captain A.C. Bird
    7th Platoon : Lieutenant J.H. St J. Cooper (wounded 9th June at Cambes)
    8th Platoon : Lieutenant R.S. Hall (killed 9th June at Cambes)
    9th Platoon : Lieutenant D H Walsh (wounded 9th June at Cambes)
    CSM Walsh

    B Company :
    CO : Major J.W. Hyde
    2IC : Captain W.H. Baudains M.M.
    10th Platoon : Lieutenant S.E. Frost
    11th Platoon : either Lieutenant H.D.D. O'Neil/Lieutenant W.E. Palmer
    12th Platoon : either Lieutenant H.D.D. O'Neil/Lieutenant W.E. Palmer
    CSM ???


    C Company :
    CO : Major J.S.C.G. De Longueuil
    2IC : Captain N.R.V. Watson
    13th Platoon : Lieutenant C.C. Rand
    14th Platoon : Lieutenant R.C. Diserens (killed 9th June at Cambes)
    15th Platoon : Lieutenant R.D. Purcell
    CSM T. Kelly

    D Company :
    CO : Captain J. R. St. J. Aldworth (killed 7th June at Cambes)
    2IC : Captain J. Montgomery (wounded 9th June at Cambes)
    16th Platoon : either Lieutenant W.E. Palmer/Lieutenant S.M. Lennox (wounded 9th June at Cambes)
    17th Platoon : either Lieutenant W.E. Palmer/Lieutenant S.M. Lennox (wounded 9th June at Cambes)
    18th Platoon : Lieutenant H. Greene (wounded 7th June at Cambes)
    CSM ???

    [​IMG]


    9 Brigade Headquarters (4th June 1944)
    upload_2021-12-13_16-30-52.jpeg

    2 Lincs (20th May 1944)
    upload_2021-12-13_16-33-32.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2022
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  16. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    A couple more.
    Regards
    Danny


    2/Middlesex Regiment - MG & Mortar Bn.
    CO: unknown - Lt Col G.P.P Weston, OBE
    A (MG):unknown, landed at H+45 - Major P.A.V. King-Farlow - Landed between H+20 and H+120.
    B (MG):unknown - Major E.L.G. Passey - Landed 7th June PM.
    C (MG):unknown - Major E.J. Unwin - Landed shortly after H+240
    D (M):unknown - Major C.D.L. Brereton - Two Platoons landed shortly after H+240
    HQ - Captain R.O.F. Hickman

    Royal Artillery - 33rd Field Regiment
    CO: unknown - Lt Col T.E. Hussey
    101 Battery
    109 Battery
    113/114 Battery

    Battery Commanders
    Major D.M. Brooke, MC
    Major A.B. Edwards

    Royal Artillery - 20th A-T Regiment
    CO: unknown - Lt Col G.B. Thatcher
    41 Battery
    45 Battery
    67 Battery - Major W.H. Purchase-Rathbone
    101 Battery

    Battery Commanders
    Major J. Hendrson (41 ?)
    Major J. Howard (45 ?)
    Names are correct, not 100% sure about Battery.
     
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  17. Quis Separabit

    Quis Separabit Junior Member

    And from source below:
    33 FIELD REGT ROYAL ARTILLERY 6 JUNE 1944 TO 5 MAY 1945 Copy No 60.pdf
    you can add

    2IC Major R.B.Asplin
    Adjutant Captain J.S. Brymer

    Also:
    101 Field Battery = Major A.B. Edwards
    109 Field Battery = Major J.E.H Wise (assumed: FOO during landings and 109 Battery first to land)
    113/114 Field Battery = Major D.M.Brooke M.C. (KIA 9 June at Cambes)
     
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  18. Hannover

    Hannover Member

    The following Commando Units were attached to 3rd Infantry Division for the assault.
    1st Special Service Brigade CO: Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, Lord Lovat
    No. 3 Commando
    CO: Lt-Col. Peter J. Young
    2iC: Maj. John B. V. Pooley

    No. 4 Commando
    CO: Lt-Col. Robert W. Dawson
    2iC: unknown

    No. 6 Commando
    CO: Lt-Col. Derek Mill-Roberts
    2iC: Maj. Charles Courtenay Coade

    No. 45 (Royal Marine) Commando
    CO: Lt-Col. Charles Ries
    2iC: Maj. W. N. Gray

    No. 10 (Inter-Allied) French Commando
    CO: Capitaine de Corvette Philippe Kieffer
    2iC: unknown
    [No.1 and No.8 Troop only]

    4th Special Service Brigade CO: Brigadier Bernard W. Leicester
    No 41 Royal Marine Commando [was to land on the far west of Sword Beach]
    CO: Lt-Col. Eric C. Palmer
    2iC: Maj. D. L. Barclay (KIA 7th June 44)
     
  19. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    41 RM Commando.

    A Troop - Captain C.N.P. Powell
    B Troop - Captain H.F. Morris
    P Troop - Captain B.J.B. Barclay
    S Troop - Captain W.D. Grant
    X Troop - Captain H.B. Stratford
    Y Troop - Captain P.T.H. Dufton
     
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  20. Hannover

    Hannover Member

    Thank you Danny M for your contribution. I did not list Troop commanders but as you have listed those for 41 RM Commando I will list the Troop commanders that I have. The idea is that I will collate all of the information here and make it available to everyone in the Resources section.
    Unfortunately Y Troop commander Capt. Peter Howes-Dufton was KIA on D-Day.

    No. 3 Commando
    1 Troop: Capt. C.E.A. Collins
    2 Troop: Capt. J. Bartholomew
    3 Troop: Capt. Eric R. Westley
    4 Troop: Capt. B. D. Butler
    5 Troop: Capt. Woyevodsky
    6 Troop: Capt. John Alderson

    No. 4 Commando
    A Troop: Capt. Alistair M. Thorburn
    B Troop: unknown
    C Troop: Capt. David C. W. Style
    D Troop: Maj. Pat A. Porteous
    E Troop: Capt. Hutchison Burt
    F Troop: Capt. Len N. Coulson

    No. 6 Commando
    1 Troop: Capt. Marshall John Adam Leaphard
    2 Troop: Capt. Alan Creswell Holman Pyman (KIA 6 June 1944)
    3 Troop: Maj. D. Colquhoun
    4 Troop: Capt. Thompson
    5 Troop: Capt. Reginald J. Emery
    6 Troop: Capt. Clark Edmond John Leaphard

    No. 45 (Royal Marine) Commando
    A Troop: Capt. E. E. Grewcock
    B Troop: Capt. N. G. Michael
    C Troop: Maj. J. N. Rushworth
    D Troop: Capt. A. A. Scott
    E Troop: Capt. I. N. Beadle
    F Troop: Capt. A. W. Neaves

    No. 10 (Inter-Allied) French Commando:
    1 Troop: Lieutenant Guy Vourch
    8 Troop: Lieutenant Alex Lofi
    K Gun Troop: Lieutenant Pierre Amaury
     

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