EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY. JUNO BEACH MIKE RED SECTOR

Have been researching my late Father for some years. He was a British Royal engineer Sapper (59Mechanical Equipment Platoon) in WW2 & attached to the 3rd Canadian division. Was an operator of a D7Armoured Caterpillar Dozer that landed on Mike Red Juno beach on D Day 1944

Found this photo on the internet.
Shows a D7 Armoured Bulldozer to the left on the picture and also a Allis Chalmers HD-10 dozer.
My Dad stands to the far right of the picture behind the obstacles. You can clearly see that he has a towel around his shoulders. First of all I thought he was taking a wash, but checking out his medical records, he had been temporary blinded by sand after driving over a Tellermine. Figure he is standing there waiting for a medic?
This picture was taken on Gold Beach the day after D Day, so 7th June 1944 by a British Navy photographer not far along the beach head from where he landed on Mike Red, Juno.
Why is he on Gold Beach when he landed on Juno?
As Tom Whetnall stated. "We were in high demand and used all along the beach heads"

The American manufactured Allis-Chalmers & operated by no less than his colleague “Thomas Whetnall” from 59M.E.
Thomas was an Allis-Chalmers dozer operator throughout the war eventually (like my father) ending up in April 1945 involved with the clear up in Bergen- Belsen
There is so much going on in this amazing picture. Thomas is leaning over the front of his dozer talking a mechanic. Thomas explained to me that the crankshaft had been snapped whilst attempting to pull the bogged down Dennis lorry out of the sand.

 

Great find, photo and story! One detail though: are you sure the track lying in the sand is of the same type as on the bulldozer? Difficult to see on my screen, but it seems as if the profile pattern is different.

 

I am guessing this as my Fathers medical records for that day state that his Armoured dozer went over a "tellermine" & left him with sand in his eyes & temporary blindness. My Father is long dead, but Thomas although now 95 is still around & maybe able to confirm

 

I believe that the track on the beach belongs to the self propelled 40mm Bofors parked at the top of the beach. This has been recorded elsewhere. It lost it on D day. The gun stayed there and the beach lateral track of chespale (rolls of it in the foreground) had to be laid round it.

Mike

 

Yes please. My mistake. Could you move to Theatres of war .North West Europe . Thanks

 

Ah .Thank you Mike

 

I don't think the track's from the Crusader AA as it looks like it's double-horned not single. Perhaps from a Stuart? The Crusader's managed to lose both tracks somehow.
That's a fantastic find, though.

 

More bulldozers at Courseulles-sur-Mer
June 6th

 

I had many of the same thoughts, amazing to come across photos of a family member. Great interaction by all...no hurt feelings civilized conversation congrats

 

Great picture. D7 Caterpillar and Allis Chalmers again. Where can I view a good copy of this picture Canuck?

 

It is not often that one can identify family members in photos in this way. To identify two people and their vehicles may not be unique but certainly rare.

One day when (if) your research is complete it would be fascinating to hear how it was carried out. I do not know of anything written on this. The years of searching and one day all the snippets come together.

Mike

 

Mike. I have a lot to tell. My Father died back in 1989 & made no contact from any of his platoon after the war. Around two years ago by accident I came upon Thomas Whetnall the operator of the Allis-Chalmers dozer in the picture. From Thomas I have learnt a lot.
This picture showing dozer team from 59Mechanical Equipment with captured german flag. Shows Thomas Whetnall sitting second left centre row & my late father Tom Turner sitting to his right.

 

Probably a long shot, but on April 1st, 1945, shortly after the Rhine Crossing, a tankdozer in support of the 3rd Cdn Inf Div (9th Cdn Inf Bde) was photographed at work on an enemy road block at the entrance of the Dutch village of 's Heerenberg. Any familiar faces here?

 

Thanks for pictures Stolpi. I do have some pages from my Father`s war diaries so will see if I can tie up the dates. These crumpled pictures that he carried around with him shows one of the D7`s that he operated. This is "N952"

 

La Normandie n’a jamais oublié le débarquement des Canadiens

 

Great photos spyder. Fantastic find. It made my spine tingle to see that photo of what you obviously know is your dad. Bet you are right 'chuffed' as we say in Yorkshire.
I know that feeling too well, as I have seen pictures of my late father which I had never seen before- these were from forum members who have joined on here, and whose father's were in the same Regiment as my father.

Lesley

 

Thanks Lesley. I am quite fortunate that I do already have a few of him from WW2. I carried a Box Camera throughout WW2 and taking a few pictures on his journey. This one is him posing beside a Hauler with his Dozer on the back. This time it is an Allis-Chalmers. Good luck with finding stuff on your own Father

 

Spyder,
Now that you've piqued my interest, there are no shortage of 'dozer' photos from the British/Canadian sector: