Help in locating Gold Beach Jig / King landing area on D-Day +3

Hi,
I am hoping someone may be able to advice to location where my Grandfather would have landed on the 9th June. All I know from his war diary is that he landed on this day somewhere between Asnelles-sur-Mer and Ver-sur-Mer via a 'wet landing' and proceeded to Kipling Assembly Area.
What I am hoping is that somewhere along Gold Beach (presume in Jig or King sector) that by this time there was a main constructed exit off the beach and that his 3 ton lorry would have beached in a specific location off the beach to make fast movement to the beach exit.
I realise that were probably many exits being established, but hoping that by this D-Day+3 date that only a few were actually in use.

I am not sure if the controlled movement of landing craft was to certain specific beach locations or if it was a matter that they just unloaded anywhere and they had to find & make their way up the beach to the nearest exit?

The aim is to try to at least narrow down the area to at least 1 of the sector sub sections or Red or Green to go and visit the location.
Any help is most welcome in this family search.
Many thanks,
Alan

 

Alan

I totally understand what you want to achieve, having been there, seen it and done that on a number of occasions. One thing to remember is that the area east of Le Hamel (the German Gun position on the car park marking the western edge of Jig Beach) has been built up since the War from its 1944 state. This means that there are, to my knowledge, no tell tale signs of where Beach exits used to be. Modern roads may give clues but I've never been into that level of detail. Possibly others on the forum may be able to help with that aspect.

The section of beach you are referring to is easily accessible and safe. Lovely beach, good sand etc! If I was you, I would park next to the German Gun position already mentioned and then simply walk eastwards along the beach towards Ver sur Mer and back. That way you are bound to have crossed the appropriate bit of beach. I always find it particularly apt to do that walk along the waters edge and occasionally look up the beach (which is the way 'they' would have seen it): very poignant if you think about it. The total walk there and back can't be more than a couple of miles or so.

 

there is a well known photo of the road off gold beach
http://www.executived-daytours.com/gold-beach.html

landing tables only go for d day so any time after that I can't find out ships, boats, places etc.
That photo was taken 2 or 3 days after d day so pretty sure he'd of travelled down that road.
Who was he with?

 

This is the exit at Asnelles as it is today :-



The gap in the dunes there does seem to have been a major thoroughfare. It is marked by a plaque.

 

The Beach Group war diaries might shed some light on the matter, particularly as there were supposed to be separate exits for wheeled and tracked vehicles.

 

What Beach Group....I have a few of those

 

Hi,
It might be worth having a look at the RE Field Company War Diary covering this area to see if it has any information on the beach exits.

On ITEM and JIG beaches 90 Field Company and 173 Pioneer Company were allocated the following jobs : Beach Laterals and Roadways, Beach Tracked and Wheeled Exits, Clearing of Mines in Transit Areas.

It looks like JIG was used for the Kipling Assembly Area.

Regards

Danny

 

Hi all,
Many thanks for the quick responses to my puzzle. Thanks for all the images and the sheet confirming that Kipling was allocated to Jig sector is a first big step, so thank you Danny. I have looked at some of the images on the web of aerial photos of the area to see if I can see any main tracks off the beaches but this is hard to decipher as many tracks probably created on D-Day to get off the beaches. I am not sure what Beach Group was in control of Jig, but will start some research into it.
My Grandfather set sail from Tilbury on the 6th and was due to land on D-Day in a reserve wave. His role was to be one of the 1st Bomb Disposal sections to land and their target was to get to Port en Bessin in support of 47 RM to clear the harbor. His role was part of the diving crew, so was to search the harbor walls and bed. He finally landed on the 9th due to the port not yet taken and air raids stopping their planned landing.
Rgds,
Alan

 

Beach group diaries?
Is there one for d day plus one?
if so how can I get a copy?

 

Hi,
It is 104 Beach Sub Area for Gold Beach.

The War Diaries for the HQ are WO 171/817 and WO 166/14383. If you are lucky it will have a copy of the Operational Orders for Overlord in there.

Might be worth having a look at WO 171/1538 90 Field Company WD and WO 205/1169 Engineers : Organisation and Equipment, Report: 104 Beach Sub Area, June 1944.

Regards

Danny

 

MSGrover1
has kindly trancribed WO 205/905 - Report by Comd 104 Beach Sub Area on Op OVERLORD here:
http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/39663-104-beach-sub-area-operation-overlord-gold-beach-report/

and also uploaded the original document in the Gallery:

WO 205/905 - Report by Comd 104 Beach Sub Area on Op OVERLORD
http://ww2talk.com/forums/gallery/image/25997-p3080942/

as well as other documents:

89 Fd Coy RE
WO 171/1537 - War Diary 1944
http://ww2talk.com/forums/gallery/album/708-war-diary-89th-re-1944/

89 Fd Coy RE
WO 171/1538 - War Diary 1944
http://ww2talk.com/forums/gallery/album/709-war-diary-90th-re-1944-jan-dec/

8 GHQ Tps Engrs
WO 171/1489 - War Diary Jun-Dec 44
http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/53503-war-diary-8th-ghq-1944-june/

The Jun 44 WD for 90 Fd Coy RE unfortunately does not give the exact location of the various exits which they completed on JIG between H+9 hrs and 9 Jun, and I could not find aerial photos for this period either. However one might assume that the exits used those already opened by the Assault Engineers.

Michel

 

Does this help? From WO 171-817 104 Beach Sub Group 1944 Jan-Mar, May-Aug

 

Or these from the same diary?

 

Or this ?

 

Would a map of the area prepared in July August 1944 be of any help? I've a scan somewhere that shows beach exits and also Port Winston albeit some time after D+3.

 

Hi Drew, I think this does tick all boxes and very detailed. I am fascinated by the one way routing that of course makes absolute sense to ensure no road blockages with transport heading in land and POW / wounded transport heading back to the beaches. Thanks very much for taking the time to help load these up to my enquiry.

SDP, I would also be very interested to see the July map on exits to see if these have altered or changed in the months after the initial period of the invasion. Many thanks.