Here you go: LSI(L) Glenearn 535 Assault Flotilla - LCA 171, 223, 318, 352, 471, 604, 664, 782, 784, 804, 868, 872 543 Assault Flotilla - LCA 337, 601, 896, 897, 899, 900, 901, 904, 979, 1216, 1383, 1491 LSI(L) Empire Battleaxe 537 Assault Flotilla - LCA 429, 496, 524, 584, 611, 653, 770, 778, 779, 780, 781, 792, 840, 898, 1215, 1251, 1252, 1338 LSI(L) Empire Broadsword 538 Assault Flotilla - LCA 387, 424, 635, 637, 638, 651, 652, 665, 673, 796, 870, 903, 905, 906, 1341, 1376, 1379, 1381 LSI(L) Empire Cutlass 536 Assault Flotilla - LCA 341, 344, 485, 572, 589, 704, 757, 777, 791, 795, 866, 867, 902, 993, 1015, 1113, 1157, 1256 LSI(H) Maid of Orleans 514 Assault Flotilla - LCA 715, 812, 822, 825, 828, 877 LSI(S) Prinses Astrid 500 Assault Flotilla - LCA 360, 419, 422, 468, 476, 494, 535, 1098 Source: Green List (Corrected to A.M. 5th June, 1944) Michel
I'm not sure if this is the right place to post but I've just published a book on the 2nd Bn East Yorks on D-Day and their training for it, called 'D-Day to Bremen and Beyond' based on interviews I did for my PhD 25 years ago. If anyone is interested please email me on tracycraggs[at]btopenworld[dot]com and I will let you know details. All profits are going to the PWO Regtal Association. Many thanks.
Interested1 (ie. Dr C), I'm a bit dismayed that no one on the forum has responded to your post (I have an excuse, I've been travelling...) Indeed, this thread is a very appropriate place to mention your book (although the title of this thread "Sword Beach" erks me as it is something of a misnomer. And yet some supposedly learned chap is about to perpetuate this error by releasing a book with the title Sword Beach! But I digress...). Knowledge of the exploits of the 2nd East Yorks is fundamental to the understanding of the events on "D-Day" ie. on Queen Red beach in the Sword Area. I made a point of downloading your fantastic PHD effort "An 'Unspectacular' War? Reconstructing the history of the 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment during the Second World War" some years ago. The research in your document has significantly aided my own efforts. I shall send you an email. Regards Arty
This is a bit of a long shot, but is anyone able to provide any information on the Forward Observation Bombardment (FOB) unit attached to 45 Commando within the Sword area. My grandfather was a Forward Observation Officer Bombardment (FOOB) attached to 45 Commando who arrived at Queen Red Beach on LCI(S) 518 on D-Day. I assume that he would have been accompanied by one or two signallers who operated a wireless. I have no idea which ships his team communicated with and which enemy positions they targeted. Many thanks in advance.
Thanks for your excellent work on this. Please can you let me know where you found the information quoted below? My grandfather was one of the 4 men from ‘C’ Bombardment Troop who accompanied 45 Commando on their journey to Queen Red Beach on D-Day. The information you have posted indicates that he would have been on the LCI(S) with serial no. 287, which was LCI(S) 530. However, My grandfather's landing craft was hit several times before it reached the beach and sustained quite a few casualties, indicating that he was in fact on LCI(S) 518, with serial number 284. Within the 5 landing craft assigned to 45 Commando, do you think it is possible that people were swapped from one landing craft to another (i.e. that they did not stick to the original plan of who was put in each landing craft)?
Capt JA Goodall FOB 86, attached 45 RM Cdo. A minor correction. Although there are various incorrect versions to be found, it's not FOOB Forward Observation Officer Bombardment (FOOB), it was "Forward Observer Bombardment" >>abbreviated to FOB Back to Capt Goodall: Extracts from The story of 45 Commando, Royal Marines, 1943-1971 David Young: [07June44] "27 ...increasingly impossible for replacement supplies to be despatched from Brigade — the Commando was now virtually isolated. At four o'clock the Merville Battery opened up and a Troop was detached to engage it. Final orders were issued in Merville where the Commando had spent the previous night. Whilst the unit was forming up the objective was subjected to a heavy bombardment by two cruisers and two destroyers whose fire was directed by the two FOBs* attached to Four Five and No. 3 Commando. The advance started at five minutes past five, the distance between Merville and Franceville being some 500 yards across flat open country The edge of the town was reached and cleared without incident, and so C Troop swung left to occupy a wood so that it could cover the final assault. The wood was full of slit trenches, but most of these had been hastily evacuated. Those which weren't soon had their residents cleared by hand grenades. C Troop then settled down into their slits to observe the attack and prevent any outside interference. They could see E and B Troops picking their way down Piccadilly and see the naval gunfire landing on enemy positions to the east of the town. This was being directed by the FOB (Captain J. A. Goodall, RA) who had positioned himself in a tree top in Sallanelles which had been conveniently constructed as an observation post by the Germans and afforded an excellent view of the battlefield...." "30 ...Radio communications with Brigade still proved to be very tenuous. The only outside link was via the FOB’s set to the HQ ship and then to Brigade. It was still not yet known how the two Troops of No. 3 Commando had fared against the Merville Battery...." "32 At this time fire had brought down to check the continuous mortar fire. The FOB called for fire from a destroyer to silence positions at Franceville. The Navy’s salvoes were most effective and the firing soon subsided from that area...." "35 ..........The Germans did not wait for long and as Four Five moved away from Merville they entered from the other side, hoping to cut off stragglers. Naval gunfire helped to keep the Hun at bay, and the FOB controlled fire from a destroyer on to the village only minutes after C Troop had evacuated it, so that the enemy would be reluctant to advance any further and carry on a running fight...." Capt Hodgkin FOB 90 attached to 3 Cdo "turned up from nowhere" on 07June and so for a short period two FOB's were with 45 RM Cdo. However, on 08June Capt Goodall was temporarily with 3 Cdo, as Capt Hodgkin was still busy with 45 RM Cdo... 3 Cdo Diary extracts: 08June “1000 Captain Goodall , F.O.B. (HMS HUNTER) arrives and goes to 6 Troop….” Next, from Capt Hodgkin’s detailed report… ”JUNE 9TH At 0900 hrs party rejoined No 3 Cdo to replace Capt Goodall who had taken over in our absence….” Have a look at this link too: 45 (R.M.) Commando - Extracts from Unit History covering campaign Normandy to the Baltic
Fantastic! That's him - Captain Robin Goodall (David Young got his initials wrong). Thank you very much. I knew that he had climbed a tree but didn't realize that it was an observation post that the Germans had constructed. Where do I find Capt Hodgkin’s detailed report?
I have been trying and trying to identify Capt J.A. Goodall for a long while! No wonder I couldn't find him!!! This is the link to the superb Pegasus Archive website. Capt Hodgkin's reports are Appx "H" No.1 (explaining how he got separated from 3 Cdo on 08June) and Appx "H" No.2 (after action report up to 23June) No.3 Commando Arty
Yes. I have his service record but the information in it is quite limited. There is a photo of him and the rest of No. 3 Bombardment Unit “C” Troop, taken shortly before D-Day, here: Combined Operations Bombardment Unit C/3 He is sitting down in the centre of the photo, in the second row from the front and sixth along from the left-hand side.
Simon, The War Diary for No. 3 COBU (Combined Operations Bombardment Unit) might have some more info. Though its not online. 3 Combined Ops. Bombardment Unit | The National Archives I'm also going to add, there are a couple of references in the 3 Cdo War Diary to Capt Goodall using HMS Hunter to engage targets on 08June. Curious indeed as the destroyer HMS Hunter was sunk in 1940 and the next ship to bare the name HMS Hunter was an escort carrier! Arty
Thanks Arty. I think I’m almost certainly going to have to pay a visit to Kew. I would order a copy but I have no idea how large that document is and which parts I would want to see. According to the Royal Navy research archives, aircraft from HMS Hunter were used for bombardment spotting in the days following D-Day: A History of H.M.S. HUNTER
Simon, There were a couple of people on the forum offering a copying service, including Drew5233. He may have already copied it (ie. given the amount of interest in the D-Day period) Arty
Simon, I used the term D-Day in the context of the events in Normandy in June 1944. The D-Day being referred to in the HMS Hunter history was the beginning of Operation Dragoon on the 15th August 1944. That is, the coast of southern France ie. the Mediterranean, not the English Channel. As the history confirms, on 24th May 44 HMS Hunter arrived at Gibraltar. On 6th June 1944 (D-Day in Normandy) HMS Hunter sailed into the western Mediterranean. She was still in the Mediterranean on 15th August 1944. Not at all close to Capt RG Goodall Arty
A quick question, is anyone here able to provide a map reference for 45 Commando's RV point once they had landed at Queen Red? I understand that this was in a wooded area about a mile inland. For anyone that doesn't already know - the following website is excellent for converting the six figure grid references that the British army were using into references that can be used on Google Maps: The "Coordinates Translator". You need to ensure that you add the appropriate 2-letter prefix before clicking on convert - which is vU if you are concerned with the Sword area. No. 6 Commando's RV point was at 086797 (49°17'14.6"N 0°17'39.9"W). Did both Commando units have their RV at the same location?
Hi Tracy, your PhD was very useful to me when writing my book, and you'll find it in the bibliography. I did try to get in touch with you, but it was probably a long dormant account I tried to reach. I managed to dig up some more 2 East Yorks accounts and really expand their story beyond the usual narrative (typically given to us by Lord Lovat) so I think you'll be interested to see it. I'd tell you the book title, but hey, wouldn't want to perpetuate that error eh? Steve (also been travelling)
