Sword Beach.

Hi Simon,
I don't think I found an operational order for 45 Commando, but all the documents and personal accounts I found point to them taking the same route across the marshy fields to the woods as 6 Commando had 30 minutes or so earlier. Certainly 3 Commando, whose operation order I did find and were following behind 45, took the same route and their RV was the same as 6's (although listed as 085797).
Steve

 

I hope you like it. I should warn you that 45 Commando don't feature heavily I'm afraid, if only because I don't follow any of the commando units once they cross Pegasus Bridge. Their actions east of the Orne will have to be for another book.

 

To allay any concerns. I don't think Penguin would have gone for a book called 'Queen White Beach and Queen Red Beach' sadly. Lessens the impact a little.

 

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In case of interest, I have managed to locate a short film showing the tree in Sallenelles from which Capt. Goodall (the FOB attached to 45 Commando) directed naval gunfire on to German positions on 7 June 1944: A 6TH AIRBORNE DIVISION ARTILLERY OBSERVATION POST IN THE ORNE BRIDGE-HEAD [Allocated Title] The film also shows the views from the OP. I have compiled the image below from stills.

 

I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. Not really interested either.

 

Hi Dr C

May I congratulate you on your PHD on the East Yorkshire Regiment I found it well researched and very informative on the East Yorkshires in the lead up to and on D Day. Your list of sources is valuable especially since it pointed the way to the Oral recordings in the IWM which I have used to improve my understanding of the landings on SWORD Beach.

I am a battlefield guide and will be leading a group to Normandy this October and will be spending at least half a day at Queen White and Queen Red explaining the all too often overlooked fighting there. Your thesis has helped me understand aspects of the battle that I had frankly neglected on other occasions I have led groups there. I had in any case spent some time over the last 6 months of understanding better the 3rd Division's operations in this sector. I served in the 3rd Infantry Division for 3 years in the 1990s so its history is relevant to me and there is the fact I am a Yorkshireman!

As you will be aware Dominic Butler has written a book on the South Lancs and also Stephen Fisher is due to publish a book on SWORD beach these with your thesis will hopefully enable us to understand better these very overlooked landings.

Apologies for not writing earlier I have been away on holiday abroad for 5 weeks. Once again many congratulations on very useful thesis.

Best Regards

Instructor 6.

 

Is anyone able to identify the landing craft in the center of this photo? The landing craft on the right is clearly LCI(S) 530. Judging from the video (LANDINGS ON 'SWORD' BEACH, 6 JUNE 1944 (PART 3) [Allocated Title]), I believe the landing craft on the left-hand side is LCI(S) 528 . If that is the case, then I suspect that all three landing craft were carrying troops from 45 Commando. Although that may not be the case as No. 3 Commando arrived at Queen Red Beach at the same time. In his interview, Edward Treacher talks about the ramps to his landing craft being all twisted after the 4 matelots, who were responsible for putting them down, had been killed. That makes me think that the landing craft in the center of the picture is LCI(S) 518. I'd be grateful if anyone is able to confirm this. Many thanks in advance.

 

It is indeed:

 

Yes, that's 518 between 528 and 530.

 

Thank you very much

Out of interest, how do you know the middle one is 518?

 

I've found evidence that the landing craft in the middle of the picture is LCI(S) 518. In his recorded interview, Aubrey John Newell (who was in C Troop, the cycle troop), confirms that he was on LCI(S) 528 and that the landing craft immediately next to his landing craft got hit twice.

 

Likewise.

 

Hello Simon,
The 3 COBU War Diary, WO 166/14961, April/May 1944, has only 24 pages including the covers.

Capt. Goodall’s name is in there on a distribution list - “No. 5 Section C/3 Bombardment Troop”

3 COBU was disbanded in early July 1945.

I did find his name in another document dated 26th January 1943 listing officers - “No.1 Bombardment Unit - 26th January 1943 - 4 Troop - R G Goodall - 148283”

Capt. Goodall is also mentioned in a couple of books published just after the war - "Soldier, Sailor" By Geoffrey Sanders 1947, The Bombardments Units Association and “The story of 45 Royal Marine Commando - Published 1946”.

Regards

Danny

 

Brilliant! Thanks Danny - much appreciated. I’m visiting the National Archives at Kew next week and hoping I can find my grandfather’s original report.

 

I'm hoping this is the best area to post this, but I am heading over to Normandy with my brother this June to retrace our Dad's steps whilst he was Camp Commandant of 9th British Infantry Brigade Headquarters.

I have previously obtained a copy of the 9th British Infantry Brigade HQ War Diary (uploaded here - 9th British Infantry Brigade During World War 2: May 1944 ) so have a reasonable idea of where they were but would ideally like overlay the Traces below on to the relevant scaled maps.

In particular I am keen to trace specifically where 9 Brigade HQ Assembly Area was located as on the day it was hit by mortar fire causing significant casualties, including Brigadier J C Cunningham, which in turn caused a further delay in their advance whilst replacements were arranged.

I've seen something similar done previously on this Group where the image of the Trace was made transparent and overlaid on to the relevant scaled map so was wondering how best to achieve this.

The copies of the relevant Traces I have are included below.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

Quis Separabit

9th British Infantry Brigade Operational Orders for DDay - Trace 1


9th British Infantry Brigade Operational Orders for DDay - Trace 2



9th British Infantry Brigade Operational Orders for DDay - Trace 3

 

While researching my book I found some suggestion that 9 Brigade established a temp HQ here. However, their intended assembly area was in the ground SE of this junction (around the Rue du Clos du Moulin). Whether this is where they were when the mortars hit I would not like to say for sure. One officer with 41 Commando recalls the HQ coming up to make contact with their HQ, but he also places this on the morning of the 7th! (he's accidentally conflated it with the bombing of his own HQ that morning).

Overlay of part of the second trace here. It is very rough though:

 

Many thanks for that - it now makes alot more sense when I compare your overlay against the current aerial photos and maps as it matches almost perfectly with the road layout and suggests to me that the 9 Brigade plans were for assembly points to be:
1 = Brigade HQ = junction of Chemin du Hamel and Avenue Henri Gravier as per your Pin Drop
2 = 2 Lincolns =
3 = 1 Kings Own Scottish Borderers = between Rue de la Canardiere and Chemin du Hamel
4 = 2 Royal Ulster Rifles = junction of Rue Herve le Roy, Rue de la Canardiere and Avenue du 6 Juin
5 = East Riding Yeomanry = in the fields South of Avenue Henri Gravier
6 = 101 Anti Tank battery = in and around Rue Flandres Dunkerque
7 = 253 Field Company RE = with Brigade HQ at junction of Chemin du Hamel and Avenue Henri
8 = 9 Field Ambulance = junction of Avenue Henri Gravier and Avenue du 6 Juin

This also ties in with the well known photo of troops of "A" Company, 2 RUR pausing at the junction of Avenue du 6 Juin and Avenue Madame Coty having just come off Sword Queen White and before moving circa half a mile inland to what was their planned Assembly Point at the junction of Rue Herve le Roy, Rue de la Canardiere and Avenue du 6 Juin.

The 9 Brigade HQ War Diary states that after HQ had been hit at the Assembly Point "HQ was moved about 3/4 mile inland" which I am assuming means they would have probably proceeded due South down Chemin du Hamel to somewhere near 1 KOSB and 2 RUR's Assembly Area.

Thanks again for your help with this, I will make a point of starting my journey where his nearly ended 80 years ago.....

 

Hi,
There is a memorial to this event at the junction of Chemin du Hamel and Avenue Henri Gravier.

“At this place on 6th June 1944, at 14 hrs, mortar bombs killed and wounded members of the headquarters staff of 9th British Infantry Brigade”

Regards