Terrapin

Behold an excerpt from the diary of 297 (GT) Company RASC on Walcheren, September 1945:



Does anyone know what the "108" is referring to?

 

SOON

 

A long way from home - I wonder what happened to it.

 

Hi all,

I came across a reference to the delivery of "amphibians" into Normandy in late August 1944, I assume as preparations for the crossing of the SEINE, and thought it might be of interest (source is WO 171/721 - Q(M) HQ L of C):

Appendix ‘J’

Tel: Ext 76

Subject: Arrival of Amphibians
LC/48/Q(M)

20 Aug 44

Q(M) HQ 11 L of C Area

1. Within the next few days the undermentioned amphibians will be arriving at JUNO in the following anticipated order:-

(a) 90 LVT Mark II (loaded on tptrs of 373 Tptr Coy RASC)

(b) 130 Terrapins

(c) 60 DD Tks (on own tracks)

(d) 99 LVT Mark IV (loaded on tptrs of 452 Tptr Coy RASC)

2. You will arrange to reserve a portion of ELBOW in STAR Assembly Area for the est of a VRP by 16 Veh Coy RAOC, which will be responsible for the accounting of these amphibians.

3. The amphibians are for issue to armies, and, their move fwd will receive the highest op priority and will be given full TC assistance. Instrs covering routes and timings will be issued separately.

4. You are requested to maintain the closest liaison with PNLO 102 Beach Sub Area and OC 16 Veh Coy RAOC, who are receiving separate instrs covering their own particular tech aspect.

5. ACK.

[sgd: ?? Maj for]

Lt Col
AQMG(M)

Q(M)
HQ L of C

Copies to:
Q(M) 5 L of C Sub Area
Q(M) 7 Base Sub Area
Q(M) Main HQ 21 Army Group
Q(M) Rear HQ 21 Army Group
Q(M) First Cdn Army ) Please advise RV for amphibians
Q(M) Second Army ) earliest possible so that detailed
) routes and timings may be allocated.
HQ L of C
G
Q
ST
Ord
Pro
War Diary

If I come across anything else, I'll post up here.

Regards

Tom

 

Unfortunately no Terrapin, but some LVsT(4) on transporters in LCT(4) 1051 supposedly at Portsmouth Harbour:



Strangely enough, two of the LVsT are loaded backwards and at an angle on the trailer, presumably to make room for another vehicle behind it.

Michel

 

Most of the Terrapins delivered to Normandy (approximately 80 to 90) were moved up to Enghien in Belgium during December 1944, and nineteen of these were given to 323 Artillery Company RASC of 76th AA Brigade on Walcheren, which were then handed over to 199 Company RASC in May 1945. These are the vehicles that were extensively photographed on Walcheren. I have found no trace of what happened to the bulk of the Terrapins delivered to Enghien, however, and assume that they remained in the depot before being returned to the UK,

Edit - thinking about it, the 40 Terrapins given to 79th Armoured Division and the 90-odd moved up to Enghien would account for the 130 delivered on Tom's post.

Does anybody know if there are any records at Kew of the plans made for the Seine crossing? Was this given an Operation name?

 

Hi DJ,

Plans for Op "AXEHEAD" were made by First Cdn Army before they departed for Normandy. They were obviously faced with crossing the SEINE at its widest. I've got some details somewhere that I'll post up, otherwise I'd suggest the on-line Canadian war diaries might be a good source.

An internal 21 A Gp planning paper from late July 1944 has this about "AXEHEAD":

"OPERATION AXEHEAD

21. It is for consideration whether Operation ‘AXEHEAD’ is necessary in view of the following:-

(a) If the effort to drive the enemy against the SEINE below ROUEN succeeds, it may take Canadian Army a week or more to liquidate them: during this time the Canadians are unlikely to be in a position to execute ‘AXEHEAD’.

(b) There are enough crossing places SOUTH of ROUEN to enable up to six corps to cross against light opposition. Providing opposition is light it would probably be quicker to cross in strength SOUTH of ROUEN and for the Canadian Corps to pass through the ELBEUF bridgehead, clear ROUEN and then secure the SEINE ports.

(c) It is understood likely that the British Administrative situation will enable us to proceed some considerable distance beyond the SEINE without the use of the SEINE ports."

The timing is about right for the "amphibians" detailed in my post # 84 being brought in to support AXEHEAD planning.

Regards

Tom

 

Hi,
Attached are some photos from WO 205/662, Operation Axehead: outline plan, appreciation and maps, 1944 Mar.- June.

Although the Terrapin is mentioned on photo 5023 I cannot recall if it was mentioned anywhere else in the document.

Information on the use of DD Tanks and LVT are mentioned in the document along with engineer units that would be needed.

Unfortunately I did not photograph the whole document.

Regards

Danny

 

Thanks Danny and Tom - there's something there to get my teeth into.

I also wonder what facilities were at Goole, as RASC amphibian training was at Towyn. The implication here is that the Terrapins were going to be used in a non-RASC role.

Edit - Thinking about it, they were probably just using the Ouse/Humber to replicate the Seine.

 

There's a bit of an anomaly here though, because if 130 Terrapins were sent to Normandy for Operation Axehead, then presumably there must also have been crews ready to use them, who were presumably the same crews that had been training at Goole. And yet when Axehead was cancelled, and 40 of the Terrapins were allocated to the Scheldt operations, the crews had to be pulled out of the 79th Armoured Division and trained in the field.

So who was supposed to crew the Terrapins for Axehead and what service arm were they from? From what I understand, all the amphibian trained RASC companies arrived in Normandy during Overlord, and I don't know of any additional such companies that arrived later (i.e. during August).