War Diary of 966 Inland Water Transport 4th to 7th June 1944

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by 4jonboy, Jun 3, 2014.

  1. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    I am posting the details of 966 Inland Water Transport for the dates up to and around D-Day
    WAR DIARY 4TH TO 7TH JUNE 1944

    966 INLAND WATER TRANSPORT, ROYAL ENGINEERS

    Clarence Hinchliffe Littlewood, my father-in-law, was an Officer in this regiment


    Cowes, 4th June 1944

    Company embarks on LST’s, 9 craft loads to cover personnel at Cowes. Additional 6 craft loads needed to accommodate personnel to generate? Tugs which are being towed behind separate LST’s. 8 Rhinos behind 8 LST’s, 2 Tugs (T35 AND T71) towing behind their separate Rhinos.
    Tugs T11, T23, T47, T59, T83, T92 behind separate LST’s. One craft load with 961 Company, total craft loads 15.


    Cowes, 5th June 1944 22.00 hrs

    Convoy sets sail. Weather rather rough.


    At Sea 6th June 1944

    D-Day. T35 and T71, the two tugs towing behind Rhinos break adrift in early hours of the morning. T11 also breaks adrift.
    Convoy arrives off Courseilles-sur-Mer at 12.00 hrs approx.

    At Sea 16.00 hrs. Rhinos operate under bad weather conditions and without tugs.
    First loads disembarked on beaches at 17/00 hrs approx.
    F34 runs aground at 23.00 hrs approx.


    Courseilles-sur-Mer 7th June 1944

    Company biouvacked in Courseilles-sur-Mer. Weather still rough. At 22.30 heaving bombing and machine gun attack on biouvac area. A P Bombs being used. Casualties heavy, 12 killed and 31 wounded; 7 own Company. 1 killed (own Coy), and 15 wounded; 7 attached Pioneer 267 Company. Wounded evacuated to BDS (BDA?) and 33/34 FDS.

    Interesting to see the note on the main War Diary cover-
    Note on Appendices: Field returns for w/e 3/6/44 missing as copies for war diary was destroyed by enemy action 6 June 1944

    966 IWT men killed 7 June 1944. All buried at Bayeux :poppy:

    BROCK, Ernest Thomas, Sapper 1502829
    BURNETT, Henry George, Sapper 14634458
    CAMPY, Harold, Sapper 1619857
    HILL, Ernest Francis, Sapper 14260580
    LAWRENSON, Leslie James, Corporal 2162409
    MAWDITT, Cyril, Corporal 6009458
    NEWMAN, Leonard George, Corporal 2162412
    RAPLEY, Lionel Harry Searle, Sapper 1804759
     
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  2. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    Are the T tugs TIDs?

    Roy
     
  3. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

  4. Noel Burgess

    Noel Burgess Senior Member

    My guess is that the Tugs are Rhino Tugs
     
  5. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Yes Noel is correct. The T tugs were Rhino tugs. The unit did later use TID tugs.

    Mike
     
  6. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Thanks Mike, I thought you'd be along to clear it up :)
     

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