GOLD BEACH.

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Trux, Jan 8, 2015.

  1. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Robin,

    Pity. The details will have been recorded at unit level and may have originally been attached to the diary as appendices. It is very hit and miss as to which diaries had their appendices retained in the records. I have seen a small number which give full details of vehicles and individual personnel in movement orders. One at least simply says 'been too busy to keep records'.

    Mike.
     
  2. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    Fortunately we do have the personal diaries of my FIL BQMS Hird from 1940 to 46. These are very illumonating for 1940 to 1943 but once back from Africa he censored his entries to almost insignificant. We have plenty of photos for Eritrea, Cairo and Tobruk (1941)
     
  3. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Paul,

    I am afraid that my research was limited to the month of June 1944 and my documents either cover only that month, or sometimes the first six months of 1944. I have had a quick look but am fairly certain I have nothing of interest to you.

    Thank you for your kind words.

    Mike.
     
    PaulE likes this.
  4. Gold

    Gold Member

    Hello !
    I just want to know if you have the files please. Thank you again

    Guillaume
     
  5. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Guillaume

    Sorry for the slight delay: I've had problems editing (stitching) the files. All just done so hopefully you find the map helpful.

    MAP1_stitch-2548x2041.jpg
     
    MrMac, Juha, zola1 and 4 others like this.
  6. Gold

    Gold Member

    Thank you !
     
  7. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    Map is much appreciated ... we are slowly making our own collection (we are fortunate to have my FIL's original maps for North Africa but none for NWE)
     
  8. Paddy WIllis

    Paddy WIllis Member

    Dear Mike
    I am impressed by the incredible detail you have recounted within this thread - congratulations! I am wondering if you might have a steer on any more details or photos I might access regarding one of the LCAs landing the Hampshires on Jig Green Gold at 0725. It was commanded by Lt Bob Laverton, one of my late father's oldest friends after they served together during the Sicily landings. One of 15 LCAs, Bob tells me he was the only one not to make it off after his assault, having breached whilst reversing and snagged the kedge. They dug in to await the next high tide when they were able to make it off the beach.

    My father was No1 on LCI(L)375 on Sword beach and I was lucky enough to stumble upon this excellent website where I could not only make some small contribution to a thread about his section of beach, but was also able to find aerial reconnaissance photos that clearly showed his own LCI(L), also stranded at high tide.

    I wondered if you might know of any similar aerial photos of the Jig section that might show Bob's beleaguered craft? Bit of a long shot, I appreciate, but if I can find anything to show Bob relating to his own adventures on Gold I would be so very grateful.

    With best wishes
    Paddy
     
  9. Hello Paddy,

    Do you know the hull number of Bob's LCA? From which LSI (assault waves from 1 HAMPS were landed by LCA from Empire Crossbow & Empire Arquebus)? Any other information as to the troops he carried (which company, platoon, officer i/c of troops etc.)? Any documents he may have kept?

    JIG GREEN is a rather wide beach, and many LCA can be seen stranded on aerial views. Does he remember which part of the beach he landed on? Rather to the left (East), or to the right (West), or in the middle? Any noticeable features or landmarks on the beach? Any recollection of other craft (hull numbers, load etc.) landing nearby while he stood stranded?

    Michel
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2018
    Trux likes this.
  10. Paddy WIllis

    Paddy WIllis Member

    Hi Michel
    Thanks for jumping on this (good to be in touch again!). I'll enquire of Bob regarding these queries. He is sharp of mind still so hopefully he can supply the goods!
    best
    Paddy
     
  11. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Paddy,

    Thank you for your kind words. Of course much of the credit must be shared with others, especially Michel. I will leave you in his more than capable hands. If I can add anything I will.

    Mike.
     
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  12. Paddy,

    When you meet Bob you can also add to the questions whether he saw any bogged or KO'd vehicles/tanks nearby, and of what type. This could also help, as would any other detail he might remember.

    And do not forget to convey our admiration and gratitude to him for his part in our liberation!

    Michel
     
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  13. steviebyday

    steviebyday Junior Member

    looking for any information on the 86th field regiment after they landed.
    steve
     
  14. Paddy WIllis

    Paddy WIllis Member

    Happy Christmas Michel
    I spoke to Bob the other day and apparently he has a wealth of information about his time in the run-up to and after D-Day. It appears he kept every single issued order for the fortnight in the build-up, along with other documents. I'm due to visit him next month sometime and he has asked me to look after the archive, as nobody in his family is interested (sadly), so I said that once I had been through it all I would find it safe haven at the D-Day museum in Portsmouth where others will be able to study it all in due course. I shall be happy to provide an update to this forum on this particular thread.
    Best for the New Year
    Paddy
     
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  15. Happy Christmas Paddy,

    These are excellent news! I wish every veteran had kept all the orders and various documents they received, even if it was not quite allowed :)

    We'll all be every interested in seeing these documents when you have them.

    Michel
     
  16. zola1

    zola1 Member

    Hi Mike,

    Can you help :-

    I went to Kew to check the WD on the 37 Reinforcement Unit, please see attached photo, I wondered if you had any information on the landings for the 18th June, they embarked from Newhaven and landed on Gold..(King) beach .. I am hoping to find more details on the Unit.. e.g what was the happening around them on that day and subsequently in the Normandy region at the time ?
    On the second diary page there is location called “Vaux” and a place called “Pringle Farm”. Do you know of these places at all ?

    Any thoughts?

    Kindest regards

    Derrick
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Apr 20, 2019
  17. Derrick,

    There are quite a few "Vaux" in Calvados: "Vaux-sur-Aure" is due North of Bayeux, while "Vaux-sur-Seulles" is SSE of it. "Vaux" is a small locality about one mile North West of Condé-sur-Noireau, but was liberated later than its first mention on the War Diary, so should be excluded.

    As for "Pringale Farm", I have no idea. It might be the name of a farm in the area, or a nickname.

    Have you looked at tha Appendices (referred to in the column on the right of the War Diary) to see if they provide some Map References?

    Michel
     
    zola1 likes this.
  18. desertfox44

    desertfox44 Member

    There has been an announcement from Heimdal for a new book about "Gold". Does anyone know any details?

    https://www.editions-heimdal.fr/en/books/1035-gold-beach-9782840485469.html

    Also there is, IMHO, an excellent book available about "Gold" by Andrew Holborn
    Holborn, Andrew. The D-Day Landing on Gold Beach: 6 June 1944 (Bloomsbury Studies in Military History) . Bloomsbury Publishing. Kindle-Version.
    or:
    The D-Day Landing on Gold Beach

    His PhD work about 56th Brigade is also downloadable for free as a pdf online:
    https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10026.1/1996/ANDREW HOLBORN.PDF?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

    Highly recommended read!
     
  19. The book by Holborn is not really a book but an e-book, rather like an essay in electronic format, and is marred by very poor editing. For example, one particular LCT is identified by no less than three different hull numbers within the same paragraph, leaving the reader to decide which one is the correct one, or if indeed any of the three is correct:
    The D-Day Landing on Gold Beach

    I find it lacking in depth of coverage, recycling much of Holborn's thesis and other works rather than bringing new material to light.

    This here thread by Mike is in my opinion much more informative as electronic supports go.

    As for books, my preference would go to the classic Battleground Europe - Normandy series:
    NORMANDY : GOLD BEACH - JIG ( JIG Sector & West - June 1944 ) by Saunders, Tim: Pen and Sword Military 9780850528664 - Articles of War Ltd
    9781580970082: Gold Beach: Inland from King - June 1944 (Battleground Europe) - AbeBooks - Chris Dunphie: 1580970087

    I hope the new Heimdal book fulfills its promises!

    Michel
     
  20. Paddy WIllis

    Paddy WIllis Member

    Greetings Michel
    I finally managed to make the trip to see Bob Laverton in Somerset last weekend. He is in remarkable fettle and still very sharp of mind as to his naval experiences. He has entrusted me with the care of his old charts, timetables and a copy of the Daily Order Book for his flotilla, 524 LCA, dating from 1st April to 10th July 1944. The D-Day museum have confirmed that they would be delighted to receive them as a donation, given they do not have all the charts and no Daily Order Book. There are also some crew "watch" photos taken on board LSI Empire Arquebus, and a couple of the LCAs sail past of the King in Cowes Roads just before the landings. He has identified the Officers and PO's in each photo.

    The information I have from Bob as regards his stranding is limited. We know that he was in the first wave landing 0725 on Jig Green in LCA 1026, which hit at an oblique angle about 30 yards out and having dropped his ramp and disgorged the 1st Hants platoon the lightened craft then was picked up and hit the main beach broadside on (having not kedged owing to the prolific obstacles).Now, his was the only craft in his flotilla to be stranded, and they stayed there until the next tide, so that suggests that in any photo he would be one of the side-on craft highest on the beach, if not the highest?

    If someone can tell me what I need to click on to make an attachment here I can attach two photos. One is an extract from the chart showing the course to steer and course made good to Jig Green (I neglected to check with him if this was indeed the accurate track for his own craft, and whether in the heat of the landing it ran to that course). The other is a rather good article written about his experiences in a local paper at one of the other D-Day anniversaries.

    All the best
    Paddy
     

    Attached Files:

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