R.A.F. Units in D-Day landings on Omaha Beach

WOW!! I was looking for wider publicity for my comrades. Hope it reaches to the USA!
Thanks for the hard work Geoff. I have photos I took on my second visit to Bayeux Cemetery five years ago that show my pal Corporal Day as the first grave on the left past the entrance. His neighbours are three RAF O.R's, dated 6.6.44, also one RAF 'Unknown' being dated as 5.6.44 (D-1!). I used these in a PowerPoint presentation I put together a while ago for the local ATC Squadron. I'll post these when I get to grips with your methods.
Amazing that Steve met Eric Heathcote in '87. Thanks for the pics, Steve. I saved them to file, so that I can decipher the comments at leisure. I tried all ways to contact his son David to apologise for the minor editing I have done and for its wider publicity. But the BBC website seems to allow its use provided the copyright is acknowledged. The local school put an entry there of my own background.
Since there is a bit of interest I'll see wht I can do to spread more enlightenment on RAF Mobile Signals Units in Normandy (and beyond).
Hope this reply satisfies you all
DoctorD (Les)

 

Better be quick Peter, we're not getting any younger! Yes, we too followed the front for a while, as far as the Rhine crossing, where we fitted VHF transmitter/receivers into some tanks of 51st (or 54th?) Highland Div for direct comms with fighters for calling down air support. Saw them again later when they were redirected to support Americans in Battle of Bulge, that Christmas.

 

Howdy Doctor D,

It is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance, however distant it may be. Obviously, due in no small part to my nationality, Omaha Beach holds strong place in my heart and it good to read the words of a man that has trod that difficult location. Thank you for serving alongside the men from my country and I look with anticipation any stories, however trivial they may seem to you, that you might be able to offer.

 

Hello Doctor D,

Interesting, was Cpl Day in your unit? His current commemoration has his unit as 5158T M. S. U.
Looks like all four of these records have been updated in the last 3 years, they either had no unit given or unit was incorrect.

What is M. S. U. (something support unit perhaps?)

geoff

 

WOW!! I was looking for wider publicity for my comrades. Hope it reaches to the USA!
Thanks for the hard work Geoff. I have photos I took on my second visit to Bayeux Cemetery five years ago that show my pal Corporal Day as the first grave on the left past the entrance. His neighbours are three RAF O.R's, dated 6.6.44, also one RAF 'Unknown' being dated as 5.6.44 (D-1!). I used these in a PowerPoint presentation I put together a while ago for the local ATC Squadron. I'll post these when I get to grips with your methods.
Amazing that Steve met Eric Heathcote in '87. Thanks for the pics, Steve. I saved them to file, so that I can decipher the comments at leisure. I tried all ways to contact his son David to apologise for the minor editing I have done and for its wider publicity. But the BBC website seems to allow its use provided the copyright is acknowledged. The local school put an entry there of my own background.
Since there is a bit of interest I'll see wht I can do to spread more enlightenment on RAF Mobile Signals Units in Normandy (and beyond).
Hope this reply satisfies you all
DoctorD (Les)
It is indeed a small world! Incidentally in my photos the lady in the beige coat is Eric's wife- Moyna I believe. Also on that trip in '87 was Roy Howard one of the first men into France that day, he was one of the Glider pilots that landed near the Orne river bridge, adjacent to Peagaus bridge. He'd been in the Gondree cafe on D-Day but on 2 previous trips the cafe was closed so he fufilled a 43 year wish in finally getting there and having a coffee - pleased as punch! Fascinating times and stories. Best regards - Steve

 

Greetings to you Doctor D and to you to Steve. Fabulous thread. Look forward to reading more about this less well known aspect of Omaha beach landings.

 

Hello Doctor D,

Interesting, was Cpl Day in your unit? His current commemoration has his unit as 5158T M. S. U.
Looks like all four of these records have been updated in the last 3 years, they either had no unit given or unit was incorrect.

What is M. S. U. (something support unit perhaps?)

geoff

Hi Geoff A Corporal Day 'roomed' (shared civvy billet) with me during the first phase of our technical training at RAF Signals School (civilian college-became poly-now university!). I lost touch with him when he was posted to different School (College-Poly etc) for the secong phase. Briefly met him later at Combined Ops "School":-[ what a misnomer!! From your info it appears he was posted to a T unit. I seem to recall a C unit as a m/f radio receiving unit and a T unit as a m/f Morse transmitting unit. However 'my' Corporal Day had remustered from Electrician (Pay Group2) to a Radar Mechanic (Pay Group 1)(??) Pretty sure it was him though(!) On 25.5.44 that T unit was located with 15082GCI, according to the 2ndTAF Location Statement of that date.The letter suffix indicates (a subject for interesting research!) the operational role fulfilled by the unit which, in turn, determined its 'assets' (to use modern military parlance), i.e., number of bods, their 'trades', quantity and type of operational equipment (vehiclular transport, radio transmitter or receiver vehicles (mf vhf), radar array vehicles, mobile operations/control room vehicles, etc, etc).By the way, MSU = Mobile Signals Unit, of which there were perhaps a few hundred of various types, each commanded by a Corporal. These were generally modestly manned. Typically one three-tonner, a 15cwt Bedford Radio vehicle, a motor cycle and two ridge tents to house, say four Wireless Operators, a Despatch Rider, a General Duties bod (who usually shared the cooking) and an MT Driver (to fetch mail and rations). The latter three would set up the tents, field oven and dig the bogs whilst the tech guys set up the aerials and radio equipment (they worked the 24 hour operational shifts). Some of these were attached to larger units GCI's, Group HQ's; but others were in total isolation, say a Q unit for listening to and locating source of enemy transmissions very close to the front line (a story, some time hence perhaps!). The specialist Wireless and Radar Mechanics allotted to 2nd TAF, such as me, were too few for attachment to these small units. So we manned a centrally sited MSSU (Mobile Signals Servicing Unit) available 24/7 for assistance. We had one or two 3-ton Austin Main Workshop vehicles and a few 15 cwt Bedford Servicing Workshops doubling as sleeping quarters (on the benches if you were lucky, otherwise on the roof!!) for a service visit.Wow! It's 2 a.m!!! I'm off to bed. G'night.

 

DoctorD
Could this be some of "your lot"?
Noel

 

Some interesting info here:

Royal Air Force Brize Norton

 

WOW! What an amazing co-incidence. I was just browsing (for the first time in several years) through my WW2 books/notes, got on the web and came across a link to this. In 1987 I visited Omaha in a group which included Eric, his wife and son and took some photos/notes as he described his experiences on the beach. I beleive it was Eric's first visit back to Normandy since 1944. I would be pleased to post my photos and notes or email them but don't know how- as I just joined when I saw this post.
Dear all,

I just joined in order to be able to see the photos Steve posted. Eric Heathcote was my grandfather, and David is my father. It means so much to me to see photos of Granddad and Grandma at Omaha Beach, and having only ever read Granddad's more "operational" account of the day it was especially poignant to read Steve's words next to the photos.

I grew up being told by adults "Don't be stupid, there weren't any British troops on Omaha Beach" and "The RAF weren't involved in D-Day", despite hearing first-hand from Granddad that he was THERE. I am sad to read that not even the RAF has public records of the Radar Unit's involvement.

Thank you all for your memories, and I hope today you are given the honour and gratitude that you deserve so much.

Julia Anderson nee Heathcote

 

Just noticed this referance in "D Day the first 24 Hours"
Among the men who offered spiritual solace to the wounded and dying [on Omaha] was an RAF Chaplian, Geoffrey Harding. He had landed with an RAF radar team. Their equipment had been destroyed on the beach so Harding spent the next 36 hours with the American wounded, winning the Millitary Cross.
I'm sure there are a couple of referances to this/these RAF units on the BBC "Peoples War" but the only one I can find right now is this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/74/a2755974.shtml
Noel

 

I was very pleased when I recently found this article on the web. I had known for a few years that my father landed on the Omaha Beach. Although in the RAF he was attached to an American Unit and to SHAEF. But I have met with a great deal of disbelief from those who think the Omaha landings were just made by Americans.
I think he went to RAF Chigwell in January 1944 to be trained as a Signaller. I do not know which day he landed on the Beach but am immensly proud of him and just wish he had told me himself instead of leaving it to me to try to find out. Does any remember Corporal Jim Horsley? No 1182436. Fortunately he survived. He seems later to have spent nine months under camvas in the ground of Versailles. Can anyone tell me why.

 

Hi Noel
From a blow-up it certainly bears an RAF number plate. It's landing from an LST, but I'm not too sure it's Omaha Beach- certainly not D-day there anyway! From its appearance it looks like a 5-ton Thorneycroft chassis and could house the Control Room of a mobile Radar unit. But I did visit a unit a bit later on with such a vehicle. This one housed a SWB8 high-powered short-wave transmitter, equipped with a 'bug' morse key for transmitting manually, or high speed morse transmissions from punched paper tape. This was used for traffic between Group HQ's and Supreme HQ with messages encrypted and transmitted in the customary groups of 5 morse characters, separated by spaces. Although morse messages comprised just dots and dashes 'manual' transmissions sometimes displayed a 'personality' that enabled the trained ear to recognise the 'style' of particular individuals. Machine-produced paper tape transmissions had no such 'personality'.
Les

 

I was very pleased when I recently found this article on the web. I had known for a few years that my father landed on the Omaha Beach. Although in the RAF he was attached to an American Unit and to SHAEF. But I have met with a great deal of disbelief from those who think the Omaha landings were just made by Americans.
I think he went to RAF Chigwell in January 1944 to be trained as a Signaller. I do not know which day he landed on the Beach but am immensly proud of him and just wish he had told me himself instead of leaving it to me to try to find out. Does any remember Corporal Jim Horsley? No 1182436. Fortunately he survived. He seems later to have spent nine months under camvas in the ground of Versailles. Can anyone tell me why.
Hi Jim's daughter
I was at RAF Chigwell in January '44. He's got a pretty low Service number, mine started 18......., and I joined in Feb '43. So, as a Wireless Operator (signaller?) he would have trained at Yatesbury, Cranwell, Blackpool or one of the other RAF Signals Schools. RAF Chigwell was a Field Survival and Battle Training School and was where the mobile Signals Units of 2nd Tactical Air Force were formulated from the variety 'trades' that were needed for each.

 

Just noticed this referance in "D Day the first 24 Hours"

I'm sure there are a couple of referances to this/these RAF units on the BBC "Peoples War" but the only one I can find right now is this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/74/a2755974.shtml
Noel
Hi Noel
My original thread, as you will have seen, was based on the late Corporal Eric Heathcote's report, placed by his son, David. I too, have a post there, done by a local school, just a short one that just mentioned Omaha. However, on my visit to the 65th Anniversary, from which I returned 2 weeks back, I made a new RN contact. I had first hand knowledge of Sqdn Ldr (Padre) Harding's outstanding courage on the beach and regularly attended his Sunday Drumhead Services when my unit was stationed close by. But, until a few days ago, was unaware of his well-deserved decoration. I now have an eight-page account of his "Reminiscences", sourced by RAF Chaplaincy Services 2007, but provided to me by my recent RN contact. I feel this, and other available information, should be given due publicity but am concerned to what extent this would infringe Data Protection, Privacy and Copyright restrictions.
Regards
Les

 

Hi DoctorD,
Apologies if this has been mentioned before - or is 'old hat' but it seems very relevant:

R.A.F. Beach Units of the Second World War

Tom.

 

Tom
That certainly is an interesting site. I had read that these units existed but never any detail of them before - thanks for the link.

Doc
Sory about the duplication.
The photo I posted comes from Omaha Beach, le Mulberry the caption reads
Un camion anglais, type "Matador" transportant du matériel pour le poste de contrôle aérien GCI opérant en zône US (St Pierre du Mont à partitr du 10 juin)

They got the vehicle type wrong and I cannot comment on the accuracy of the rest of the caption but they certainly know about your radar unit. I intend to ask on a Vehicle based forum if any information can be gleaned from the markings on the cab.
With regards to the "reminiscences" of Sqdn Ldr Harding - perhaps a moderator could give an opinion - I, for one, would like to read them.
Best Wishes
Noel

 

Hi DoctorD,
Apologies if this has been mentioned before - or is 'old hat' but it seems very relevant:

R.A.F. Beach Units of the Second World War

Tom.
Hi Tom
Yes became aware of the Beach Unit website a while ago. Didn't know about them when we landed though! Being just Erks, we weren't much prithy to what was going on on the big screen - just to get on with the job in hand! Have learnt more in the interval since attending the 60th Anniversary, when I became inscenced at the total ignorance and lack of acknowledgement surrounding RAF's involvement there. It's also not well known that a detachment of Royal Marines who had landed on the British beaches were deployed to assist in relieving pressure on Americans emerging from Omaha beach. I talked to one of them five years ago.

 

DoctorD
Could this be some of "your lot"?
Noel
Noel
I had another look at that vehicle with 400% zoom and varied brightness and contrast. The only thing RAF-like is the number plate. The five-pointed star is all-american, which is in line with the 'personal adornments' of girlfriends names, but that practise was also widespread for aircraft in RAF squadrons. But I never came across any RAF vehicles without RAF 'rondels'. The Ace of Clubs is reminiscent of Army Corps insignia and may hold a clue. Otherwise I'm stumped.
Les