UXB on ship bound for D Day beaches

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Joy Kay, Nov 9, 2013.

  1. Joy Kay

    Joy Kay New Member

    My father, then a sergeant or staff sergeant in the Royal Engineers was on a ship bound for France on 6th June 1944. An unexploded bomb landed on the ship and the ship could not continue until the bomb was defused. The ship eventually landed with some Americans on D Day +2.

    If anyone knows anything about this, I would be grateful to hear about it.

    Thank you
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  3. Joy Kay

    Joy Kay New Member

    Thank you so much for that. I do not know what unit he was attached to during 1944 but have taken your advice and applied for his service record.

    In case anyone does remember, his name was Donald Keeper (known as Ginger Kip when he wrote in the Sapper magazine)

    Joy
     
  4. ChrisR

    ChrisR Senior Member

    Hi Joy,
    Don't know if it is the same ship, but LST-980 (USS Meeker County) apparently had an unexploded bomb on D-Day.
    The following is taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Meeker_County_(LST-980) -

    "Upon arriving in England, LST-980 underwent further amphibious training and by early June stood ready for "D-Day. On 5 June the ships of "Operation Overlord" sortied from the English coast and on 6 June the Allies landed on the Normandy beaches. Participating in the invasion, LST-980 was bracketed by bombs, one of which, a 125 pound dud, penetrated the hull and two bulkheads, killing one man and causing minor damage."
     
  5. Joy Kay

    Joy Kay New Member

    Thank you, Chris.

    I don't think this is the one, It was a British ship and the plan was to land on one of the British invasion beaches, Apparently, they landed with the Americans because their unit had long ago landed on June 6th. This ship did not land until 8th June.

    Regards

    Joy
     
  6. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Joy,

    Many of the Landing Ships for the British beaches were in fact American, with American crews. At the same time many British ships carried US troops to US beaches. I cannot find any more information at present.

    Mike
     
  7. Belville

    Belville Senior Member

    Another instance of an unexploded bomb at that time was as follows: the S.S. Fort MacPherson left the East London docks on 8th June, and was still at sea, due to delays, on 11th June. It was then hit by a radio-controlled glider bomb which did not explode. It was carrying, among others, elements of the 55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regt. R.A., who did disembark on a Normandy beach.

    Michael
     

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