Messages posted by: Danny L

Hi,
Some bits and pieces about a couple of the Flotilla's below.

Any chance you could post the page with the Flotilla/Medal information on please.

Regards

Danny

7/12/43
807 Build Up Flotilla, Birdham, Portsmouth Command. Location : Birdham.
16 LCV(P) in Flotilla. LCV(P) 1160, 1162, 1163, 1164, 1165, 1166, 1167, 1168, 1169, 1172, 1173, 1174, 1175, 1176, 1177, 1178

5/6/44
807 Build Up Flotilla, "B" Build Up Squadron, Not Attached to Groups, Force "G". Location : Beaulieu River.
16 LCV(P) in Flotilla. LCV(P) 1160, 1162, 1163, 1164, 1165, 1166, 1167, 1168, 1169, 1172, 1173, 1174, 1175, 1176, 1177, 1178

807 Flotilla - D Day
Based at HMS Mastodon prior to D Day.

5th June.
21.00 Hrs. Left Beaulieu River and anchored off Hayling Island.

6th June.
Weighed anchor at 04.30 and proceeded towards the French coast. Rough weather and seasickness was rife throughout the Squadron on the way to France.
Arrived in Gold Sector at 22.00 hrs.

7th June
One craft sunk on beach.

7/8th June. Night.
One craft sunk by cannon fire, two Marines wounded. Three Marines from other craft wounded in this attack.

A variety of jobs were carried out, carrying dispatches, taking troops and stores ashore, removing casualties.

31/7/44
807 Build Up Flotilla, Ferry Service, Expeditionary Force. Unit Allocated to S.S. Thysville.
14 LCV(P) in Flotilla. LCV(P) 1160, 1162, 1163, 1164, 1165, 1168, 1169, 1172, 1173, 1174, 1175, 1176, 1177, 1285

September 1944
Flotilla returned to UK.

9/10/44
807 Build Up Flotilla, Formed Units, Minor Landing Craft, Portsmouth Command.
Administered by C in C Portsmouth.

5/3/45
450 ( X & D) Flotilla, Minor Landing Craft, Plymouth Command. Location : Appledore.
Experiment & Development Flotilla.
21 minor landing craft in Flotilla.

Hi,
In late 1943 Captain Miers, RM, was at HMS Effingham, Combined Operations Naval Training Establishment, Dartmouth

His citation for Normandy - "For spirited leadership, courage and devotion to duty in leading his Flotilla No. 544 and landing all his troops and his command of the situation when a number of his craft were mined and holed, yards of the beach"

He was the Flotilla Officer of 544 Assault Flotilla, Embarked on SS Monowai, Assault Group "J" 2, Force "J". There were 10 Landing Craft Assault (LCA) in the Flotilla.

Below is a brief rundown on the LCA of 544 Assault Flotilla on the 6th June.

Juno Beach, Nan White 08.40

LCA 1057 - At moment of beaching a mine exploded on port side. Crew ordered to abandon craft.

LCA 289 - Troops landed. On withdrawal from beach craft was thrown onto stakes. Crew ordered to abandon craft.

LCA 1091 - Craft struck a mine 40 yards from beach. Settled down on stakes which kept her above the water. A line was run to the beach and troops landed.

LCA 683 - Beached and troops disembarked. On withdrawal it was thrown onto an obstacle. Crew ordered to abandon craft.

LCA 208 - Stuck mine 20 yards from beach. Troops got ashore. One member of crew missing.

LCA 1092 - Craft was holed 20 yards from the beach. Stuck on stakes. Freed herself. Beached and troops landed. Returned to ship.

Crews from the LCA that sank were mustered on the beach. Worked on the beach for over 2 hours before being ordered onto LCT to be taken back to LSI. Searched for Marine from 208 but could not find him. 3 Marines wounded.

One LCA to land troops from 30 Assault Unit on Nan Red. Went in with LCI(S) carrying 48 RM Commando. Landed troops, unbeached and returned to LSI.

One LCA to land RN Commandos on Nan White. Troops and equipment landed. On withdrawal bottom of craft ripped out by stakes. Craft sank and crew taken aboard LCI and returned to LSI.

One LCA to land RN Commandos on Nan White. Landed troops and unbeached. Sank about three miles off beach due to holes below the waterline from shellfire on beach. Crew picked up and returned to LSI.

One LCA to report to HMS Waveney for orders and remain in the assault area. Went into the beach area but did not beach. Returned to LSI.

There is some more information on the Flotilla and a photo of him here http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/544-assault-flotilla-royal-marines.59577/

Regards

Danny

Hi,
Your second photo is also in the 1st SS (Cdo) Brigade gallery.

Thomas Cyril Sharpe (right) & others, 1 SS Brigade Intelligence Section Le Plein July 1944

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/HQ+and+Sigs/1+SS+Bde/IMG_0033+copy.jpg.html

Regards

Danny

Hi,
There is some footage in the link below that shows some of 4th SS Brigade Signals Troop and Brigade HQ at 1 min 15 secs into the film.

http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/1264

The film jumps around a bit as at 2 mins 15 secs it shows the LCI(S) carrying the Commandos on the way to Juno Beach where HQ 4 SS Bde and 48 (RM) Commando landed.

Later on in the film it shows troops/vehicles in the Gold Beach area.

Regards

Danny

Hi,
I think your last three photos may have been taken in Austria after 1949.

The reason I say this is going by the markings on the US and British vehicles.

The 2 numbers 2 letters 2 number vehicle registration number did not come into use until 1949.

The 57 over what is probably a red/blue square is for a Royal Artillery Anti-Tank Unit in an Infantry Division.

The vehicle is a CT20 Oxford Carrier used for towing ether the 6pdr or 17 pdr anti-tank gun.

If I have identified the US vehicles correctly then the vehicles are from the 4th Armoured Cavalry Regiment or the 4th Constabulary Regiment based in Austria.

The markings on the US M 24 Chaffee tank and the M 75 APC.

TC triangle = Armoured Training Centre.
4 triangle CR = 4th Armoured Cavalry Regiment.
B 15 B17 = Squadron/Company/Platoon and vehicle number in that unit.

Regards

Danny

Hi,
Below is some information on Captain Denholm.

Any chance you could put the photo on the forum please.

Regards

Danny

1 COBU.
Captain A.R. Denholm.
Taken on Strength : 28/4/44
Appointment Held : FOB
Parent Regiment : R.A. (Field)
"B" Troop
On D Day "B" Troop was attached to Force "G" - 30 Corps.
Captain Denholn was in command of FOB 52 attached 1st Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment (1 Dorsets). Lands at H + 20 mins. on 6th June

Hi,
Captain A. Gooding was the Commanding Officer of 606 Build Up Flotilla.

606 Build Up Flotilla was part of "E" Build Up Squadron, Force "G". The Flotilla consisted of 16 LCM Mark 3.

LCM 606 was lost in 1943.

Regards

Danny

Hi,
Thanks for posting the photo of the builders plate. 512 was laid down in October 1942. I don't have the commissioning date but I imagine it was soon after the completion date.

Pete is right there were no crew fatalities on the 6th June. One crewmember was wounded though. There were several Commando casualties.

Regards

Danny

Hi,
Had a quick look and came up with the following information.

Built by Brooke Marine Ltd, Norfolk. Completed July 1943

LCI(S) 512 was in 201st LCI(S) Flotilla.

CO was Temporary Lieutenant P. Whitworth RNVR.

On the 6th June she struck a beach mine broached to and was lost on beach.

The Landing Table number "289" identifies this craft as 512. Each landing craft was given a Landing Table Number. This was to be used for loading purposes. It was far easier for the units to use than LC pennant numbers etc. You will see them appearing in a number of photographs taken just before D Day and in the Fabius Exercises. They were painted onto boards and hung from the bridge in most cases.

Afraid I don't have a crew list for LCI(S) 512. It would surprise me if one still survived.

Regards

Danny

Hi,
Are you referring to the photo on this page ? http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/15/834.page

And the information I posted on this page ? http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/30/834.page

The information came from a variety of sources, National Archives, IWM personal papers, etc. I have been researching the LCI(S) Squadron for some years now.

Don't have access to my files at the moment but when I do I will have a look and see how 512 was lost.

Regards

Danny

Hi,
Gunner W.T. Pollard was wounded on the 16th August 1944.

Regards

Danny

Hi,
You could ask here about the codes used : Abbreviations on Service Records http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7760

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=88

Below are some dates and locations for LCI(L) 304. Unfortunately I do not have the exact locations in each area.

LCI(L) 304
11/5/43 US Strategic Zone
8/6/43 "On Passage". To Mediterranean
29/6/43 Mediterranean Station
6/7/43 Mediterranean Station
20/7/43 21st LCI Flotilla. Mediterranean Station
3/8/43 21st LCI Flotilla. Mediterranean Station
31/8/43 21st LCI Flotilla. Mediterranean Station
2/11/43 2 LCI Flotilla. Mediterranean Station
23/11/43 12 LCI(L) Flotilla. East Indies Station. On passage to India.
14/12/43. 12 LCI(L) Flotilla. East Indies Station. On passage to India.
4/1/44 12 LCI(L) Flotilla. East Indies Station. India.
28/3/44 12 LCI(L) Flotilla. East Indies Station. East Indies.
29/5/44 East Indies Station. Pooled Reserve.

You could be right about the date. Did the photographer in the US put the date on?

Regards

Danny

Hi,
A few more bits.

Regards

Danny

He would have come under Combined Operations.

The Combined Operations Pilotage Parties surveyed the landing beaches before the landings. It sounds like the "Beach Commandos" with army ranks could be the Beach Groups or Beach Brick units.

Husky - 80 Flotilla worked on "George Beach" in the ACID Area.

Force "G" General Drafting Organisation

Allocation of Combined Operations personnel in the Middle East is done by the directorate of Combined Operations, Middle East, (D.C.O.) through HMS Saunders (at Kabret).

All drafting within Force "G" will be done by Rear-Admiral (G). HMS Saunders, HMS Quebec and HMS Armadillo will be kept informed monthly.

Liaison with HMS Saunders is maintained by Staff Officer (Records), Force "G", who keeps a complete record of Force "G" Personnel. It is therefore necessary that Rear-Admiral (G) be kept informed of all movements of personnel in the Force.

Drafting between units will be reduced to the minimum.

Draft Notes will be issued by the Staff Officer (Records), Force "G". The receiving unit is to return to S.O.(R) the duplicate copy of the draft note as soon as the rating joins.

Nominal List of Flotilla Personnel, Beach Commandos and Beach Signals Sections.

A nominal list of all Force "G" personnel is to be forwarded to R.A.(G) monthly to reach my office by the 5th of the month.

Compliment

Per LCM - 1 Coxswain, 4 Seamen, 1 Stoker.

Flotilla Maintenance Party - 1 Engineer Officer, 1 E.R.A., 3 Motor Mechanics, 1 Joiner or Shipwright, 2 Stokers (M), 1 Wireman.

On the 1st February 1943 80 Flotilla was part of the First Squadron.

First Squadron.

11 Group (Canadians)
55 LCA Flotilla
61 LCA Flotilla
81 LCM Flotilla
80 LCM Flotilla

12 Group
70 LCP Flotilla
71 LCP Flotilla
114 LCM Flotilla

C Beach Commando

Do you have any postal addresses for him when in the Far East ? Naval Party number ?

Hi,
The photograph was taken on the stern of a Landing Craft Infantry (Large), LCI(L). Looks like it was taken from the Oerlikon gun position on the port side.

It is going to be pretty hard to track down a crew list. A lot of the paperwork was not archived after the war and if it was there have also been clear-outs since then. What would be of interest today to researchers was just not considered worth saving by some authorities.

You could try asking on the Canadian Soldiers forum, http://www.network54.com/Forum/28173 , they get a few researches on there who might be able to help you with information on Canadian archives.

Regards

Danny

Hi
Some information on Nominal Rolls here http://www.navalandmilitarymuseum.org/archives/articles/service-matters/rcn-nominal-lists

You might want to get his service records. They may have information on his service after Sicily and Italy. Obtaining service records http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/research/genealogy.htm

The LCM Mk3 that went into the 80th Flotilla arrived in the UK between October and December 1942. On arrival they were located in Liverpool, Dumbarton and Port Glasgow.
.
The twelve craft allocated to the 80th Flotilla were 525, 610, 617, 618, 619, 644, 645, 906, 907, 908, 922, 925.

They probably came across as deck cargo.

See the article in "Motor Boating" May 1944 for information on training at Detroit on diesel engines.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3KVqn7jDtoQC&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq=training+on+diesel+engine+in+detroit+1942&source=bl&ots=4QHDkxa0-b&sig=UPDIvDTja0ESyfNjs1GSlEguctk&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=training%20on%20diesel%20engine%20in%20detroit%201942&f=false

There is a good piece on Canadians in Combined Operations here. It mentions the 80th Flotilla. https://donkemsleyjournal.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/combined-operations-in-the-canadian-navy-1943/

Some information I have on the 80th Flotilla in 1943

Trained at Combined Training Centre near Plymouth then training in the Clyde area. After that two weeks boat training at Rosneath. They then went to Southend (HMS Westcliffe ?) for ten days disciplinary training.

The four Canadian flotillas were allocated to Force "W" until after the training in the Suez area. Later known as Force "G".

80th sailed on SS Glenartney, SS Pardo and SS Silver Walnut.

5 craft were left behind at Alexandria.

Regards

Danny