| Title | 50 Div: H.Q. War Diary, D-Day 1944 June | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | 50 Div: H.Q. War Diary, D-Day 1944 June | ||
| Source | UK_National_Archive | Reference | WO 223/3 |
rough. All Roly Poly when pushed off were carried east by the tide and the sterns of all LCT were also carried east, leaving them at angle of 45° to coast line. Consequently no Roly Polys were pushed satisfactorily but were abandoned. One AVRE comd on LCT 2414 wounded on run in and left on craft. L/Cpl took over this AVRE. This AVRE was run over by an LCT, the fascine knocked off by the LCT door and the AVRE drowned. Crew last seen climbing out. All other AVRE and Crabs reached water’s edge satisfactorily. AVRE commanded by Capt. King broke off to the right and supported 6 Green Howards into HABLE de HEURTOT Ref 9086. They silenced 4 pillboxes including a 50 mm gun position in the sea wall, surmounted sea wall and attacked defended position in village. They rejoined Sqn at Rally Position at 1500 hrs. Lane 4. Roly Poly AVRE hit by 88 mm in end of wall at LA RIVIERE and blew up. One survivor, badly burned. Lane 5. Roly Poly AVRE Lt. Croxall proceeded up path flailed by 6 team and left on lateral road into LA RIVIERE in support 5 East Yorks. Joined by 5 East Yorks in village at 0820 hrs having arrived at about 0745 hrs in village. Bobbin AVRE hit by 88 mm and exploded at H.W.M. Five crew escaped, one badly burned, crew Comd injured and one of the five killed by some means on beach after leaving AVRE. Major Thompstone contacted officer i/c 280 Fd Coy RE and discovered he was incapable of using AVRE for towing beach obstacles as planned and therefore decided to use the one remaining bobbin AVRE detailed originally for this job to push a lane through in conjunction with his own vehicle. These two vehicles went through to lateral road followed by Sqn of D.D. tanks, turned left on lateral road and right in LA RIVIERE up to MONT FLEURY and eventually through VER-SUR-MER to open country. On the way both vehicles aided 5 East Yorks to mop up resistance in certain houses by using Petard. This was found to be very effective with fuzes 291 although fuzes 289 were very poor. At 1600 hrs sixteen out of twenty AVRE had rallied. Casualties were 11 missing, one killed, four wounded who were returned to England. No officer casualties.
WD Jun 44 6 Jun
82 Assault Sqn RE. Craft beached at following points approximately:
| LCT Serial No. | 2025 - 878867 |
| " " " | 2027 - 883868 |
| " " " | 2026 - 884868 |
| " " " | 2028 - 894871 |
| " " " | 2029 - 895871 |
| " " " | 2030 - 901871 |
The landing points differed considerably from the original intention with the nett result that the breaching teams were dispersed on too great a length of beach and disposed too far to the East.
LCT Serial No. 2025 landed at the correct point, but was immediately hit in several places by a field gun sited in large concrete pillbox at LE HAMEL approx. 878867. (1 HAMPS) Having assisted the passage of the armour through the lateral road, the remaining AVRE less those detailed for beach clearance, rallied at LES ROCQUETTES, owing to the flow of traffic. 1/2 tp AVRE u/c Lt. Ellis proceeded towards ASNELLE to assist the infantry. On arrival it was discovered that one AVRE from Lane 2 u/c L/Sgt Scaife H.M. No. 2118916 had left the beach via Lane 3 and proceeded to LE HAMEL in company with some D.D. tanks, had contacted a party of 1 Hamps in ESNELLES and assisted in house clearance. This AVRE remained with the party and attacked the LE HAMEL Sanatorium from the landward side, using the petard and also cleared a large concrete gun emplacement to East of Sanatorium by placing a round through the rear opening. The interior of this emplacement was completely shattered by one petard round, and as a result many prisoners were taken.
103.
(Archive transcripts © Copyright Normandy War Guide)
Found an error with this archive item? report it here!