21st Beach Recovery Section REME War Diary: June 1944
The 21 Beach Recovery Section June 1944 War Diary covers the unit's embarkation from Gosport and its work recovering vehicles under fire on Queen and Roger beach sectors during and after the D-Day landings in Normandy.
National Archive Reference: WO 171/2961
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Page 1 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-Assembly Area | 1 | Unit split into craft load parties. Parties located at various camps in | Appendix I - Loading Table. | |
| Marshalling Area. | ||||
| Camp A.14. | Serial 600 LCI (L) OC and 3 ORs. OC actually supervising loading at | |||
| Gosport Hards from 1st. to 4th. June. | ||||
| Camp A.10. | Serial 611 LST (2) Lieut. Shortland and 18 ORs. (Green Beach-D8, Scammell, | |||
| Motor Cycle, BARVs and Crews and DVP team.). | ||||
| Camp A.10. | Serial 612(LST(2) 22 ORs (S/Sgt. i/c Party) (Green Beach- Jeep, D8, | |||
| xxxxxxx, Ward la France, M/Cycle, BARVs and Crews. Red Beach - DVP team. | ||||
| HQ Section - 3 ORs.) | ||||
| Camp A.4. | Serial 613 LST(2) 13 ORs (S/Sgt i/c Party) (Green Beach - Mack, TD18, | |||
| BARVs and Crews. HQ Section - DUKW and Crew). | ||||
| Camp A.2. | Serial 616 LST(2) 6 ORs (Cpl. i/c Party) (Red Beach - Mack, D8 & crews). | |||
| Camp A.2. | Serial 617 LST (2) Lieut. Law and 10 ORs. (Red Beach - D8, Ward la France, | |||
| M/Cycle, BARVs & Crews) | ||||
| Camp A.2. | Serial 618 LST(2) 11 ORs (Sgt i/c Party) (Red Beach - D8, Scammell, M/Cycle, |
Page 2 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp A.2. | (cont) BARVs and Crews). | |||
| Camp A.1. | Serial 625 LST(2) 5 ORs (Sgt. i/c Party) (Red Beach - BARV & Crew) | |||
| Camp A.1. | Serial 627 LST(2) 2 ORs (HQ Section - Austin 3 ton lorry and crew) | |||
| Gosport Hards. | Serials 611, 612, 613 arrived at embarkation point. | |||
| 2 | Serials 611, 612, 613 embarked and lay off in Solent. | |||
| 3 | Serials 616, 617, 618 embarked and lay off in Solent. | Appdx II - W3008 Appdx III - W3009B | ||
| 4 | Serials 625, 627 embarked and lay off in Solent. | |||
| Portsmouth | 5 | Serial 600 (OC & Party) embarked and lay off in Solent. | ||
| Solent | 6 | 700 | Convoy set out to cross Channell | |
| Queen Sector | 1800 | Arrived Beachhead and lay off 1 mile offshore. Disembarkation by Rhino | ||
| Ferry and LCT commences. OC attended 'O' Group held by 6 Beach Group | ||||
| Commander. Decided that 21 B.R.S. would have no recovery responsibility | ||||
| in B.M.A. but would be solely responsible for Recovery on Queen Red Beach. | ||||
| Queen Sector 7 | Disembarkation continues. Spasmodic enemy opposition, shelling and | |||
| Dive-Bombing. Arrival of DDME 1 Corps. |
Page 3 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Sector.8 | Unit disembarkation completed. Red Beach Platoon continues to operate | |||
| Queen Red Beach; Green Beach Platoon commences to operate Roger Green Beach. | ||||
| Temporary suspension of workmen Beach due to burning of ammunition dump hit | ||||
| by dive-bombing. | Appdx IV - W3008 | |||
| Queen & Roger Sectors.11 | BARV No. T151118 and Scammell No. H4500857 drowned. | Appdx V - W3009B | ||
| 12 | BARV No. T151013 damaged by mine while towing drowned BARV. | |||
| 14 | Shelling of shipping and beaches. | 1 | ||
| 15 | Shelling continues. 4 LSTs hit when beached. Work on Beach temporarily | |||
| suspended. | ||||
| 16 | Shelling continues. | |||
| 17 | Unit HQ and bivouac area moved to Riva Bella. Shelling continues. | Appdx VI - W3008 | ||
| D8 No. E 245050 drowned. | Appdx VII - W3009B | |||
| 18 & 19 | Shelling of beaches and shipping continues. Riva Bella also under shellfire. | |||
| 20 | Shelling continues. Weather very stormy. Landings discontinued. | |||
| 21 | Shelling continues. No landings due to storm. |
Page 4 of 4
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen & Roger Sectors. | 22 | Storm abates. Landings commence again. Beached Ammo ship hit & set alight | ||
| by shellfire. All beach units temporarily evacuated except 21 B.R.S. | Appdx VIII - W3008 Appdx IX - W3009B | |||
| 25 | Shelling continues. 1 casualty in bivouac area. ) Very few craft | |||
| 26-29 | Shelling continues. ) landing | |||
| 30 | Scammell B/Down (drowned) again working. ) on beach. |
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