5th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment War Diary: July 1944
The 5th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment’s July 1944 war diary highlights their role in
unloading supplies from ships stationed near Bernières, the battalion handled large volumes
of cargo daily, while also dealing with air raids, mines, and the occasional enemy shelling
National Archive Reference: WO 171/1264
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Page 1 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernieres | 1 | 0800 | Off loading normal | |
| 1530 | Commanding Officer Visits Army Commander. | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,485 tons. | |||
| 1930 | Explosion north of Red Beach. Demolition work by R.E.S. | |||
| am | Slight enemy air activity during night and early hours of the morning. | |||
| 2 | Carried out by single planes above clouds. No bombs in Beach Maintenance area, but reports that there were bombs at sea | |||
| 0800 | Off loading normal. | |||
| 1530 | Soldier found in Coaster. Stated to have escaped afer being taken prisoner | |||
| by Germans. Interrogated by Intelligence Officer and handed to 102 Beach Sub Area. | ||||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,126 | |||
| a.m. | Slight enemy air activity directed at shipping off shore | |||
| 3 | 0430 | Work of unloading commenced on 26 LCMs. | ||
| 0800 | Off loading commenced. | |||
| 0835 | Mine exploded forward of gunsite on beach near Adv HQ. Three wounded TWO R.N. personnel, and one gunner. TWO detained in FDS. Type of Mine "S" | |||
| but did not rise above the ground. This type and British MK 3 had previously been cleared around the gun position, but this not detected as of wooden | ||||
| type. | ||||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,786. | |||
| a.m. | Slight enemy activity during night. No bombs dropped | |||
| 0800 | Off loading normal | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 3,223. | |||
| 2100 | LCT lying on beach since D Day refloated, and left area. | |||
| am | Aircraft operating singly during night. No consistent line of approach. | |||
| 5 | Ju 88 shot down by fighter. No attack on BMA | |||
| Off loading normal | ||||
| Coast railway operating for first time. Single track connecting Coursuelles |
Page 2 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernieres | 5 | St Aubin , Bernieres. Also connecting Bayeux and Caen via the coast. Used | ||
| a.m. | for carrying supplies. Passenger service introduced later. Concert Hall opened. All group arrangements for entertainments | |||
| and allocation of seats made by Bn. Entertainments Officer | ||||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,238 tons | |||
| 6 | Slight enemy air activity during night Ju 88 machine gunned down s/l beam. No further incidents reported | |||
| 0800 | Off loading normal | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,913. | |||
| 7 | Slight enemy air activity during night. weather: Thundery. several balloons struck by lightning. No bombs reported. | |||
| 0800 | Off loading normal | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 3,906. | |||
| 2030) 2130) |
Shelling from monitor at sea. Firing S.E. | |||
| 2135 | Heavy force of Lancasters and Halifaxes proceeding S.E. direction. Attacking objectives N.E. of Caen | |||
| 2213 | One Allied plane crashed into sea N.E. of Beach Area. Crew baled out before crash. Launch proceeded to rescue. | |||
| Slight enemy air activity. No incidents. | ||||
| 8 | Continual artillery barrage from Caen area during night. Naval guns also bombarding inshore targets. | |||
| 0800 | Off loading normal | |||
| 1145 | Adv HQ visited by American officers. | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage 4,085. | |||
| Slight enemy air activity. No incidents reported | ||||
| 9 | 0800 | Off loading normal | ||
| 1800 | Tonnage 4,815. Slight enemy activity. No incidents reported |
Page 3 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| am. | 5351032 Pte Bailey R. "S" Coy. Received fatal injury by accident. Gun shot wounds | |||
| Bernieres | 10 | 0800 | Weather rough. Low clouds hinders off loading | |
| 1100 | DUKWs unable to proceed ro coasters. | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 1,745. | |||
| 11 | a. m | Continuous Enemy air activity Smoke screen laid. Parachute mine dropped and blown inland. "C" Coy reports two mines dropped. | ||
| 0800 | Weather still bad | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 1,842 | |||
| 12 | am. | Much shipping in during night. Enemy air activity directed at shipping. Beaches machine gunned. No casualties reported | ||
| 0800 | Weather improves. Off loading continues normally | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage 4510. | |||
| am. | Slight enemy air activity at shipping. Bombs dropped at sea. | |||
| 13 | 0800 | Off loading normal. | ||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,230 | |||
| Slight enemy air activity. No incidents reported. | ||||
| 14 | 0800 | Off loading normal | ||
| 1100 | National Day of France celebrations. Commanding Officer attends service | |||
| at Bernieres Church. Wreath laid on Cenotaph. Visit to Canadian Cemetery for short service. Special Bulletin was issued giving brief history of | ||||
| France's National Day. | ||||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,335. | |||
| 1929 | 1 Me Crashed. Parachute seen descending. | |||
| 15 | a.m. | Four bombs reported over Beach Maintenance Area. No casualties reported. | ||
| 0800 | Off loading normal. | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage. 4,384. | |||
| a.m. | Slight energy air activity directed at shipping, and apparently laying of sea mines | |||
| 16 | 0800 | Off loading normal. |
Page 4 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernieres | 16 | 1800 | Tonnage: 3,536. | |
| Cinema opened at Concert Hall. Arrangements for seats for all sub units made by Entertainments.Officer. | ||||
| 2205 | Bomber attack expected. Smoke screens laid. Little activity developed. | |||
| 17 | 0800 | Heavy low mist. Off loading commenced. | ||
| 0830 | Off loading ceased. | |||
| 1030 | Mist lifting and off loading commenced from small craft on beaches. | |||
| 1330 | Off loading normal | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 3,377 | |||
| 2125 | Spitfire crashed into sea NNW of Advance HQ. Pilot landed by parachute. Rescued by boat manned by local fisherman and soldier. | |||
| 18 | Slight enemy air activity. No bombs reported. off loading normal. | |||
| 0545 | Heavy formation of Allied Bombers proceeding north east. Later reported | |||
| targets sout east of Caen, and west of Troarn. Allied attacked later launched in these areas | ||||
| 0625 | A/C crashed in flames NNW of Advance HQ | |||
| 0710 | A/C crashed NNE of Advance HQ | |||
| 0800 | Off loading normal. | |||
| 1030 | Commanding Officer attends ceremony at Civilian Cemetery of 15 civilians | |||
| killed during the first two days of the invasion. wreath laid. Letter from Army Commander announcing that Beach Companies of Beach Group | ||||
| to come under Comand HQ L of C. | Appx "A" | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 3,937. | |||
| 19 | Slight enemy air activity. No bombs reported. | |||
| 0800 | Off loading normal. | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 3,693. | |||
| 2115 | Rocket landed in minefield 200 yards west of "B" Coy HQ. Consisted of | |||
| parachute and two cannisters. TWO more reported to have landed at sea. Slight enemy air activity. |
Page 5 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernieres | 20 | 0800 | Off loading normal. Weather broke in the afternoon. Torrential rain, continuing dull, low clouds with rising wind. | |
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,426. | |||
| 21 | 0800 | Weather prevented off loading. | ||
| 1000 | Volunteers left for new location. To Commandos 3 from "B" Coy, 1 from "C" | |||
| Coy; To Airborne Div. 15 from "D" Coy; 3 from "C" Coy; To Paratroop Bn: 1 from "C" Coy, 2 from "D" Coy | ||||
| 1530 | DUKWS begin to operate to coasters. | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 718. | |||
| 22 | Slight enemy activity during night. No incidents reported. | |||
| 0800 | Off loading normal, but weather still cloudy with rain. | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage 3,187. | |||
| 1805 | Robot plane reported over area. Came in from sea flying north to south. | |||
| Later reported to have fallen south of Caen. Did not explode. | ||||
| 23 | am | Slight enemy air activity during night. | ||
| 0800 | Off loading normal. | |||
| 1800 | Tomage: 6,367. A record for the Beach Group. previous highest was 5,509. | |||
| 1820 | Advance HQ visited by Major General Naylor, Comdg 11 L. of C. Also visited LBVs off loading. | |||
| 243 Pro Coy take over from 244 Pro Coy. Prime Minister had been in Normandy for past two days. | ||||
| 24 | a.m. | Slight enemy air activity. No incidents reported | ||
| 0800 | Off loading normal | |||
| 1500 | Football: Royal Berkshire Regt 5 Royal Engineers 3. Special Order of the Day issued by Beach Group Commander | Appx "B" | ||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,561. | |||
| 1915 | Explosion in Salvaged Anmunition Dump. Did not affect current ammunition. | |||
| Occurred while mines were being unloaded from truck. |
Page 6 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernieres | 25 | am | Enemy air activity during night. One composite plane, believed to be Junkers 88 or Junkers 188 with fighter on its back, believed shot down. | |
| 0800 | Off loading normal. | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,780 | |||
| 26 | am | Slight enemy air activity during night. Considerable number of Allied planes flying over. | ||
| 0800 | Off loading normal (5350596 Ple Alexander W; 5350854 Pte Sawyer A "B" Coy ( Injured by exploding mine) Admitted to hospital | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,538. | |||
| a.m. | Fires observed at sea. Few aircraft heard at night | |||
| 27 | 0800 | Of loading normal. | ||
| 1400 | Maiwand Day celebrated by football match against Royal Marines resulted in win 8-0 for the Battalion. | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage 4,949 | |||
| 28 | am | Slight enemy air activity. | ||
| 0800 | Off loading normal | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,414, | |||
| 29 | am. | Slight enemy air activity during night. No bombs reported. | ||
| 0800 | Off loading normal | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 5,185 | |||
| 2000 to | Twenty five shells over Beach Area, mainly over Courseulles. Air bursting type. Seven shell burst on impact. Nose cap marked 35 kilo. Time from | |||
| 30 | 0600 | flash to hearing shell burst was approx 1 min 40 secs. Guns thoughts to be situated east in area of Ouistraham, Work not interferred with. | ||
| 5346478 Pte Gastand A "A" Coy wounded with shrapnel. one jeep and one 15 cwt damaged. | ||||
| 0800 | Off loading normal | |||
| 1800 | Tonnage: 5,073. | |||
| 31 | am. | Planes heard during night, but no incidents reported. |
Page 7 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernieres | 31 | 0800 | Off loading normal. Letter from Colonel of the Regiment | Appx "C" |
| 1800 | Tonnage: 4,150. | |||
| a.m. | Slight activity during time, but no incidents. | |||
| Appendices "A" Letter from Army Commander | ||||
| "B" Special Order of the Day "C" Letter from Colonel of the Regiment. | ||||
| Also Battalion Orders. Field Return of officers and other ranks for month. |
Page 8 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernieres | Observations for July | |||
| Weather during the month was unsettled, heavy seas and winds hampering off loading at times. Up to 31 July Beach Companies of the Battalion | ||||
| discharged 201,317 tons of supplies from the beaches. On 23 July a record was created by off loading 6,367 tons in one day, The daily average since | ||||
| "D" to 27 July was 3,509 tons. A cinema and concert hall has been opened, and recreational facilties, | ||||
| football, cricket, swimming, etc have been arranged for the SUB Units of the Beach Group by the Battalion. | ||||
| An information room was opened where the situation on all the battle fronts marked hourly. Regularly news bullotins were pinned up, | ||||
| and a daily news sheet produced and circulated to all sub units. |
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