No.8 Beach Group War Diary: June 1944

The No.8 Beach Group June 1944 war diary covers the D-Day landing at Bernières-sur-Mer and the running of the Beach Maintenance Area on the Nan sector of Juno Beach. The period focused on unloading stores, recovering vehicles and building roads under air raids, shelling and bad weather, with over 73,000 tons landed by the end of the month.

National Archive Reference: WO 171/812

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WO 171/812 No.8 Beach Group

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This diary mentions 1 units with war diaries for June 1944.

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Page 1 of 7

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
Southampton	1	Units of Group prepared for operation BIGOT NEPTUNE. Following briefing of unit commanders, briefing instructions were issued to the men. Units
	to	proceeded to Marshalling area and thence to point of embarkation where they embarked as serials were announced. The majority of units joined
	4	at Southampton.
English Channel	5	Invasion craft and troop carriers proceeded to unknown destination.
		During voyage instructions were issued to Officers i/c serials. There were no incidents on the trip.
	6	D Day. Elements of the Beach Group were landing from H Hours onwards.
		There were same casualties caused by mined craft when they beached, and also from machine gun fire directed on boats as the men were disembakring.
		23 Beach Recovery Section REME. One O.R. injured. 170 Coy Pioneer Corps 1 Missing, presumed
		drowned, two wounded. 144 Coy Pionner Corps 12 presumed killed, 27 wounded.
		(The heavy casualties of 144 Pionner Coy was caused by an underwater mine, when boat was approaching shore, which blew the fore part of the
		ship away. The remainder of the party - 5 1/2 sections under Major H.V. Worrall - were transhipped to U.K. for re-equipping)
		Other casualties included:
		5. R. Berks. 3 killed.. 7 wounded. (plus one officer) Det 293 Coy P.C. 2 Killed 1 "
		33 F.D.S. 1 " 34 F.D.S. 9 "

Page 2 of 7

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Bernieres	6		104 Beach Flight RAF 2. missing.
			225 Coy P.C. Killed 1 O.R, wounded 1 Officer, two O.R.s
		0745	First vehicle BARV of 23 Beach Recovery Sec landed 800 yardseast of Bernieres.
		0810 H+75	Second BARV of same unit arrived. Worked commenced on recovery Beach Group Commander Landed.
		H+160	Advance and Rear HOs established. Advance on Beach and Rear 500 yards inland. Wirless communication established by 5. R. Berks
			with those sub units, and bn companies established
		1100-	Some fighting on beaches against unreduced enemy strong points.
		1600 hrs	"A" Coy, 5.R. Berks took some of these posts, killed two of enemy, six wounded, and 25 prisoners. Suffered 1 officer and two NCOs wounded.
			Beaches bombed. Units established themselves. Sparadic sniping dealt with.
		2230	Air Raid developed, but this was not serious.
		2300	"B" and "C" Coys, 5.R. Berks proceeded to battle front to give support to Canadian left flank. Contacted North Shore Regiment.
			23 Beach Recovery Sec: Total vehicles recovered for day -37. Repaired and sent to units or collected by DVPs -18.
			All units had moved to their positions, and carried on with their allotted jobs.
			A barrage of ten balloons was up at a height of 2,000 feet to cover operations shortly after H + 180.
			Sign posting and control of traffic was carried out by 244 Pro Coy despite the fact their stores did not arrive until the following day,..

Page 3 of 7

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Bernieres	7		More elements of the Beach Group arrived throughout the day.
			Unloading started early, but was hampered by bad weather. Work of all units proceeded according to schedule; Laterals were developed
			both single and double tracks, beach exits cleared and maintained, and beaches cleared after tides.
			Barrage increased to sixteen balloons and deployed so as to encircle a depth of 3/4 of a mile from the central point of White Beach.
		1100	"B" and "C" Coys 5. R. Berks returned from Front line, and straight way resumed off loading.
			Normal administrative routine was carried out from Rear Beach HQ, and interrogation of prisoners and civilian suspects fell upon the Intelligence
			section of 5. R. Berks. Vehs recovered & repaired 57, 14 remaining beyond repair.
		2230	Group "Stand To" Parachutists reported. 5. R. Berks send out patrols.
		-2350	Air raid developed. A.P. Bombs in Beach area More A.P. Bombs. Casualties: One C.S.M. Killed, and 4 O.R.S wounded.
			All 5. R. Berks; One O.R. killed, One Sgt and O.R. wounded 170 Coy, Pioneer Corps; 1 killed and two injured, 115 Coy, Pioneer Corps; 1 wounded,
			144 Coy, Pioneer Carps; 1 injured, 52 Balloon Unit.
	8	0330	Ammunition truck near Rear HQ hit and fired. Fire fighting patrol
			summoned from POL dump as other vehicles caught. Rear HQ evacuated because of explosions to Advance HQ.
		0415	Recce Party returns to Rear HQ.
		0430	Rear HQ established
		0500	Low flying attack, with A.P. bombs and machine gun, made by enemy aircraft. No damage or casualties. One raider shot down by fighter.
		0730	Rear HQ fired by further explosions, Flames extinguished by HQ personnel. Work continued on the beaches (White and Green),Red being closed the
			previous day.

Page 4 of 7

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Bernieres.	8		One NCO, 244 Prov. Coy injured. Evacuated to England,
			Additional casualties reported: 1 killed, three wounded 52 Balloon Flight RAF
			Tonnage discharged since D Day: 3182. Rear HQ Evacuated owing to damage.
	9		Barrage increased to 24 balloons. Observations had shown that the energy
			when attacking the barrage area, tended to fly round or over it, thereby losing: a great deal of its effectiveness
			No incidents affecting work of Group. Tonnage: 2612. Reported Ammunition and Stores dumps working at full pressure
			No 4 B Advanced landing ground commenced.
	10		Unloading continues. Working from dawn until midnight.
		1000	"A" Coy 5. R. Berks hand over Green to No 4 Beach Group. Move to White Beach First air strip in operation
			Advance elements of 27 Beach Recovery Section REME take over from 23 BRS. 170 Pionmeer Coy moved to White Beach.
			Tonnage 2909.
	11		Loading continues. Beach Group News Bulletin and situation map issued to all sub-units. This was continued daily for as long as the group was
			in operation as it was appreciated that it was difficult for some of the units to obtain news. A loud speaker broadcast was also given at nights
		2000	Shelling in ammunition area. No damage or casualties. Tonnage 3108.
	12		Unloading continues.
		2030	Typhoon crashes in Amm. area. No casualties. Pilot baled out. Tonnage: 4224.
			In addition to unloading work proceeds on road maintenance, widening and building of further roads to avoid congestion in the villages.
			This was bad in Courseulles where all traffic had to go to most of the the dumps, and this was being by passed.

Page 5 of 7

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
Bernieres	12		This was to form when completed a direct cross country road from the
			beaches to the dumps ... Night raid, but no damage.
	13		Prime Minister landed at Courseulles on his visit to the front line
		2100	Slight shelling. Amm area. No damage... Tonnage 4287..
			23 Beach Recovery commenced work on under sea wrecks. Tides made full scale salvage impossible, even working with divers.
			Survivors of 144 Pioneer Coy reported back, after re-equipping
	14		Unloading continues normally. Tonnage: 2200.
			Slight air activity at night.
	15		Normal. No incidents. Tonnage3007.
	16		H.M. The King arrived at courseulles. Visited Аrmy HQ.
			Tonnage: 2778. N.E. wind. Unfavourable for off loading
	17		Normal unloading, but hampered by wind. Tonnage: 3313.
	18		Normal unloading, but weather still unfavourable: Tonnage 2490..
			Pilotless plane over Nan green beach, but not reported to have dropped in Allied territory..
	19		Normal unloading, but weather continues unfavourable. Tonnage 1419. Messages of congratulations from general Montgomery (AAX "A") and
			Army Commander (Appx "B")	see Appx "a" and Appx "B"
	20		Normal unloading. Weather worstens Tonnage 1260,
		1630	Two FWs 190 destroyed over BMA. No incidents reported.

Page 6 of 7

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
Bernieres	20		104 Beach Flight inspected by Air Officer i/c Administration, HQ No 83 Group RAF.
	21		Weather continues bad with freshening wind : Tonnage 367.
		2020- 2030	Shelling in BMA., nine shells in all. Casualites 144 Pioneer Coy: 1. killed, 4 wounded. 2 houses damaged, one searchlight generator.
			Reported immediately to Counter Battery 4th A.G.R.A. at Main Corps HQ. Officially disclosed as fired from 17 cm gun using 120 lbs shells. Total
			discharge 367 tons Operation Order No 2 issued.	Appx "C"
	22		Weather bad. Impossible for DUKWS to go out Tonnage 138.
	23		Improvement in weather. Tonnage 3049
		2350 to	Scattered raids mainly at shipping off shore. Night fighters operating.
	24	0250	Disclosed that 19 e/a destroyed by A,A. since D Day
	25		Unloading proceeds without incident. Tonnage 4699. Small scale enemy air activity
	26	0537	Ju 88 engaged by A.A in BMA, and subsequently destroyed by fighter.
		0546 0550	e/a believed to be Me 110 or He 117 shot down by HAA. One Me attacked VP 2 (Benouville) and destroyed by LAA.
		0600	DUKWS proceed to coasters Tonnage for day: 4716.
	27	0550	DUKWS proceed to coasters. Tonnage: 5300.
	28		No incidents to report. Unloading proceeding as normal. Tonnage: 5509.
			Special Order of the Day issued by Beach Group Commander on record of unloading Anmeddent to Op Order No 2 issued (Appx "E")	Appx "D" Appx "E"
	29		Unloading normal. NO incidents. Tonnage 4450.
	30		" " " Tonnage 4452.
			"D" Company moved to Transhipment Area. One man killed 199 G.T. company as a result of DUKW accident

Page 7 of 7

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
Bernieres	30	Observations From 6 June to 30 June 73,586 tons of supplies were discharged.
		This figure would have been even higher but for the fact that bad weather at times seriously hampered the work. Reports from Beach Companies show
		that even more could have been handled, but there was not the transport available.
		It was not so much as what could be handled from the beaches, but the getting it away; avoiding bottle necks on the roads. By passes
		were constructed, and roads widened (see Appx F) to take the heavy traffic.
		Camouflage behaviour i.e. siting of dumps, bivouas areas and personal concealment was good, due in no small measure to pre-invasion training
		of troops and formations. Concealment was devised and executed with the prime motive of not hindering in any way the speedy handling and
		dispatch of supplies, and to that succeeded.
		A point for consideration is that possible un-necessary casualties may frequently occur in landing by troops going to the prow
		of the boats, and on the ramps immediately they are let down. The craft may strike a mine, and these troops are killed or injured. On landing
		therefore, troops should be kept to the rear portion of the boat until it has safely beached.
		Appendices
		"A" Message from General Montgomery. "B" " " Army Commander.
		"C" Operation Order No 2 "D" Special Order of the Day. Beach Group Commander.
		"E" Ammendment to Op Order No 2. "F" Trace of roads cut
		"G" Beach Group Order No 83.. "H" Message from Supreme Commander

Units Referenced in this war diary

The following units are mention in this war diary and have their own June 1944 war diary

5th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, June 1944 War Diary