I'm in the process of researching my family tree. My father is still alive and i'd like to find out as much as i can for him. He was in the inland water transport and landed at corseilles on d day. He says they went in after the princess pat regiment of canadians. Does anyone have any info or any pointers please?
Welcome to the forum. The PPCLI did not land Normandy on D-Day. They were still fighting in Italy and weren't transferred to NW Europe until 1945. The Canadians landed at Juno, and these are the one that did so: Juno Beach - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia One of the tasks of teh IWT after D-Day was to supplement the navy's small boats in offloading and transferring material on the Mulberry Harbour. Do you have any more details from which we can work from. Company number, dates and possible places that he served etc
He said they landed at Corseilles behind the Princess Pat regiment. We returned there a few years ago and he spoke to a French guy about it. He said there was a church that was under fire and that all the women and children were huddled underneath. This french guy was one of the children so he helped confirm a lot of what my father said. My father is always talking about the mulberry harbours and i think he was involved with that. We also did a river cruise which took us to a bridge that my father helped build. The bridge had been renewed a few years previously but it had lasted a long time. I'll try and get some more info when i see him later tonight. I know he was stationed at Hull and Southampton. So do you think he prob went in AFTER the landings?
Nijmegen was reached in September 1944, and was one of the bridges that was captured during Operation Market Garden. You may know the operation because of Arnhem (and the film A Bridge Too Far). Operation Market Garden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The bridges would have been repaired and used after the town had been cleared. Have you contacted the Royal Engineers' Museum, who may hold the diaries for his unit? Royal Engineers Museum and Library official web site - Welcome (Index and Home) page
I don't think you will find he built that bridge. He may have helped build the pontoon bridge further down stream, approximately where the newish rail bridge is. The Canadian engineers rescued 152nd brigade (51st Highland Division) from the "Island" in storm boats when it was flooded in December 1944. They were taken off in boats because Nijmegen bridge was still under fire at the time.
It was a few years back but yes, i think that's the bridge. Yes, i think it was a repair. I've sent for his service records and hoped to take it from there. I'll try the museum tho. Thank you. My father says he can't remember lots about it although he tells me about people he served with and what happened to them.
Just spoke to dad! He was in the 966 Inland Water Transport. Hi said he was transferred from Gravesend to the isle of Wight. From there he went by LCT (i think) to Normandy where he manned the rhino ferries. he siad that the Canadians went in first followed by the Poles??? When I said it couldn't have been the Princess Pat he said that maybe they weren't but that's what they told him and he's sticking to it. He said he helped transport them onto the beaches. he even went through the actions of driving with one had and releasing the back with the other. He was there at Courselles for a while he said. When i asked him about the bridge he said they had tried to relieve the bridge but that jerry was entrenched in and that they had to go further down river. He said he thought it was a permanent bridge because they had to pile drive into the river bed. He moved on before it was completed. he said loads more. He was first at Hull and then Cairn Ryan. he said there was a strike at the London docks and they were sent there to unload the ships.
966 IWT Coy were working with the 267th Company of the Pioneer Corps, in the second wave of the landing on D-Day http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mrx9000/rpc/2004_Feb_Newsletter.pdf And there are a number of casualties: Name: BROCK, ERNEST THOMAS Initials: E T Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sapper Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Operating Coy. Age: 26 Date of Death: 07/06/1944 Service No: 1502829 Additional information: Son of Louisa Brock, of Walsall, Staffordshire; husband of Susan Brock, of Caldmore, Walsall. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 19. Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY Name: BURNETT, HENRY GEORGE Initials: H G Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sapper Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Operating Coy. Age: 33 Date of Death: 07/06/1944 Service No: 14634458 Additional information: Son of Thomas and Frances Burnett; husband of Matilda Mary Ann Burnett, of Dagenham, Essex. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. M. 16. Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY Name: CAMPY, HAROLD Initials: H Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sapper Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Port Operating Coy. Age: 33 Date of Death: 07/06/1944 Service No: 1619857 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 18. Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY Name: HILL, ERNEST FRANCIS Initials: E F Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sapper Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Coy. Age: 23 Date of Death: 07/06/1944 Service No: 14260580 Additional information: Son of Edith Hill; husband of Agnes L. S. O. Hill, of Newent, Gloucestershire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 23. Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY Name: LAWRENSON, LESLIE JAMES Initials: L J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Corporal Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I. W. T.) Coy. Age: 20 Date of Death: 07/06/1944 Service No: 2162409 Additional information: Son of George and Sophia Lawrenson, of East Ham, Essex. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 1. Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY Name: MAWDITT, CYRIL Initials: C Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Corporal Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Coy. Age: 28 Date of Death: 07/06/1944 Service No: 6009458 Additional information: Husband of Kathrine Mary Mawditt, of Canvey Island, Essex. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 21. Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY Name: NEWMAN, LEONARD GEORGE Initials: L G Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Corporal Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Operating Coy. Age: 22 Date of Death: 07/06/1944 Service No: 2162412 Additional information: Son of George and Mary Newman, of Barking, Essex. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XV. A. 11. Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY Name: RAPLEY, LIONEL HARRY SEARLE Initials: L H S Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sapper Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Coy. Age: 36 Date of Death: 07/06/1944 Service No: 1804759 Additional information: Son of Harry and Charlotte Rapley; husband of Mary Gwendoline Rapley, of Robertsbridge, Sussex. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. M. 22. Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY Name: WHITE, RICHARD Initials: R Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Lance Serjeant Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Port Operating Coy. Age: 33 Date of Death: 09/06/1944 Service No: 1991440 Additional information: Son of Thomas Richard and Alice White; husband of Caroline White, of Rotherlithe, London. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XI. E. 9. Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY Name: STOCK, WILLIAM ERIC Initials: W E Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sapper Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Operating Coy. Age: 36 Date of Death: 27/05/1945 Service No: 14631857 Additional information: Son of George Wendon Stock and May Stock, of Little Saling, Essex; husband of Winifred Alice Stock, of Little Saling. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 23. G. 4. Cemetery: JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY Name: COUSINS, RALPH Initials: R Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sapper Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Coy. Age: 32 Date of Death: 18/11/1945 Service No: 14339478 Additional information: Husband of Florence Mary Cousins, of Murton, Bishopston. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: New ground. Row 4. Grave 11. Cemetery: BISHOPSTON (ST. TEILO) CHURCHYARD
I'd like to thank everyone for their help. I have applied for my fathers service records plus, hopefully, the war diaries.
