Story: Overlord - Operation Neptune, D-Day - Part 5

OVERLORD, D-DAY

OPERATION NEPTUNE, June 6, 1944

By Clayton Marks, RCNVR and Combined Operations

A new version of the book is being produced in London ONT.

Introduction - The following story (presented here in six parts) can be found in Combined Operations by Clayton Marks of London, Ontario. The book was printed in 1993 (approx.), is extremely difficult to find, but is being reprinted by a London team. I present a short summary of Mr. Mark's 23-page-long account on this site.

OPERATION NEPTUNE, June 6, 1944 - Part 5

Of Prince David's assault Flotilla, only one returned from the beach for new ferrying missions. Its pair of Royal Navy assault craft sank before reaching shore (their crews were saved) and four of five of her own landing craft were crippled by obstacles. The fifth, loaded with all the crews from the other crafts, was pushed aside and also onto beach obstacles by a charging tank carrier, part of the reinforcement detachment. Again, crews had to "flounder ashore again. There they waited until one o'clock when an outbound lighter carried them back to Prince David."

On the other hand, all of Prince Henry's craft returned from disembarking troops safely and were hoisted back on board by 12:30. New missions held some craft in the assault area for several days and by early afternoon both Prince David and Prince Henry were involved with taking wounded soldiers off the beaches. "Prince David took on board fifty-eight men, Prince Henry fifty-six" and acted as "sick bays and improvised hospitals.". Though the progress of the landings could be considered good, some of the "soaked and disheveled" soldiers were "horribly wounded by land mines and shrapnel." Some died before ever reaching an operating room or hearing last rites.

Later in the day a "limping procession of landing craft" could be seen heading back to England. Some were towed by other crafts after being shoved into "navigable water by bulldozers." Others had to be nursed slowly back to health by repair parties, during which time one Canadian crew found "time and room on the beaches for a baseball game." Others describe a lull in action on June 7th, and some men aboard LCI(L) 310 visited the "nearby town of Arromanches, returning with several German uniforms and a stock of less warlike souvenirs." And on the evening of June 8th, after some craft had been given the nudge by bulldozers to help them get underway, German aircraft dropped by with a few last bombs.

The first assault ships that returned to England late in the day on June 7th carried with them "little sense of tremendous achievement." They returned "without fanfare into the familiar waters many of their men had never expected to see again." Though a few cheers could be heard from other shipping vessels, crews on those first ships to return "were scarcely in a mood to reply." C. Marks describes the mood well: "The epic hour had come and gone; and had left in its wake only a numbing lethargy. Nerves tuned through many months to an almost unendurable tension had relaxed. Bodies were bone-weary; minds filled only with an apathetic distaste for the continuing task ahead."

Prince Henry and Prince David were among those first ships to return and following them came "battered processions of landing craft", Canadian Flotillas among them. They barely had time to take a breath. The first assault had occurred and the "battle for the beaches was in full swing", but "the long-range reinforcement programme know as the build-up" was next.

As the Allies attempted to expand their forces and bridgehead in Normandy they faced a "ferocious (German) defense" and angry weather, angry enough to handicap air support, the builders of important artificial harbours (i.e., Mulberries), and supply ships. A particularly bad storm, which began on the 19th of June, heavily damaged harbours at St. Laurent and Arromanches, one critically.

Focussed on the work of sea-supply, men on landing craft and larger ships may not have been fully aware of battles taking place inland. Days and weeks of boredom in English ports brought many weary sailors a stiff challenge. "Prepared for the most taxing effort, they spent days and weeks in tense, restless idleness." Crews of the Prince Henry and Prince David grew impatient sitting at anchor, e.g., at Cowes, Isle of Wight, until mid-June after a busy entry into the assault on Normandy. Though some missions back to Normandy followed in June and July, one could say they were few and far between for Canada's well-trained and disciplined officers and their crews.

"Meanwhile the Canadian landing craft Flotillas" were placed in one large pool of transports and "were drawn as required." Again, it was a case of few and far between, and reinforcement troops they carried in the remainder of June totalled "only 7,871, as against 4,617" carried on D-Day.

It is recorded that "the (common) inactivity.... was due (in part) to the generous surplus of transport (vs) loss by enemy action" as well as "the deliberate (Naval) policy to keep in hand a large lift-capacity for other landings which might be required." Weather, and progress of inland battles also was considered. In June and July, 1944, inland battles increased the demand for tanks and transport (trucks, jeeps) at a greater rate than troops, so landing craft were selected based on these needs.

The conclusion will follow shortly.

Please link to Story: Overlord - Operation Neptune, D-Day - Part 4