"Many Troops Going Ashore" from LCI(L) 295
William Eccles, Leading Stoker, on Landing Craft Infantry (Large) 295
Photo Credit - Courtesy of William's son, Reg Eccles
Introduction:
The Allied invasion of France - at Normandy, beginning on June 6, 1944 - was a massive undertaking. Countless men and weapons of war were landed and assailed the coastline in hopes of overpowering and defeating German armies, and winning and ending World War II.
Eyewitness accounts and photographs by William Eccles - a member of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) and Combined Operations - of day to day action from his personal vantage point aboard LCI(L) 295 are valuable and note-worthy, as they provide rare and illuminating facts and details about an event that still shapes our everyday lives in the modern era.
Where did William and LCI(L) 295 fit in, according to the grand scheme of Allied plans?
Briefly:
(From an address delivered to the Maritime Museum of Vancouver, 1995 by Lloyd Williams, with supporting data from Jim Gibb, as found in St. Nazaire to Singapore, Volume 2).
Canada supplied 110 ships and 10,000 seamen to the enterprise, about 4 per cent of the Naval contribution. HMCS Prince Henry and Prince David, luxury liners transformed into landing ships early in the year, assembled at Cowes (Isle of Wight) with other LSI(M)s, and given D-Day assignments. Prince Henry, as a Senior Officer of Landing Ships (SOLS) in Force J would carry eight assault craft of the 528th Canadian Flotilla, and Prince David, as a Senior Ship in the same force, would transport six craft of the 529th along with six Royal Marine Boats. And shortly thereafter at Cowes, after lengthy training exercises, three Canadian Flotillas of LCI(L)s arrived, the 260th, 262nd and 264th, 30 craft in all.
(The full address can be read at Normandy - Operation NEPTUNE Part 1 and Normandy - Operation NEPTUNE Part 2)
The 264th Canadian Flotilla, mentioned above, was made up of 7 LCI(L)s, including LCI(L) 295, and each craft was able to carry a few hundred troops to shore at one time.
Photo - As found on page 232 in St. Nazaire to Singapore, Vol. 2,
compiled by D.J. Lewis, Lieutenant aboard LCI 311 (above)
The next two photographs (below) supplied by William's son, Reg Eccles, reveal LCI(L) 299 of the 262nd Canadian Flotilla at sea and LCI(L) 125 (also part of the 262nd Canadian Flotilla and similar in almost all respects to LCI(L) 295) landing as close to shore as possible with troops disembarking by way of metal staircases that were attached to both sides of the LCIs.
Originals of the above were taken by RCN photographer Gilbert Milne
The map below helps to reveal the location of LCI landings on D-Day Normandy, June 6, 1944. During the landings, the 30 Canadian LCIs could be found in the British Zone, lower right.
Photo - As found on page 232 in St. Nazaire to Singapore, Vol. 2
It has been said that Canadian seamen (not rated as officers) were not allowed to carry cameras or write journals, but it is our good fortune today that many, including Mr. Eccles, did so.
About June 7, 1944, also known as 'D-Day Normandy +1' Mr. Eccles writes the following:
"We land the 400 troops at Asnelles" (a few
KM east of Arromanches, see map above).
"My Dad and his buddies on his landing craft joking around"
Photo Credit - Courtesy of Reg Eccles
Mr. William Eccles records the following about events on June 8, 1944:
Other photos, "never before seen", from Mr. Eccles' collection follow:
"Beach recovery units help stalled trucks, etc. in from the water"
William Eccles, far right, with mates and officer (perhaps Lt. P.G.R. Campbell)
More to follow.
Please link to Memoirs: Frank Benoit "Bit of a Strange Story"
Photos contributed by Reg Eccles, son of William Eccles
Unattributed Photos GH
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