Sicily: Canadian LCMs and Beach Organization (1).

A Very Rare Photograph Prompts a Search

"I knew at once the supreme purpose of sea power in a world war... Our ships

cut serenely across a painted ocean." Part of the assault convoy to Sicily. 

Photo and caption: They Left the Back Door Open by L. Shapiro

Introduction:

War correspondent Lionel Shapiro (of The Montreal Gazette) travelled most of the way to Sicily aboard a troop transport, in a vast Allied armada ("the assault convoy"). As it neared the coast he was transferred to a Landing Craft Infantry (LCI), and at some point on D-Day Sicily, i.e., July 10, 1943, the LCI "bobbed along the shoreline to the brigade's designated off-loading point at an inlet dubbed George Beach*, some six miles south of Syracuse." (They Left the Back Door Open, page 36)

(*italics mine)

George Beach sounded familiar. Maybe because I have included a lot of material on this website about the invasion of Sicily - Canadians members of RCNVR who volunteered to serve with the Combined Operations organization were very active there. So, initially I felt that George Beach might be one of the spots they aimed for during landings. 

L. Shapiro mentions in his book that the LCI was manned by men from the Royal Navy. And he writes that soon after it "lowered the ramp on the seaward side of a pontoon quay (he) walked ashore like a summer tourist,"  and he spoke with a British Marine commando. 

That being said, I still felt George Beach was linked to Canadian sailors in some way so I checked an RCNVR officer's memoirs and was rewarded with many fine facts and details. Not only did the officer state that Canadian Flotillas of Landing Craft worked at George Beaches, he also provided information about how the beaches were organized during the landings that seems to match up with the scene in an excellent photo (of one section) of George Beach that may only appear in Shapiro's book.

Rare Photograph:

Caption: "...Every strip of usable beach was organized as a miniature port."

A view of supply and infantry landing craft on a beach near Syracuse.

Photo is found opposite page 15 in They Left the Back Door Open

The 'Shapiro photo' reveals an item or two he mentions, i.e., a pontoon quay, Italian prisoners amongst the sailors. It also reveals a few other important features, i.e., some forms of beach organization, e.g., rubble has been moved/removed, likely by Allied tractors or bulldozers, triangular signs have been posted, a numerical sign has been posted (II), etc.

Comments by Canadian officer Lt. Cmdr. Jake Koyle of Saskatoon also inform us about beach organization plans.

Koyle writes in Rare Memoirs:

Sectors and Beaches - Sicily -

The beaches worked by the Canadian Flotillas were in what was known as the "ACID" area controlled by Rear Admiral Troubridge and comprising all the beaches on the eastern side of Sicily north of Avola.

These beaches were divided into three sectors, from south to north "JIG", "HOW" and "GEORGE". 

From page 175, Combined Operations by Clayton Marks, RCNVR, Combined Operations, of London, Ontario

[Editor's note: Shapiro thought his landing, closer to Syracuse than Avola, was dull. He had steeled himself "for a blood and thunder assault." At Avola, Canadian sailors recall the worst part of their war, i.e., regular bombings, approx. every two hours for three days in a row. Stoker Katana was heard to say, while hiding under a winch on an LCM, "Dieppe was never like this!" Shapiro's landing vs the chaotic landings are described in more detail here.]

The 80th and 81st Flotillas landed at Avola (incl. my father) and at many

points north of that spot. The beach seems 6 - 8 miles in length.

Koyle continues:

The majority of the 81st Flotilla worked "HOW" beaches, while the 80th worked "GEORGE" beaches. In each of these sectors there were three L.C.M. Flotillas and three LCT's, while LCI(L)'s and LST's worked whatever beaches were available at the time of their arrival from Malta or North Africa.

[Editor's note: re the phrase "in each of these sectors there were three L.C.M. Flotillas." I do not want to give readers the impression that all of the flotillas were Canadian because I do not know if that was the case. Shapiro was on an LCI manned by an RN crew. I assume that the Canadian Flotillas were included with predominantly RN Flotillas. As well, it is difficult to know how many Landing Craft Mechanised (LCMs) made up a flotilla at any given time. I have read as many as 14 individual crafts, with a crew of 3 - 4 sailors, not always including an officer. More about flotilla organization - as part of squadrons (!) to follow.]

Koyle writes:

This theoretical arrangement was not adhered to during the stresses of the operation and LCM Flotillas soon found that it was not practicable to operate as a Flotilla. Such constant adjustments were necessary to meet changing requirements and breakdowns in craft that LCM's were in fact used as individual craft almost regardless of their Flotilla.

From page 176, Combined Operations 

[Editor's note: The above explains why Joe Watson (Simcoe) and Doug Harrison (Norwich), members of the 80th Flotilla and assigned to George Beaches, were subject to the constant bombardments near Avola and may have been attempting to land in an area where JIG, HOW and GEORGE Beaches were very close or even over-lapped. "Constant adjustments were necessary to meet changing requirements" means "Be flexible!" More about that concept will follow.]

 💣

re "the constant bombardments." Please click here for details from the mouth of Joe Watson.

Photo Credit - D.J.L., David J. Lewis, as found in St. Nazaire to Singapore, Vol. 1

The rare 'Shapiro photo' (likely taken by an unnamed Royal Navy photographer), together with reports from Lt. Cmdr. Jake Koyle may give us a better understanding of plans related to 'Beach Organization' on various Allied fronts - then, and during future landings - along with an insight concerning the peaceful scene on Shapiro's George Beach vs the chaos and carnage reported at other George Beaches.

About the Bombardments Koyle writes:

Enemy Opposition -

When the transport ships arrived off the beaches at dawn small arms opposition had been wiped out by the assault forces but coastal artillery batteries inland were still firing, while a cruiser, destroyer and a monitor were bombarding from port and starboard wings of the anchorage.

By 0730 all was quiet - terribly quiet. Everyone expected enemy aircraft from moment to moment and the anticipation intensified the stillness in spite of the intense activity, but it was not until 1130 that the first Italian fighter was seen flying low, hotly pursued by two Spitfires; and not until 1330 did a bombing attack develop. Then one bomber dropped a stick on the sector of "GEORGE" beaches worked by the 80th Flotilla, narrowly missing Lieut. Koyle who was on the beach at the time between an LCT and an LST which both suffered heavy casualties...

It was with' great relief that the troopers who had landed the assault forces were sailed away. There was still a tempting assemblage of shipping off the beaches, perhaps fifty vessels, and the stores they carried were vital to the operation of the 8th Army now advancing towards Syracuse.

At 1530 the first serious air raid took place but a number of dive bombers and medium bombers achieved no success with attacks which were directed mainly against transports. From then on the blitz continued throughout the night and at frequent intervals during the next 48 hours.

Although the bombing attacks were so numerous, there were never many aircraft in any one attack - about thirty aircraft, mostly German, in the heaviest raids on "HOW" sector - and the raids were surprisingly unsuccessful. Not until the evening of the 11th was any ship sunk or severely damaged. Then, in a dusk attack, dive bombers selected a hospital ship* lying lit up some distance to seaward of its transport anchorage and sunk her in twenty minutes. According to a record kept by a stoker of the 81st Flotilla, there were twenty-three raids on "HOW" and "GEORGE" sectors in the first three days.

From page 176 - 177, Combined Operations

(*re the hospital ship: click here for more details re the ill-fated hospital ship)

*HMHS Talamba: 10/07/1943 - Bombed & sunk off Syracuse during the landings

in Sicily. Attacked even though fully illuminated and showing red cross markings.

Photo Credit - TyneBuiltShips

[Editor's note: No mention of bombings at JIG Beaches has been found yet, closest to Avola, even though my father was a member of the 80th (assigned to GEORGE, and mentions landings at or near Avola in memoirs, that were opposed by continuous, regular (every 2 hours) bombardments spread over 72 hours or three days. Click here for excerpts from L. Shapiro's book that ends with details re bombings from Doug Harrison's memoirs. Please link to Joe Watson's interview with a hometown newspaper that tells of the constant bombings and more. ]

About 'a Day's Work' and 'Beach Organization Plan' Koyle writes the following:

The Day's Work -

These dramatic incidents were typical interruptions of the first week's work, but they were only interruptions. The main job to be done was to land stores and equipment of all kinds to supply the 8th Army's advance on Augusta and Catania.

The routine in the early stages of the operation was constantly changing to meet Army requirements. Thus all LCM's might be diverted to unloading a ship carrying mortar ammunition if there was an immediate requirement for that supply above all others.

After the Army stores became better organized with adequate resources for whatever operations were required, the unloading routine became standardized and ships were cleared on a regular schedule as they came to the anchorage.

The LCM's handled every type of cargo from a 16-ton tank or 215cwt. (100-weight) truck to a double tier of 4 gallon high-octane gas cans. Ammunition, Army "composite" ration boxes, small arms, mortars - all was grist to their mill. And, considering the fact that the merchant men carried roughly their own tonnage in cargo, there was an enormous tonnage to be handled.

Discharging from LCM -

Although not so delicate an operation as loading, the unloading of an LCM required good seamanship in the beaching of the craft and good beach organization to clear the load as quickly as possible. Navy personnel did not handle cargoes once the LCM had beached but this work was done by Army personnel and by prisoners. It was, in fact, a remarkable feature of the unloading operations that Italian prisoners were found comparatively willing to do this work although the Indian regiment, who were put in charge of the Italian prisoners, were no doubt persuasive in their supervision.

After the second day, a considerable number of Italians were available; before that the work had been mainly done by the Indian regiment. 

(Editor's note: In Shapiro's rare photo - in smaller size below - it is very likely that many of the men on the pontoon quay are prisoners.)

Beach Organization -

The available labour was not the only factor in unloading the ships but good organization was of even more importance. The Military Landing Officer, the Beach Master and his Naval beach party had their beach very well organized and constructed seven beaching points suitable for LCM's from which led exits connecting with four roadways to the highway about a quarter of a mile inland.

Three of these roadways led out and the other was for traffic to the beaches. These exits and roadways were constructed by bulldozers - tractor trucks of very high horse power and low geared - fitted with a kind of snow plough ahead of the engine so that they can push earth and sand away to make a level road. They were also immensely useful for towing or pushing trucks that had stuck or craft that had beached too hard and could not get off under their own power.

When the bulldozers had done their work, fine wire netting was laid across sandy and muddy stretches where truck wheels might get bogged down and with these makeshifts, useful roads were constructed amazingly fast.

Canadians Chuck Rose, Al Kirby, Lloyd Evans transport wire mesh, along

with other supplies. Likely on board a cargo ship. Location unknown 

Other sailors transport wire mesh, along with other supplies.

Location unknown. Photo - the collection of Lloyd Evans

The first LCM's to land at a beach to be used for stores carry bulldozers and wire netting. As can be seen, it is of the utmost importance to construct as many landing points for the craft as there is room on the beach and as many exits as are required to clear the stores unloaded at these landing points. The only mechanical assistance in unloading at the beach was provided by Scammels and Dukws, some of which were fitted with light cranes.

From page 177 - 178, Combined Operations

The role of Canadians in Combined Operations is described differently by ratings (e.g., Ordinary Seamen, Able Boding Seamen, Leading Seamen, Coxswains, etc.) and officers (Sub. Lieutenants, Lieutenants, Lieutenant Commanders, etc) who volunteered for service aboard landing crafts beginning in late 1941. Add the perspective and photographs from war correspondents who accompanied them during exercises and actual raids and invasions, and readers will get a multi-faceted picture of the role, responsibilities, outcomes, and more.

I end by saying that war correspondent LionelS. B. Shapiro, who described his easy landing on one of the GEORGE beaches by saying "It was all too dull", also went on to say the following:

It will be said, and probably correctly,
that the most valuable new weapon we developed
in this war was the simply constructed landing craft.

Landing Ships (for) Tanks (LSTs) grew larger, but Landing Crafts,

Mechanised (LCMs), "the workhorse", front right, never went out of style.

Photo Credit - Imperial War Museum (IWM)

This type of vessel which has a shallow draught
capable of negotiating a beach of normal gradient and
a square prow which when lowered becomes a serviceable ramp,
has been turned out by the thousands in the United States
and has made possible all our amphibious operations.
For it must be remembered that a successful assault on
an enemy-held beach is less than half the battle.

The outcome depends less on the quality of shock troops
than on the efficiency of supply lines. In our offensive against
the Fortress Europe, which necessitates in nearly every case landings
from the sea, the enemy has depended on his interior supply lines.
We have resolved this difficulty with the L.C.I.
(landing craft infantry) and the L.S.T. (landing ship tank).

Passage from page 35, They Left the Back Door Open

Shapiro did not go on to mention the importance of LCMs, but I know he would have if he had been on George Beach with Joe Watson and Doug Harrison. : ) (Links to their landings are supplied above).

For more information about Lionel Shapiro's rare book please link to Passages: They Left the Back Door Open (2).

Unattributed Photos GH