On 4th June 1944, Operation Overlord and the lesser known, but equally important naval component of the invasion, Operation Neptune, was undertaken in Normandy to secure the liberation of Europe from the Germans. From D-Day until the end of World War II on 8th May 1945 more than 100,000 personnel mainly dedicated to the specialist branch of the Naval Service known as Combined Operations, serving in or connected with a vast invasion fleet of over 4,000 landing craft, barges and ships, delivered troops, tanks, lorries, guns, ammunition, stores and all the paraphernalia of the greatest and most complex amphibious assault the world has ever known. The landings in Normandy and the eventual re-conquest of Europe depended on these landing vessels and their crews, which could not have taken place without them. I, therefore, having served in the Royal navy, Combined Operations Command from 1942 to 1946, decided to try to redress this omission and raise a fitting memorial.
There were five landing beaches in the Bay of Seine area, two American – code named Omaha and Utah, one Canadian – Juno and two British – Gold and Sword, each one to be assaulted by a division of troops. I am here only concerned with Sword Beach, the most easterly beach, for the purpose of this memorial and website.
Landings on Sword Beach by the 3rd British Division were preceded by the dropping of airborne troops to capture key points inland. By nightfall on D-Day about 29,000 men with full equipment and stores, had been brought in by sea in landing vessels and repeated trips were made between England and France ferrying troops, supplies, wounded and prisoners of war. The cost was high due to the depredation of enemy guns, mines, warships and beach obstacles.
The sea was very rough with waves over 4ft high and a strong wind blowing when the amphibious DD tanks were launched from landing craft and most of them together with AVREs and flail tanks hit the beach at 0725 hours, precisely on schedule, ahead of the assault craft carrying the infantry. Rear Admiral Sir Phillip Vian, commanding the Eastern Task Force, reported that the state of the wind and sea were severe but did not deter the crews of the landing craft and barges whose spirit and seamanship rose to the occasion. Although landing craft and barges suffered considerable casualties from mines, shells and beach obstacles, the landings went according to plan and by the end of D-Day the beachhead was firmly established.
After the great gale on D+13 which lasted three days, the hard slogging work continued and soon thousands more men, vehicles and stores had been landed on Sword Beach, a stupendous achievement by the landing vessels involved. However, Sword Beach was especially vulnerable so a Support Squadron, Eastern Flank (SSEF) was formed for protection consisting mainly of Landing Craft Flak, Landing Craft Gun and Landing Craft Support was organised. This system, known as the Trout Line was constantly shelled by the enemy shore batteries as well as being subject to mines, E-boats, human torpedoes, circling torpedoes and explosive motor boats. There was little relaxation for these crews, some craft doing as much as 75 consecutive days and nights on duty, living on Compo rations.
By 12th September Le Havre and its E-boat shelters and heavy guns had been captured by the Allies as well as the closer batteries dominating Sword Beach so the SSEF and Trout Line were stood down. Landing craft continued to serve Sword Beach, but to a lesser extent after the great port of Antwerp had been liberated following the battle for Walcheren at the beginning of November and they continued their shuttle service across the Channel until after the end of the war in Europe.
©2007 Maurice Hillebrandt