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Assignments of the 1st Assault Brigade, R.E. On D Day

Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 1:55 am
by Temujin
Assignments of the 1st Assault Brigade, R.E. On D Day

1st Assault Brigade, R.E., Brigadier G.L. Watkinson aboard LCT (Serial 1413a)

Brigade Workshops Company, R.E.M.E.
Manned 12 x BARV distributed to the various assault squadrons

149th Assault Park Squadron, RE
Manned 12 x D-7 armoured bulldozers distributed to the various assault squadrons

Attached to I Corps

5th Assault Regiment, R.E., Lieutenant Colonel Cocks
Casualties to the regiment (including RHQ) as of D+4 were 8 Officers & 16 Other Ranks KIA, 8 Officers & 39 Other Ranks WIA, and 49 Other Ranks MIA
Of the 81 AVRE embarked, as of D+4. 53 were fit, 8 were in 2nd line repair, 16 were in 3rd line repair or written off, and 4 were missing

SWORD Beach

77th Assault Squadron, R.E., Major K.du B. Ferguson
Strength (including detachment 22nd Dragoons) was 13 Officers & 186 Other Ranks
D-Day casualties were 2 Officers & 7 Other Ranks KIA, 3 Officers & 7 Other Ranks WIA, and 2 Other Ranks MIA

1 Troop (GREEN Gap, QUEEN RED), D-Day casualties were 1 Officer & 1 Other Rank KIA and 2 Other Ranks MIA

LCT (Serial 112)
3 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
Captain G.C. McLennan (KIA), Lieutenants C.J.P. Tennent (77th Squadron) and D. Knapp (22nd Dragoons)

2 Troop (YELLOW Gap, QUEEN RED), D-Day casualties were 4 Other Ranks KIA and 6 Other Ranks WIA

LCT (Serial 111)
2 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
Major Ferguson and Captain Low

LCT (Serial 110a)
2 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
2 x AVRE
2 x D7 Bulldozer
Captain Wheway and Lieutenant Sadler (22nd Dragoons)

3 Troop (BLUE Gap, QUEEN RED), D-Day casualties were 1 Other Rank KIA and 2 Officers & 2 Other Ranks WIA

LCT (Serial 110)
3 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
Captain W.C.S. Carruthers (WIA) and Lieutenant I.C.B. Dickinson (WIA)

4 Troop (RED GAP, QUEEN RED) D-Day casualties were 1 Officer & 1 Other Rank KIA and 1 Officer WIA

LCT (Serial 109)
2 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
Lieutenant Colonel Cocks (KIA), Captain T. Fairie, Lieutenants J.G. Charlton (77th Squadron, WIA) and Robertson (22nd Dragoons)

Support:

LCT(A) (Serial 533)
2 x D7 Bulldozer

LCT(A) (Serial 535)
1 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)

79th Assault Squadron, R.E., Major J.G. Hanson
Strength (including detachment 22nd Dragoons) was 10 Officers & 169 Other Ranks, D-Day casualties were 2 Officers & 8 Other Ranks KIA, 3 Officers & 10 Other Ranks WIA, and 2 Other Ranks MI

1 Troop (GREEN Gap, QUEEN WHITE), D-Day casualties were 7 Other Ranks KIA:

LCT (Serial 113)
2 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
Major Hanson, Captain R.C. Cunningham, Lieutenant V.W. Boal (22nd Dragoons)

2 Troop (YELLOW Gap, QUEEN WHITE), D-Day casualties were 1 Officer KIA, 1 Officer & 3 Other Ranks WIA, and 2 Other Ranks MIA:

LCT (Serial 114)
3 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
Captain G.C. Desanges (KIA), 2nd Lieutenant A.J. Nicholson (WIA)

3 Troop (BLUE Gap, QUEEN WHITE), D-Day casualties were 1 Officer KIA, 1 Officer & 4 Other Ranks WIA:

LCT (Serial 114a)
2 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
2 x AVRE
2 x D7 Bulldozer
Captain W.M.B. Ayers (KIA)

LCT (Serial 115)
2 x Flail 1 AVRE
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
Lieutenant W.M.M. Hutchinson (WIA)

4 Troop (RED Gap, QUEEN WHITE), D-Day casualties were 1 Other Rank KIA, 1 Officer & 3 Other Ranks WIA:

LCT (Serial 116)
3 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
Captain E.B. Pollard (WIA), 2nd Lieutenant P.R.R. Phillips, Lieutenant Allen (22nd Dragoons)

Support:

LCT (A) (Serial 545)
2 x D7 Bulldozer

LCT (A) (Serial 547)
1 x AVRE

LCT (CB) (Serial 548)
1 x Flail (A Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE

JUNO Beach

26th Assault Squadron, R.E., Major Younger (WIA)
Strength (including detachment 22nd Dragoons) was 11 Officers & 201 Other Ranks, except for Major Younger, no other casualties were recorded for D-Day

1 Troop (GREEN Gap, MIKE GREEN):

LCT5 2296 (Serial 1018)
2 x Flail (2 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x D7 Bulldozer
1 x BARV (Beach Recovery Section - REME)
Lieutenant Barraclough (22nd Dragoons)

LCT5 2336 (Serial 1019)
1 x Flail (2 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Captain Hewitt

2 Troop (YELLOW Gap, MIKE RED):

LCT (Serial 1019a)
3 x AVRE
1 x BARV (Beach Recovery Section - REME)
Lieutenant Sharp

LCT5 2399 (Serial 1020)
1 x Flail (2 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Plough)
1 x AVRE (Sledge?)
1 x D7 Bulldozer
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Major Younger and Lieutenant Pratt

LCT5 2243 (Serial 1021)
1 x Flail (2 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Captain Hendry

3 Troop (BLUE Gap, NAN GREEN):

LCT5 2246 (Serial 1022)
1 x Flail (3 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Lieutenant Ash

LCT5 2270 (Serial 1023)
1 x Flail (3 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Sledge)
1 x D7 Bulldozer
Captain Boase

LCT (Serial 1023a)
1 x Flail (3 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
2 x AVRE
Lieutenant Shaw (22nd Dragoons)

4 Troop (RED Gap, NAN GREEN):

LCT5 2047 (Serial 1024)
1 x Flail (3 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Captain Mare

LCT5 2077 (Serial 1025)
1 x D7 Bulldozer (Porpoise)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Lieutenant David

80th Assault Squadron, R.E., Major Wiltshire
Strength (including detachment 22nd Dragoons) was 11 Officers & 180 Other Ranks, D-Day casualties were 1 Officer & 1 Other Rank KIA, 1 Officers and 6 Other Ranks WIA

1 Troop (GREEN Gap, NAN WHITE), D-Day casualties were 1 Other Rank KIA and 1 Other Rank WIA:

LCT5 2286 (Serial 1408)
1 x Flail (1 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Log Carpet), 1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Lieutenant Saunders

LCT5 2436 (Serial 1409)
1 x Flail (1 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x D7 Bulldozer
Lieutenant Oxtoby

LCT (Serial 1409a)
1 x AVRE (Plough)
1 x BARV (Beach Recovery Section - REME)
1 x D7 x Bulldozer
Captain Tracy

2 Troop (YELLOW Gap, NAN WHITE), D-Day casualties were 2 Other Ranks WIA:

LCT5 2183 (Serial 1410)
2 x Flail (1 Troop, ‘B’ Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
Lieutenant Hammerton (22nd Dragoons)

LCT5 2441 (Serial 1411)
1 x Flail (1 Troop, ‘B’ Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Captain Grant

LCT5 2289 (Serial 1412)
1 x Flail (4 Troop, ‘B’ Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Captain Essery

3 Troop (BLUE Gap, NAN RED), D-Day casualties were zero:

LCT5 2479 (Serial 1413)
1 x Flail (4 Troop, ‘B’ Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x D7 x Bulldozer
Lieutenant Gloyn

LCT (Serial 1413a)
2 x BARV (Beach Recovery Section - REME)
1 x Flail (1 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x D7 Bulldozer
Major Wiltshire
This craft also carried the Brigadier Commanding, 1 Assault Brigade, RE and a Headquarters Section - Brigadier Watkinson

4 Troop (GREEN Gap, NAN RED), D-Day casualties were 1 Officer KIA and 1 Officer &
3 Other Ranks WIA:

LCT5 2038 (Serial 1414)
2 x Flail (1 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
2 x AVRE
Lieutenants Hornby (80th Squadron, KIA) and Burbridge (22nd Dragoons)

LCT5 2441 (Serial 1415)
1 x Flail (4 Troop, B Squadron, 22nd Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)
Captain Bellingham-Smith (WIA)

Attached to XXX Corps

GOLD Beach

6th Assault Regiment, R.E. (-)
Casualties to the 81st and 82nd Squadrons as of D+ 2 were 1 Officer & 2 Other Ranks KIA, 2 Officers & 15 Other Ranks WIA, 5 Other Ranks MIA, 8 AVRE lost and 2 damaged.

81st Assault Squadron, R.E., Major R.E. Thompstone
squadron rallied south of VER SUR MER after losing 4 AVRE, 2 to drowning and 2 blown up

KING GREEN, Major Sutton (OC, C Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)

Gap 1, Captain D.A. King:

LCT (Serial 2412)
2 x Flail (C Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)

Gap 2, Lieutenant J.D. Darby:

LCT (Serial 2413)
2 x Flail (C Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)

Gap 3, Captain T.W. Davis and Lieutenant E.H. Boulter:

LCT (Serial 2414)
2 x Flail (C Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x AVRE (Assault Bridge)

KING RED, Major Thompstone

Gap 4, Lieutenant J.C. Skelly:

LCT (Serial 2423)
2 x Flail (C Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x D4 Bulldozer

Gap 5, Major Thompstone and Captain T.F. Croxall:

LCT (Serial 2424)
2 x Flail (C Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)

Gap 6, Captain J.M. Birkbeck:

LCT (Serial 2425)
2 x Flail (C Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
1 x D7 Bulldozer

82nd Assault Squadron, R.E., Major H.G.A. Elphinstone (KIA, Gap 2)
squadron rallied at BUHOT after losing 4 AVRE, 3 to drowning and 1 overturned 82nd Sqn: 1 Officer & 1 Other Rank KIA, 2 Officers & 3 Other Ranks WIA;
B Squadron, Westminster Dragoons: 4 Other Ranks WIA)

JIG GREEN West, Major Elphinstone

Gap 1, Captain K.M. Wilford:

LCT (Serial 2025)
2 x Flail (B Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine) lead AVRE drowned, jamming the exit, remaining vehicles did not unload until 1330
NOTE: lead AVRE drowned, jamming the exit, remaining vehicles did not unload until 1330

Gap 2, Major Elphinstone:

LCT (Serial 2027)
2 x Flail (B Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
NOTE: two Flails bogged and one then knocked out by shellfire, AVRE (Fascine) hit and overturned, AVRE (Roly Poly) mined

Gap 3 Lieutenants S.V. Grant and N.W. Greene:

LCT (Serial 2026)
2 x Flail (B Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
NOTE: one Flail mined, AVRE (Fascine) broke down

JIG GREEN East, Captain Stannion (OC, B Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)

Gap 4, Captain J.M. Laytham and Lieutenant P. Crofton:

LCT (Serial 2028)
2 x Flail (B Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
2 x AVRE (Fascine)
NOTE: both Flails bogged

Gap 5, Lieutenant G.R. Ellis:

LCT (Serial 2029)
2 x Flail (B Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
NOTE: one Flail hit by AT gun and burned out

Gap 6, Captain P.J.B. Somerset:

LCT (Serial 2030)
2 x Flail (B, Westminster Dragoons)
1 x AVRE (Roly Poly)
1 x AVRE (Bobbin)
1 x AVRE (Fascine)
NOTE: one Flail bogged

Additional Remarks

On D-Day the actual availability of AVRE were:

SWORD Beach - 34,
JUNO Beach - 47, and
GOLD Beach - 40,

for a total of - 121 AVRE’s.

This may be compared to the distribution as given in the Engineer Outline Plan (WO 205/1170) of:

SWORD Beach - 30,
JUNO Beach - 28, and
GOLD Beach - 44,

for a total of - 102.

In other words 19 more AVRE were actually landed than were originally planned.

Furthermore, the original engineer plan called for arrival of the “residue” of 5th and 6th Assault Regiments by D+27 with an additional 104 AVRE and the arrival of the reserve 42nd Assault Regiment with 104 more on D+30 “or later.”