Landing Craft Gun ( Medium) at Walcheren

[PT Dockyard]

Does anyone have details on the operations by the LCG(M) craft used by the RN in the landing on Walcheren Island in the Netherlans November 1944? These are the LCGs that had the two turreted 17pdrs.

Dave G.
The PT Dockyard

[JonS]

Battle for Antwerp; the liberation of the city and the opening of the Scheldt by J L Moulton. 1944 (London, Ian Allan, 1978) ISBN 0-7110-0769-1.

is pretty good. Moulton commanded one of the Cdos that landed on Walcheren.

also: http://www.combinedops.com/Walcheren.htm

[Danny l]

Hi Dave,
Below is a section from one of the reports on Operation Infatuate II covering the LCG(M) actions.

You may have already seen the photos of LCG(M) 101 sinking after she withdrew from the beach as they have appeared in a few books. If not some are on the IWM online photo archive.

In his report Lt G.A. Flamank, RNVR, the CO of LCG(M) 101 said that the ship was riddled along the port side and started settling by stern and that without warning turned onto the port side and sank.

The crew were picked up by LCI(s) 538 and several of the crew from the LCI(s) dived into the sea to help the survivors from 101.

A couple of books that cover the operation are “Cinderella Operation” and “The War of the Landing Craft”. Both are very good books and can still be picked up.

If you have any other questions I’ll try and answer them.

Regards

Danny



Cinderella Operation : The Battle for Walcheren 1944 Gerald Rawling.
ISBN: 030430641X Publisher: Cassell Publication Date: 1980

The war of the landing craft Paul LUND and Harry LUDLAM
ISBN: 0450033821 Publisher: New English Library London 1976

[PT Dockyard]

Thanks! Do you know if this type of craft was used anywhere besides this action?

[Danny l]

Hi,
As far as I know none were used in action by the RN after Walcheren. Some were modified to go to the Far East but the war ended before they could be used.

The French used one LCG(M) in Indo China. I don’t know if it was armed with 17 or 25 pdrs guns or if they changed them over to 105mm howitzers. I know the two 20mm Oerlikons were replaced with one 40mm Bofors behind the bridge.

Regards

Danny

[dadsgirl]

Hello to everyone on this here forum & a big Thankyou especially to Danny whose information helped me track down some photos of LCG(M)101.

My dad, one John Joseph Davorn from Eire, joined the Royal Navy as a lad of 16. He was only 19/20 when WW11 broke out, & later aged 25 was the coxswain on this craft. It's been really emotional for me to see photos of the very craft he was on - possibly dad is even one of the men in these photos.

Whilst the men were actually abandoning the sinking vessel, my father remembered that earlier one of their men had been very badly wounded (I am not sure if he was conscious,but he was certainly unable to move) given a dose of morphine & taken down below. Dad asked a few of the others if anyone had got this fellow out but in the general mayhem nobody seemed to know, so off he went to see - & yes the casualty was still lying there. I will not detail the rescue here,but it was no easy task- loose hawser fell on him etc etc, but my father (who incidentally is small in stature) carried the inert man up & actually got them both out. He told my husband & I that the craft was actually rolling on it`s side as he was getting them off. After this point his recollections are understandably sketchy - I think he was disorientated & shocked - but he does remember that both he & the wounded man were eventually pulled out of the water together. He was given a D.S.M for this particular event, which my brother now has.

It is really only in recent years that my father has spoken in much detail about his own experiences of the war, like so many others it`s apparent that he was unable to before. I beleive it has helped him to finally be able to do so, but what a shame these men have had to bear these feelings without help - no counselling for them in the good old days - and of course people of my parents generation would most likely not avail themselves of it anyway - stiff upper lips and all that....

Dad married my mother- an Aberdeen lass - a few days after the sinking of LCG(M)101 in Troon on 09/11/1944 (he had applied for leave to get married earlier) he is still alive & living with her in Aberdeen. Now it is 2009 & I am sad to say he is not in such good shape - I fear he will not see his 90th later this year. I am the youngest of his four children & am very proud of him & all the many thousands like him who risked their lives & gave their lives in this war & all others.

Well, enough from me, & thanks again.

"Dadsgirl"

[DGOODWIN]

Dear Dad's Girl,

I knew nothing of this epic battle untill last night when i was going through stuff with my sisters and found my dad's newspaper cuttings, he is a survivour of L.C.G(M)101, I am absolutely shocked to find out about this little known battle of WWII but will be delving deeper. My Dad is now 88 and in very poor health and is unable to tell me anything, and he has never said before about this either. I am brimming with pride. Just had to say.

[Andy H]

As far as I know none were used in action by the RN after Walcheren. Some were modified to go to the Far East but the war ended before they could be used.

In all 72 of these craft were ordered, but only 56 were completed, though believe some were converted in rocket firing.
The vessels slated for service in the far east were modified in that the grounding requirement was given up, the protection reduced and additional anti-personnel armament fitted.

Source: The Design and Construction of British Warships (Amphibious Warfare Vessels & Auxiliaries) by DK Brown

Regards

Andy H

[Urmel]

Dear Dad's Girl,

I knew nothing of this epic battle untill last night when i was going through stuff with my sisters and found my dad's newspaper cuttings, he is a survivour of L.C.G(M)101, I am absolutely shocked to find out about this little known battle of WWII but will be delving deeper. My Dad is now 88 and in very poor health and is unable to tell me anything, and he has never said before about this either. I am brimming with pride. Just had to say.

I really recommend Moulton's book cited above. It is excellent. The sacrifice of Support Squadron Eastern Flank's sacrifice in this operation has not really received the attention it deserves.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stor ... 6964.shtml

[dadsgirl]

Dear Dad's Girl,

I knew nothing of this epic battle untill last night when i was going through stuff with my sisters and found my dad's newspaper cuttings, he is a survivour of L.C.G(M)101, I am absolutely shocked to find out about this little known battle of WWII but will be delving deeper. My Dad is now 88 and in very poor health and is unable to tell me anything, and he has never said before about this either. I am brimming with pride. Just had to say.

Hello there DGooDWIN - it's so nice to have seen your post. I know how you feel as I have such admiration for these men - - how brave they were, & what a thing to go through. It is amazing that you & I even exist isn't it ?

As I mentioned before, Danny helped me out with info, & I would like again to thank him for that. Cheers Danny ! You made an old man very happy indeed. He was touched & amazed to see the pictures & information you gave me on my pc. A few tears were shed as the memories rolled, & it helped me feel much closer to him.

My own Dad made it to his 90th against my expectation. He is still clinging on but now so frail, & mentally very confused now, his decline has been rapid in the last 2/3 months especially, it's very sad. However how very very glad I am to have found this forum & through it the aforementioned info so kindly provided by Danny, while Dad was still able to appreciate it fully. It's meant such a lot to me to have been able to share it with him.

[yosipanji]

Interesting article from RATSON Shipyard Indonesia. http://www.ratson.com

Landing Craft Tank (LCT) for bussines purpose, boats and seagoing vehicles are used to carry container cargo on the deck and liquid cargo placed in tank under the deck from the sea to the shore. Most renowned Landing Craft Tank (LCT) for bussines purpose, vessels are developed to almost all shipyards in balikpapan - indonesia.

Landing Craft Tank (LCT) developed in Balikpapan-Indonesia

Landing Craft Tank (LCT) for military purpose, boats and seagoing vehicles are used to convey a landing force (infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII. This was the high point of the Landing Craft, with a significant number of different designs produced in large quantities by the United Kingdom, United States and now operate almost of all countrys.

Because of the need to run up onto a suitable beach, WWII Landing Craft were flat-bottomed, and many designs had a flat front, often with a lowerable ramp, rather than a normal bow. This made them difficult to control and very uncomfortable in rough seas. The control point (bridge was far too fancy a description for the facilities of the LCA and similar craft) was normally situated at the extreme rear of the vessel as were the engines. In all cases they tended to be known by an abbreviation derived from the official name rather than by the full title.

USA Military Landing Craft Tank (LCT)

[seanaway]

Hi Dads Girl. We haven't met ( at least I can't remember if we did!) but Joe was my uncle and was always held in such high regard this side of the sea. The last time I saw Joe, I was in knee high socks and shorts ( and I'm 45!!) Your Dad was a wonderful man and an example to all who want to be one. john

[dawgpbo]

[quote="dadsgirl"]Hello to everyone on this here forum & a big Thankyou especially to Danny whose information helped me track down some photos of LCG(M)101.

My dad, one John Joseph Davorn from Eire, joined the Royal Navy as a lad of 16. He was only 19/20 when WW11 broke out, & later aged 25 was the coxswain on this craft. It's been really emotional for me to see photos of the very craft he was on - possibly dad is even one of the men in these photos.

Hello Dadsgirl.

I was just doing some researching on LCG (M) and found your message which was interesting.

The landings near Westkapelle. 1 November 1944, on the island of Walcheren and the ensuing battle by the brave Royal Marine commandos is, sadly, the forgotten battle of WW2. The courageous actions of the Support squadron faced huge guns in the German coastal batteries. Despite overwhelming odds the landings accomplished the task set before them and the River Scheldt was opened to Antwerp on 8 November. Whilst the battle has been forgotten by most, it remains one of the key battles in the liberation of Europe, and your dad was a part of it. You can be proud of him as long as you live.

No, Dadsgirl, he probably has not spoken of it very much to you or to others and we should do that for him. He was blazing away at those fortifications early in the morning that day at the start of a bloody battle against well-trained soldiers with good equipment. However, good as those soldiers and their guns were, the Royal Marines defeated them in a week of horror. To them and to your Dad be the glory. One of the London newspapers of that time reported that we went in with 200 vessels and came out with 160 sunk or damaged beyond repair.

By far the majority of the men in that battle have now died because the youngest are now 85 years old, but I know of one in England and two here in Canada who still survive. There must be others who have been beyond my ability to contact. I would love to contact other survivors.

How do I know about Walcheren? I was there and watched it happening but on that day My Maker must have smiled upon me and we came out without a bodily scratch but with some badly scarred memories. That's why we don't talk about it very much.

Wishing you good luck on the research about your Dad.

[greglewis]

Hi
Does anyone have any idea where I might see documents/reports specifically referring to B Troop, 41 Commando on Walcheren?
I am working with a veteran of that unit and looking to retrace his steps.
Thanks
Greg

[dawgpbo]

Yes, Greg, there is a lot of information about those brave RM Commandos at the Combined Operations website at

http://www.combinedops.com.

The site covers more than the Walcheren landings but there is lots of information there to keep you interested