11
Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips:
When the CO left Point 72, shortly before 1700 hrs, the situation was as follows:–
In or near the Observation Post were FOB Maj. Marsh, FOO Lt Irwin and his party, FOB Capt. Howland, who had just re-joined with the carriers, Signals Officer Lt Hughes, IO Lt O’Hare, Marine Anderson and Signals Detachments.
About halfway along the strip of wood were the remainder of HQ, consisting of the Adjutant and about six ORs including the RSM and CSgt Batt. Two of the ‘I’ section were manning an MG 34 at the Western extremity of the wood. One RSM was actually on the ‘pimple’ Point 72.
Y-Troop were in the area of the RAP and along the road towards the main Bayeux–Port-en-Bessin road. The CO had no wireless communication with him.
The MMG was in position North of X tracks 763856. They were linked by wireless (No. 38 set) with Heavy Weapons troop Cdr.
Mne Fred Wildman, Heavy Weapons:
Not long after this, we were moved nearer to the port in order to give covering fire for the final attacks. While this had been going on, the Germans mounted a counter attack on Hill 72, where our HQ and medical staff were. This resulted in some of our vulnerable lot being killed or wounded and about half a dozen being taken prisoners. Fortunately our attack on the enemy gun turrets on the cliffs each side of the Port, were successful and we were able to turn our attention back to Hill 72. Capt. O’Connell detailed me to go round with him to identify the bodies. On one occasion he was just about to move one of these when I spotted a grenade under the boot of a corpse with the pin taken out. I gently removed the grenade, with my finger firmly on the trigger and threw it over a nearby wall. Sure enough it exploded without harm.
S-Troop Heavy Weapons 47 RM Commando before D-Day.
Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips:
About half an hour previously Lt Hughes had reported to the CO in the OP that spasmodic firing could be heard from the south. He was told that no-one could be spared to deal with it. Sniping from the direction of Pont Fatu started about 1545 hrs.
Lt Hughes joined Lt Spencer in the wood. The rifle fire was coming from more than one direction. Lt Hughes visited Point 72, found nobody there but was still unable to locate where the firing was coming from.
The adjutant did not know that Q-Troop had been moved from the wood until he went along to ask them to deal with an MG 34 which had taken up a position in the southern edge of the wood.
About 1815 hrs, the enemy started to mortar the feature with increasing accuracy. The sniping intensified. The enemy appeared to have got observation, but, despite a visit to Point 72 by Lt Hughes, there was still no visible sign of the enemy.
The adjutant, with his detachment of HQ personnel manned the slit trenches just clear of the northern edge of the wood, facing Port-en-Bessin.
About 1900 hrs, the RAP was mortared. The adjutant went down and ordered the carriers to load with ammunition and proceed to Port-en-Bessin. He then returned to HQ on the hill. The wood was now being mortared from east to eest fairly heavily. There was rifle fire from the south of the feature and also from the direction of the ‘pimple’.
HQ were moved first to the western end of the wood and later to the trench leading to the OP where they took up fire positions.
In the OP where Maj. Marsh, Capt. O’Connell, Lt Irwin and his bombardier, and Lt O’Hare. In the trench were Lt Hughes, RSM Dollery, CSgt Batt and Cpl Jenkins.
Lt Jenkins passed on a message from his HQ asking for the field battery to be released. The CRA was pressing for an answer. The CO replied that there was no prospect of this happening, although, it so happened, that this battery did not fire for him again.
About the same time a message was received from CRA 50 Division that there was a possibility that the port would again be bombed by our aircraft and that we were to display our ground strips. These had been left behind and it was with great relief that we found some yellow smoke in the carriers which joined us. Communications between HQ on the hill and the MGs had now ceased.
About 2000 hrs, two enemy appeared round the southern (left) side of the pimple, and appeared to be making for the wood.
About 2030 hrs, accurate rifle fire was being directed at the trench leading to the OP. This state of affairs continued until about 2210 hrs when about 15 men were seen in the vicinity of the ‘pimple’. They then appeared all along the ridge running from the north to south through the ‘pimple’. There was doubt at first whether these were Americans, particularly as they were beckoning. The light had started to go. The range was less than 200 yards.
It soon became apparent that they were enemy. Two or three advanced towards the open end of the trench calling on us to surrender.
One or two men did move out of the trench and started to run down the hill, but these were called back by the remainder of the party. The man in the end of the trench nearest the enemy put up his hands to surrender but took them down again.
All ranks had been ordered to withhold their fire. There were about eight men armed with rifles and no automatics. Fire was opened for the first time.
Lt Hughes shot and killed the leading man approaching the trench and the remainder quickly withdrew.
Then one solitary German came over the ‘pimple’ and called out ‘Surrender’. He was shot.
At this stage as far as we know, our only casualties were one man missing from the ‘pimple’ and the Sgt of the FOB’s party, who had been shot in the shoulder.
All this time wireless communication was maintained with the OC in Port-en-Bessin. It was first reported that the sniping had intensified. At about the same time the OC asked for Y-Troop to be sent down to the port. They replied that they were being mortared. The OC replied ‘I can see that, send down Y-Troop’. Later they reported that they could not get in touch with Y-Troop and that they were being attacked. Shortly afterwards they went off the air.
After the first German attack on Point 72 had been dealt with, two MG 34’s enfiladed the trench from the ridge. One of them was almost immediately silenced by rifle fire but the other gave covering fire to about seven or eight Germans advancing round the north (right) end of the spur. This attack was also repelled and casualties inflicted.
There was an interval until about 2210 hrs when the enemy began to work wider around our right flank, approaching the OP up the northern slope of the feature, whilst an assault came from the direction of the wood. It looked as if the start line was the track running along the northern edge of the wood. The enemy also fired several illuminates, one of which landed inside the trench, Cpl Jenkins was killed.
Lt Hughes and Marine Winrow got out of the trench to engage the enemy working round the right flank below the OP.
At this point all wireless sets were turned off frequency. Secret documents were handed for destruction to IO inside the OP.
Fire was held until the enemy was about 40 yards away. Then they opened fire with all weapons available. There were 30–40 enemy in this assault. They advanced to within ten yards of the trench. At this moment Capt. O’Connell threw two No. 77 grenades and two smoke bombs landed between the ‘pimple’ and the trench. There was much confusion.
Some men managed to scramble out of the trench. Lt Hughes and Marine Winrow crawled away through some long grass and some barbed wire. Capt. Howland also made good his escape by this route. Capt. Spencer and a number of others including Maj. Marsh (FOB) got away down the hill, past the OP. They re-joined the OC in Port-en-Bessin about 2330 hrs.
The enemy over-ran the position without investigating the OP, they went straight past it. It was getting dark and Lt O’Hare, who had been in the OP throughout, crawled out into the trench and found Lt Irwin lying in the trench with a serious head wound. There was also an RN telegraphist.
Lt O’Hare put a dressing on Lt Irwin’s head, and with the help of the bombardier pulled him into the OP. All this time he could hear Germans talking.
They stayed in the OP until about 0400 hrs when they made their way down the hill, through the barbed trip wire. He lay up for about an hour outside Commes, and then walked on to Planet where he found the HQ of the Devons who sent him to HQ 231 Infantry Brigade by truck.
CSgt Fred Batt, HQ-Troop:
Very shortly after dawn we were all moving round to see who had got through to that point and it was approximately 0700 when I eventually reported casualties and strength to the CO By this time in all the pits, tommy cookers of solidified methylated spirit, were underway and a meal which consisted mainly of porridge and tea was being consumed. Personally the tea tasted so delicious that I was surely tempted to use a further part of my ration but decided to have a brew later in the day instead. The morning was really uneventful—the CO was making plans for the assault on PORT-EN-BESSIN (our final objective), the acting Adjutant and myself went assorting Tp Cdrs and generally looking around our position. At midday we freed our tommy cookers into use again to make some hot toast and more tea and settled down until four o’clock when the main body would move off into the attack and my little party under the acting Adjutant and RSM would act as rear-guard. Some sniping activity was taking place all this time but insufficient to worry us very much but as soon as our main body moved off to attack our position as rear-guards was subjected to heavy mortar fire and consequently at approximately eight o’clock we were ordered to evacuate this position and move into a trench about 200 yards in rear. This rather appeared to be a trap as we had no sooner completed this move than mortar fire was switched on to the trench and a machine gun opened on us. This continued for two hours and by that time we were completely numb from the continuous explosion of mortar bombs all around us, and it was colossal luck that a bomb had not actually pitched in the trench despite many exploding some six or twelve inches away from us. Shortly after ten o’clock it was reported that the final success signal had been seen from the town and almost at the same moment a terrific shouting and this came from ahead of us. What happened then is very confused, and a befuddled mind can only recall hails of machine gun bullets, orders and counter orders and eventually a realisation that in front of me were a number of my colleagues including the RSM with hands raised in the air.
As I looked around I could see we were surrounded and so had no option but to follow those ahead of me. That my mind was blank at that time I have no doubt, I can recall nothing else until finding myself behind German lines, some 200 yards from our own lines, and a preliminary search to ensure that we had no weapons.
After the initial search we were marched away across fields, down roads and after much apparent wondering by the guards over us we eventually arrived at a place which I imagine was Company Headquarters. It took a matter of seconds to decide there that we should go back to Battalion HQ and so, still with hands aloft and quite heavily guarded we started to tramp the Bayeux road. It was obvious that our guards (who were very young fanatics) had very little idea of our exact destination, but it was also obvious that the slightest sign of an attempt to escape would mean instant shooting. Our only hope was for dusk before getting into the rear HQ but our hopes in this direction were shattered as it was only just gathering dusk when we reached, after a long tramp through country lanes, a building which was our objective. We were instantly forwarded from here and found ourselves going through lanes on either side of which were German troops and equipment, heavily camouflaged but nevertheless in a very threatening position as related to our unit. About one o’clock on the morning of June 8, we arrived at a Brigade HQ where our sick received some slight medical assistance and every man was searched and money etc. taken away. We were also allowed some water to drink which did refresh us considerably. We now had a wait whilst some transport was arranged and eventually about four o’clock we were put into open trucks and driven (as only Germans can drive!!) back to a Divisional HQ in a very pretty French village. We arrived here about 6 a.m. and were stuffed into a barn-cum-shop place and given more water. We were about 30 in number by this time, having collected one or two British personnel at our various points of call, two endeavoured to get a little sleep. Occasionally a sentry would appear and take out one of our number for interrogation. The remainder of us were violently awakened at approximately eight o’clock by a bomb which dropped some 20 feet away and we realised that trouble in the shape of a visit of the RAF was imminent. The next hour was an incredible nightmare!! Bombs dropping and machine gun bullets whistling all around the room but by the Providence of God we were not hit directly. Dust flew and bullets whistled, an ammunition dump directly across the road was blazing and all the time planes roared down and each moment seemed as though it would be our last. Whilst planes circled before returning, we had time to get out field shell dressings and attend to those of our number who had been hit by bullets and this certainly helped to relieve tension. When this strafing had been completed and we managed to get out of this comfortably small room, our casualties there came to some 8 wounded and 1 killed.
We were now taken into a field and assembled for a march even further back. It was impossible to get along with our wounded, so we were ordered to leave the wounded behind and I persuaded one man who was only bruised to show more serious wounds and stay with them to look after them as much as possible! We had hardly gone a quarter of a mile when a plane came swooping down with the obvious intension of studying this column of troops. However we got out handkerchiefs and every conceivable object and despite the panic of a number of Americans who had joined us and who fled for cover, we British stuck in the centre of the road and the aircraft recognised us, tipped in recognition and flew off. An attempt to distract the guards attention shortly after this failed and despite our constant attempts during a day of long and weary marching we were unable to get away. For hours we walked and tempers were getting short because of the heat and fatigue (this was our third active day without food) and it did not help us when it became obvious that the guards had no clear idea of where we were being taken. Enquiries and questions were made of every German detachment we saw but we seemed to be wandering aimlessly. About five in the afternoon we saw some French who appeared friendly and our guards did not need a great deal of persuasion to stop at the farmhouse and there people came out with pails of milk, bread, cheese and wine and we ate and drank ravenously. However we were very shortly under way again and many more kilometres passed under our feet before eventually at about one o’clock in the morning of June 9 we arrived at a building into which we were shepherded and told to sleep for the night. There was incredible chaos in this place as a number of prisoners had already arrived there and were asleep in straw but as we were not allowed lights we were trampling all over them. Our rest was very short as at twenty five past three we were awakened and told to be ready to move and at four o’clock we were once again under way. By this time the party numbered some 120, mostly American parachute troops. This day, June 9, was mostly a repetition of the previous day, the under officer in charge being very vague as to our destination, no food being available, other than drinks and bread which we obtained from friendly French people and eventually after marching under a boiling sun for the whole day without any rest we arrived at a monastery at TANISY. There we were straight away disillusioned regarding food, as the German officer in charge told us the RAF made it impossible to bring up food. However, the garden had a number of cabbages in it and a cow was killed in an air raid so we made a large stew!!!
Y-Troop 7 and 8 June—Related by Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips
Before the attack on Port-en-Bessin, Y-Troop (less one section) moved about 1500 hrs to the area of the RAP at the bottom of the hill. One section (Sgt Tomlinson) remained in position along the top of the hedgerow inside the orchard near the road junction 754852. Sgt Tomlinson’s section consisted of two corporals (Cpl Mold and Cpl Potterton) and 10 Marines. There were no communications between Y-Troop and the rest of the Commando.
About 1600 hrs, two RASC lorries arrived at the RAP from the direction of the road junction. They brought ammunition, rations and water and took away about 20 PoW.
About 1630 hrs an enemy MG opened fire from a position on the right of the road leading to Pont Fatu. Fire was returned, then all firing ceased until Lt Bennett passed with his carriers.
When the carriers arrived at the RAP they were unloaded by Y-Troop. About this time (1730 hrs) the enemy started mortaring the Point 72 feature.
Later the adjutant (Capt. Spencer) arrived in Y-Troop area and ordered the carriers to be loaded up with ammunition and PIATs and to proceed to Port-en-Bessin.
Y-Troop 47 RM Commando 1945.
One carrier had already been used to lift the MO forward.
The road between the RAP and the road junction was this time under rifle and MG fire coming from the direction of Pont Fatu but Lt Bennett set off down the road with three carriers.
An enemy MG had been put into position to the west of the road junction and was firing down the road leading to the RAP. One Marine in Sgt Tomlinson’S section (Marine Tyler) was wounded. Sgt Tomlinson sent Marine Woodgate to troop HQ but he returned and said that he couldn’t get through. Sgt Tomlinson then sent another runner (Marine Lawrence) who was wounded by all enemy mortar bomb. Mortar bombs were landing in the orchard intermittently.
Just after 2000 hrs eight Germans approached quite unconcernedly across the open ground west of the road. They were carrying a coil and appeared to be laying line. They were engaged with small arms fire but they came on under cover of fire from a small mortar.
Sgt Tomlinson gave the order to his section to withdraw. ‘Make your own way out’ he said. Marines January and Lyndon went in the direction of Escures. They later joined up with B-Troop.
Sgt Tomlinson and these marines crawled into an overgrown ditch where they lay low for a bit and then crawled along it until they joined the remainder of the section at the far end (eastern) of the orchard. The time was then between 2130–2200 hrs.
Lt O’Brien heard a lot of rifle fire and MG fire from the direction of the road junction. He also saw two smoke bombs fired by the enemy who were in the fields near Pont Fatu. Fire sounded nearer and higher up the hill, and Lt O’Brien concluded that Sgt Tomlinson’s section had been over-run. So he decided to move up the right flank on to the Point 72 feature. He left behind Marine Burkinshaw and four others, who were lining a hedge and keeping the enemy under fire. All stores and ammunition were also left.
By the time Lt O’Brien arrived at the eastern end of the wood on the top of the hill he had with him only Sgt Wilson and 15 marines. There they came under fire and not until then did he realise that the Point 72 feature had been over-run. It was then just getting dusk, maybe about 2200 hrs. It was his intention to re-join the Commando in Port-en-Bessin moving via Commes but, judging by the sounds of battle, he thought they were in the Port but surrounded. So he decided to go to HQ 231 Brigade to tell them the situation.
They marched across country in an easterly direction until they ran into the Devons near Longues. They arrived at the Brigade HQ at Sommervieu about 0530 hrs and it was here that the CO found them in the evening.
To return to Sgt Tomlinson’s section hiding in the orchard. About 2215 hrs they heard a lot of shouting above them. Two small parties of the enemy went up the road with a vehicle towards the RAP. In the darkness they heard quite a number of the enemy moving freely along the road and on the hill.
They stayed in the ditch at the end of the orchard until about 1130 hrs the following day, where they were found by Capt. Walton; marines Tyler, Lawrence and White had been wounded.
The Four Carriers—Related by Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips
The four carriers under Lt Bennett, after landing first made contact with the CO on the road east of St Côme de Fresne. The Commando then moved off across country and, after an interval the carriers followed, keeping to the road, through Buhot but were held up north of Ryes where they found the Devons deployed. They were told that the enemy were counter-attacking against our left flank, and were advised to go back.
They tried to go across country but the weight on the carriers reduced the cross country performance considerably. Eventually they made their way, mostly along roads, through La Noe to La Rosière where they arrived just in time to see the Commando disappearing across country. The carriers followed the best they could to Fontenailles, where two French youths told them that the village was occupied by the Germans. So they returned to La Rosière, arriving about midnight, and spent the night there.
Next morning they set off early and tried to make their way round by the south but they ran into some British infantry forming up to attack Vaux-sur-Aure. They returned to La Rosière where they found Capt. Howland and his FOB party, Cpl Hucklebridge (whose jeep with the No. 22 Set had been drowned on trying to land) one stretcher bearer, Marine Barnard and another marine from Q-Troop. They had as many as nine extra passengers, in addition to their heavy loads.
Lt Bennett next tried to get round by the right through Longues but was held up whilst seven squadrons of Fortresses bombed Longues battery about 0900 hrs. Two tracks came off while negotiating the craters and during these delays they were joined by two sections of the carrier platoon of the Devon Regt.
All the Carriers then proceeded in company via Les Mesnil to Commes, where they met Cpl Terry (10 IA Commando) and Marine Greenough (A-Troop). They watched our fighter bombers attacking near the port and then left Commes by the road running SW. Turning left and then up a track leading over Point 72, the CO met them as he was walking down the hill towards Escures about 1700 hrs.
The CO sent them round by road to the RAP area where they off-loaded. One of the Devon’s carriers took the CO down the road into Port-en-Bessin.
About 2100 hrs, the Adjutant ordered Lt Bennett to load the three carriers up with ammunition again and go into the port. They arrived about 2130 hrs and took part in the capture of the eastern feature as already described.
Cpl Hucklebridge was wounded as the carrier in which he was travelling went round the corner into the main road, a bullet first passing through the side of the carrier.
Bren Carriers in Normandy 1944.
The carrier experienced a certain amount of mechanical defects including five tracks, one sprocket wheel, one bogie wheel besides the steering and throttle troubles.
About 1500 hrs the Mayor of Commes arrived in A-Troop area and told Capt. Cousins that a wounded airman was in a house in the village and asked us to evacuate him. Capt. Cousins sent off two marines (Greenough and Brown) together with a medical orderly (L/Cpl Thornton) and Cpl Terry (10 IA Commando).
En route they collected a young German rating and, in the village of Commes, they met Lt Bennett with the carriers and six more PoW, whom they took over.
L/Cpl Thornton attended to the wounded man whilst the remainder started off with the PoW along the road towards Port-en-Bessin. However, the road was rather hot so they decided to turn back. They collected another 4 PoW at a La Banquerie and locked them all up in the Château Du Bosq. It was then about 2030 hrs.
The two marines later met an ambulance in the village and the wounded airman was taken off in it. The two marines got a lift as far as Longues when they met the Devons, with whom they spent the night. They re-joined their troop in Port-en-Bessin about noon the next day.
Cpl Terry and L/Cpl Thornton set out for Point 72. Cpl Terry later returned to the PoW at Château Du Bosq and L/Cpl Thornton reported to Lt O’Brien in the RAP area.
The RAP came under enemy mortar fire and L/Cpl Thornton, together with L/Cpl Hancock, RAMC, who had been left in charge of the RAP, and Marines Barnard and Roberts (both stretcher bearers) took shelter in a deep dugout, where they dozed off.
In the night the Germans over-ran the RAP area and searched all the men’s kit which had been left there in troop dumps but they did not discover these four men in the dug-outs.
They awoke next morning about 0700 hrs (it was quite light) and went outside. Much to their surprise they found the place deserted. They thought that Y-Troop had re-joined the Commando.
A gendarme came along the road and told them that Port-en-Bessin had been captured. He volunteered to show them the way and they all five set out on bicycles.
They hadn’t gone far along the main road and had just dismounted to pass a large bomb crater when a German cyclist patrol came round the corner at 752855 and put them all in the bag. The time may have been about 0930 hrs. They were taken down the road to the left leading to Mont Cauvin.
There were 250–300 Germans, all with bicycles, lining both sides of the road. There were also Staff Cars and one SP gun. The prisoners were held here for about half-an-hour and then taken to the Château at Fosse Soucy where they were first searched and then set to work on the wounded in the German RAP, of which there were quite a number.
The Château was shelled or mortared during the afternoon (presumably by the Americans) and several hits were scored. The casualties were evacuated first to slit trenches and later to concrete shelters in the garden.
About 0400 hrs the next morning, 8 June, the Germans started to evacuate the wounded and, soon after first light, the whole lot cleared out taking the PoW with them. They marched 5–6 miles in a SW direction and halted at a farm and were put under guard of a medical NCO who himself appeared anxious to become a PoW.
Front view of a Bren Carrier in 1944.
In the evening they heard sounds of battle and next morning, 9 June, there was a report of tanks which threw the Germans in a panic. The PoW together with their erstwhile guard, left the barn and hid in the dairy, where they stayed until US troops appeared in the farmyard.
All four re-joined HQ the following day, 10 June, at Commes.
Mne John Wetjen, Q-Troop:
The following day we left the comfort of the brothel and returned to Point 72 in time to see a classic left flanking attack on a nearby château, where the Jerries were giving us a bit of trouble. We gave the Devons Regiment a cheer and not long after we moved on to Escures for one night and then to Commes. Our approximate strength on D + 3 was 276 officers and men and we now realised that it was very unlikely that we would be going home to Britain.
Cpl Amos—Related by Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips
Cpl Amos was in No. 1 section (A-Troop) which together with No. 2 section, had been given the task of clearing up the left (inland) side of the western feature. Lt Goldstein was in command of both sections and he was leading with No. 1 section.
They hadn’t gone far when both Lt Goldstein and Sgt Fletcher were seriously wounded.
Cpl Amos lost control of his section and they all ran back into dead ground including Cpl Amos. There they found Sgt Fletcher being given first aid by Marine Brooks.
Marine Brooks went on back with the rest of the section but Cpl Amos stayed with Sgt Fletcher in order to put on another field dressing.
Lt Goldstein then came down the hill and went on past Sgt Fletcher and Cpl Amos.
Just as Cpl Amos was about to follow Lt Goldstein he saw a stick grenade coming towards him. He panicked and surrendered to a German.
Cpl Amos was taken up the hill to a dug-out where he was attended by a medical orderly (actually he was unwounded but his hands were covered with blood). He was later led through some trenches to another dug-out where he was searched and questioned in German. None of the Germans could speak English and Cpl Amos couldn’t speak German. Later he was allowed to bed down in the dug-out and went to sleep.
He was awakened about 0400 hrs by an officer who gave Cpl Amos a cigar and said ‘Kamerad, prisoner’. There was another man with him. Leaving the dug-out Cpl Amos saw a crowd of Germans who had got two white flags.
Cpl Amos tried to lead them down the way he had come but they wouldn’t go that way and kept pointing to the ships. They then all went down a wooden and concrete ramp leading down the cliff on to the mole where the Germans started waving the flags.
Cpl Amos started to walk towards the town and the 23 Germans followed him. B-Troop took them over about 0500 hrs.
47 Royal Marine Commando captured Port-en-Bessin in a stiff fight beginning about 1600 hours, 7 June 1944. A successful assault, supported by naval gunfire, took Port-en-Bessin the following afternoon after a fierce fight.
8th June—D + 2—Related by Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips
HQ officers slept in a barn in a farm on the northern edge of Port-en-Bessin.
Disposition of Troops:
A-Troop on eastern feature
Q-Troop in reserve
X-Troop covering north approach into town
B-Troop harbour area
HW-Troop in HQ area
Y-Troop missing on Point 72 area
RAP joined about midnight
Royal Navy Base at the outskirts of Port-en-Bessin after its liberation, June 1944. (Photo courtesy of Laurence Scoupe).
Came the dawn—HQ officers slept until about 0600 hrs. Col. Horner and elements of 16 RCT arrived between 0600 and 0700 hrs. Arrangements made for evacuating wounded, PoW, supply of food and assistance to retake Point 72.
Remaining enemy from eastern feature came in with Cpl Amos (A-Troop) at about this time.
About 0800 hrs CO and Second in Command visited the harbour area and met NOIC, Cdr Thomas, RN just landed in a small motor boat.
CO and Second in Command returned to HQ. Evacuation of wounded and PoW going well. Food arrived and being split up.
Second in Command left in Devon carrier with Cpl Esther and Marine Canning (sniper) of Q-Troop to recce Point 72 and report if clear of enemy—time approx. 0845 hrs. Route via Commes and woods around Château Du Bosq. En route near Commes met Cpl Terry (10 IA) with between 8–12 PoW.
Left carrier at château, civilians reported enemy in woods during the night, but all very quiet for about two hours. Patrol proceeded on foot to Point 72. Area in hell of a mess—enemy had looted all equipment but left wireless sets, maps, and weapons (Second in Command discovered loss of teeth).
Fired green lights to try and tell the Commando that all was clear. Sent Marine Canning back to contact the unit then seen moving towards Commes.
Proceeded with Cpl Esther to recce woods due west of position and road to Port-en-Bessin in Escures. No opposition encountered, no trace of Y-Troop in the area of the track junction occupied by Y- and Heavy Weapons Troops the previous day.
Returned to Point 72 to find Commando had arrived—about 1000 hrs.
Dispositions:–
A and B-Troops in Port-en-Bessin.
Q and HW-Troops on Point 72.
X-Troop round Commando, area of old German RAP.
Lt Armstrong seems to have been in charge.
(? Whereabouts of Capt. Walton).
Quai Félix Fauré in Port-en-Bessin after its liberation, June 1944. (Photo courtesy of Laurence Scoupe)
Mr Henri Lizé, inhabitant of Port-en-Bessin:
Thursday 8th June 7.00 a.m. The German prisoners are grouped in front of the Bakery Delain ... then at 9.30 a.m. we assisted with the surrender of the remaining Germans who, with their last piece of artillery had continued to resist. Someone
watched over them and removed their weapons and held them in check on the cliff.
At 11.00 a.m. the Captain of the Ship Georges Leygues [a cruiser of the Free French Navy] landed and was surrounded on the quay in front of the cafe ‘Bumbert’. Jeanne learnt from him that our cousin, Cornilleau is commanding the firing from the Georges Leygues.
About 4.00 p.m. the English Commandos made their appearance at Rue National ‘hugging’ the walls. The well kept house of Thin has been badly damaged. One person, wounded on the arm, is treated by an English Medical Attendant. We become aware of firing in the distance at Huppain.
Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips:
Commando settled in to clearing up mess of equipment etc. on hill. Found ammunition and food dumped by pre-loaded 3 tonners of 50 (N) Div. Slight sniping from area Fosse Soucy—US mortar gave château a pasting with air burst and CSgt Williams shot sniper from Point 72.
HQ organised in sunken track near German RAP. The RAP remained in Port-en-Bessin.
PM CO left to visit HQ 231 Infantry Brigade. Signals Officer left to visit 231 Infantry Brigade ref batteries and sets.
The Second in Command left HQ area with two carriers, one with food and ammunition for troops, the other with Sgt Ellis in charge carrying Red Cross and stretchers, went to look for two wounded reported left in Y-Troops area by Y-Troop stragglers. Carriers came under fire on turning into main road. Sgt Ellis went into field and collected wounded. Second in Command turned up road to Commes and met three tanks and Infantry Company of Devons. One tank went onto main road to cover Sgt Ellis—this tank was hit by German 8.1 by mortar and crew 100% casualties. Second in Command indicated old Y-Troop position to Devon Coy Command and gave him rough site report. Second in Command then left Port-en-Bessin via Commes. Met B-Troop—all well owing to sups including ammunition being landed by Port Coy.
Contacted RAP and found Sgt Ellis there. Casualties had already been evacuated by Port Coy and the RAP was preparing to move. Second in Command left with RAP in Longues and then returned to Commando area at about 1700 hrs much delayed by bomb craters en route.
Second in Command called ‘O’ group and arranged to move to Escures—salvage organisation working well and most men re-equipped with something. Maj. Walton took Adv party to recce Escures.
CO returned about 1900 hrs when the move to Escures had just started. Devons had attacked and cleared area but reports came in of enemy counter attacks with tanks. Devons consolidated on Point 72.
The unit was billeted in Escures by 2000 hrs. The CO and Second in Command went round to see the troops. Lt Armstrong came over Point 72 from the old area without orders and without having cleared the old RAP area. Quiet night despite hours of counter attack.
Troops parade for inspection by CO next morning and then moved to Commes.
Cpl Chuck Harris, HQ-Troop (later CQMS):
Germans surrendered. So on 8th June 1944, 47 Commando had taken the town, cleared Port of enemy. There was a hive of activity. My job was with transport, so that men and stores could be moved around. Logistics took action, kept vehicles moving, removing badly damaged vehicles from the roads etc.
Pluto Pipe Line from Isle of Wight to Port en Bessin laid on 8th June 1944 under Ocean. Combined efforts by Army/Service core led by Lt Cdr Parker (who later became chief superintendent in the Metropolitan Police). This was used to top up vehicles in Normandy. 47 Commando were involved in the connection of the cable to supply depot. The Americans arrived on 9th June, 47 Commando having completed their task, left on 9th June 1944.
Destruction at Port-en-Bessin after its liberation, June 1944. (Photo courtesy of Laurence Scoupe)
9th June—D + 3. Lt-Col. C. F. Phillips continues the narrative:
By about noon the Commando had settled in at Commes. The total strength of the unit amounted to 17 Officers and 259 ORs, made up as follows:–
Officers |
ORs |
||||
HQ-Troop |
5 |
26 |
|||
A-Troop |
1 |
31 |
|||
B-Troop |
3 |
41 |
|||
Q-Troop |
2 |
35 |
|||
X-Troop |
3 |
59 |
|||
Y-Troop |
1 |
40 |
|||
HW-Troop |
2 |
27 |
|||
- |
- |
||||
17 |
259 |
Of the attached Officers at HQ Lt Irwin had been wounded and evacuated, Capt. Howland FOB had not reported since the landing and Maj. Marsh (FOB Liaison) returned to his unit on arrival at Commes.
General B. L. Montgomery visited the unit and gave out cigarettes. An Adm conference was held to sort out loss of equipment, casualties and to note recommendations for awards.
On the following day it seemed certain that the commando would not return at once to the UK and everyone settled down to make the best of it. The rest was soon interrupted, after a visit from the Corps and Army Cdrs, orders were received to move under command 4 Commando Brigade at Douvre la Delivrande. The move went off smoothly and reasonable billets were found in the new area. First Reinforcements of 2 Officers and 30 ORs joined the Commando on arrival in the Brigade area. The next day, 11 June commenced with parades and inspections, followed by digging Alarm posts. Brigade HQ lent a small Ord Rm Staff and the work of re-organisation and documentation continued, until about 1300 hrs orders were received to move East of the river Orne where Brigade were to reinforce 6 Airborne Div.
Mne Fred Wildman, Heavy Weapons:
In a few days after this we were resting up in a farmyard and I remember waking from a sleep against a farmyard wall to find we were being visited by a number of V.I.P. Generals who let us know what a very good job we had done on one hand, but on the other we would not be going back to the U.K. as we had been promised. We were needed at the other end of the beachhead. This turned out to be a place called Sallenelles, a few miles in from the coast, and at the opposite end of the beaches where we had battled ashore.