18th Field Company - RCE

[Jordan Baker]

Hello

I have a bit of information that was provided to me. My late great uncle was Charlie Young. His son's wife's sister does a lot of family history things and was also seaching for info on this unit. I know she has gone through all of the war diaries for the Coy. She provided me with some info of the Coy activites for June 6. I will try to get in touch with her and see if she can post up more info. I also have a typed account of the history that I found in our museum archives. Send me a PM and I can get it photo copied and mailed off to you.

What was your late father's name?

There's a summary report, followed by the actual War Diary entry for June 6, 1944 from 18th Field Coy RCE war diary...

Report of Activities of the 18th Field Company RCE June 6-10, 1944 (from the War Diary of RCE 18th Field Company)
Tasks allotted to the unit for the landing were as follows:
a) Clearance of beach obstacles – No. 1 Platoon under command of the 5th Field Coy RCE
b) Class 40 crossings at Pont de Reviers and Colombiers-sur-Seulles
c) Clearance of a lateral route from area Colombiers-sur-Seulles to La Deliverance
d) Recce (reconnaissance) of a quarry site south of Colombiers
e) Recce of the River Seulles between bridge sites for crossings
f) Recce of possible airfield site NW of Banville
g) Special task with 2nd Armoured Brigade.
Report of Activities of the 18th Field Company RCE June 6-10, 1944 (from the War Diary of RCE 18th Field Company)
Tasks allotted to the unit for the landing were as follows:
a) Clearance of beach obstacles – No. 1 Platoon under command of the 5th Field Coy RCE
b) Class 40 crossings at Pont de Reviers and Colombiers-sur-Seulles
c) Clearance of a lateral route from area Colombiers-sur-Seulles to La Deliverance
d) Recce (reconnaissance) of a quarry site south of Colombiers
e) Recce of the River Seulles between bridge sites for crossings
f) Recce of possible airfield site NW of Banville
g) Special task with 2nd Armoured Brigade.
Beach Clearance: No. 1 Platoon landed on Mike sector at varying times on D-Day. a) L/Sgt. Semple and party landed at 0800 hrs. b) Sgt. Romain and party landed at 0815 hrs. c) Lt. Eddy and party failed to arrive, the craft having dropped out of the convoy on D-1.
a) L/Sgt. Semple and party of 23 OR (other ranks) and 4 armoured D7s landed on Mike Red. The water was high – at least 4ft deep. They managed to clear a gap of 50 yds width before the water was too high (approx. 30 min.). LCTs coming in to the beach missed the gap and were disabled by other mined obstacles. These craft drifted and closed the gap to other craft. The party, unable to work assembled under cover of the dunes and assisted in removing wounded infantry and assisted in taking 19 POWs from a pill box.
b) Sgt. Romain and party of 13 OR and 2 armoured D7s landed at the junction of Mike Red and Mike Green at 0815 hrs. The water was too high to work and were told to wait until the water was lower to start work. He then assembled his parties under cover and knowing that LCT 1008 had not arrived, organized the parties for further clearance. Eventually, (4 ½ hrs later) they completed 2 gaps of 200 yds. and 1 of 500 yds on Mike Green.
Comments – 1st landing party was on the beach before the infantry landing on that beach. Casualties – 2 OR wounded.

From the War Diary of the 18th Field Coy.
June 6, 1944 – at sea, on land, but not in the air!
Action stations sounded at 0500 (dawn) as we were in enemy waters. Since the unit is split up on several craft, it is difficult to know what everyone is doing at the moment. The story must be pieced together later.
No. 1 Platoon landed at 0800 hrs (H hour) on Mike Sector (beach immediately west of Courseulles). Clearance work started immediately. Obstacles very numerous – hedgehogs, stakes, and element C mines and shells with push igniters on most obstacles. 50 yrd gap cleared in ½ hour using bulldozers and pulling obstacles off the beach. Platoon Sgt. Romain was in charge of the work since the craft carrying Lt. Eddy and one section of Platoon No. 1 did not sail. Heavy fire experienced on beaches but by a miracle the platoon suffered only 2 casualties (2 slightly wounded). Platoon waited near the beach till 1200 hrs when the tide was out again and cleared more obstacles. Succeeded in clearing a 400 yd gap. While waiting on the beach the platoon assisted a Major and Corporal take 19 prisoners from a pill box which had been put out of action by RN (Royal Navy). The platoon joined the rest of the unit at Graye-sur-mer about 1600 hrs.
No. 2 Platoon – Recce party landed at approximately H Hour + 90 minutes. Car 5 cwt drowned in 9ft of water and lost recce gear and w/t set. Therefore, the party had to proceed on foot and recced the bridge site at Pont-de-Reviers. Bridge was found to be intact so no work for the platoon at all. Main body of the platoon landed (with bicycles) at 1500 hrs (should have landed at H Hour + 135 minutes) and proceeded to company assembly area in Banville.
No. 3 Platoon – Recce party landed at approximately H Hour + 90 minutes and proceeded to recce bridge site at Colombiers-sur-Seulles. Since the infantry were not far enough ahead, the recce had to be made on foot. Bridge was found to be intact. Main body (with bicycles) landed at 1500 hrs and proceeded to Company assembly area in Banville. Platoon commenced clearing route from Colombiers-sur-Seulles to Reviers. No mines were encountered and since 234 Field Coy RE were doing the same job, No. 3 Platoon stopped.
OC and Lt. McKenzie and 2 stores lorries landed at 1400hrs as well as 522 Bridging Platoon. All proceeded to Coy assembly area in Banville. Since bridging platoon was not required due to bridges being intact, they felt rather lost and simply sat in the Assembly Area.
No. 3 Platoon recced a quarry south of Graye-sur-mer and possible airfield sites west of Banville. In the evening the company moved to bivouac area 953816. Note: it is strange that neither bridge was blown and that roads were not mined. It seems to indicate the enemy was completely surprised by the landing. So “D” Day ends with this unit having done little work but it isn’t our fault we haven’t been busy. We were certainly prepared for it.

[Ali Mayor]

Hello Jordan and other MLU members,

I can maybe add a little more information to this post, in so far as it relates to the report that LCT(1008) had not arrived. I have just posted a new thread on this forum today in connection with a scuba diving project that I am leading which started last year by diving 2 tanks and 2 bulldozers 8 miles off shore in the English Channel. As a result of the underwater survey last summer I was able to establish that these were very rare - even unique, wrecks that were intended for use by Canadian/British forces at Juno Beach. www.southseasubaqua.org.uk

LCT(A) 2428 (1008 was the loading number) had broken down and was forced to turn back with engine trouble and damage to the aft/stbd side. She was taken under tow by the tug HMT Jaunty and subsequently capsized spilling her cargo of RM Centaur tanks and D7 Armoured bulldozers into the sea. She continued to drift for some time - until she was eventually sunk by gunfire by HMT Jaunty. All crew, Royal Marines (2nd RM Armoured Support Group) and Canadian troops were rescued.

According to the Loading tables LCT(A) 2428 was carrying 15 members of 2nd RM Armoured Support Group (Q troop right section) and their 2 Centaur CS IV tanks and -

4 members from "HQ RCE 3 Cdn Div (Special Bulldozer Inc)" - "2 D7 Bulldozers Armd"
14 members from "18 Cdn Fd Coy" - "Car 5Cwt 4x4"
6 members from the "8 Kings A Coy" It also mentions "1 Truck Airborne" but is not listed as a vehicle. (I have no idea what a truck airborne is???)

Unfortunately I have no names for the Canadian personnel.

The project continues this year by trying to find the wreck of LCT(A) 2428.

If anyone has any information that may help, or would like to know more about what we have found then please let me know.

Thanks for your time.

Alison