Operation Neptune

5^th June 1944 – Operation Neptune, the largest ever seaborne invasion is underway.

Map from Captain S.W Roskill's The War at Sea

 

The Allied Naval Expeditionary Force under Admiral Ramsey consists of a Western Task Force (the Americans heading for ‘Utah’ and ‘Omaha’ beaches with their respective naval bombardment groups) and an Eastern Task Force (‘21 Army Group’, made up of the 2^nd British Army and the 1^st Canadian Army).

‘Utah’ beach was at the western end of the task force, on the south-west coast of the Cherbourg Peninsula, so troops embarked at Plymouth and smaller ports in south Devon. ‘Omaha’ troops left from the Dorset ports of Weymouth, Portland and Poole for the French coast north-west of Bayeux.

Dick’s 50^th (Northumbrian) Division were to represent XXX (30) Corps on ‘Gold’ beach, in the centre of the invasion front, north-east of Bayeux.  They sailed from Southampton.

The 1^st Canadian Army boarded ships in Southampton and Portsmouth, which assembled near the Isle of Wight before heading for ‘Juno’ beach on the coast north of Caen. British I Corps, represented by 3rd Division, departed from Portsmouth, Newhaven and Shoreham bound for ‘Sword’, the easternmost beach, near Ouistreham.

 

Don Aiken’s ship had a mishap crossing the Channel:

 “We threaded our way past the Needles rocks, which skirt the western side of the Isle of Wight and headed out into the English Channel.

The LST which we had been assigned had, we were told, been on several previous landings at various stages of its history; and as a consequence the bottom of the ship was deemed to be too thin to attempt another crash landing. The plan was to drop anchor about half a mile from the shore and then transfer the vehicles onto flat decked ferry type rafts, called Rhinos, which would deliver us into the shallow waters.

Two of these Rhinos were being taken over with us, one being towed astern and the other being lashed alongside. The one being towed was manned by two Army Engineers. The one alongside seemed to be intent on crashing its way through the side of the ship as we rolled about in the choppy seas.

Halfway across the channel we were astonished to see the towed Rhino suddenly become untowed! The line with which it had been attached had somehow parted, and away it went. Our ship never slackened its pace and we watched as the Rhino disappeared into the distance. I don't know what its fate was - or whether its crew were pleased or sorry.”

(Republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Sandy Handley was at last fast asleep:

“After the 2^nd day on the LST, which was the 4^th June, we were told that there was a 24 hour delay - D Day was now postponed (the weather I think) from the 5^th June to the 6^th.  However, the evening of the 5^th we moved out of the Solent past the Needles* off the Isle of Wight and I wondered if I would ever see them again! 

We had been on the LST since midnight 1^st/2^nd June and it was now evening of the 5^th.  I for one hadn’t slept any length of time - as I said, just our two burial blankets laid out on the steel deck, with all our equipment on; boots, helmet and all.  I looked out to sea and either side, port and starboard, ships and more ships in front of us, and at the stern of us more ships - a sight never to be forgotten (by me anyway).  Of course, all the time wondering what it’s going to be like when we get there! 

I found a little space under a companion way (stairs) and laid out my burial blankets, laid my head in my helmet and dropped off to sleep exhausted.  This was the fifth night on board, most of us were too worried to sleep."

(From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Eric Brewer finally set sail:

5^th June 1944:    Still in Southampton docks on board ship. Left port 6.40 for France.  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

Eric Postles watched the Airborne invasion:

5 June 1944:   "Once in the Channel the sea was rather rough and progress seemed slow.  We got limited sleep but I was not seasick.  During the night we could see the planes carrying the Airborne Troops who were the first to land."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)