BARVs and Beach Recovery Sections. D Day.

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Trux, May 22, 2013.

  1. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    A question was asked on another thread and by Private Message. Starting a new thread seemed a good way of replying and inviting contributions from others.

    Stepwilk asks if there are sources which would help in the following:
    At which Gosport hards did BARVs embark onto LCTs?
    What other vehicles were loaded on the same craft?
    What were the movements and activities of the BARVs once ashore?

    Some I can answer. Some may need cross referencing and correlation.

    I have the landing tables and some parts of the War Diaries. For some reason May, June and August are missing from my copy of 20 Beach Recovery Section War Diary. This may be the most useful.

    Mike
     
  2. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Some snippets.


    20 Beach Recovery Section REME and Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicles.

    The Beach Recovery Section was responsible for the recovery of vehicles which became casualties on the craft, in the water and on the beaches. They also assisted with the refloating of lightly beached craft. For the assault 3 Division had two Beach Recovery Sections which were responsible for recovery in the beach area leaving the LADs and brigade workshops free to follow up their own units and formations.

    Repair of vehicles and the recovery of vehicles from the rest of the Beach Group Area was the responsibility of a workshop from one of the assault brigade or beach area units.

    The Corps Composite Workshops including attached specialist personnel for dealing with such equipment as AVRE and Flails accompanied by the light recovery sections landed on the first and second tides of D-day.

    The first REME elements ashore were the Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicles of the Beach Recovery Sections which landed immediately after the assault to be closely followed by D-8 crawler tractors and wheeled recovery vehicles. "Drowned" vehicle parks were established near the beaches for drowned tanks, guns and "B" vehicles. These vehicles would eventually be collected and dealt with by the Light Aid Detachments and Workshops of their formation.


    Beach Recovery Section.
    Personnel for Beach Recovery Sections were from Army Recovery Sections. Beach Recovery Sections consisted of a headquarters, two platoons plus at attached section for work on AVREs.

    Headquarters.
    Captain.
    WOII. Artificer Quartermaster Serjeant.
    3 cooks
    Batman
    5 drivers
    1 general dutyman.

    Attached for work on AVREs and engineer equipment
    3 other ranks for engineer equipment
    2 serjeants for AVREs
    Lance corporal
    2 other ranks.


    2 X Platoon each
    Drowned Vehicle Park.
    Staff serjeant
    Lance corporal
    3 craftsman

    Recovery
    3 X BARV each with a serjeant and 3 other ranks
    3 X D8 each with a corporal and two other ranks
    Ward La France with a lance corporal and two other ranks
    Mack with three other ranks
    Scammell with a lance corporal and two other ranks



    Beach Recovery Sections.
    One per Beach Group. Each:
    6 Sherman III Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle.
    6 Tractor Crawler Class I D8.
    2 Breakdown Tractor, Scammell.
    2 Breakdown Tractor, Mack.
    2 Breakdown Tractor, Ward La France.
    1 2½ ton 6 X 6 DUKW.


    20 Beach Recovery Section.
    20 Beach Recovery Section was attached to 5 Beach Group.
    H+45
    3 Sherman III Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle with 12 crew.
    1 Scammell BD Tractor with 3 crew
    1 Tractor Crawler Class I D8 with 3 crew.

    H+120
    3 Sherman III Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle with 12 crew.
    5 Tractor Crawler Class I, D8 with 15 crew.
    2 Scammel Breakdown Tractor with 6 crew.
    1 Jeep.

    H+240
    The following land to work with Inland Waterway Units. These were operating the Rhino Ferries.
    1 Breakdown Tractor, Mack.
    1 3ton GS Austin.
    11 men.
    1 2½ ton 6 X 6 DUKW with 1 crew.

    H+360
    1 Breakdown Tractor 6 X 4 Mack with 4 crew.
    9 men.

    H+7hours
    2 4ton 6 X 6 Breakdown, Ward La France.
    14 men.


    21 Beach Recovery Section.
    21 Beach Recovery Section was attached to 6 Beach Group.
    H+12
    4 men. Advanced party.
    6 Tractor Class I D8 with 18 crew.
    6 Sherman III Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle with 25 crew.
    2 Breakdown Tractor, Scammell, with 6 crew.
    2 Breakdown Tractor, Ward la France, with 6 crew.
    2 Breakdown Tractor, Mack LMSW 6 X 6, with 6 crew.
    1 2½ ton 6 X 6 Amphibious DUKW with 3 crew.
    1 Jeep with 2 crew.
    4 motorcycle with 1 crew.
    46 men.

    H+16
    1 3ton 4 X 4 GS, Austin, with 2 crew.
    1 Sherman III Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle with 5 crew.



    H+45 Minutes.
    Thirteen LCT4 land. Four of them carry BARVs.
    The following is from the Landing Tables for 8 Brigade. As these tables were made in March 1944 they may differ in detail from the reality. It is known that extra vehicles, usually small ones, were often squeezed in but in general the loadings for these craft remained the same..
    The first vehicle listed will be at the front of the craft and the last vehicle listed will be at the rear.

    H+45.
    Queen White.
    Serial 211 is an LCT4 carrying
    1 Angledozer Class III HD7 and with 3 crew from 50 Mechanical Equipment Section RE.
    1 Jahn Trailer from 50 Mechanical Equipment Section RE. Carried engineer stores. Not to exceed 22’ 6” by 8’.
    6 men with a handcart from 84 Field Company RE. Exit Team.
    7 men from 53 Company Pioneer Corps
    1 Sherman III BARV from 20 Beach Recovery Section REME.
    1 Car 5cwt 4 X 4 Amphibian from ‘F’ RN Beach Commando.
    2 Carrier Universal towing 2 6pdr AT guns with 12 crew from AT Platoon 1 South Lancashire Regiment.
    2 Carrier Mortar with 8 crew from Mortar Platoon 1 South Lancashire Regiment.
    1 Carrier Universal with 4 crew from 1 South Lancashire Regiment. Company Command.
    4 men from 33 Field Regiment SP RA. Reconnaissance party.
    1 M10 (3”) SP AT gun with 5 crew from SP Troop, 45 AT Battery RA.
    8 men with 2 handcarts from 241 Headquarters Provost Company.
    1 Crusader SP 40mm LAA gun with 7 crew from 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    1 40mm LAA gun with 9 men from 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA. Towed by Crusader
    1 Jeep with 2 crew from 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    There is a well known photograph of this BARV passing a line of 13/18 Hussars Shermans on the way to the Gosport hards. Its serial number and the serial of the LCT can be clearly read.

    H+45.
    Queen White.
    Serial 213 is an LCT4 carrying
    1 Angledozer Class III HD7 and with 3 crew from 50 Mechanical Equipment Section RE.
    1 Jahn Trailer from 50 Mechanical Equipment Section RE. Carried engineer stores. Not to exceed 22’ 6” by 8’
    6 men with a handcart from 84 Field Company RE. Exit Team.
    7 men from 53 Company Pioneer Corps
    1 Sherman III BARV with 4 crew from 20 Beach Recovery Section REME.
    1 Car 5cwt 4 X 4 Amphibian from ‘P’ RN Beach Commando.
    2 Carrier Universal towing 2 6pdr AT guns with 12 crew from AT Platoon 1 South Lancashire Regiment.
    2 Carrier Mortar with 8 crew from Mortar Platoon 1 South Lancashire Regiment.
    1 Carrier Universal with 4 crew from 1 South Lancashire Regiment. Company Commander.
    4 men from 33 Field Regiment SP RA. Reconnaissance party.
    1 M10 (3”) SP AT gun with 5 crew from SP Troop, 45 AT Battery RA.
    1 Carrier Universal with 5 crew from SP Troop, 45 AT Battery RA.
    2 Carrier Universal with 14 crew from ‘A’ Company, Middlesex Regiment MMG.
    I Jeep with 1 crew 8 men from 3 Division Provost Company. Attached to 8 Brigade from 185 Brigade
    1 Motorcycle with 1 crew from 3 Division Provost Company. Motorcycle carried on M10.
    1 M14 Halftrack from 246 Field Company RE
    1 D7 Armoured Angledozer from 246 Field Company RE
    1 Carrier Universal from 246 Field Company RE
    11 men from 246 Field Company RE
    2 men with handcart WT from Headquarters 101 Beach Sub Area Signals. With command post 22 set for Divisional ‘A’ wave.

    H+45.
    Queen Red.
    Serial 218 was an LCT4 carrying
    1 Angledozer Class II HD10 with 3 crew from 50 Mechanical Equipment Section RE.
    1 Carriemore 18ton Trailer. This carried trackway material. Storage space limited to 29’ by 8’6” when loaded.
    10 men and a handcart from 84 Field Company RE. Exit Team. Includes 4 men for RE report centre
    7 men from 53 Company Pioneer Corps. Exit Team.
    1 Carrier Universal with 6pdr AT gun from AT Platoon, 2 East Yorkshire Regiment.
    2 Carrier Mortar from 2 East Yorkshire Regiment
    15 men from 2 East Yorkshire Regiment
    1 M14 Halftrack with 2 crew from ‘J’Section (8 Brigade), Divisional Signals. Attached to 2 East Yorkshire Regiment.
    1 Carrier Universal with 7 crew from ‘A’ Company, 2 Middlesex Regiment MMG.
    1 3ton winch (Karrier) with 2 crew from 84 Field Company RE
    1 Sherman III BARV with 4 crew from 20 Beach Recovery Section REME.
    1 Scammell BD Tractor with 3 crew from 20 Beach Recovery Section REME
    1 Crusader 40mm SP LAA with 5 crew from 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    1 40mm LAA gun with 10 crew from 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    2 men from 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment. Reconnaissance Party. Battery Command. To proceed to White Beach.
    1 Jeep with 1 crew from Headquarters 1 Special Service Brigade.
    1 Jeep with 2 crew from 241 Headquarters Provost Company.
    6 men with 2 handcarts from 13 Beach Signals Section


    H+45.
    Queen Red.
    Serial 219 was an LCT4 carrying
    1 Angledozer Class II HD10 with 3 crew from 50 Mechanical Equipment Section RE
    1 Jahn Trailer from 50 Mechanical Equipment Section RE. Carried engineer stores. Not to exceed 22’ 6” by 8’
    6 men and a handcart from 84 Field Company RE. Exit Team.
    7 men from 53 Company Pioneer Corps. Exit Team
    1 Carrier Universal with 6pdr AT gun from AT Platoon, 2 East Yorkshire Regiment.
    1 Carrier Mortar from 2 East Yorkshire Regiment
    1 Carrier Universal from 2 East Yorkshire Regiment. Battalion Command
    1 Jeep from 2 East Yorkshire Regiment
    1 Motorcycle from 2 East Yorkshire Regiment. Carried in transport.
    13 men from 2 East Yorkshire Regiment
    2 Carrier Universal with 14 crew from ‘A’ Company 2 Middlesex Regiment MMG.
    1 M14 Halftrack with 5 crew from 246 Field Company RE
    1 Jeep with 1 crew from 3 Division Provost Company. Attached to 185 Brigade.
    1 Motorcycle with 1 crew from 3 Division Provost Company. Attached to 185 Brigade. Carried in M14.
    1 Jeep with 1 crew from 1 Special Service Brigade Signal troop.
    1 Sherman III BARV with 4 crew from 20 Beach Recovery Section REME.
    1 Crusader 40mm SP LAA with 5 crew from 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    1 40mm LAA gun with 10 crew from 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    1 Jeep with 4 crew from 322 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    1 M10 (3”) SP AT with 5 crew from 67 AT Battery RA

    The LCTs.
    The LCT Flotillas for the assault brigade were:
    14 LCT Flotilla with 9 X LCT3. These for DD tanks.
    41 LCT Flotilla with 14 X LCT4.
    43 LCT Flotilla with 10 X LCT4.
    45 LCT Flotilla with 10 X LCT4.

    I think 41 Flotilla is the one landing at H+45. It had nine LCT which carried priority vehicles for 8 Brigade and four LCT which carried ‘C’ Squadron, 13/18 Hussars.


    H+120 minutes.
    A group of ten LCT4 land. Two of them carry the remaining BARVs for 20 Recovery Section.

    H+120.
    Queen White.
    Serial 298 is an LCT4 carrying
    1 Carrier Universal towing a 6pdr AT gun from AT Platoon 1 Suffolk Regiment.
    2 Carriers Mortar from 1 Suffolk Regiment.
    1 Carrier Universal from 1 Suffolk Regiment. Company Command.
    1 Carrier Universal from 1 Suffolk Regiment. Commanding Officers.
    21 men from 1 Suffolk Regiment.
    17 men and 6 airborne bicycles from 17 Field Company RE.
    2 Jeeps with 4 crew from Headquarters 8 Brigade.
    6 men from Headquarters 8 Brigade.
    1 M14 Halftrack with 4 crew from ‘J’ Section (8 Brigade), 3 Divisional Signals.
    1 Jeep carrying 1 airborne trailer with 2 crew from ‘J’ Section (8 Brigade), 3 Divisional Signals.
    1 Jeep with 2 crew from ‘J’ Section (8 Brigade), 3 Divisional Signals.
    4 men with a handcart from ‘J’ Section (8 Brigade), Divisional Signals.
    1 Tractor Crawler Class IV TD9 with 3 crew from 15 Field Park Company
    2 3ton 6 X 4 FBE MkIII with 4 crew from 106 Bridge Company RASC.
    1 Jeep with 2 crew from 12 Field Dressing Station RAMC.
    1 Sherman III BARV with 4 crew from 20 Beach Recovery Section REME.
    1 Jeep from 241 Headquarters Provost Company.
    2 15cwt GS from 241 Headquarters Provost Company.
    4 bicycles and 3 motorcycles from 241 Headquarters Provost Company. Carried in above vehicles.
    8 men from 241 Headquarters Provost Company.

    H+120.
    Queen Red.
    Serial 301 is an LCT4 carrying
    1 3ton 6 X 4 FBE MkIII with 2 crew from 1626 Platoon, 106 Bridging Company RASC.
    1 3ton GS Ford with 1 crew from 1629 Platoon, 106 Bridging Company RASC. Carries stormboats. 6 foot over normal length.
    1 Jeep from 8 Field Ambulance RAMC.
    2 light ambulance 2 stretcher from 8 Field Ambulance RAMC .
    1 15cwt GS from 8 Field Ambulance RAMC.
    6 men from 8 Field Ambulance RAMC.
    1 Jeep with handcart loaded on bonnet from B13 Beach Signal Section.
    4 Motorcycles from B13 Beach Signal Section. Loaded on lorries of 106 Bridge Company RASC.
    8 men and 2 handcarts from B10 Beach Signal Section. Proceed to White Beach on landing.
    1 Motorcycle with 1 crew from 2 Warwickshire Regiment. Liaison Officer at Headquarters 8 Brigade.
    1 Motorcycle with 1 crew from 1 Norfolk Regiment. Liaison Officer at Headquarters 8 Brigade.
    7 men from 8 Brigade Defence Platoon.
    6 men from Signal Platoon 5 Kings Regiment.
    1 Jeep with 2 crew from Headquarters 185 Brigade. Liaison Officer with 8 Brigade.
    2 Motorcycles from Headquarters 185 Brigade.
    12 men with 6 airborne bicycles from 17 Field Company RE
    1 Crusader SP 40mm LAA with 7 crew from ‘A’ Troop 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    1 Bofors LAA Tractor towing 40mm LAA gun with 2 crew from ‘A’ Troop 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    10 men from ‘A’ Troop 218 Battery, 73 LAA Regiment RA.
    1 Sherman III BARV with 4 crew from 20 Beach Recovery Section REME.
    1 Tractor Crawler Class I D8 with 3 crew from 20 Beach Recovery Section REME.
    1 Jahn trailer from 50 Mechanical Equipment Section RE. Towed by tractor above. Carried engineer stores.
    1 Amphibious Jeep with 3 crew from Headquarters 5 Kings Regiment. Adjutant and RSM HQ 5 Beach Group.

    Mike
     
  3. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    I hope I have attached the photograph mentioned above. It shows a BARV of 20 Beach Recovery Section passing tanks of 13/18 Hussars on the way to the hard at Gosport.

    6 Gosport 3.jpg
     
  4. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    I hope I have attached images of 21 Beach Recovery Section War Diary for June 1944. The corresponding pages for 20 Beach Recovery Section seem to be missing.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. stepwilk

    stepwilk Junior Member

    Again Mike vm thanks for the information so far. The picture is slowly coming together.
     
  6. Noel Burgess

    Noel Burgess Senior Member

    I understand that, at some time, breakdown tractors used for beach recovery were fitted with earth spades [to stop them slipping in the sand when winching]. Dose anyone know if these were fitted in time for the landings in Normandy or was it a later modification.

    Noel
     
  7. RemeDesertRat

    RemeDesertRat Very Senior Member

    In his history of REME published in 1951 by the war office Maj. Gen. Rowecroft states that the barv mk ii
    (with spade anchor) was ready for use " in time for the rhine crossings"
    Its not clear in the book if any vehicles had a spade anchor at the time of the normandy landings, but I'll have a trawl through it and see.
     
  8. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    I have the same reference as REMEDesertRat and it is not very clear on the matter of earth spades. My reading of it suggests that they were developed for Scammells and were available but probably not used. It is stated that the Normandy beaches did not present any problems for recovery.

    No mention of them in the War Diaries.

    Mike
     
  9. Loading of the six BARVs of 20 Beach Rec Sec was planned for D-2 (actually 3 Jun 44) as follows. [Edit: times shown on these plans are "ALL TIMES ZONE-2", i.e. the offical time used for all NEPTUNE plans, and the loading programme on which the following times appear has the handwritten note: "2 1/2 to be added to all times".]

    0630 Serial 211 (LCT 854) Gosport Hard G.F.
    0730 Serial 213 (LCT 789) Gosport Hard G.F.
    1400 Serial 218 (LCT 946) Gosport Hard G.F.
    1400 Serial 219 (LCT 863) Gosport Hard G.F.

    1600 Serial 298 (LCT ???) Stokes Bay Hard G.3
    1700 Serial 301 (LCT 942) Stokes Bay Hard G.3

    LST of Group 17 and 2nd Tide were planned for loading on D-4 to D-3 at Gosport Hard G.H.


    More photos of BARV No.1, including some while on board LCT 854 (211) during the landing, can be seen here:
    http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1247147530/Sherman+BARV+markings

    BARV No.3 in the starboard after part of the hold in LCT 789 (213) (same position in the LCT as BARV No.1 in LCT 854) during the embarkation at Gosport Hard G.F. on 3 Jun 44, thus presumably between 0630 and 0730 [Edit: thus between 9 and 10 am local time]:

    [​IMG]


    Another BARV on board LCT 942 (301), also aft in the tank deck, but port this time:

    [​IMG]


    BARV No.4 (extreme right) towing something out of the water opposite (more or less) Exit 21 on QUEEN RED Beach:

    [​IMG]


    Another (?) BARV hard at work pushing LCM between Exits 21 & 22:

    [​IMG]


    There's a nice narrative by a veteran of 20 Beach Rec Sec here (Veteran Story No.204):
    http://normandy1944.info/

    Michel
     
    Trux likes this.
  10. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Michel,

    Another excellent contribution. This is what the forum, and its members, are best at. I had not thought it likely that this amount of detailed information was available. I certainly did not expect it to be posted next day.

    I shall now spend the rest of this cold wet day studying the information.

    Mike
     
  11. Ian Scott

    Ian Scott Junior Member

    Just want to say i've been thinking a lot about my Dad today who landed "Feet wet" at around 11:00am
    on Sword Beach.Also R.I.P. to his C.O. LT.Haley who was killed by shellfire on the beach.
    At the going down of the sun.
    Ian Scott
     
  12. Roddy1011

    Roddy1011 Senior Member

    Trux -

    Many thanks for posting these WD pics...they contain the T-Numbers of two of the six BARVS for 21 Rec Sect. Do you have any other page copies that might have the numbers of other BARVs with the sect ?

    Roddy
     
  13. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Roddy,

    No. Is the short answer. The diaries are very variable in content. It is unusual to have any numbers except in appendices, which have seldom been preserved.

    Sorry.

    Mike
     
  14. I just noticed that the BARV on board LCT 942 (LTIN 301) bears the number '5' at the same location as the others:

    [​IMG]

    We therefore have:

    Serial 211 (LCT 854) BARV No. 1
    Serial 213 (LCT 789) BARV No. 3
    Serial 218 (LCT 946) BARV No. ?
    Serial 219 (LCT 863) BARV No. ?

    Serial 298 (LCT ???) BARV No. ?
    Serial 301 (LCT 942) BARV No. 5

    with one of the '?' above being the '4' as seen opposite Exit21 (see my posy #9 above), and the other two presumably '2' and '6'.

    BARVs of other Beach Rec Secs do not seem to have borne such a numbering. See this BARV T-151058 on JUNO (couldn't find the negative number of this Canadian Archives photo), thus probably from 22 Beach Rec Sec. The man second from left seems to be Lieutenant Dudley Rayburn, Beachmaster, W-2 Party, Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando "W":
    http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayEcopies&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3355726&rec_nbr_list=3355726&title=Lieutenant+Dudley+Rayburn%2C+Beachmaster%2C+W-2+Party%2C+Royal+Canadian+Navy+Beach+Commando+%26%2334%3BW%26%2334%3B%2C+at+H.M.S.+ARMADILLO%2C+a+training+establishment+at+Ardentinny%2C+Scotland%2C+February+1944.+&ecopy=a183006-v6

    [​IMG]

    Michel
     
  15. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    Michel, just a note on the photo above, the man in the Front of the picture (with his hand up) is Lt Cdr D. J. O'Hagan, Principal Beach Master

    'W" Beach Commando:
    Principal Beach Master - Lt Cdr D. J. O'Hagan, GM & Bar, RCNVR
    Deputy Principal Beach Master - A/Lt Cdr R. J. Johnstone, RCNVR
    Beach Master W1 - Lt D. M. Sutherland, RCNVR
    Beach Master W2 - Lt A. D. Rayburn, RCNVR
    Beach Master W3 - Lt F. Angus, RCNVR
     
  16. Noel Burgess

    Noel Burgess Senior Member

    Another old thread revived because of my searching around the online IWM photographs.
    A series of images titled "Special Assignment for R.E.M.E" with ref numbers H 35206 to H 35227 show trials of beach recovery using a Scamell recovery fitted with a spade, they are dated January 1944
    Below I attach H 35215 H 35216 and H 35217
    Scamell spade H35215.jpg Scamell spade H35216.jpg Scamell Spade H35217.jpg
     

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