Hi, Many apologies for posting in this manner but I am a complete newbie and not sure the best way to go about it this sort of thing. My grandfather (William Henry Hussey 3777160 from Liverpool) was a dukw driver during the Normandy landings and later crossed the Rhine. I have some of his photos that show some dukws in convoy travelling through France. numbers on the back of one of duwks i think shows 299 and D16. I have sent off for service records but nearly 6 months later still no reply. Does anyone know where I can find out more detailed info such as likely company, unit, areas deployed, number as stated above on back of dukw's etc. Any help will be gratefully appreciated. Cheers Ian
Hi Ian, welcome to the forum. Six months does seem to be along time to wait for his records, I would definitely give them a call. Any chance of posting your pictures on here? David
Ian, 299 Coy RASC (General Transport) was a DUKW company that took part in the Normandy landings. I think they were under 6 Beach Group for the landing itself and that by the evening of D Day they were operating their DUKWs on Queen White Sector of Sword Beach. On 7 June 1944, the O.C.299 G.T. Coy (Major Person), 2 Capts (Capt. Skinner and Capt. McAngus) and 2 Corporals were killed by direct hit on DUKW Control Post. Those details are from the war diary of the Transport Column (No 21) that they were later commanded by, the war diary of the company itself will be at the National Archives in Kew. Regards Tom
Hi Tom/Owen & David, Many thanks for the replies, believe it or not i only noticed the replies last week. I have not been on this forum for ages. Past year or so i have been doing a lot of ancestry stuff so not looked into my Grandad's service much since. I don't not get a reply and the cheque was not cashed so must have been lost in the post. anyway I recently came across 2 documents that i did not know existed as in the attached photos: 1: a general good luck message from Monty i assume given out to all who took part in the landings. 2. a letter that my Grandad had received back in 1994 outlining his basic service record. I also remember back in 94 when he went to Normandy with the veterans society that he LOST a large number of photos when he left his bag on the ferry. I remember he tried in vain to retrieve the lost bag. At the time I was 25 and toyed with the idea of going with him but was concerned it would too emotional for me never mind the veterans!. anyway i have attached the remaining photos showing the Goosberry breakwater, travels through France in the DUKW's, Villas at Sword beach and a blown but unidentified bridge I assume is across the Rhine but not sure. I am hoping to return to Normandy for the 3rd time this summer (without the wife and kids this time) to visit a few more places i have not been to. This time i will spend more time at focusing around the Sword beach area, I will also take the photos and try to pinpoint the the exact location of the promenade Villas in the photos assuming they are still standing. Cheers again for your replies Ian
Amazing photos and it is just heartbreaking to think of your Grandad's distress in losing the rest. Thanks for posting.
Hi Ian, What amazing photographs. I came across your posting after I did a search for DUKWs as my late father was also in 299 Coy RASC. His name was George Rea. He may well have had his Sergeants stripe by the time D-Day came along. I cannot verify that yet so he may well have been a Corporal. I have no photos of him in a DUKW so seeing your father's Photos will be the nearest thing I have seen. I remember him talking about the Training for the landings and the visit by the King to the training beach at Towyn in Wales. He also saw the King and "Monty" land on the Normandy beaches. He also did the Rhine crossing. A great posting well done. Clive
