New Resource Merchant ship numbers 2021-01-09

A list of the ships at Normandy with all, or part, Merchant Service crews

  1. Roy Martin
    A further 61 cargo ships were assigned and loaded for Normandy, but were not dispatched until after the official end of Operation Neptune - 30 June in the British sector and 3 July in the US sector. They included 13 British and one Greek, the balance being US flagged Liberties.

    Other tugs that may well have been involved include:

    Abeille 3, 6, 14, 16; Alliance, Aube [Fr], Bustler, Cherburgoise 1, Danube V, Danube VI, Director, Diversion, Empire Alfred, Empire Ben, Empire Harry, Empire Imp, Empire Jane, Empire Jean, Empire Mary, Empire Nicholas. Empire Polly, Empire Sandy, Empire Sprite, Empire Susan, Empire Vincent, Enchanter, Encore, Enigma, Enticer, Gatteville [Fr], Isere [Fr], Justice, Marauder, Mastodonte [Fr], Nancy Moran, Nessus [Fr], Palencia, HMS Reward, Richard Lee Barber, Sun XII, Zeeleeuwe. Plus an unknown number of TID tugs

    Notes:

    Some of the ships listed as British were from other European nations, many with part British manning.

    Where coasters are marked US they are mostly Dutch Schuyts in US service, usually with some British crew.

    Sources:

    Documents at The National Archives, John de S. Winser’s D-Day Ships, Willem Holdenburg and others; cross checked with Lloyd’s Registers from the Plimsoll website and Talbot-Booth’s Merchant Ships 1943.









































    Dry Cargo Coasters 463 (includes 20+ Dutch schuyts for US sector)

    Coastal Colliers 11

    Coastal Tankers 61

    Salvage Vessels 26

    Lifting Craft 9 (non-propelled)

    Pump Vessels 20 (most were employed on the UK coast)

    Military Transports 112

    MOWT LSIs and troopers 40

    MOWT tugs 50

    Deep Sea Tankers 13 (+ one RFA, one more stayed in UK)

    Hospital Carriers 12 (includes 2 Hospital Ships, not used)

    Accommodation Vessels 7

    Block ships 32

    Total 856