I am posting the details of 966 Inland Water Transport for the dates up to and around D-Day WAR DIARY 4TH TO 7TH JUNE 1944 966 INLAND WATER TRANSPORT, ROYAL ENGINEERS Clarence Hinchliffe Littlewood, my father-in-law, was an Officer in this regiment Cowes, 4th June 1944 Company embarks on LST’s, 9 craft loads to cover personnel at Cowes. Additional 6 craft loads needed to accommodate personnel to generate? Tugs which are being towed behind separate LST’s. 8 Rhinos behind 8 LST’s, 2 Tugs (T35 AND T71) towing behind their separate Rhinos. Tugs T11, T23, T47, T59, T83, T92 behind separate LST’s. One craft load with 961 Company, total craft loads 15. Cowes, 5th June 1944 22.00 hrs Convoy sets sail. Weather rather rough. At Sea 6th June 1944 D-Day. T35 and T71, the two tugs towing behind Rhinos break adrift in early hours of the morning. T11 also breaks adrift. Convoy arrives off Courseilles-sur-Mer at 12.00 hrs approx. At Sea 16.00 hrs. Rhinos operate under bad weather conditions and without tugs. First loads disembarked on beaches at 17/00 hrs approx. F34 runs aground at 23.00 hrs approx. Courseilles-sur-Mer 7th June 1944 Company biouvacked in Courseilles-sur-Mer. Weather still rough. At 22.30 heaving bombing and machine gun attack on biouvac area. A P Bombs being used. Casualties heavy, 12 killed and 31 wounded; 7 own Company. 1 killed (own Coy), and 15 wounded; 7 attached Pioneer 267 Company. Wounded evacuated to BDS (BDA?) and 33/34 FDS. Interesting to see the note on the main War Diary cover- Note on Appendices: Field returns for w/e 3/6/44 missing as copies for war diary was destroyed by enemy action 6 June 1944 966 IWT men killed 7 June 1944. All buried at Bayeux BROCK, Ernest Thomas, Sapper 1502829 BURNETT, Henry George, Sapper 14634458 CAMPY, Harold, Sapper 1619857 HILL, Ernest Francis, Sapper 14260580 LAWRENSON, Leslie James, Corporal 2162409 MAWDITT, Cyril, Corporal 6009458 NEWMAN, Leonard George, Corporal 2162412 RAPLEY, Lionel Harry Searle, Sapper 1804759
A very happy coincidence . Just recently I was contacted by a new member from Australia who had seen this post and wanted to know if I had any further information about the unit, as his grandfather served in it. I told him I had all the war diaries and would send him a copy. I received an email from him the other day stating that he has just received his grandfather's service record, and on it is my father-in-law's signature, Clarence Hinchliffe Littlewood who was an Officer with the unit. It's one of those times when a coincidence like that makes the hairs stand up at the back of your neck. It's a small world. Lesley
Across the years and across the miles; A connection. Brilliant news Lesley! Kind regards, always, Jim.
