Operation Neptune - Assault Convoy GOLD 18 June 6, 1944

[Mark Keever]

Compiled from landing tables held in file number R20110897 by the Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga of Brigadier General James Hargest's ( 1891 - 1944 ) personal papers, I am creating an Order of Battle showing the British Army units and numbers involved for the above action. It is 8.3 % complete and can be seen in my website under Green file 32E ( search ): ( Mercantile Convoy CU 49 of 1944 by Mark C. Keever ). I thought it interesting to show WHO was transported by NAVAL personnel...

[Mark Keever]

Now 50 % complete. The attachment will show the British 56th Infantry Brigade's Order of Battle during the second tide of FORCE GOLD's convoy number 18. The biggest " movers " in numbers were the 24th Lancers, 505th Field Company Royal Engineers and Battery 82 of the 25th Light Anti Aircraft. All via naval equipment & personnel...

[Mark Keever]

The British Army Order of Battle for Assault Convoy GOLD 18 during the Normandy invasion is now complete. Arriving on June 6, 1944 @ 1525 hours, it would not be until June 8, 1944 @ 0720 hours that ALL personnel and equipment would be totally off loaded. The French frigate LA SURPRISE escorted 12 U.S. L.S.T.'s towing five RHINO barges with 3,101 battle troops on board. At a minimum, another 940 various types of vehicles entered combat. These included � cars �, guns, trucks, jeeps, half-tracks, motorcycles, bicycles, tractors, engineering equipment, ambulances, carriers, trailers and 79 tanks for the 8th Armored Brigade. In reviewing landing tables 2921 through 2926 of the second tide for the 56th Infantry Brigade, it appears the top three � movers � of personnel by numbers were the 24th Lancers, 82 Battery of the 25th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment and the 505th Field Company Royal Engineers. For the 151st Infantry Brigade and table numbers 2820 through 2825, the � big 3 � were the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment, 522nd Field Company of the Royal Army Service Corps and the 4/7 Royal Dragoon Guards. Good job NAVY !