Normandy Landings

[Biggles]

This might be a little off thread but does anyone have any details of ship positions for the Normandy Landings June 1944.

In particular British ship positions for the assault. Either gunships or troopships. Also American ships and any points of departure.

I'm looking at a possible RIB raid of Normandy in the future but would also like to add some realism to it.

I've done the land tours but would like to now try and get some idea of what the allied troops went through prior to landing.

We've all seen the film footage from the landings so have some idea of locations but I would like to be more specific and try and make it quite scientific.

From my own personal point of view I would like to find out where the film footage was taken of the British asault on the large house next to the sea and also where the tanks were launched for the Americans.

I have a good recolection and understanding of the beach loacations i would like to now try and understand where the Landing craft were unloaded from the troopships and what sort of distance they had to cover and at what speed. Covering that on the sea in a RIB might give an awful appreciation of what those young men had to go through 62 years ago.

I have a few friends who are aquainted with land battles in France during both the 1st and 2nd World Wars but I don't know anyone who is an expert on D day. Therefore if anyone can help please do. Wheter it be with books maps or photos etc.

Many thanks in advance.

Nick R.

[Louise]

You probably already have these but in case you don't, you might like to look at the following:

Major & Mrs Holt's Battlefield Guide: Normandy Landing Beaches

IGN map D Day 6.6.44 (available here: http://www.mapsworldwide.com/map_28799.htm)

The first is one of a series of guidebooks detailing itineraries for exploring the sites of various important battles (other titles are: Somme, Ypres and Gallipoli). It is very biased towards travel on land but does contain some information that may be of interest and many useful maps and interesting photos. It also has an accompanying map and may be purchased from Amazon.

The second is a map of the Northern French coast highlighting various sites of interest. Again, it is mainly land based but only costs £5.99 so worth a look if you have an interest in military history.

Another thought (if you're really serious about researching your trip) would be to make a visit to Normandy to the various war museums and monuments, most (if not all) of which are listed in Major & Mrs Holt's Battlefield Guide: Normandy Landing Beaches.

Hope this might help (a bit)!

[Phil]

My advice would be to go to a decent library and research it from there.There are of course many good books on the landings -the one by Max Hastings comes to mind and that has a number of references to other works.

The other source of information might be the many museums along the coast although where they are private the information might not be that accurate.

I have visited the Normandy beaches both from land and sea on a number of occasions.; there is more to gain on land than from sea but I appreciate you wishing to recreate the route of the landing craft etc

Obvious ports of call are Ouistreham Courseille and a visit to Arromanche. Le Havre, although not an attractive city is a good base with all weather access and dockside petrol - we used it on our visit for the 60th anniversary of D Day

[Andy_Rs600]

Try giving the british war museum a ring. A lot of their colection is public (by appointment), and they probably have contemporary mapping.

[tue]

There are loads of books about, showing all the marshling and embarkation points on the south coast, aswell as the routes taken taken by each of the troop ship groups and the mid channel marshelling points. I will dig out the names of some when i get home. For information about the DD tank launch position try the tv. Nat geo has done a prog about the tanks, or try some dive guides to Normandy for possitions.

[Biggles]

Cheers Tue,

[Phil Davies]

Originally Posted by Biggles

I'm looking at a possible RIB raid of Normandy in the future but would also like to add some realism to it.

Nick - if it's a genuinely realistic portrayal of events in 1944 that you require, I have a contact at the Royal Artillery on Foulness who may well be interested in letting his chaps use your RIB for a spot of shelling practice. I'm not too sure what the position is with regard to the import of ordnance to France, however.

[tue]

some websites of interest for you (I don't know too many as I am more into the airborne assault).

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference...y/Pictures.htm
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/e...y/normandy.htm
http://ehistory.osu.edu/wwii/books/normandy/index.cfm
http://www.naval-history.net/EBook02-WW2RN20-194406.htm

Some nice photos of the embarkation ports, and the landings. (US though sorry). And the maps of the transport routes accross the channel.