The fighting men who landed on D-Day needed to be fed so ten Landing Barge Kitchen (LBK) were built for the task. These were adapted from steel Thames Lighters by fitting two petrol engines and building the kitchen on the lighter. Crossing from Langstone Harbour to Sword Beach on D-Day, with the 35th LB Flotilla, …
There is a Ferro Concrete Petrol Barge (PCB), or Lighter, in the Harwich area. These were originally built for use on D-Day but were found to be unsuitable. More here. It is (85’x22′) and was in the cutting to the East of the Sailing Club serving as the clubhouse until replaced by LBK6. It was …
On 6 June 1944, Allied troops landed on the Normandy beaches and the battle to liberate Europe began. 80 years on since D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare, we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our freedom. The small village of Woolverstone had a vital part to play in these tumultuous times.
According to www.thecretefleet.com, there were two hundred and ninety-four open ferro-concrete barges (FCBs), and two hundred, closed, petrol barges (PCBs) built during World War Two. These were originally intended mainly for use in the invasion of France. It seems that none of the petrol barges were used for the Normandy landings as they did not …
Both Britain and Germany deployed Refuge Floats for airmen in the North Sea and Channel. How many lives were saved is unclear. Examples still exist – see the notes. RAF Rescue Float More information: RAF Boats 1918 – 1986 and a 3D view at Scottish Maritime Museum German Air Sea Rescue Buoy – Lobster Pot …
This site has a wealth of information about the HMS Wildfire shore base at Sheerness in World War Two. There is a ship and wreck database as well as an excellent article on the defensive barrier.
SS Richard Montgomery on youtube. Beware the shallow water to the east at LW. There is a plan to remove the masts. See SS Richard Montgomery – Wikipedia – a United States ship named after an Irish soldier in the Revolutionary War.
These were originally in a ring bound set and are not much larger than A5 size. If there is one of the Deben it is elusive. These are from personal collection.
1941 Sudost-England. England Blatt Nr. 12. Militargeographische Objektkarten 1941 Ost-Anglia. England Blatt Nr. 9. Militargeographische Objektkarten 1940 Oberkommando reconnaissance photos from David Rumsey Collection extensive. Samples:
Maplin Sands stretch from Shoebury to Foulness on modern charts. The late eighteenth-century John Chandler Chart, refers to the large flat north of Havengore Creek, including the Whittaker Sands. The lower part, of what is now the Maplin Sands, was called Shoebury and Blacktail. Note ‘Shoe Hole’ in the West Swin. The simplification on modern …
Note the boom at Shotley and netting from the breakwater. Also, the bombing range is buoyed.
From US National Archives: Target Dossiers Pertaining to the British Isles, 1938–1945 Suffolk set, Felixstowe more, Harwich also with Felixstowe, Ipswich, Orfordness. Essex set. Harwich. See also Kreigsmarine Chart and 1944 WD charts. Soviet Charts – seem to have disappeared.
There is a full account of this topic at Woolverstone, D-Day at 80 Exhibition. This RAF photograph, 26th March 1944 – 3054 – shows what must be real landing craft near Woolverstone on the River Orwell. There are thirty-five of what appear to be MkV landing craft tank (LCT) and, perhaps, six of the considerably …
Dummy Landing Craft were built at Waldringfield and moored on the Deben before D-Day to deceive the Nazis. These were probably the largest craft ever to be in the river.
There are quite a few items on this fascinating structure, so it gets its own section.
This was not the first defensive structure hereabouts. See Shoeburyness. For a fuller account of the barrier see this site. The defensive boom required many resources for its operation including fourteen tugs, five launches and team of four hundred people. In the early part of the war enemy aircraft managed to lay mines inside the …
Read more “WWII Defensive Barrier Shoeburyness to Sheerness”