Active 1943–1944 Branch Tri-Service Size Brigade | Country Britain Role Beachhead organisation | |
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Engagements Sicily LandingsSalernoNormandy Landings | ||
During the Second World War the Allies realised the need for the landing zone of an amphibious assault to be organised for the efficient passage of follow on forces. The British formed such units from all three services – the Royal Navy (Commandos), British Army and the Royal Air Force, with the Army component comprising Infantry, Engineers, Ordnance, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Medical and Service Corps.
Contents
- Formation
- Training
- No 3 Beach Group
- No4 Beach Group
- No5 Beach Group
- No6 Beach Group
- No7 Beach Group
- No8 Beach Group
- No9 Beach Group
- No10 Beach Group
- No 20 Beach Group
- No 21 Beach Group
- No31 Beach Brick
- No32 Beach Brick
- No33 Beach Brick
- No34 Beach Brick
- No35 Beach Brick
- No36 Beach Brick
- Awards
- References
The equivalent U.S. units were called Beach Battalions.
Formation
After the Operation Torch landings the need for a beach organisation became apparent for the larger planned operations. In the UK Beach Groups were formed and began to train in Scotland. In the Mediterranean the equivalent organisations were called Beach Bricks and were formed in Egypt and trained at Kabrit. The Chief of Combined Operations Lord Louis Mountbatten described the functions of a beach group in late 1942:
For this a tri-service formation was created around an infantry battalion, added to this were smaller units from the Royal Engineers, Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Pioneer corps, Royal Army Service Corps and the Corps of Military Police. The Navy provided royal Navy Beach Commandos and a signal unit, and the Royal Air Force provided for beach anti-aircraft defence. The complement of a Beach group or brick was up to 3000 men.
The beach commandos were composed of 76 officers and men, led by the one Principal Beach Master and three Beach Masters, who would land with the assaulting troops and have the following duties:
Each commando was to control the landing area for a brigade, they were subdivided into a headquarters and three sub units each controlling a battalion landing area. They wore army battledress with navy headgear. Nine beach commandos were formed for Operation Overlord, designated F, J, L, P, Q, R, S, T and W, W was composed of Canadians.
The Royal Navy Beach Signals units were to provide communications between the beach and the offshore forces. Included in the units were men from the army and R.A.F.
The infantry component was intended to be a fighting force if any pockets of resistance remained on the beach immediately after the landings. After the beach was secured the battalion was to provide manpower for any other tasks, for example 6th Battalion Border Regiment was split up as follows,
As well as the treatment and dispatch of casualties back to Britain, the Medical Corps was also tasked with the provision of drinking water for the troops.
The Military Police (MPs) were to be used to control the flow of traffic on the beach and to guard and document the prisoners of war collected in the initial stages and brought back to the beach. These units also included R.A.F. MPs.
The pioneer companies were called on to perform many duties, construction of roads air-fields and stores, mine clearance, collection and evacuation of wounded, collection and burial of the dead, transport, guarding POWs and where necessary fight.
The RASC was responsible for the transport and distribution of the supplies needed by the troops.
The REME was tasked with keeping the beaches clear of disabled vehicles, including removal of stranded landing craft. Repairable vehicles were repaired in place or at a vehicle park. They used normal and specialised recovery vehicles for the task such as the BARV.
The precise mix and number of units depended of the perceived need of each location.
Training
From spring 1942, on the formation of the beach commandos, training was begun at Ardentinny, with amphibious training on the Loch Long. R.A.F. units and other formations destined for the beach groups were trained at Gailes Camp near Irvine, North Ayrshire.
Units formed in the Mediterranean trained at Kibrit on the Great Bitter Lake on the Suez Canal.
No. 3 Beach Group
Formed in the UK, it sailed to Sicily with the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, landing on 10 July 1943. It contained the 68th RAF Beach Unit. Utilised again for the Salerno landings, and attached to the British 56th Infantry Division, landing on Rodger beach on 9 September 1943, for this operation it contained the 68th and 69th RAF Beach Units.
No.4 Beach Group
This unit also sailed with the 1st Canadian Infantry Division from Britain and landed with them during the invasion of Sicily. It contained the 69th RAF Beach Unit. It was the reserve Beach group for Juno Beach.
No.5 Beach Group
Supported the 3rd Infantry Division on Sword Beach, Queen sector.
Composition
No.6 Beach Group
Reserve for Sword Beach.
Composition
No.7 Beach Group
Supported the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division landed on Juno Beach, Mike sector.
Composition
No.8 Beach Group
Landed on Juno Beach, Nan sector.
Composition
No.9 Beach Group
Supported the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division landing on Gold Beach, King sector.
Composition
No.10 Beach Group
Landed on Gold Beach, Jig sector.
Composition
No. 20 Beach Group
This unit landed with the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division on Sicily on 10 July 1943. The infantry component was two companies of the 2/4th Hampshire Regiment.
No. 21 Beach Group
This unit also landed with the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division on Sicily on 10 July 1943. The unit was used again and landed at Salerno on Sugar beach, supporting the 56th Infantry Division. It contained two companies of the Hampshire Regiment and the RAF's 81st and 82nd Auxiliary Embarkation Units.
No.31 Beach Brick
Formed on 13 April 1943 at Kabrit in Egypt, around the 7th Battalion Royal Marines. This unit was charged with training itself and then other units that were to form other Beach Bricks. It landed on Sicily supporting the 231st Infantry Brigade at Marzamemi.
No.32 Beach Brick
Formed around the 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry, the Brick supported the 5th Infantry Division during the Sicily landings at Cassibile (beaches Nos. 45 and 46) south of Syracuse. The Brick again supported 5th Division (13th Infantry Brigade) in the landings at Calabria on 3 September 1943 on George beach.
No.33 Beach Brick
Formed on 1 April 1943 around 1st Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the Brick supported the 17th Infantry Brigade of the 5th Infantry Division at George beach (beach No. 44). On 27 July the Highlanders were sent to the front line and the 1st Battalion Welch Regiment took their place from No. 34 Beach Brick. The Brick was reassembled with the Highlanders for the landings at Calabria, again with 17th Brigade, on How beach north of Torrente. The Brick was disbanded in November 1943.
No.34 Beach Brick
Formed on 1 June 1943 at Kabrit Egypt around the 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment, the Brick supported the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division during the Sicily Landings at Avola. For the landings at Calabria the Brick supported the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade on Fox beach north of Reggio de Calabria. The Brick supported the Anzio landings with D company of 18th Durham Light Infantry as the infantry component. Denis Healey was a Beach Master for this operation.
No.35 Beach Brick
Formed around the 18th Battalion Durham Light Infantry at Kabrit it transferred to Algeria in July for training and then to Tunisia for more training with the 46th Infantry Division, and supported them in the landings at Salerno on Uncle beach.
No.36 Beach Brick
Formed on 20 July 1943 at Kabrit in Egypt around the dismounted men of 8th Royal Tank Regiment. The brick was sent to Palestine in August, around plans for capture of Rhodes in late 1943. This was cancelled and the Brick transferred to UK early 1944. by this time 8th Royal Tank Regiment had left the Brick and been re-equipped with tanks, with 18th Durham Light Infantry taking their place. For the Normandy landings the Brick was in reserve for Gold Beach.
Composition
Awards
Men of the Beach Groups and Bricks received the following awards during their service.
During the Salerno landings the Distinguished Service Order was awarded to Wing Commander Rowland George O.B.E., and the Military Cross awarded to Major Cameron (18th Durham Light Infantry) and Flight Lieutenant John Dobbin who organised the beaches and cleared vehicle congestion while under fire.
During the Normandy Landings the following Beach Commandos of Nos 5 and 6 Beach Groups received Awards.
Members of the Royal Navy beach signals sections won the following.
On 8 June a German fighter plane dropped a bomb on the petrol and ammunition depot on Sword Beach, with the ensuing fire threatening to destroy large quantities of supplies. Men of 5 and 6 Beach Groups worked to save the supplies, and seven were awarded the George Medal.