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Gold Beach was the code name for one of the central D-Day landing beaches that Allied forces used to invade German-occupied France on June 6, 1944, during World War II.
Gold Beach lay in the invasion area assigned to the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division commanded by Major General Douglas Alexander Graham, and the British 8th Armoured Brigade of the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey. Gold Beach had three main assault sectors – these were designated (from west to east): Item, Jig (split into sections Green and Red), and King (also in two sections named Green and Red). A fourth named How was not used as a landing area[1].
The beach was assaulted by the 50th (Northumbrian) Division (which included the Devonshire, Hampshire, Dorsetshire and East Yorkshire regiments) between Le Hamel and Ver sur Mer. Attached to them would be elements of 79th (Armoured) Division. The 231st Infantry Brigade would come ashore on Jig Sector at Le Hamel/Asnelles and the 69th Brigade at King Sector in front of Ver sur Mer. Number 47 (Royal Marine) Commando, attached to the 50th Division for the landing, was assigned to Item sector.
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Objectives
The primary D-Day objectives were for the 50th Infantry Division to establish a beachhead between Arromanches (crucial for the deployment of the artificial Mulberry harbour) and Ver-sur-Mer and then head south towards Route Nationale 13 (RN 13) reaching Bayeux and cutting the road to Caen.
The 231st and 69th Infantry Brigades were to be first ashore and establish a beachhead. The follow-up 56th Infantry Brigade and 151st Infantry Brigades would aim to push south-west towards RN 13 supported by the tanks of the 8th Armoured Brigade.
To the west, the 47 Royal Marine Commando's mission was to capture Port-en-Bessin and link-up with American forces landing on Omaha Beach.
The 50th Infantry Division was also tasked with meeting the Canadian troops coming ashore on Juno Beach.
Order of Battle
British forces
50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division under Major General Douglas Alexander Graham
- 69th Infantry Brigade - Brigadier Fergus Y Carson Knox & Brigadier JMK Spurling
- 5th Battalion The East Yorkshire Regiment
- 6th Battalion The Green Howards
- 7th Battalion The Green Howards
- 151st Infantry Brigade - Brigadier RH Senior & Brigadier BB Walton
- 6th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry
- 8th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry
- 9th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry
- 231st Infantry Brigade - Brigadier AGB Stanier Bart
- 2nd Battalion The Devonshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion The Hampshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment
- 56th Infantry Brigade - Brigadier EC Pepper
- 2nd Battalion The South Wales Borderers
- 2nd Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment
- 2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment
- 47 Royal Marine Commando - Lt Col. CF Phillips
- 8th Armoured Brigade - Brigadier Bernard Cracroft
- 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
- 24th Lancers
- The Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers).
- 147th Field Regiment (Essex Yeomanry) Royal Artillery.
- 12th Battalion The King's Royal Rifle Corps.
- 168 (City of London) Light Field Ambulance.
- 552 Company Royal Army Service Corps.
- 8th Armoured Brigade Workshops R.E.M.E.
- 265 Forward Delivery Squadron. [2][3][4]
- Divisional Troops
- 61st Reconnaissance Regiment, RAC
- 233rd, 295th and 505th Field Companies, Royal Engineers
- 235th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
- 2nd Battalion The Cheshire Regiment (Machine Gun)
- Divisional Artillery
- 74th Field Regiment
- 90th Field Regiment
- 124th Field Regiment
- 102nd Anti-Tank Regiment Northumberland Hussars
- 25th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
- GHQ Liaison Regiment
- Beach Parties
- 2nd Battalion The Hertfordshire Regiment
- 6th Battalion The Border Regiment
German forces
- 716th Static Infantry Division
- 726th Grenadier Regiment
- 736th Grenadier Regiment
- 716th Pioneer (Engineer) Battalion
- 716th Anti-Tank Company
- 1716th Artillery Regiment[5]
- 352nd Infantry Division
- 1st Battalion, 914th Grenadier Regiment
German defences
Facing the British on the eastern area of the beach were elements of the German 716th Static Infantry Division (No. 4 company of East Battalion 441 and No. 7 Company of the 736th Infantry Regiment) and to the west units of the veteran 1st Battalion of the 916th Infantry Regiment of the 352nd Division. These units were concentrated in fortified beach houses along the coast at Le Hamel and La Rivière. The houses however proved to be highly vulnerable to both naval and aerial bombardment[6].
The central stretch of the beach was marshy and defended only by No. 3 Company of the 441st East Battalion, comprised mainly of Russian conscripts. Crew-served weapons in this sector were mainly 50mm guns in concrete emplacement and 75mm guns inside pillboxes.
To the rear were several artillery batteries at Mont-Fleury, Ryes, Marefontaine, Creully and Crepon covering the beach.
Located on the top of the cliffs at Longues-sur-Mer was an observation post for four 155mm guns, located a further half-a-mile inland.
Kampfgruppe Meyer, the 352nd's division reserve based at Bayeux, had been in an ideal position to counterattack the landings at Gold Beach at the beginning of June 6. However, the presence of US 101st paratroopers near the Vire estuary led General Kraiss, the Commander of the 352nd, to perceive this threat more important and ordered the reserve to this location. This tactical error by Kraiss meant several hours were spent retracing the 30 or so kilometres back towards the real threat at Gold Beach. The ability to counter attack had now been lost.
Initial assault
Prior to the landings themselves, the German defensive positions were first attacked by medium and heavy bomber formations; the bombardment continued from the 6 inch and 8 inch guns of the accompanying cruisers[7].
King Sector - La Rivière/Ver sur Mer
H-Hour for the landing at Gold Beach was set at 0725 hrs on King sector[7] (50 minutes later than in the American sector to allow for difference in the west to east tidal surge). The British were aware that the beach was littered with defences – anti-tank obstacles and mines – which would be dealt with by engineers in the first wave. However, due to a strong north-westerly wind sea levels along the coast were higher than had been anticipated. This higher tide covered over many of the mines and other obstacles so that engineers could not go in and disarm them. Those engineers that did reach obstacles quickly came under enemy fire which prevented the clearing of obstacles.
A decision was taken not to launch the DD tanks from their landing craft tank (LCTs) but to run them directly onto the beach. The first wave to land came in under heavy fire from the German defenders and suffered casualties. The 1st Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment lost its Commanding Officer and Second-in-Command within minutes of landing. Following up behind the 1st Hampshires were the Commandos of the 4th Special Service Brigade. They too suffered badly during the run in and only one of their allotted landing craft actually reached the shore.
The decision to land the tanks directly on to the beach however proved to be the saving grace as there was no German armour in the area. Once ashore the tanks provided close support to the infantry and most of the initial German resistance was quickly overcome. Many of the German strong points had been neutralised by the naval bombardment earlier in the morning and it was only the main fortified areas of resistance that held out, but by 10.00 hrs La Rivière was captured[8].
Jig Sector - Le Hamel/Asnelles
Men of the 6th Green Howards came ashore, supported by DD tanks of the 4th/7th Dragoons and the special tanks of the Westminster Dragoons. In this sector the defence was weak and the coastal strong points were easily knocked out before the troops pushed inland to tackle the German artillery batteries.
The attack on Le Hamel was slow and British forces took a number of casualties. The intervention of the 147th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, enabled the strong point to be neutralised and the village fell at approximately 1600 hrs.
The 69th brigade then continued its southward advance though Creully and Crépon. At 1600 hrs a German counter-attack was launched but failed to break the British lines[9].
Item Sector
No 47 (RM) Commando, the last commando unit to land, came ashore on Gold Beach east of Le Hamel on Item sector. Their task was to immediately push inland, then turn right (west) and cross 10 miles of enemy held territory in order to seize and hold the coastal harbour of Port-en-Bessin. This small port was significant as it was to be the prime early harbour for supplies to be brought in including fuel by underwater pipe from tankers moored offshore. After landing, No 47 (RM) Commando passed south of Arromanches and pushed west to within a mile of Port-en-Bessin where they were halted just to the south of the Longues-sur-Mer battery. Here they dug in on ‘Hill 72’ and Port-en-Bessin did not fall into British hands until June 8, 1944 following heavy fighting.
Beachhead
Despite fierce opposition initially, the British forces broke through the German defences with relatively light casualties and the assistance of the 79th (Armoured) Division, equipped with Hobart's Funnies[10]. These vehicles, such as the Sherman flail tank, proved essential on D-Day, clearing minefields, laying fascines to bridge ditches, matting soft sand, and breaching obstacles to allow passage off the beaches.
Naval support
Hundreds of vessels made up Force 'G'[11] that was to assault Gold Beach. Amongst these were cruisers HMS Ajax, HMS Argonaut, HMS Emerald, HMS Orion and HMS Warspite and the Free French Navy cruiser Georges Leygues.
German defences inland
Considerable opposition from inland enemy batteries and mortars hampered the landings, but by 1000 hrs, La Rivière was captured and a couple hours later, Le Hamel fell. The Royal Marine Commandos were able to reach within a mile of Port-en-Bessin after finding that the Loungue-Sur-Mer battery had been put out of action by HMS Ajax.
Gold Beach hour-by-hour
07.25 – The first units of 231st and 69th Brigades touch down. DD (swimming) tanks and beach clearance groups, delayed by bad weather, are landed directly on to the beach.
07.45 – Troops make slow progress against raking fire, but three beach exits are cleared within the hour.
08.20 – Follow-up battalions and No. 47 Royal Marine Commando land.
09.30 – Les Roquettes is captured.
09.50 – Stiff resistance at Le Hamel. Commandos head for Port-en-Besin to link with American forces. CSM Stan Hollis, 6th Green Howards, performs acts of bravery at Crépon for which he is later awarded the Victoria Cross.
10.50 – Reserve brigades begin to land; seven beach exits have been secured.
16.00 – Le Hamel is finally captured. 231st Brigade moves on to Arromanches. 69th Brigade encounters resistance in Villers le Sec/Bazenville area.
20.30 – 56th and 151st Brigades reach the outskirts of Bayeux and the Caen-Bayeux road.
21.00 – Arromanches is captured.
24.00 – A large bridgehead has been established, six miles wide and deep, linking up with Canadians at Juno Beach. No. 47 Royal Marine Commando are ready to take Port-en-Bessin on following day.
By midnight on June 6, the 50th Division had landed 25,000 men with approximately 400 casualties. They had penetrated 10 km (6 miles) inland and met up with the Canadians coming from Juno Beach at Tierceville. The 69th, 56th and 151st Brigades dig in on a line between Vaux-sur-Aure and Coulombs. During the evening, patrols of the 2nd Gloucestershire reach the outer suburbs of Bayeux. To the west, Arromanches is reached at 2000 hrs and cleared an hour later. The link-up with the American troops can't be made.
Men of the 47th Royal Marine Commando, after a day-long progression in enemy territory, dig in on Hill 72 south of the Longues-sur-Mer battery. Their objective, Port-en-Bessin, won't fall until June 8.
Aftermath
Following the successful landing Operation Perch was launched to drive further in land and later to attempt to capture Caen in the Battle for Caen.
Stanley Hollis VC
It was during the assault on the beach and clearing the Mount Fleury battery that CSM Stanley Hollis's actions enabled D Company to open the main beach exit. Later that day his bravery at Crepon saved the lives of several of his men and he was awarded the only Victoria Cross to be bestowed for actions on D-Day[12].
References
- ^ Gold Beach - Battle Zone Normandy. Simon Trew. pp. 47-67
- ^ "Prior-Palmer (1946), Chapter 3". http://www.warlinks.com/armour/8th_armoured/chapter-3.html.
- ^ Remembering D-Day: Personal Histories of Everyday Heroes. Martin Bowman. pp 243-245
- ^ www.6juin1944.com
- ^ Axis History Factbook: 716. Infanterie-Division
- ^ The Battle of Normandy 1944. Robin Neilands. pp 65-74
- ^ a b Normandy Landing Beaches. Major & Mrs Holt's Battlefield Guide. pp. 129
- ^ Gold Beach - Battle Zone Normandy. Simon Trew. pp. 58-66
- ^ Gold Beach - Battle Zone Normandy. Simon Trew. pp. 52-58
- ^ D-Day Dawn of Heroes. Nigel Cawthorne. pp 132
- ^ D-Day 1944 (4): Gold & Juno Beaches. Ken Ford. pp 29
- ^ Remembering D-Day: Personal Histories of Everyday Heroes. Martin Bowman. pp 225
Gallery
Some pictures of modern day Arromanches-les-Bains (Gold Beach).
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See also
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