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WEBSITE
INDEX
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Links to over 100 pages are in alphabetical order. Pages are being added or revised on a regular basis.
Entries in black indicate work planned or in progress. Click on a heading below, scroll down or try
search.
- Combined Operations Pages
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Other Pages -
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Main Headings |
Web Pages - Click on
Blue Links to Open |
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Wolfe's Combined
Operation |
How Wolfe's raid on Quebec in 1759 unwittingly set the
ground rules
for successful amphibious Combined Operations. |
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What is a Combined Operation? |
Brief description of a Combined Operation for those new to the subject.
The term Joint Forces Operations is used to describe similar operations
today. |
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The Formative Years at COHQ. |
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Roger Keyes |
Churchill's 1st appointment to the post of
Director
Combined Operations
which ended
in acrimony just 15 months later in Oct 1941. |
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Mountbatten |
Churchill's 2nd appointment initially as
Combined Ops
Adviser.
Despite his youth he
gained the respect and co-operation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. |
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Geoffrey Pyke |
A wartime Scientific Adviser whose unusual and
creative mind knew no bounds. Described variously as
a
'One Man Think Tank' and 'not
a scientist, but a man of a vivid and uncontrollable imagination,
and a totally uninhibited tongue.' |
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No 1
Commando |
A brief history of No 1 Commando
from its formation in July 1940 to disbandment in 1946. |
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No 4
Commando |
A brief history of No 4 Commando from its formation on 4 March 1941
to disbandment in July 1945. |
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No 5 Commando |
A brief history of No 5 Commando
from formation in July 1940 to disbandment in January 1947. |
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No 9
Commando |
A brief history of No 9 Commando from their formation in
the summer of 1940 to disbandment in late 1946. |
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No
11 (Scottish) Commando - The Black Hackle |
No 11 (Scottish) Commando was formed in
July 1940. Its members were dispersed to other Commando units a little
over a year later. However, much of great interest was packed into this
period as this
20,000 word history by Graham Lappin describes. |
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45 (RM)
Commando |
This account of the early years of 45 Royal Marine Commando
draws heavily on the official publication 'The Story of 45 Royal Marine
Commando' written by the 45's officers and published privately for members of
the unit and their relatives. The book covers the history of the unit from its
formation in August 1943 until it returned from Germany in June 1945. The
account here concentrates on the amphibious landings on the beaches of Normandy
and the immediate aftermath. Intermingled with this account is the story of Marine Bernard
Charles Sydney Fenton provided by his son Bernard.
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Royal
Naval Commando (The Beach Commandos) |
Early amphibious raids by Army Commandos between l940 and
l942 proved a need for better intelligence on the landing beaches and
better control of the movement of men, vehicles and supplies on the
beaches during raids and landings. |
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Royal
Air Servicing Commandos |
Recruited from RAF service personnel by notices posted
at RAF Stations.. 'Volunteers wanted in all trades for units to be formed to
service aircraft under hazardous conditions.' ... i.e. on or near the
front line! |
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Operation Overlord |
D Day, June 6 1944! Operation Overlord was the
culmination of years of planning and training by Combined Operation
planners along with others, notably the USA. |
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See Landing Craft
Below |
Most, if not all, accounts of Landing Craft include a
description of their role in the Normandy Landings. |
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Fighter Direction Tenders (FDTs) |
The story of the 3 radar, communications
and intelligence gathering vessels off the beaches of Normandy in June 1944 -
Fighter Direction Tenders (FDTs) 13, 216 & 217. |
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Diary of a Leading Aircraftsman |
These extracts
cover the service of LAC Leslie Armitage
on board Fighter Direction Tender (FDT)
216 off the American beaches of Utah and Omaha over a 10 day period from
June 5 1944. |
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Mulberry
Harbours |
The Allies needed secure sheltered harbour facilities within
days of the Normandy landings to supply their advancing forces until ports like Cherbourg were
captured. How did they erect two harbours, each the size of Dover, in just a few days
in wartime, when Dover took 7 years to construct in peacetime? |
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P.L.U.T.O |
The Pipeline Under
the Ocean was designed to supply petrol from storage tanks in southern England
to the advancing Allied armies in France in the months following D-Day.
This page tells the story of the planning, development, testing and
installation of the pipelines and of the contribution of PLUTO to the war effort. |
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Coastal Command's Anti-sub patrols |
Coastal Command's Anti-Submarine patrols on the
flanks of Combined Operations. |
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Royal Observer Corp Seaborne Ops |
796 talented people of the ROC participated in the D-Day
landings. They were, however, not part of the Combined Operations Command but
their uniforms comprised aspects of all three services.
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Normandy Poems |
5 thoughtful poems about
aspects of the Normandy landings. |
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Veterans' Photo Gallery |
Photos of veterans taken in recent times mostly at commemoration events. |
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Genesis of Combined Ops
[Churchill] |
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Infamous Commando Order
[Hitler] |
As a result of an unfortunate incident on the
island of Sark a number of German soldiers
were shot with their hands tied behind their
backs. This apparent execution by a
Commando raiding party incensed Hitler who shortly afterwards issued his
infamous Commando Order.
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Western Front
Preparations
[Hitler] |
Hitler's Directive 51 - preparations for the
anticipated invasion from the west. This
ordered the transfer of men and materials from
the eastern front because the greater, and more immediate threat, was in the
west. |
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The Gratitude
of a Nation [Churchill] |
An expression of a Nation's
gratitude for the role of Combined Operations in planning and training for
the amphibious aspects of D-Day. |
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Insignia
Design & Development |
A
copy of an article entitled 'The Combined Operations
Badge, 1942-1946' by Terry Carney based on research
carried out at the National Archive, Kew,
London. Includes many drawings of early design ideas. |
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Insignia
Specimens |
Around 40 original cloth badges from WW2 and modern
versions used by joint forces at home and abroad. |
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Insignia in Use |
Old photos, tattoo, ship's funnel, scaled model,
Christmas card, Commando certificate etc - all clearly show the
ubiquitous Combined Operations Insignia in use. |
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Explanatory Note |
LCTs [Landing Craft Tank] were generally medium sized
landing craft which carried troops, tanks, lorries, equipment and
supplies directly onto the enemy held beaches. LSTs [Landing Ship Tank]
performed a similar role but were much larger and often carried small
Landing Craft Assault (LCAs) to the landing area before lowering them
into the water for their final approach to the beaches under their own
power. |
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HM LCT 318 |
Dieppe, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and
Normandy. After such an illustrious wartime service the end came from an
unexpected source. |
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HMLCT(4) 749 |
This landing craft was amongst the first to land on the
Normandy beaches. It carried especially adapted tanks with their Royal
Engineer crews. They had the unenviable and hazardous job of clearing
the landing beaches of obstacles in advance of the troops. |
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HM LCT
795 |
Having survived the dangers of D-Day and the rigours of
the Channel ferry service in subsequent months, 795 avoided a watery grave...
but just. |
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HM LCT 821 |
From training and over-wintering in the cold waters
around Scotland's northern shores to undertaking running repairs while
stranded on a Normandy beach, this account has its fair share of
hardship and danger. |
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HM
LCT 980 |
Normandy and Walcheren and an ignominious
end on the Thames. |
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HM LCT 1171
and HM LCH 75 |
1171 survived the Normandy landings but broke her back,
split in two and sank on a routine return trip to UK shores. 75 was a HQ
vessel fitted out for Far East Service. The atomic bombs halted her
journey in the Middle East. A remarkable trip to the USA followed to
return this US owned vessel to its owners. |
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HM LCT 2304 |
D-Day. Two views of the same events from
the perspectives of a British Navy landing craft crew and their
'cargo' of US Army soldiers. |
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HM LCT 2331 |
- ditto - |
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HM LST427 |
A Photo Gallery of 49 rare photographs of 427 in action off Sicily,
Italy and Normandy. |
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HM LCF |
Landing Craft Flack bristled with gun turrets and
provided anti aircraft cover for other vessels off enemy beaches. On
first seeing his craft the author mistook her for 'local bomb damage! A
light-hearted and humorous style belies the very dangerous situations he
found himself in and the death and destruction he witnessed. |
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HM LCF 7 |
The author faced death on many occasions and witnessed
much carnage. But, as he walked down LCF7s gangplank for the last time
with the thanks of the Captain and his fellow officers ringing in his
ears, he gave the customs officer a deferential wink and stepped ashore
with a heavy heart. |
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HM LBK 6 |
His Majesty's Landing Barge Kitchen 6, a Normandy
veteran, bows out. |
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Landing Craft Support Squadron |
LCGs, LCFs and LCRs were grouped together to soften up
entrenched enemy positions on landing beaches prior to major landings
and to provide continued support as the Allied armies moved inland. |
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LCA, LCM & LCI (L) |
Canadian Kendal Kidder trained and served on different
types of small landing craft;
Landing Craft Assault (LCA) Landing Craft Mechanised
(LCM) Landing Craft Infantry Large LCI (L). Their purpose and functions
are described on the web page. |
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LCS(M)s of the 524 LCA Flotilla |
LCS(M)s were manned by Royal Marines. Their primary task
was to assist in the establishment of beachheads for the oncoming waves of
regular troops about to land. Until the beaches and their environs were cleared
of the enemy the Royal Marines were exposed to heavy fire. |
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LST HMS Misoa |
Taken from
the shallow
waters of Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo
in South America. Misoa saw service in from N
Africa, Pantellaria, Sicily, Italy and Normandy. |
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HM
LST Thruster |
A photo gallery of the ship, its crew and supporting war
ships taken by a crew member. |
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HMS
Royal Ulsterman |
An ex English Channel Ferry used to carry tanks, lorries,
men and equipment directly onto the beaches. Saw action off North
Africa, Pantellaria, Sicily, Italy and Normandy. |
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HMS
Empire Battleaxe |
The 'Empire' ships were built to carry eighteen LCAs
[Landing Craft Assault] and to accommodate about one thousand troops.
The LCAs were lowered over the side with troops and their light
equipment already on board. Interestingly, US procedures lowered the
LCAs empty with troops going over the side of the mother ship using
scrambling nets. |
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D-Day Landings |
A general overview of the role of landing craft off the 5
landing beaches of Normandy. Includes many of the above plus Landing
Craft Tank (Armoured) [LCT(A)], Landing Craft Tank (High Explosives)
[LCT (HE)], Landing Craft Tank (Rocket) [LCT(R)], Landing Craft Assault
Mortars [LCA(HR)]. Also includes individual harrowing stories. |
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D-Day
Assault Convoy G6 |
A routine enquiry about
RN
Able Seaman Norman Kenwood, recorded lost at sea on June 6th 1944 from
Landing Craft Assault 591 (LCA 591)
led the LST and Landing Craft Association into uncharted waters.
The end result of was a correction to the Commonwealth War Grave
Commission's records. |
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Landing Craft Operator |
Canadian Lloyd Evans
packed more experience of life into just a few years than most young
people manage in a lifetime... even today. Although there were times of rest and
relaxation always present was the next unknown mission with moments of
great danger. |
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Operation Tiger |
The
Disaster in Lyme Bay.
A pre D-Day landing craft training exercise
which was to culminate in the loss of 749 American lives. |
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New
LCAs |
The handover of 6 new LCAs by Elliotts of Reading to the
Royal Navy (Photos). |
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US
LST 28 |
The story of a United States Landing Ship Tank and a crew
member. |
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Operations and Units. |
Appeals for information about specific operations,
Commando and other units. |
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Veterans. |
Appeals for information about individual Combined
Operations veterans. |
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Other. |
Appeals for information of a general nature. |
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Normandy |
5 thoughtful poems about
aspects of the Normandy landings. |
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Commando Memorial |
In memory of the 1,700
Commandos who died in action. |
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Suez |
The Suez landing was the first
Combined Operation to use helicopters. One
Regimental Signaller with the Royal Artillery
remembers. |
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Training
in Germany 1947 - 1950 |
A photo gallery of 24
photos.
All the photos were taken on Combined Operations manoeuvres at Ekernforde in
Schleswick Holstein in northern Germany in early 1948. |
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Raids & Landings |
21
raids &
landings in chronological order from
Operation
Catapult
at
Mers-el-Kebir on
4/7/40 to
Operation Infatuate at Walcheren
1-8 November 1944. |
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Landing
Craft |
All the landing craft operations listed above were involved
in raids and landings. Just click on the link opposite to see the web
pages concerned. |
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Operation Starkey |
The invasion
that never was. The war years are littered with stories of deception
designed to confuse the enemy. Systematic bombing of selected
targets over several weeks in late August and early September 1943 and
an invasion armada of empty ships were the key elements. |
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Small
Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) |
They specialised in "pinprick" raids on the coast of Northern France and the
Channel Islands. They were designed to demoralise German
troops as well as tying up enemy resources that would otherwise
be used more effectively on other fronts. |
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No 3 Commando |
The No 3
Commando Re-enactment Group is based in the
south west of Scotland. It has an educational
bias in addition to participating in
re-enactment (living history) events and
displays. The group aims to inform and educate
people of all ages about one of the most
critical periods in our history - the Second
World War. |
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No
10 Inter Allied (IA) Commando. |
Click on the link to visit
their website in Holland. |
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Scottish
Military Re-enactment Society |
SMRS is based in the south and east of
Scotland.
Units within SMRS include: a Combined Operations Section in
particular the Small Scale Raiding Force, the Special Operations Executive,
Airborne (British and American), Infantry, Royal Navy, Home Guard and the Auxiliary
Territorial Service. |
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Commemorative Commando March |
A number of Commando re-enactment groups come
together for the Annual
Commemorative Commando March from Achnacarry to Spean
Bridge. |
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Fighter
Direction Tenders (FDTs) |
The story of the 3 radar, communications
and intelligence gathering vessels off the beaches of Normandy in June 1944 -
Fighter Direction Tenders (FDTs) 13, 216 & 217. |
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Mulberry
Harbours |
The Allies needed secure sheltered harbour facilities within
days of the Normandy landings to supply their advancing forces until ports like Cherbourg were
captured. How did they erect two harbours, each the size of Dover, in just a few days
in wartime, when Dover took 7 years to construct in peacetime? |
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PLUTO |
The Pipeline Under
the Ocean was designed to supply petrol from storage tanks in southern England
to the advancing Allied armies in France in the months following D-Day.
This page tells the story of the planning, development, testing and
installation of the pipelines and of the contribution of PLUTO to the war effort. |
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PLUTO Manufacture |
Many companies were involved in the manufacture of
machines which, in turn, would manufacture the pipeline. This page
provides information on some of the major players. |
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PLUTO
Salvaged |
The recovery of PLUTO from the depths of the
English Channel
was the mother of all salvage operations - dangerous, arduous and
huge! There were 21 pipelines and after two years work almost 800 miles were recovered for recycling. |
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Ice Ships in the
Rockies! |
The improbable but true story of a top
secret WW2 project to build ships from a mixture of ice and sawdust. Behold ye among the heathen, and regard and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye
will not believe, though it be told to you. So reads a biblical quotation from the book of Habakkuk ... a name adopted by the top secret project
to build ice ships. |
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574 FSS |
It's likely that Field
Security Section of 3 Special Service Brigade did not operate directly under
the Combined Operations Command. However, where 574's activities
involved amphibious landings, or raids, Commando support was often
provided... as in the case of the main 'snatching' operation described
on this page. |
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SSRF |
The Small Scale Raiding Force specialised in "pinprick" raids on the coast of Northern France and the
Channel Islands. They were designed to demoralise German
troops as well as tying up enemy resources that would otherwise
be used more effectively on other fronts. |
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COPPs |
Combined Operations Assault Pilotage Parties. They risked
their lives to gather information about proposed landing beaches and
in-shore waters usually under the noses of enemy coastal defences
including land and sea patrols. |
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UK Training Establishments |
Combined Operations training in WW2 was primarily concerned with
preparing allied forces for the amphibious invasion of mainland Europe. There
were 45 separate establishments listed, mainly in the west of Scotland and the south of
England, all of which served to fill particular training needs. |
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No
1 Combined Training Centre |
Around 250,000 personnel passed through
the portals of the training centre from 1940 to 1944. At any one time up
to 15,000 service personnel were billeted in the area. The impact on the
small community of 500 can only be imagined! |
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HMS Brontosaurus |
This page provides information about HMS Brontosaurus,
Castle Toward, Dunoon, Argyll, otherwise known as the No 2 Combined
Training Centre and CTC Castle Toward (pronounced as in coward).
The centre was located at Toward Point 6mls south of Dunoon on the Clyde.
Includes many photos. |
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516 Combined Operations Squadron |
RAF air support for Combined Operations training
in amphibious landings was provided by 516 Sqd. Both the training and the squadron were located at
Dundonald,
Ayrshire
in the
south west of Scotland. |
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Squadrons attached to 516 |
Details of RAF & RCAF squadrons attached to RAF Abbotsinch,
Glasgow & RAF
Dundonald (Bogside), Ayrshire in support of Combined Operations. |
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1st Canadian Corps |
This account of Combined Operations training
at the No 1 CTC Inveraray is presented in two parts; the first a report from official
Canadian war records and the second the personal recollections of a
Canadian war artist. |
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Small
Landing Craft |
One Canadian
volunteer's training in small landing craft operations. Thousands of
landing craft of many different kinds, together with a well trained
force of Navy personnel to operate them, were essential for any major
seaborne landing against entrenched enemy positions. |
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Combined Operations
Pilot |
516 Combined Ops Squadron was
attached to Combined Operations to provide air support during
amphibious training exercises, calibration of radar etc. These are
the memories of New Zealander, Doug Shears. |
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US Ranger to British
Commando |
How the war of 20 year old USA citizen G W McCurdy was changed by a late night
in a Belfast city pub!
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Inveraray in Wartime |
In
the early to mid 1940s Inveraray played host to thousands of
men undergoing Combined Operations training in amphibious
landing techniques. |
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Occupation of Walcheren |
Jan
H. Wigard of Walcheren, Holland was a small boy when he lived
through the trauma of the German occupation. This is his story. |
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