Sandbag - Wincanton RBL Newsletter September 2013

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Summary

Our appreciation acknowledged

Now that Poppy Appeal 2012/13 has closed we have looked back on another excellent year and as mentioned last month, £12,186 was raised. £400 of the total was raised by the Millers Inn at our first Armed Forces Day event. Arthur went along to the Millers and presented Dave Wiscombe with our Certificate of Appreciation.

Arthur with Dave Wiscombe at the Millers Inn

New Branch Standard

We are very pleased to say that our new branch standard has arrived. The new standard was purchased entirely from a bequest from the family of Ray "Ticky" Judd and a plaque will be attached to the staff in Ticky's memory. At the same time we purchased two new flag staffs . The two staffs were paid for by donations from three branch members. We are most grateful to all concerned.

Dennis Thomas

Dennis Thomas passed away on 14th August and branch members attended the funeral at Cucklington Church, with David Bertie from Wincanton Silver Band playing Last Post at the graveside.

Dennis was in the action at the Merville Battery on the morning of the D-Day Landings on 6th June 1944 and he was a medic in the 9th Battalion The Parachute Regiment, having transferred from the Somerset Light Infantry.

Dennis landed with the reinforcements in the action at Merville. Being a medic he landed by glider, not as the first wave did by parachute. He was most likely with the gliders that landed with the main body of the battalion around 1.00am on D-Day morning at what was known as Drop Zone (DZ) V between Merville and Varaville.

As the glider landed Dennis once told of speaking to his comrade next to him and receiving no answer he prodded him - the soldier was dead, shot through the canvas of the glider by ground fire or shrapnel. Dennis has not spoken much of the action so I believe out of respect I should record what he must have done and not make up anything dramatic (which it must have been). Here is the factual story of the epic action at the Merville Battery on D-Day morning:

The Battle of Merville Gun Battery occurred on 6 June 1944, as part of the Normandy Landings. Allied intelligence believed the Merville Gun Battery was composed of heavy-calibre guns that could threaten the British landings at Sword Beach, only 8 miles away. The British 9th Parachute Battalion, part of the 6th Airborne Division, was given the objective of destroying the battery. However, when the battalion arrived over Normandy, their parachute descent was dispersed over a large area, so instead of over 600 men, only 150 with no heavy weapons or equipment arrived at the battalion assembly point. Regardless, they pressed home their attack and succeeded in capturing the battery, only to discover that the guns were old First World War vintage, without the range to trouble the landings.

One of the bunkers at Merville as it is today

With the battery in their hands, but no sappers or explosives, the British gathered together what plastic explosives they had been issued for use with their Gammon bombs to try to destroy the guns. Just before 5.00am, the battalion's survivors, just 75 men of the 150 who had set out, left the battery and headed for their secondary objective, the village of La Plein. The battalion, being too weak, only managed to liberate around half of the village, and had to await the arrival of the 1st Special Service Brigade later in the day to complete its capture.

After the paratroopers departed the Germans reoccupied the battery position but the Germans were unable to see Sword Beach from their command bunker, and even though they were able to get two of the guns back in action, were unable to direct accurate fire onto the landings.

Another attack the next day by British Commandos failed to recapture the battery, which remained under German control until 17 August, when the German army started to withdraw from the area.

Next branch meeting 21st October 7.00pm at the Wincanton Memorial Hall

Editor Tony Goddard
01963-824193

Secretary Arthur Pickup
01963-32952

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