jmadone
master brummie
Last year I requested and received a copy of my Dad's service record during WW2. I knew he was in the Royal Marines and served aboard LCGs, Landing Craft Guns and I also knew he was involved in the Sicily and Italy landings (Operation Husky) and later on went out to the far east in Ceylon, India and Burma. What I didn't know was that he took part in the D Day landings. He served as part of a gun crew on several craft LCG 10, LCG 11, LCG 13 and LCG 18 but it was whilst serving on LCG 13 that he saw action at Sword Beach.
Doing some research I came upon the Combined Services website where I found a full account of LCG 13's actions 77 years ago today. This was written by David Percival from the memoirs of his father; Sick Bay Attendant John Francis Percival who was serving aboard LCG 13 at the same time as Dad. I reproduce a condensed version below
(The full account can be seen at https://www.combinedops.com/LANDING CRAFT GUN 13.htm)
The above photograph has always been amongst Dad's picture collection but it never had much significance to me. There's no writing or anything on the reverse but after reading about what happened I think that it must be the burials of the poor souls who perished on LCG 13 and meant a great deal to Dad.
Dad never spoke about this episode in his life, he only told us of the laughs and scrapes they got into but some of the sights he witnessed must have affected and stayed with him all his life.
When he'd had a pint or two and got a bit maudlin he'd sing a little ditty shown below which again comes from Percival's memoirs.
Doing some research I came upon the Combined Services website where I found a full account of LCG 13's actions 77 years ago today. This was written by David Percival from the memoirs of his father; Sick Bay Attendant John Francis Percival who was serving aboard LCG 13 at the same time as Dad. I reproduce a condensed version below
(The full account can be seen at https://www.combinedops.com/LANDING CRAFT GUN 13.htm)
The above photograph has always been amongst Dad's picture collection but it never had much significance to me. There's no writing or anything on the reverse but after reading about what happened I think that it must be the burials of the poor souls who perished on LCG 13 and meant a great deal to Dad.
Dad never spoke about this episode in his life, he only told us of the laughs and scrapes they got into but some of the sights he witnessed must have affected and stayed with him all his life.
When he'd had a pint or two and got a bit maudlin he'd sing a little ditty shown below which again comes from Percival's memoirs.
