V-Beach & River Clyde

[Orion]

Further to other posts re disposition of troops on the SS River Clyde -

'W' Company of the 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers was on the River Clyde with Captains Crozier, and Molony, and Lieutenants O'Hara and Bousted.

'X', 'Y' and 1/2 'Z' Companies on Minesweeper No.1 'Clacton'

1/2 'Z' Coy, under Captain Mood and Lieutenant Lusignan went around the Old Fort (Sedd-el-Bahr castle) just to the northeast to a point called the 'Camber Beach'

Headquarters was in the open boats of the tows as well

ref: Neill's Blue Caps Vol 3 1914-1922 by H.C. Wylly (official history of the 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers)

Hope this helps a little,

Brian

[oak]

Many thanks Brian,

Kind regards,

Philip

[michaeldr]

Quote from Brian: 'X', 'Y' and 1/2 'Z' Companies on Minesweeper No.1 'Clacton'

1/2 'Z' Coy, under Captain Mood and Lieutenant Lusignan went around the Old Fort (Sedd-el-Bahr castle) just to the northeast to a point called the 'Camber Beach'

Not part of the landing from the River Clyde, (for as Brian points out, their tows were taken in by Fleet Sweeper No.1) but nevertheless of interest, the landing at the Camber by half a company of the Dubs is often overlooked.

They were well away from the rest of the landings as the map below shows.

However what the map does not make clear is the relative positions of the village to its harbour (the Camber). The village looks down on the Camber and anyone landing there would have had a very steep climb up – perfect for defence, deadly for attack.

From the British O.H., footnote p.235

‘……..the attack on the village from the Camber, from which so much had been hoped, had entirely failed. Remnants of the two platoons who attempted this flanking attack eventually returned to the Camber, where, all their officers being killed, they signalled to the flagship to be re-embarked. They were eventually rescued by a picket boat from the Queen Elizabeth, which volunteered to run in with two cutters to bring them off.’

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Orion]

From the British O.H., footnote p.235

‘……..the attack on the village from the Camber, from which so much had been hoped, had entirely failed. Remnants of the two platoons who attempted this flanking attack eventually returned to the Camber, where, all their officers being killed, they signalled to the flagship to be re-embarked. They were eventually rescued by a picket boat from the Queen Elizabeth, which volunteered to run in with two cutters to bring them off.’    Michael D.R.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Michael,

I agree you are quite correct in saying that the 'Camber' is often overlooked. Had command been a little more flexible, perhaps some of the troops from the main landing force, second wave (not the Munsters & Dublins) of the covering force could have been diverted to the Camber to outflank V-Beach - this Camber force which was 1/2 'Z' company RDF actually made it up into the village and windmills of Sedd-el-Bahr but overextended itself and was decimated by snipers, etc.

The survivors of the group seem to have been split in two, one group returning to the Camber to be picked up by Queen Elizabeth as Michael states. The other group which I believe numbered about 14, scouted southwestward along the shore and the Old fort and joined up with the Munsters and Dublins huddling beneath the sandbank on V-Beach. (don't have my references with me but they might have joined up with Lieutenent-Colonel Doughty-Wylie on V-Beach)

If one carefully inspects the attached photo of V-Beach and the Sedd-el-Bahr fort, taken on April 25th, you can just make out 3 soldiers returning from the Camber to V-Beach. They are seen in the right hand side of the picture below the walls and slope of the old fort. It is thought thay they are some of the survivors of the Dublin's 'Z' Company from the Camber!

Regards,

Brian