Friday 4^th to Tuesday 8^th June 2004 REME Normandy Veterans on the D-Day Beaches For the 60^th Anniversary By Max WARWICK (49B) – originally published in The Craftsman, August 2004 Surviving World War II soldiers who landed on the beaches of Normandy France in June, July and August 1944, went back there in June to mark 60 years since the D-Day invasion of Nazi Occupied Europe. The Normandy Veterans’ Association attended various events during the weekend 4 to 8 June, with the full participation of the French D-Day Commemoration Committee, the French Government and the UK MoD Veterans’ Agency. Close to a thousand projects and events have been organized including spectacular fireworks displays during the 80 days until 22 August. Over 8,000 members of the Normandy Veterans’ Association and their families gathered together to attend various moving ceremonies during the hot summer weekend. Countless individual veterans, well into their eighties, also visited the events and displays, often taking time to pay their respects to lost and fallen friends and family members at one of the 20 or more War Cemeteries in Lower Normandy. The Veterans formed up by branches and marched onto the location of many events and it was a very moving experience to witness the spontaneous clapping by the local population as they proudly marched by. On many occasions local residents made a point of reaching out to a veteran to shake his hand and thank him for the effort he made in 1944. This was to be described by some as the ‘farewell march-past’. The Lower Normandy Regional Council has created a special chest badge engraved with the name of its recipient, to pay tribute to the veterans of the Battle of Normandy and thank them for making the trip to celebrate the 60^th Anniversary of D-Day. Chest Badge ceremonies were held throughout Lower Normandy. REME veterans were evident in most of the NVA branches attending and we were able to chat to a number at the first main event of 5 June at Colleville-Montgomery on SWORD beach. This was a parade and commemorative ceremony attended by up to 1500 Normandy Veterans’ Association members at the bronze statue of General Montgomery. This was presented to Colleville-Montgomery by the NVA and unveiled on 6 June 1996 by Prince Michael of Kent. REME craftsmen were supporting the first regiments of infantry, artillery and armour landing on the adjacent beaches only yards from the position the statue now dominates. Waterproofing was a dominant part of the fitter/mechanics work on vehicles and guns in the days prior to landing, followed by rapid removal on reaching dry land.
	Harold Baggalley Now 81 years, living in Barking, Essex Landed on SWORD beach at end of June 1944 at la Breche with No 8 L of C Workshop, REME, 3^rd British Div as a Driver. His main job was with a Scammell Recovery truck. He joined REME in 1942 and was demobbed in 1947. Harold also served at No 6 AA Workshop, Rochester
	Joe Corben Now 89 years, living in Enfield Landed on GOLD beach on D-Day at Ver-sur-Mer with 29 Armoured Brigade Workshop REME from an LST, supporting Sherman Tanks with 75mm guns. The unit, more than 50 strong, was split into small LADs to go wherever help was required. Joe was an Artificer Vehs/Guns SSgt and when loading the US staffed LST, his drivers were having trouble getting the vehicles up the ramps and causing havoc with clutches and tyres. He ended up driving most of the trucks onboard himself. He had the use of various recovery vehicles including Scammell, Diamond Ts, Sherman and White Twin Beam trucks.
His sons-in-law and grandson organized his day visit to France for the 60^th year Commemoration on Monday 7 June. They flew him over from Oxford to Caen in a twin-engine Piper to visit Ver-sur-Mer and Caen. Joe spent the day touring a reconstruction of a British Army camp and the beach he landed on 60 years earlier. He was overjoyed, when on the beach, he was approached by a local French family and thanked for being there in June 1944 – it was a very moving time for both families and all those looking on. The sprightly man took over the controls of the plane for a good part of the flight back to UK in the evening, so ending a memorable day out. Joe joined direct into REME in 1942 after volunteering for service but was in a reserved job of garage owner and with trucks on airfield construction in East Anglia. Unknown to him while away from home he was accepted, sent papers to report to Arborfield and after some months was posted by police as a service dodger. He was driving a tipper with his name on side doors, in Newmarket, working on Mildenhall airfield when arrested by police, locked up for a few days and collected by MPs. He went before a REME Major who promptly set him a few practical engine tests. He was given a high grading and accelerated promotion and sent on an Artificers course for nine months, being promoted to Armt Artificer SSgt on completion. Before the end of the War in 1945 he was posted to the Far East as an ASM and found himself attached to RM Commandos relieving Hong Kong. He was demobbed in 1947 and did a spell as an Engineer with a National bakery chain before starting a garage business once again in London on the North Circular Road.
	James Henry (Harry) Graham Now 85 years, living in Carlisle Landed on GOLD beach on D-Day+1 (7 June 1944) at Arromanches with LAD REME attached 84^th Medium Regt. Royal Artillery. The regiment was part of 5 AGRA. Armed with 5.5” medium towed guns, they arrived on D-Day. ‘Harry’ Graham writes: ‘The LAD comprised 12 tradesmen – 2 Gun Fitters, 2 Storemen, 3 Driver Mechanics, 1 Electrician, 3 Vehicle Fitters with myself in charge as Sgt. Vehicle Fitter. Vehicles were two six-wheeled store trucks, one six-wheeled recovery wagon and an 8cwt pick-up.
In Sept 1944 we arrived eventually in Brussels in the early hours. After attending to two recovery jobs, we were in a leaguer area in the Palace grounds. A day or so later I went back to brigade workshops with a damaged jeep. On my return I found only Cfn Taylor with his motorbike. He had a map reference to go North and we started to move off on the road towards Eindhoven. I told Wagstaff (the recovery driver) to carry on and overtake the endless column of army vehicles, eventually we had to stop because two German tanks were firing from the right, near a plantation. We took shelter in the ditch at the roadside. Soon after, five vehicles behind the recovery wagon were hit and burning. I was going to move the recovery wagon but Wagstaff beat me to it. After the German tanks had been dealt with, an officer in the convoy was quite concerned the traffic would be held up all the way back to France. I took the recovery wagon through the farm, cut the wire fence, then fed the winch rope from a safe distance to reach the burning vehicles, the road here was on an embankment from 6 to 7 feet high. We winched the burning vehicles across the road and over the embankment one at a time, the exploding ammunitions kept flying about us as they were disturbed. Thank goodness our winches were better than those the US had to operate. The road was soon cleared and the LAD was on the move again. The work must have been reported and appreciated, as I was awarded the General Montgomery Certificate later for having performed outstanding service with great devotion to duty. On Christmas Eve we traveled down to the Ardennes, the Americans had requested help after the Germans had broken through from Bastogne. After two weeks we returned to the Malden area. Eventually we supported and crossed the Rhine at Wesel. Our guns were ready on the front line, always giving support to all. We finished up at Blankenburg next to the Russians. Before I joined REME, I was in the RAOC. I was also attached to the Border Regt and the 8^th (58) Field Regt RA. I was demobbed in 1946.’
	Maj. Joseph (John) Mark MSM (Retd) Now 80 years, living in Carlisle Landed on JUNO beach on 21 July 1944 on LST in 1.5 feet of water at Courseulles-sur-Mer with rear party ex Tilbury of 110 LAA, 43^rd Wessex Div as a SSgt Armt Art Guns AA. He joined 110 LAA in May 1944 and was IC REME attached 360 Battery. The battery was in support of 129 Brigade and armed with 40mm Bofors, half on Morris chassis as SPs, half quad towed. The Section had 1 VM, 1 GF, 1 Stores, 1 Driver and SSgt Mark with jeep which often did a better job than the Austin Gantry recovery wagon.
Following France via Belgium, Holland, Arnhem, he remembers the Battle of the Bulge where Bofors used in field firing 600-700 rounds per day and changing barrels at 100 rounds, where German prisoners were shattered after taking direct fire from a ‘giant’ machine gun. He joined the Army at age 15 years in 1938 at Army Apprentices School, Chepstow, passing out as Gun Fitter into RAOC. Transferred to REME 1 October 1942. On 2 October he attended No 10 Downing Street, to erect a 20mm Oerlikon AA gun (of Swiss design and made in US) on top of building during hours of darkness, by block and tackle. In 1943 he attended Artificer Course – Electrical first, Guns at Newcastle-under-Lyme and Regimental at Arborfield (Total time 4.5 months). In 1946 he converted to Artificer Vehicles at Arborfield before becoming Corps Training Instructor at Arborfield in 1952 then Assistant Senior Instructor Bordon and 50 Comd Hong Kong. His last job was in 1978 at HQ London Dist as Maj. OC Inspection Team. He is a member of the 43^rd Wessex Div Association and President of No 76 Branch NVA.
	Walter (Wally) F Harris M.M. R.E.M.E. Landed on GOLD beach with 50 Division with the rank of Sgt. ‘Wally” was awarded the MM whilst serving with 90 Fd Regt RA in 1944. He was in charge of the LAD REME section travelling behind the gun group. When an enemy column approached the exposed LAD and B Echelon he drove his Jeep into an exposed position and despite heavy enemy fire engaged the column with a .30 Browning. He wounded or killed 12 to 15 of the enemy and afterwards organized a patrol, which captured 15 prisoners. He joined up in 1939 and demobbed in 1946 (AQMS).
In July 2002 the REME Platoon at A.T.R. Pirbright was named Harris Platoon in Wally’s honour.
To read an article in the Reading Chronicle (pdf. file)
Walter was recalled to H.Q. on the 12th of June 2014. Two tributes were published in the local newspaper ‘Get Reading’.
Walter (Wally) F Harris M.M. R.E.M.E.
The Final Parade.
	Ron Stevens Now 79 years, living in Bristol Landed on GOLD beach on D+12 (18 June 1944) at Ver-sur-Mer with 16 Independent Station Workshops RASC – in a Bren Gun Carrier. The small unit of 18 tradesmen, mainly Vehicle Mechanics with one officer, were responsible for keeping HQ vehicles on the road, including Monty’s assortment of staff cars and trucks. They had a mixture of recovery vehicles during the period – K6 Austin, Leyland Gantry and Scammells. USA trucks were also in use. The workshop was sited around Bayeux for a while before Caen fell and for days they could hear bombs and shells exploding in and around Caen around the clock. There was evidence of balloons above the beaches but no sight of enemy aircraft.
He joined the Army as a boy apprentice at the age of 14 years 3 months in 1939 and trained in Jersey and Aldershot, he completed his last year at the Army Apprentices School, Chepstow, and after qualifying as a Vehicle Mechanic eventually transferred to REME in Phase 2. He completed his regular service in Malaya in 1956 in the rank of AQMS, and another 18 years in the TA being awarded the Territorial Army Efficiency Medal and Bar. He is a member of the Bristol (2) branch of the NVA and was branch Standard bearer at the 60^th year D-Day Commemorations in Normandy this year.
A memoire by Ronald Stevens, published by the BBC, can be accessed from the link below.
First Published: 16th December 2006. Latest Update: 15th July 2014. __________________________________________________________________________________
R.E.M.E. D. Day + 60 years.