Beach groups & related units

[NORMANDIE18]

Hi,
For sharing, I like to show you my beach groups & related units badges.
regards from France
Normandie18
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[Mike_2817]

Very nice,

I have a Beach Ordnance Title as given to me back in the early 80's by its wearer, its 'twin' is in the D-Day Museum in Southsea since 1984 (now renamed the D-Day Story and reopened in 2018)

I later bought an Officers Patrol Jacket (No1 Dress) from a house clearance, badged to an RAOC Captain with Shoulder Boards with Gilt rank stars, Gilt 'Kings Crown' Collar Badges & Buttons dating it to pre 1947 - In its top pockets were a pair of Blue on Red RAOC Shoulders Titles and in the other a pair of Red on Blue 'Beach Ordnance Titles.

I paid a massive sum of £5 as the tunic was ripped & moth eaton in parts so I bought it for the badges & buttons only. It was indeed a bargain even without the shoulder titles.

As a Staff Sergeant AE the owner was part of 44 Ordnance Ammunition Company, part of 12 Beach Ordnance Detachment RAOC on Sword Beach.

[Home Guard]

Normandie, Some very nice badges. Truly enjoyed seeing them.

Mike, sounds like one of those genuine bargains for sure. I have always treasured named/ID'd items, as they allow for a little more hisotrical background.

Terry

[Mike_2817]

Originally Posted by Home Guard

Normandie, Some very nice badges. Truly enjoyed seeing them.

Mike, sounds like one of those genuine bargains for sure. I have always treasured named/ID'd items, as they allow for a little more hisotrical background.

Terry

I cut out the named label as the tunic was beyond redemption, but at least I know its history. I keep it along with the associated badges & shoulder boards.

[Home Guard]

Excellent Mike!!!

Terry

[Peter Brydon]

Lovely genuine Liverpool Irish officers cap badge.

( I am of the opinion genuine ones were only ever die cast and not die struck )

P.

[NEMO]

Very nice badges ! as a student of this area ` Beach Groups` i genuinely believe there were also ` Beach R.A.M C ` and `Beach Engineers` if a cloth shoulder title was produced I have no idea ,I interviewed a chap from Combined operation beach unit and in his training they were taught you had 3 tasks to do which were ` Take a beach hold a beach work the beach` the most obscure unit I ever found was R.A.F Commando-Beach-Barrage- balloon unit..........

[Mike_2817]

You are not wrong, but as to special titles I do not know;

Order of battle
On D-Day, 6 June 1944, No. 6 Beach Group (Sword Beach) comprised the following units:

Military Landing Officer's Party (inc 'Beach Master')
1st Buckinghamshire Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
245 HQ Provost Company, Corps of Military Police
85 Company, Pioneer Corps
149 Company, Pioneer Corps
No. 102 RAF Beach Flight
No. 18 Beach Signal Section, Royal Navy
Detachment, 2 Field Hygiene Section, Royal Army Medical Corps
9 Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps
12 Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps
37 Field Surgical Unit, Royal Army Medical Corps
38 Field Surgical Unit, Royal Army Medical Corps
No. 11 Ordnance Beach Detachment, Royal Army Ordnance Corps
No. 12 Ordnance Beach Detachment, Royal Army Ordnance Corps
44 Ordnance Ammunition Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps (split between the 2 OBD's)
138 Detail Issue Depot, Royal Army Service Corps
238 Petrol Depot, Royal Army Service Corps (Jerry Canned stocks)
No. 21 Beach Recovery Section, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
91 Field Company, Royal Engineers
Detachment, No. 50 Mechanical Equipment Platoon, Royal Engineers
1028 Port Operating Company, Royal Engineers
"R" Commando, Royal Naval Commandos

The following units joined No. 6 Beach Group after D-Day:

No. 22 Field Transfusion Unit, Royal Army Medical Corps
No. 53 Beach Balloon Flight, No.976 Beach Balloon Squadron, Royal Air Force
No. 9 Stores Section, Royal Engineers

But other than wearing the Circular Fouled Anchor only the R Signals, RAOC and REME seem to have produced special titles in addition of course to Beach Master which is believed to be the rarest of them all.

The Pioneer Corps had painted white bands on their helmets.

[Home Guard]

Nemo, Of course you've hit an alarm button for me - the RAMC element. I would guess it would be some sort of aid station? Wonder if they had any special badges???

Just saw your post Mikel so looks like I would not be wrong to add the fouled anchor patch to my RAMC units collection? The hunt is on!!!

Terry

[Mike_2817]

Terry, Do not see why not. It was a short lived formation as on 10 July 1944, No. 6 Beach Group was officially disbanded and units merged into 21 Army Group.

There were of course several other 'Beach Groups'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beach_groups

[NORMANDIE18]

Thanks for your kind comments & answers !
Working along with the Beach Groups, the Royal Navy Commandos are in charge of the "maritime" part of the beaches. The "W" commando is formed on the British model by Canadian sailors.
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The least known units are undoubtedly the RAF Beach Unit which takes care of the logistics dedicated to the RAF and the anti-aircraft balloons. As such they are also authorized to wear the Combined Operations badge.
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Normandie18

[NORMANDIE18]

Beach Group Military Police battledress blouse...
Normandie18
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[Lemataf]

Hello Normandie18,

Absolutely gorgeous! Very nice groups. I am jealous.

Thanks for sharing & Best Regards,

JD

[Skippy]

Beach Group CMP - no idea which beach or origin of the image, as saved in my files since 2017.

Nice collection on this D-Day sub-group in the OP

Cheers……John

[NORMANDIE18]

thanks JD & John
Normandie18