RN DIVER QUALIFICATION GROUPING - HELP PLEASE

[Mike B]

I was extremely lucky to spot five items being auctioned separately on Ebay, and thought they may all be related - the three red on navy RN insignia and two combined Operations badges. I contacted the seller, and he kindly agreed to keep them together, confirming they came from the same house clearance. I made a fairly generous bid to secure them and explained I hoped to research them. My initial thoughts were perhaps a Landing Craft Obstruction / Obstacle Clearance Unit. The seller kindly included two additional items - the driving licence ... giving the name E W Panther, and group photograph of 701st Assault Flotilla LCP (L).

So far, I have ascertained 701st Assault Flotilla was assigned to Force J4 for D-Day 6 June 1944, as a support squadron for Commando and Ranger lifts.
Plans only seem to show J1-3.


I may seek service records in due course

Thank you in advance
Mike

[Mike B]

Looking a bit further into RN Insignia - and using the (unrelated) image below for illustrative purposes / guidance

Rating insignia - left arm
Anchor - Leading hand - Left mid arm above any good conduct stripes

Qualification? right arm
Telegraphist? - upper sleeve

Would any C Ops badges be worn? - Assuming so, given blazer badges (If so, I am presuming guidance for wear of insignia can be taken from the image below).


I believe the veteran may have served during WW2 and after - as the diving badge appears to be 1948-1951 vintage - possibly as a Chief Petty Officer (any confirmation appreciated)



Thanks
Mike

[Lemataf]

Nice grouping, thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

JD

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by Lemataf

Nice grouping, thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

JD

Many thanks JD - appreciated ...
Mike

[Lemataf]

Originally Posted by Mike B

[...] The seller kindly included two additional items - the driving licence ... giving the name E W Panther, and group photograph of 501st Assault Flotilla LCP (L).

So far, I have ascertained 501st Assault Flotilla was assigned to Force J4 for D-Day 6 June 1944, as a support squadron for Commando and Ranger lifts.
Plans only seem to show J1-3.
[...]
Mike

I like this kind of souvenirs. Often source of interesting searches, and sometimes of nice findings & learning for the searcher. Some months ago, was lucky enough to acquire a little photo album from a RN sailor who served on LBK (Landing Barge Kitchen) 3 ... little boat which served at preparing food for personels from other small vessels, off Utah beach, by & after the D-Day landing time.

I had no clue of the existence of such small vessels before searching information on this LBK 3! Here is a very interesting article on this type of little ships, unknown from most of us these days.: https://www.citizan.org.uk/blog/2020...sion-normandy/

Cheers,

JD

[Mike B]

Excellent information JD - It is great to learn new things - I had never heard of these craft either ... very interesting article - thanks for sharing.
Mike

[royston]

From Wikipedia

The Landing Craft Personnel (Large) or LCP (L) was a landing craft used extensively in the Second World War. Its primary purpose was to ferry troops from transport ships to attack enemy-held shores. The craft derived from a prototype designed by the Eureka Tug-Boat Company of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Manufactured initially in boatyards in and around New Orleans, as requirements grew it was produced in a number of yards around the United States. Typically constructed of pine planks and plywood, and fitted with some armor plate, this shallow-draft boat with a crew of 3, could ferry an infantry platoon of 36 to shore at 8 knots (13 km/h). Men generally entered the boat by walking over a gangplank from the boat deck of their troop transport as the LCP(L) hung from its davits. When loaded, the LCP(L) was lowered into the water. Soldiers exited the boat by jumping or climbing down from the craft's bow or sides.

John

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by royston

From Wikipedia

The Landing Craft Personnel (Large) or LCP (L) was a landing craft used extensively in the Second World War. Its primary purpose was to ferry troops from transport ships to attack enemy-held shores. The craft derived from a prototype designed by the Eureka Tug-Boat Company of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Manufactured initially in boatyards in and around New Orleans, as requirements grew it was produced in a number of yards around the United States. Typically constructed of pine planks and plywood, and fitted with some armor plate, this shallow-draft boat with a crew of 3, could ferry an infantry platoon of 36 to shore at 8 knots (13 km/h). Men generally entered the boat by walking over a gangplank from the boat deck of their troop transport as the LCP(L) hung from its davits. When loaded, the LCP(L) was lowered into the water. Soldiers exited the boat by jumping or climbing down from the craft's bow or sides.

John

Many thanks Royston - I sometimes forget what a great source Wiki can be - sincere thanks for sharing the above information. There are so many types of landing craft I have not come across before ... a testimony to innovation ...

[Mike B]

My increasing 'speculation' is that Panther probably served with Landing Craft during WW2 (LCP (L)) possibly qualified as W/T (winged badge with thunderbolt). With rank of Leading Hand?

After which (given the date of the format of diver qualification badge - 1948-1951) he was promoted to Chief Petty Officer as a Diver ...

I will need his service records I think to clarify what went on - but welcome all comments and suggestions.

Any help in clarifying this 'speculation' or correcting me, would be much appreciated ...

Question remains - at any stage is it likely he also wore Combined Operations patches, as suggested by the blazer badges?

Regards
Mike

[1664]

Mike,
Lovely group. Landing craft crews wore the yellow combined ops badges. If you search for ‘admiralty pink lists’ on Google you should find a few on line that will tell you want his LCI(L) was up to. Not sure if I’ve shown you the landing craft engineering group and photo album I have. LCs and the sea side of combined ops is fascinating, huge industrial scale investment and innovation between 1939 and 1944 after some expensive lessons. They effectively become floating towns with a speciality craft for every function you can imagine needed to sustain an opposed landing with no shore side facilities.
Yours John

[1664]

And in wear, Thomas John ‘Jack’ Jenkins

[Lemataf]

1664,

Nice display, thanks for sharing, furthermore as I enjoy too a lot these ww2 Combined Ops units & insignias.

Cheers,

JD

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by 1664

And in wear, Thomas John ‘Jack’ Jenkins

Fascinating to see Combined Ops on lower right sleeve ... Gun appears to be facing aft?

John - Many thanks for sharing.

JD - (Lemataf) - Totally agree regarding huge scope and enjoyment from these groupings.

Regards
Mike

[Lemataf]

Hello,

Just for eyes pleasure, a couple of other posts on same topic, on this forum (there could be other ones):
1/- https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=83983
2/- https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=87551

Best regards,

JD

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by Lemataf

Hello,

Just for eyes pleasure, a couple of other posts on same topic, on this forum (there could be other ones):
1/- https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=83983
2/- https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=87551

Best regards,

JD

Many thanks J-D - Great threads. Lovely to see the various Combined Ops groups - Such a huge organisation by the time Mountbatten expanded it. It was only a fraction of the size under Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes ...
It just goes to show - a whole area to collect to in itself.

For me it supplements my 'Commando' interests.

All the best and thanks again
Mike