Page 7

2. Casualties on D-Day(Continued).

(g). 13/18 Royal
Hussars.

The exact number of casualties are not
known. Two squadrons swam, one with each
of the assaulting battalions, and the third
was landed on "White" beach to operate with
1 Suffolk. It is beleived that 15 tanks
swam in to "White" beach and 9 tanks to
"Red" beach. 5 tanks failed to launch and
were put ashore on "Red" beach shortly
after the other tanks got ashore. It is
known that out of the 24 swimming tanks
two were rammed and sunk by incoming craft,
four were disabled by fire and five more
were swamped by the breakers on the beach,
two others are known to have been knocked
out inland, one at Hillman and the other at
Sole.

(h). 5 Assault Regt. R.E.
629 Fd Sqdn. R.E.
246 Fd Company. R.E.
263 Fd Company. R.E.

The exact number of casualties are not
known. These units provided the gapping
and obstacle-clearing teams for the beach,
demolition and mine-clearance teams with
the assaulting infantry. With the exception
of one gapping team for "White" beach they
all got safely ashore but suffered heavy
losses on the beaches. 5 Assault Regt R.E.
suffered heavy casualties amongst their
officers, including the C.O. who was in
command of all beach clearing, and 629 Sqdn
R.E. lost nearly 20% of their men. Quite
50% of the armoured vehicles and bulldozers
were knocked out. Owing to the incoming
tide the beach obstacles were quickly in
deep water and men swimming in an effort to
remove them were drowned.

(i). "A" Coy (MMG) 2
Middlesex Regt.

Known to have suffered casualties inland
as they had a carrier knocked out near Sole
and also had casualties in Colleville
amounting to 1 killed and six wounded.

(j). Four Forward
Observation Officers R.A.

These FOBs controlled the fire from the
Naval Bombardment Force after landing and
were attached to the assaulting Bns. The
one with the 1 Suffolk became a casualty
and it is possible that the one with 2 E.Y.
was the same.

(k). Four Contact Dets
3 Recce Regt.

67 A.Tk Bty, Troop 33,76 Fd Regts
45 A.Tk Bty. R.A.

Pln 17 Fd Coy R.E., Dets
106 Bridging Coy R.E. &
71 Army Fd Coy R.E.

1 S.S. Brigade.

Assault Tentacle, Air
Support Signals Unit.

8 Field Ambulance.

Sec 3 Div Provost Coy.

13 Beach Signal Station.

All these units landed
under command of 8 British
Infantry Bde but their
casualties are not known.