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Jean
Moderator
Jean
Geregistreerd:
vr jul 24, 2009 2:23 pm
Berichten: 1596
Woonplaats: Flanders Fields
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 Re: Aanvoer geallieerde landingsvaartuigen Antwerpen tijdsti In early October the port of Antwerp was also in our hands. This was a British-operated port and the American Navy was represented there only in terms of the liaison port party to assist the Army in placing their ships and unloading. Actually about 40,000 tons a day were received in the port of Antwerp and sent forward to the armies from the excellent rail system centering there. However, the Germans were able to fire their V-1 and later V-2 bombs at Antwerp in considerable numbers and that port was under constant bombardment from mid-October until almost the end of the war. The anti-aircraft defense was efficient and the port was ringed with anti-aircraft batteries assisted by some fighter aircraft and a large percentage of the German V-1 bombs sailed at the port were shot down before they ever reached the harbor.
As the progress of the armies increased and we were approaching, first the line of the Moselle and second, the Rhine, it became necessary to consider how to get equipment across the Rhine rapidly. We knew that many of the bridges would be down and that transport across would be very difficult in the ordinary pontoon craft supplied to the Army. The armies, therefore, asked the Navy if we could supply them with LCVPs and LCMs [landing craft, mechanized]. This was agreed to and in mid-November three detachments of LCVPs were assigned to each of the 9th, 1st and 3rd Armies. The 9th Army being nearest the sea on the left flank, the 1st Army being in the center, and the 3rd Army being to the southward in the upper reaches of the Rhine.
This Task Unit, 122.5, was placed under the command of Commander Whiteside, who was attached to General Bradley’s headquarters, 12th Army Group.
The LCVPs were transported overland from Le Havre by Tank Recovery Units and were passed to various staging areas behind each of the three armies. Their voyage overland was very picturesque because of their height and size and length and they had to be routed special ways supervised by MPs, the road cleared throughout. The tunnels, bridges, sharp corners were a matter of concern and when the boats were finally deployed in their staging areas, they were separated along the front of the Rhine from about the area of Luxembourg down to Strasbourg.
When the Germans made their big advance in mid-December and January, these boat units were in some jeopardy but fortunately the advance of the Germans was checked by the armies and when they were eventually thrown back, the boat units moved up to their staging areas for deployment across the Rhine.
LCVPs are not large enough to carry the M-4 tank, therefore, it was suggested that LCMs be employed. We brought over about 45 to 50 LCMs, staging them behind each of the three armies and supplied crews and operating personnel. The LCMs made the voyage on their own power from English ports to Antwerp then down parts of the Albert Canal and finally by road transport to their areas behind the Rhine.
On the 8th of March the 1st United States Army made its onslaught on the Remagen Bridge. This was captured by the 4th Armored Division in a wild rush. The bridge, however, was rather badly damaged and it was obvious it wouldn’t stand heavy traffic for many days. Therefore, the unit of small boats, Navy-manned, was promptly put in the water on the Rhine and began the ferrying of supplies, tanks, troops, anti-tank artillery, etc., across the Rhine
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Ni dieu, ni maitre
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reinaart
reinaart
Geregistreerd:
ma okt 11, 2010 1:27 pm
Berichten: 530
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Re: Aanvoer geallieerde landingsvaartuigen Antwerpen tijdsti Bedankt Jean. De LCVP's gebruikt door de Amerikanen zijn inderdaad over land vanuit Frankrijk aangevoerd maar de Britse, getuige de BP filmbeelden , zijn via Antwerpen aangevoerd. De LCM 3's zijn dan kennelijk wel alle via Antwerpen aangevoerd (zowel de Amerikaanse als de Britse). LST 302 (Landing Ship Tank), op meerdere filmpjes te zien, bracht kennelijk troepen en leger trucks naar Antwerpen. Spijtig dat we niet weten welk LSD (Landing Ship Dock) de landingsvaartuigen naar Antwerpen bracht. Ik zal later nog een paar links posten naar meer afbeeldingen en nadere info over de (tamelijk hopeloze) indexering van de British Pathé filmpjes.
Groet,
Arjan
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