Thread: Inland Water Transport

Just spoke to dad! He was in the 966 Inland Water Transport. Hi said he was transferred from Gravesend to the isle of Wight. From there he went by LCT (i think) to Normandy where he manned the rhino ferries. he siad that the Canadians went in first followed by the Poles??? When I said it couldn't have been the Princess Pat he said that maybe they weren't but that's what they told him and he's sticking to it. He said he helped transport them onto the beaches. he even went through the actions of driving with one had and releasing the back with the other. He was there at Courselles for a while he said. When i asked him about the bridge he said they had tried to relieve the bridge but that jerry was entrenched in and that they had to go further down river. He said he thought it was a permanent bridge because they had to pile drive into the river bed. He moved on before it was completed. he said loads more. He was first at Hull and then Cairn Ryan. he said there was a strike at the London docks and they were sent there to unload the ships.

this forum mentions 966 IWT on DDay

CSC Discussion Forum: Beach Groups

966 IWT Coy were working with the 267th Company of the Pioneer Corps, in the second wave of the landing on D-Day

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mrx9000...Newsletter.pdf

And there are a number of casualties:

Name: BROCK, ERNEST THOMAS
Initials: E T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sapper
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Operating Coy.
Age: 26
Date of Death: 07/06/1944
Service No: 1502829
Additional information: Son of Louisa Brock, of Walsall, Staffordshire; husband of Susan Brock, of Caldmore, Walsall.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 19.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Name: BURNETT, HENRY GEORGE
Initials: H G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sapper
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Operating Coy.
Age: 33
Date of Death: 07/06/1944
Service No: 14634458
Additional information: Son of Thomas and Frances Burnett; husband of Matilda Mary Ann Burnett, of Dagenham, Essex.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. M. 16.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Name: CAMPY, HAROLD
Initials: H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sapper
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Port Operating Coy.
Age: 33
Date of Death: 07/06/1944
Service No: 1619857
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 18.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Name: HILL, ERNEST FRANCIS
Initials: E F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sapper
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Coy.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 07/06/1944
Service No: 14260580
Additional information: Son of Edith Hill; husband of Agnes L. S. O. Hill, of Newent, Gloucestershire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 23.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Name: LAWRENSON, LESLIE JAMES
Initials: L J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Corporal
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I. W. T.) Coy.
Age: 20
Date of Death: 07/06/1944
Service No: 2162409
Additional information: Son of George and Sophia Lawrenson, of East Ham, Essex.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 1.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Name: MAWDITT, CYRIL
Initials: C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Corporal
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Coy.
Age: 28
Date of Death: 07/06/1944
Service No: 6009458
Additional information: Husband of Kathrine Mary Mawditt, of Canvey Island, Essex.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 21.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Name: NEWMAN, LEONARD GEORGE
Initials: L G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Corporal
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Operating Coy.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 07/06/1944
Service No: 2162412
Additional information: Son of George and Mary Newman, of Barking, Essex.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XV. A. 11.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Name: RAPLEY, LIONEL HARRY SEARLE
Initials: L H S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sapper
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Coy.
Age: 36
Date of Death: 07/06/1944
Service No: 1804759
Additional information: Son of Harry and Charlotte Rapley; husband of Mary Gwendoline Rapley, of Robertsbridge, Sussex.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. M. 22.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Name: WHITE, RICHARD
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Serjeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Port Operating Coy.
Age: 33
Date of Death: 09/06/1944
Service No: 1991440
Additional information: Son of Thomas Richard and Alice White; husband of Caroline White, of Rotherlithe, London.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XI. E. 9.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Name: STOCK, WILLIAM ERIC
Initials: W E
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sapper
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Operating Coy.
Age: 36
Date of Death: 27/05/1945
Service No: 14631857
Additional information: Son of George Wendon Stock and May Stock, of Little Saling, Essex; husband of Winifred Alice Stock, of Little Saling.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 23. G. 4.
Cemetery: JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY

Name: COUSINS, RALPH
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sapper
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 966 (I.W.T.) Coy.
Age: 32
Date of Death: 18/11/1945
Service No: 14339478
Additional information: Husband of Florence Mary Cousins, of Murton, Bishopston.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: New ground. Row 4. Grave 11.
Cemetery: BISHOPSTON (ST. TEILO) CHURCHYARD

I'd like to thank everyone for their help. I have applied for my fathers service records plus, hopefully, the war diaries.