Some more insignia from my ‘private armies’ and militia groups collection. These are from the Khmer People’s National Liberation Armed Forces (KPNLAF) which existed between 1979 and 1992.
The Khmer People’s National Liberation Armed Forces (KPNLAF) was the military component of the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front (KPNLF), which began to form in March 1979. It grew from various anti-communist and anti-monarchist groups concentrated near the Thai border with Cambodia, which were opposed to the Vietnamese-installed People’s Republic of Kampuchea (PRK) regime. Many of these groups were little more than warlord controlled militia gangs, more interested in border smuggling operations (including lucrative Khmer antiques trade) and fighting each other than engaging the PRK forces. Their alliance was initially one of convenience.
These groups were formally brought together under the banner of the KPNLF on 9 October 1979 at Sok Sann refugee camp in Trat (Thailand). General Dien Del, a former career officer of the Khmer Republic became chief of the KPNLAF General Staff and former Prime Minister Son Sann led the faction. At this stage the new KPNLAF numbered around 1600 fighters, but because of the leadership’s non-communist credentials, the KPNLAF offered an alternative to those Cambodians who supported neither Sihanouk, Hanoi nor the Khmer Rouge.
Khmer People’s National Liberation Front (KPNLF) propaganda poster.
KPNLF guerillas at Sokh Sann. Note the panther patches worn on the caps of two of the fighters and the shoulder patch of the third in tiger stripe fatigues. Photo: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Very young, most likely child-soldiers of the KPNLAF at Sokh Sann. Photo: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Khmer People’s National Liberation Armed Forces silver (chromed brass) and enamel paint cap badge, approximately 30mm high with pin back attachment. Larger embroidered variations of this design can also be found. Collection: Julian Tennant
Khmer People’s National Liberation Armed Forces (KPNLAF) shoulder patch. Variations of this design was also worn on baseball caps. Collection: Julian Tennant
The number of KPNLAF troops grew after General Sak Sutsakhan arrived in Thailand from the USA and took over the leadership in 1981. A former commander of the FANK Special Forces as well as serving as Minister of Defense under Sihanouk and Head of State of the Khmer Republic during its final days, he had a reputation for decisiveness and incorruptibility, bringing legitimacy to the movement.
Gen Sak Sutsakhan-Inspecting-troops at Ampil. Photo: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth
By mid-1981 the number of KPNLAF troops had grown to around 7000 armed troops but it was able to protect its refugee camp bases (the largest being at Ampil, Nong Chan and Nong Samet) and occasionally cross the border and achieved some successes against the PAVN and KPRAF troops in the northwest of Cambodia. Estimates of KPNLAF strength have varied widely. At the upper limit, reached in 1984, it is believed that the KPNLAF troops may have totaled between 12,000 and 15,000 troops.
However, the Vietnamese Dry Season Offensive of 1984-85 which was launched to establish a border long line of defence known as the K 5 plan, began clearing areas of resistance and eventually ended the KPNLAF’s ability to operate as an effective fighting force.
KPNLAF 204th Operational Sector shoulder patch.
Soldiers of the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front, before the battle with Vietnamese troops at Ampil, 1984. Photo: Alain Nogues
07 Jan 1985, Ampil, Cambodia — Vietnamese soldiers during the battle of Ampil in Cambodia. Photo: Alain Nogues/CORBIS SYGMA
KPNLAF ‘red cap’ fighters at Nong Chan. Photo: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth
By the end of January in 1985, the Vietnamese forces had captured the Ampil, Nong Chan and Nong Samet camps. Under pressure from international aid agencies and the Thai government, KPNLAF troops were forced to relocate away from the civilian camps still under their control and also hampering their ability to cross the border into Cambodia.
During the same year Sutsakhan met with Son Sen of the Khmer Rouge and Prince Norodom Ranarridh, Sihanouk’s son, who commanded FUNCINPEC’s military arm, the Armée Nationale Sihanoukiste (ANS), to arrange military cooperation between the three movements.
This led to a split between the political arm of Son Sann’s KPNLF and the military commanders, who also believed that Son Sann’s meddling in military operations (by being unwilling to co-operate with the pro- Sihanouk ANS forces) compromised their effectiveness. These issues were not resolved until 1986 but by then the KPNLAF, operating in small, lightly armed groups of between 6 and 12 fighters, was largely restricted to waging a war of attrition.
Child soldier of the Khmer People’s National Liberation Armed Forces at the Nong Chan refugee camp.
KPNLAF troops at Nong Chan. Photo: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Whilst the decades of conflict in the region undoubtedly gave the fighters a wealth of experience to draw from, it is also interesting to note the involvement of a secret British Special Air Service training team. This unit trained anti-Vietnamese Khmer resistance forces including members of the KPNLAF Commando battalion at a Thai military camp near the Burmese border and also in Singapore.
I suspect that the KPNLAF ‘Special Forces Black Tiger’ badge (pictured below), which was made in Thailand in the latter half of the 1980’s, is for graduates of this training programme, although I don’t know if the trainees received any parachute training and I suspect this would be unlikely. The badge was worn on both the breast and also on caps as can be seen below.
Khmer People’s National Liberation Armed Forces ‘Special Forces Black Tiger’ insignia. Thai manufactured, the badge measures 50mm across and is secured via a horizontal pin. Collection: Julian Tennant
General Sak Sutsakhan (left) conducting a press conference at Ampil. Note the KPNLAF ‘Special Forces Black Tiger’ badge being worn on the cap of the KPNLAF soldier on the right. Photo: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth who is seen in civilian attire on the right of the picture.
The British SAS conducted at least six training courses for the KPNLAF conducted between 1986 and 1989. The courses lasted between six and ten weeks with candidates being trained to operate as independent six-man teams within enemy territory. Instruction was provided in small unit tactics, improvised demolitions, first aid, navigation, communications and unarmed combat. Well known former 22 SAS soldier and author, Colin Armstrong MM (aka Chris Ryan) was one of the British SAS training team, although most sources cite his deployment as being in 1984 and in support of the Khmer Rouge, not the KPNLAF.
Hostilities involving KPNLAF forces had largely ended by mid-1989, and Vietnam withdrew the bulk of its occupying troops from Cambodia by September 21, 1989. The remaining KPNLAF units were eventually demobilised by General Dien Del in February 1992.
KPNLAF troops prepare for a parade at Nong Chan. Photo: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Private John Marvin Steele, second from right, who along with John Ray, Philip Lynch and Vernon Francisco comprised F Company, 505 PIR’s 60mm mortar squad, just before D-Day at camp Quorn, Leicestershire, England. John was the only one of the four to survive the war.
In the early hours of 6 June 1944, Private John Marvin Steele, an American paratrooper from F Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division jumps over Sainte-Mère-Église village on the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy as part of Mission BOSTON. His unit’s objective is to capture the village, a crucial communications crossroad behind UTAH Beach and block German approaches from the west and southwest.
Unfortunately for Steele, a house in the village is on fire after being hit by a stray bomb and the usually quiet town square is filled with German troops who are trying to extinguish the blaze. The flames illuminate the square and many of the paratroopers are killed as they descend. John Steele is hit in the foot and his canopy catches on the village church’s bell tower. He tries to free himself but drops his knife and is left dangling helplessly for a couple of hours. Eventually, two German soldiers climb up to cut him down and take him to an aid station. Three days later Steele escapes and crosses back into Allied lines. He goes on to jump in Holland, participating in the liberation of Nijmegen and later the Battle of the Bulge. John Steele survived the war and returned to Sainte-Mère-Église several times to commemorate the landings before finally succumbing to throat cancer in 1969. His D-Day experience, hanging from the chapel bell tower has been immortalised in the movie “The Longest Day”.
Sainte-Mère-Église church continues to feature a dangling US para in remembrance of the events of the early morning of 6 June 1944. Photos: Julian Tennant
Sainte-Mère-Église was captured by the 3rd Battalion of the 505th at 04:30, not too long after Steele was taken to the aid station and the village became the first town in France to be liberated by the Allies on D-Day. The German counter-attacks involving infantry and armour began at 09:30 and after eight hours of fighting only sixteen of the forty-two paratroopers holding village were still alive. But the American paras held their ground and on 7 June tanks from UTAH Beach finally arrived. The beachhead was secure and the link-up between air and ground forces had been achieved.
There are several points of interest commemorating the battle in the town along with a few militaria dealers. Many of the local shopkeepers also recognise the historical importance of the event and some include small displays of their own, so it is worth setting some time aside just to relax and explore. I would recommend buying a copy of Major & Mrs Holt’s D-Day Normandy Landing Beaches battlefield guide and using their walking tour as a way of exploring the area.
Waiting for a haircut in Sainte-Mère-Église. Photo: Julian Tennant
Interior of well known militaria dealer, Andrew Butler’s 6thjune1944.com / Butler’s shop in Sainte-Mère-Église. Photo: Julian Tennant
Airborne Museum – Sainte Mère Eglise. Photos: Julian Tennant
Musée Airborne – Sainte Mère Eglise
However, the start point of any visit to Sainte-Mère-Église should be the Airborne Museum, which is located metres away from the church and is actually on the site of the house fire of that fateful night of 5-6 June 1944.
Opened in 1964, the original museum building was designed by architect François Carpentier to reflect the shape of an open parachute canopy. Since its inauguration the museum has had several additions and currently consists of three exhibition buildings. The original museum building is referred to as the WACO building. Its centerpiece is an original Waco CG-4A glider surrounded by various uniform, weapons and equipment displays.
Front of the Waco CG-4A glider at the Airborne Museum – Sainte Mere Eglise. Photo: Julian Tennant
Interior of the Waco CG-4A glider at the Airborne Museum – Sainte Mere Eglise. Photo: Julian Tennant
Willys MB 4×4 Jeep of the 82nd Airborne Division. Photos: Julian Tennant
Patches of the American units involved in the D-Day Landings on the 6th of June 1944. Photo: Julian Tennant
German Wehrmacht POA volunteer uniform display. By the spring of 1944, one in six infantry battalions along the Atlantic Coast was composed of Osttrupen and foreign volunteers. On the east coast of the Cotentin Peninsula, the 709th Infantry Division was a typical example with one in five in its ranks being a volunteer from the east. Photo: Julian Tennant
Helmet and uniform of General James Maurice “Jumpin’ Jim” Gavin, who was the assistant division commander of the 82nd Airborne Division on D-Day. He later went on to command the division. Photo: Julian Tennant
Ralph Busson, Bill Farmer and Don Furlong, three squad leaders with H Company 508 PIR divided this dollar bill in Nottingham England on 5 June 1944. The pieced it back together at the unit reunion in 1983. Unfortunately, Bill Farmer was killed during the fighting in Normandy. Photo: Julian Tennant
US Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) uniform. Photo: Julian Tennant
Photo of Jack Schlegel from the 508th PIR. Note the British parachutist qualification on his right forearm sleeve. Photo: Julian Tennant
Uniform detail featuring a bullion German Fallschirmjäger parachutist qualification badge. Photo: Julian Tennant
Insignia detail on a M-1944 NCO’s field jacket from the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division. Photo: Julian Tennant
506th PIR display at the Airborne Museum, Sainte Mere Eglise. Photo: Julian Tennant
M42 jump jacket and side cap belonging to Captain Robert “Bob” Piper of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Bob Piper took part in all the actions of the 82nd Airborne Division in WW2 and made five combat jumps. Photo: Julian Tennant
82nd Airborne Division uniform display cabinet detail at the Airborne Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
The second gallery is referred to as the C-47 building and features the Douglas C-47 Skytrain ‘Argonia,’ which was flown by Lt. Col. Charles H. Young, CO, of the 439th Troop Carrier Group during Operation NEPTUNE. The aircraft was also used for the drop during Operation MARKET GARDEN, but in this display, it is used as the focal point for a scene that is loosely based on General Eisenhower’s visit to the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division just before they departed for the Normandy.
Centerpiece of the C-47 Building is a reconstruction of a scene showeing General Dwight D. Eisenhower visiting paratroopers of the 502nd PIR, 101st Abn Div at Greenham Common airfield on 5 June 1944. Photo: Julian Tennant
US Army Air Force crew in front of the Douglas C-47 Skytrain “Argonia” of 92 Squadron of the 439th Transportation Group. Photo: Julian Tennant
US Army Cushman Airborne Scooter Model M-53 in the foreground of the C-47 display featuring General Dwight D. Eisenhower visiting paratroopers of the 502nd PIR, 101st Abn Div at Greenham Common airfield on 5 June 1944. Photo: Julian Tennant
Centre-piece of the C-47 Building is a reconstruction of a scene featuring General Dwight D. Eisenhower visiting paratroopers of the 502nd PIR, 101st Abn Div at Greenham Common airfield on 5 June 1944. Photo: Julian Tennant
Paratrooper of the 502nd PIR. Photo: Julian Tennant
Overhead view of the C-47 room centre-piece display. Photo: Julian Tennant
Paratrooper of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. Photo: Julian Tennant
T3 (Technician Sergeant 3rd Grade) of the 505th PIR, 82nd Abn Div. Photo: Julian Tennant
The newest exhibition building, named Operation NEPTUNE was opened to the public for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings and uses several life-sized diorama displays combined with sound and lighting effects to give the visitor an impression of the paratrooper’s D-Day experience.
Model of the jump over over Normandy which can be seen through the fuselage floor of the paratrooper filled C-47. Photo: Julian Tennant
Paratroopers aboard a C-47 heading towards the DZ. Photo: Julian Tennant
Detail of the paratroopers aboard a C-47 heading towards their Normandy DZ. Photo: Julian Tennant
Panorama view of the displays in the “Operation NEPTUNE” building
German para from Fallschirmjäger Regiment 6 who fought against their American counterparts during the early days of the Normandy invasion. Photo: Julian Tennant
In May 2018 the museum introduced the HistoPad, an augmented reality tablet device that allows visitors to manipulate a series of 3D virtual relics and artifacts, see inside of aircraft, virtually operate and manipulate full 360-degree views of equipment, compare scenes today to how they appeared in 1944, view unpublished photographs and extracts of archival films. It is provided free to all visitors over six years old who are not part of a group tour. You can view one of the museum’s HistoPad promotional videos below or visit the creator’s website to see more pictures and details of the Airborne Museum’s HistoPad experience.
Using the HistoPad in the Waco Building. Photo courtesy the Airborne Museum.
In addition to the exhibition spaces, the Airborne Museum also has conference rooms for hire and gift shop. The shop, is definitely no match for Paratrooper shop at the D-Day Experience and Dead Man’s Corner Museum in Saint-Côme-du-Mont, but it does offer some interesting books and DVD’s along with the usual reproduction souvenirs aimed at the (non-collector) tourist.
At the time of writing (June 2020) the Airborne Museum has just reopened to the public, so visiting is possible, however there are new visitor requirements to take into account the COVID-19 pandemic. The current restrictions are outlined here.
The Airborne Museum
14 rue Eisenhower
50480 Sainte-Mère-Eglise
France
Open: Every day. From May to August, the museum is open from 10:00 until 19:00. October thru March the museum is open from 10:00 until 18:00. April to September, the museum is open from 09:30 until 19:00. Note. Last ticket sales are one hour before closing and check their website for updated COVID-19 visiting restrictions
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Several years ago I was fortunate enough to get hold of a couple of badges that an Australian soldier brought back on a ‘badge belt’ which he had put together whilst serving in the Western Desert campaign during World War 2. The two badges are a South African Air Force cap badge and a rare sand-cast ‘Winged Boot’ badge, which I believe is related to the SAAF badge.
SAAF cap badge and Winged Boot award. Collection: Julian Tennant
The ‘Winged Boot’ award was an official award, presented by the Late Arrivals Club which originated amongst members of the South African Air Force members of the RAF Western Desert Group in June 1941. The award was presented to servicemen whose aircraft had crashed or been shot down behind enemy lines and had to walk back to the Allied forces. The badge was sand cast and included varying amounts of silver content. This particular badge appears to me, to be mainly brass, but it’s provenance makes it undoubtedly original.
RAF pilot from No. 38 Squadron wearing a “Winged Boot” award whilst stationed at Shallufa, Egypt, in early 1942.
The award badge was presented along with a certificate, which contained the motto, “It is never too late to come back” was to be worn on the pleat of the left pocket, just below the flap. Whilst predominantly a commonwealth award, it was also adopted by some US servicemen (utilising a bullion variation of the design), primarily in the European and CBI theatres.
Late Arrivals Club Certificate – Image courtesy of Alex Bateman
There is also a short news clip about the Late Arrivals Club showing both the badge and certificate which can also be seen on the Pathe News site.
Entry to the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum and statue commemorating the communist People’s Liberation Forces Victory of April 30 1975. Photo: Julian Tennant
The Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum (Bảo tàng Chiến dịch Hồ Chí Minh) is a military museum in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, that recounts the final months of the Vietnam War, culminating in the communist’s victory over the South Vietnamese in April 1975.
The North Vietnamese 1975 Spring Offensive was initially envisioned as a two-stage strategy that would take two years to complete. However, an early victory at Phouc Long (Route 14) on 6 January caused the communists to speed up their offensive. The People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) then launched “Campaign 275”, also known as the Central Highlands Campaign, which climaxed in March with the capture of Buon Ma Thuot cutting South Vietnam in two. Surprised by the rapid collapse of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces, the communists then turned their attention north, commencing the Hue-Danang Campaign, securing the isolated coastal regions by April 3.
Refugees clogging the roads as they flee towards Saigon during the last days of the Vietnam War. Photo: Hiroji Kubota
Most of the South Vietnamese army had been routed, but with the communist forces closing in on Saigon, the ARVN made a spirited last stand at the Battle of Xuan Loc, 60km northeast of the capital. Xuan Loc, a vital logistical hub for the South Vietnamese, sat at the intersection of Route 1 and Route 20. They believed that if they could hold there, the situation could be stabilised, their units re-grouped and the country saved from defeat. However, despite the heroic efforts of the ARVN’s 18th Infantry Division, Xuan Loc fell and by 21 April the road to Saigon was open. The PAVN victory at Xuan Loc, allowed the communist forces to encircle Saigon, moving 100,000 troops into positions around the city by April 27.
An ARVN Soldier hangs on to his wounded comrade as they both stay flat on the pavement of the Newport Bridge during a Communist attack on April 28, 1975. Photo: Hugh Van Es Bettmann/Corbis
Despite fierce resistance from troops of the 12th ARVN Airborne Battalion at the Newport Bridge (Cầu Tân Cảng) and from the 81st Ranger Group at Tan Son Nhut, the situation for the South Vietnamese Government had became untenable. At 10:24, on 30 April, South Vietnam’s President Minh announced an unconditional surrender to his troops. Shortly after, at 10:30 after hearing Minh’s orders, the paratroopers at the Newport Bridge stood down allowing the PAVN to cross and at 11:30 PAVN forces entered Tan Son Nhut Air Base after the Rangers also laid down their arms. Around noon, PAVN tanks crashed through the gates of the Independence Palace. Later that afternoon, President Minh publicly announced that the South Vietnamese Government had been dissolved at all levels. The Vietnam War was over.
PAVN armour entering the grounds of the Independence Palace, in Saigon on April 30, 1975. Photograph: Francoise De Mulder
The Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum commemorates this successful 1975 offensive by the communists and was established in July 1987. It is housed in a two-story building (that once was the former Republic of Vietnam’s National Defence College) in District 1 close to the Vietnam History Museum and a few blocks away from the famous Notre Dame Cathedral.
The museum is divided into outdoor and indoor display areas, with the outdoor area displaying vehicles, artillery pieces and aircraft related to the campaign including the F5E fighter flown by Nguyen Thanh Trung when he defected from the South Vietnamese Air Force and bombed the Presidential Palace on 8th of April 1975. It also features T54 tank No. 848 of the 203rd Brigade, which was one of the tanks that entered the grounds of the Palace on the 30th of April. Other outdoor exhibits include an M113 APC captured in January during the Phuoc Long Campaign and then subsequently used by the 7th Division for the remainder of the conflict, plus the usual assortment of artillery pieces, wrecked ARVN aircraft and equipment.
T54 tank No. 848 of the 203rd Brigade, which was used to enter the grounds of the Presidential Palace on the 30th of April. Photo: Julian Tennant
“Information” Truck of the 23rd Information Regiment and M113 APC captured by the 7th Division during the Phuoc Long campaign in January 1975. Photo: Julian Tennant
Various artillery pieces on the grounds of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
F5E fighter flown by Nguyen Thanh Trung when he defected from the South Vietnamese Air Force and bombed the Presidential Palace on 8th of April 1975. Photo: Julian Tennant
Entering the museum building brings visitors into the Ho Chi Minh Campaign rooms. Here, visitors are shown a large ‘mud map’ model giving an overview of the offensive plus other exhibits relating to the final stages of the war such as the official Ho Chi Minh Campaign diary. This is followed by rooms detailing each stage of the offensive, beginning with the Battle for Phuoc Loc (Route 14) and followed by the Tay Nguyen Campaign ( Campaign 275) and the battle for the Central Highlands which resulted in the destruction of ARVN forces in the II Corps zone. The focus then shifts to the Hue-Danang Campaign which isolated then defeated the South Vietnamese troops in I Corps.
Model in the main Ho Chi Minh Campaign room on the ground floor of the museum which gives the visitor an overview of the final stages of the battle for Saigon. Photo: Julian Tennant
The Ho Chi Minh Campaign exhibition room. Photo: Julian Tennant
Chinese Type 63 (renamed the H12 by the Vietnamese) 107mm rocket launcher that was used in the attack on Ban Me Thuot on 10 March 1975. Photo: Julian Tennant
North Vietnamese Army soldier moving supplies down the trail on a modified bicycle during the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) campaign from March 4 until April 3 1975. Photo: Julian Tennant
Detail of the ‘mud-map’ model depicting the situation around Tan Son Nhat in April 1975. Photo: Julian Tennant
The Tay Nguyen / Campaign 275 exhibits covering the fighting in the Central Highlands during the offensive. Photo: Julian Tennant
The second floor has two main rooms. The first deals with the South Vietnamese high command and ARVN forces including insignia, medals, records and documentation captured from the Army of the Republic of South Vietnam. Other exhibits related to the campaign and activities of the Viet Cong local forces are also shown in the upstairs areas whilst the final room is dedicated to the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Headquarters and leadership group. This includes some unusual collections including several sets of spectacles used by various communist leaders and an old extendable car aerial which is described as the “Swagger-stick of General Tran Van Tra”.
Captured ARVN officer’s personal files. Photo: Julian Tennant
Various South Vietnamese medals, stamps and other items captured by the PAVN after the fall of Saigon. Photo: Julian Tennant
Captured South Vietnamese uniforms, identification cards, medals and wall plaque of the ARVN 25th Division. Photo: Julian Tennant
Flag plus South Vietnamese medals and medal award certificate on display at the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Captured sheets of printed South Vietnamese patches. I am not sure if this is an ARVN or Navy unit patch. Photo: Julian Tennant
Captured Air Force F-5 Vietnam novelty patch and an unconfirmed (by me) black panther patch. I think it may be a 1st ARVN Division Strike Company (also known as Hac Bao, Black Panthers) patch variation, but am not 100% certain of this identification. Photo: Julian Tennant
People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) cameraman with a Bolex H 16 SBM 16mm movie camera. Photo: Julian Tennant
Life-size diorama depicting the surrender of President Duong Van Minh and the South Vietnamese Government on 30 April 1975. Photo: Julian Tennant
Communist commanders listening to the surrender of President Minh on the radio in their headquarters. Photo: Julian Tennant
Stained glass window (detail) depicting the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) at the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Glasses and pen of North Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Văn Đồng. Photo: Julian Tennant
PAVN Genera’s uniform. Photo: Julian Tennant
Overall, the museum is well laid out with an interesting selection of exhibits that are accompanied by English language descriptions. However, the victors write the history books and as can be expected, the museum gives a very warped perspective that reflects the communist rhetoric. This is evident in both the language used, with the usual “imperialist puppet troop” type descriptions and also how the artifacts appear. The ARVN and South Vietnamese exhibits always seem to be broken (such as the scrap metal wrecks outside), run-down or looking rather aged and disheveled when compared to the PAVN artifacts which are kept fresh and look almost new. The museum is definitely worth visiting because of the material being displayed, but don’t rely on it giving an accurate representation of the conflict from an even remotely unbiased perspective.
Officer of the Vietnam People’s Ground Forces (Lục quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) on duty at the museum. His insignia identifies him as a Senior Lieutenant (Đại úy) from the Corps of Engineers. Photo: Julian Tennant
Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum (Bảo tàng Chiến dịch Hồ Chí Minh) 2 Le Duan Street District 1 Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam
The Birdwood Military Museum, Geraldton, Western Australia.
One of the earliest known purpose-built Returned and Services League (RSL) halls in Western Australia is also home to one of the state’s regional military museums.
Review and photographs of the Nungarin Heritage Machinery & Army Museum in the Western Australian wheatbelt region.
With the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942, and the bombing of Darwin four days later, fears of a Japanese invasion of Australia began to reach fever pitch. The air raid on Broome in Western Australia on 3 March exacerbated concerns about the vulnerability of the state to Japanese invasion and led to the formation of III Corps and a bolstering of Western Australia’s military preparedness. One armoured and two infantry were deployed to the state and a rapid expansion of Western Australia’s defences commenced.
Nungarin, a small wheatbelt town situated approximately 278 km (173 mi) east of Perth became an important part of the supply network and at its peak was the third largest Army camp in Western Australia with around 1200 service personnel stationed there at any one time. The region was an integral part of the defence network as it was considered sufficiently inland to be outside the range of Japanese carrier-based aircraft. The town of Nungarin was selected for development, due to its location as a road and rail junction, had electricity and a good water supply.
In September 1942, the army acquired 1720 acres of land in and around the townsite and began construction of the Nungarin camp which was home to No.5 Base Ordnance Depot (5BOD), which at the time was the largest army ordnance storage facility in Western Australia and continued to operate there until its closure in 1960. The depot facilities included a vehicle workshop housed in a massive timber clad building which was sold to the Nungarin Shire. It is now home to Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum, which officially opened on the 8th of October 1994.
Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
As its name implies, the museum is more than just a military museum and also includes displays of farm machinery and other cultural artifacts related to the local community. However, it was the military aspects that interested me and after paying another visit to the Merredin Military Museum on the Saturday, I made the 30 minute drive to Nungarin early Sunday morning, just in time to arrive for one of the museums renowned Sunday Breakfasts ($10), which was a great way to begin the visit.
Mechanical workshop pits in the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Sunday Breakfast at the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Toy and home-ware display at the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
American Studebaker US6 2½-ton 6×6 truck and Willys Jeep (currently undergoing repair). Photo: Julian Tennant
Unsurprisingly, the bulk of the exhibits are the vehicles and equipment of the type that were stored or repaired at the depot during its operation. Run by a small team of volunteer staff, the shed is filled with an assortment of military equipment, some complete and some still under restoration. Surrounding the shed are dozens more vehicles at different stages of disrepair, ‘projects’ is how Phil the caretaker/curator described them to me.
Restored Australian Dingo Scout Car 1942. The chassis and wheels were donated by Anthony Thomson and Kodj Kodjin whilst the armour was found on Bruce Watson’s Nungarin farm. Photo: Julian Tennant
Ferret Scoutcar used by the Australian Army and first produced in 1952. Photo: Julian Tennant
1941 Chevrolet Mobile Field Workshop on loan to the museum from Mr. J. Sewell. Photo: Julian Tennant
True luxury! Double bunk bed and army issue mattress used by troops stationed in Nungarin during WW2. Photo: Julian Tennant
Fully working WW2 period searchlight and generator, which has occasionally been dragged out to illuminate the night sky around Nungarin. Photo: Julian Tennant
Unrestored M3 Stuart tank which was acquired by the museum in 1988 after it had been used for farm clearing at Nukarni after the war. Photo: Julian Tennant
Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Ordnance 3 inch mortar circa 1937. Photo: Julian Tennant
WW2 GMC 6×6 truck. Photo: Julian Tennant
Fully restored Bren Gun Carrier owned by Eddie Woodfield and on display at the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
In one corner of the shed there are a couple of rooms holding smaller artifacts including communications equipment, uniforms and personal effects. As a former communicator, of particular interest to me were a couple of Vietnam era patrol radio sets used by Australian Special Forces.
Delco AN/PRC-64 and 64A radio sets used by Australian Special Forces in Vietnam and during the 1970’s. Photo: Julian Tennant
The lunchbox sized AN/PRC-64 was a spy radio set developed by Delco in the USA in the early 1960’s as a radio intended for Special Forces use and for espionage activities. Most of the original AN/PRC-64 sets were upgraded to the PRC-64A variant which included provision for the AN/GRA-71 Electro-mechanical Burst Encoder to allow for faster morse transmissions. These radios were used by the Australian Special Air Service Regiment in Vietnam and also by 1 Commando Regiment. SASR soldier, John Trist recounts his experiences using the 64 set as a patrol sig in the early 1970’s on the Crypto Museum website and was one of many ex sigs (myself included) who bought one when the Department of Defence disposed of stocks in 1995. These days, on the rare occasion when they do turn up in the marketplace, they sell for quite a bit more than the Au$50 asking price at the time.
Display cabinet at the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Radio and communications display room at the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
An old Vietnam era AN/PRC-77 radio set and harness. Fully restored working WW2 period searchlight and generator, which has occasionally been dragged out to illuminate the night sky around Nungarin. Photo: Julian Tennant
The building housing the collection is an important part of the museum’s story, but unfortunately, a largely timber structure out in the middle of a dry and dusty wheatbelt town does not create an ideal conservation environment for textile artifacts. And although the staff have made considerable effort to try and protect the handful of uniforms and insignia on display in their cabinets, these are not the museum’s strong point. The uniforms that are on display represent a small selection of (mostly) Royal Australian Ordnance Corps uniforms, most of which are post war and reflect more recent connections with the Australian Army.
Selection of military badges, buttons and a watch strap on display at the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Fully restored working WW2 period searchlight and generator, which has occasionally been dragged out to illuminate the night sky around Nungarin. Photo: Julian Tennant
Australian Women’s Army Services (AWAS) uniform donated to the museum by Linda Robertson (nee Lynch) who served at 5BOD Nungarin, No.2 Depot-Gun & Ack Ack for a period of approximately 18 months during WW2. Linda’s job was to issue 25 pounder gun parts and search-light components. Photo: Julian Tennant
Western Australia based Regional Force Surveillance Unit, the Pilbara Regiment, slouch hat featuring the unit colour patch (UCP) and cap badge. Photo: Julian Tennant
Detail of a 10th Light Horse Regiment trooper on display at the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Various old military water bottles on display at the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Saddle blanket detail for a 10 Light Horse equestrian display. Photo: Julian Tennant
The main attraction is really the vehicles, and this is very much a hands-on type of museum where visitors can clamber around most of the displays to check out important details. One of the vehicles that I found quite interesting was the Austin Champ, which was developed to meet the British Army’s requirement for an off-road light vehicle in the early 1950’s. The Australian Army ordered 400 new Champs, plus a similar number of ex-British Army vehicles, but they were not popular due to their unsuitability for Australian conditions and were replaced by the Land Rover which was much better suited to requirements and significantly cheaper.
4 Cylinder Series B Austin Champ used by the Australian Army in the 1950’s. Photo: Julian Tennant
Staghound Armoured Car. Photo: Julian Tennant
Ford F-60L truck awaiting restoration. Photo: Julian Tennant
Rusted shells of armoured cars awaiting salvage on the grounds of the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Trucks awaiting restoration at the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
Memorial stone commemorating the 100th anniversary of the armistice which ended the First World War. Photo: Julian Tennant
Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. Photo: Julian Tennant
For visitors a trip to the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum can be done as a day-trip from Perth, although if you have time I would recommend staying overnight (possibly in nearby Merredin), which will give you time to check out the Merredin Military Museum as well as the Nungarin museum, plus explore the old military buildings that are spread around the area. These are well documented on the Central Wheatbelt Visitor Centre website or you can use Jane Hammond’s When war came to the wheatbeltpiece for the Royal Automobile Club of WA (Inc.) as your guide for the trip east from Perth.
Ammunition bunker near Nokaning East Road, between Nungarin and Merredin. This is one of 46 concrete bunkers scattered around the area which were used to store various munitions during the war. Photo: Julian Tennant
Nungarin Heritage Machinery & Army Museum
26 Second Avenue
Nungarin
Western Australia, 6490
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The Army Museum of Western Australia will be reopening to the public on Wednesday 2nd September, albeit with limited access hours.
Australian Special Forces weapons display in the World War 2 Gallery of the Army Museum of Western Australia. Photo: Julian Tennant
The Army Museum of Western Australia will be reopening to the public on Wednesday 2nd September, albeit with limited access hours. The museum will be open Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays 10.30am – 3pm (last entry 1pm). However, the museum will not yet be open on the weekends.
To see my two part review of the museum and dozens of photographs go to this post for part one which covers the exhibits up until 1945 and here for the post 1945 galleries and external displays.
For more information about current visiting conditions, visit the museum website.
The Motor Submersible Canoe, better known as a “Sleeping Beauty” was developed by Camper and Nicholsons Yacht Division in the UK in conjunction with the Royal Marines in 1943. They were designed to deliver one man silently into harbours to attach limpet mines to enemy vessels. Although used for training in the North Sea they were used operationally for the first time by Major Ivan Lyon of Z Special Unit on Operation RIMAU in 1944. Photos: Julian Tennant
View of the Pre-1914 Gallery at the Army Museum of Western Australia. Photo: Julian Tennant
19th Century British Army artifacts in the Pre-1914 Gallery of the Army Museum of Western Australia. Photo: Julian Tennant
Hat badge, shoulder titles and collar badges of the 11th Australian Infantry Regiment, 1903 – 1912. Photo: Julian Tennant
3 badges made by a Prisoner of War from silver foil used in cigarette packets. These were made in 1944 by Sgt K.T. Sneider, a Czech POW. The cord represents the Czechoslovkian national colours. Top to bottom – RAF Pilot Wings, POW Parachute club and a Czech Air Force Badge. Photo: Julian Tennant
A soldier of the 2/16th Australian Infantry Battalion late 1942/early 1943. He is armed with a Thompson submachine gun and is dressed in the transitional uniform of khaki trousers and dyed shirt. By September 1943 when the battalion commenced operations in the Markham Valley, the Thompson had been replaced by the Owen submachine gun and jungle green trousers. Photo: Julian Tennant
Liberator M1942 Pistol. Manufactured for the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) for use by clandestine forces during WW2. A very crude and cheap weapon to produce (approximately 1 million were manufactured between June August 1942), the Liberator is a single shot smoothbore pistol intended for close range use. Photo: Julian Tennant
Entrance to the POST 1945 GALLERY at the Army Museum of Western Australia. Photo: Julian Tennant
Korea c1952. Australian soldier wearing a mix of Australian, American and Canadian uniforms and armed with an Owen Machine Carbine. Photo: Julian Tennant
Cabinet display featuring the Officer’s Service Dress Winter tunic worn by Major Doug French of the Royal Australian Regiment, 5th Military District presentation plaque and Australian Army insignia. Photo: Julian Tennant
Army Cadet Corps insignia worn in Western Australia. Photo: Julian Tennant
Vietnam mortar crew diorama in the Post 1945 gallery at the Army Museum of Western Australia. Photo: Julian Tennant
Japanese made Australian Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) patch. These patches were introduced in 1967 and the majority were made in Japan. Later, a small quantity were made locally in Vietnam, however the majority of AATTV members used this Japanese made patch. The locally made variation is extremely rare due to the small numbers manufactured and collectors should be cautious when acquiring these patches as they have been extensively copied and generally do not resemble the original ‘local-made’ patches. Photo: Julian Tennant
Australian Special Air Service Regiment soldier in summer dress, circa 1980. Photo: Julian Tennant
Military Police sergeant in Iraq. Photo: Julian Tennant
Australian Special Forces Survival Kit and ‘Most Wanted’ playing/identification cards from the invasion of Iraq 2003. Photo: Julian Tennant
Mine warning sign and shirt worn by Corporal Steve Danaher (RASIGS) whilst deployed to Cambodia as part of the UNTAC mission in 1993. Photo: Julian Tennant
Zippo lighter given to Sgt. Kim Pember of 2 SAS Squadron (Australian Special Air Service Regiment) after the squadron completed its second tour in Vietnam. Photo: Julian Tennant
Special Air Service Regiment / Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) Afghanistan modified Mercedes Unimog. These vehicles were ‘up armoured’ and modified to meet the specific operational requirements whilst operating in Afghanistan between 2005 until 2011. Photo: Julian Tennant
The Army Museum of Western Australia Artillery Barracks Burt Street Fremantle, Western Australia, 6160
If you like what you see here, please FOLLOW this page via email or by using either the buttons below or in the column on the right. I try to post NEW content every second Sunday (at least) and knowing that somebody is looking at this gives me the encouragement I need to set aside time to go through my archives and collection in order to develop the content for the page. And of course, feel free to contact me here, via email or by visiting my Facebook or Instagram pages
Unfortunately my father has just passed away and as a result I am going to take a short break from my regular Sunday posts. Preparing fresh content for each week is fun, but it can be quite time consuming and right now I need to take some time out to get my shit together.
I have got some interesting things in the pipeline, including more military museum reviews, French Indochina and Vietnam War groups, early Australian parachutist and SAS insignia, plus sharing some of the more exotic airborne insignia that I have gathered during my four decades of collecting militaria. I am hoping that this break will only be for a couple of weeks and invite you to subscribe and follow for updates to new content by using the link in the column on the right.
So, until then, thanks for the support, happy collecting and stay safe jules
Coming soon! An Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) beret badge which belonged to Captain Peter Shilston MC. Peter Shilston won his Military Cross leading the 1st Battalion, 2nd Mobile Strike Force (Mike Force) during the relief of the US Army Special Forces camp at Dak Seang in April 1970. I have a number of Peter’s personal items in my collection and will be sharing them here in a future post, so subscribe and stay tuned. Collection: Julian Tennant
During the Vietnam war there was at least two sport parachuting clubs operating in South Vietnam although I have patches in my collection that indicates there may have been as many as three. Detailed information about the histories of these clubs appears to be quite scant although two of the three are mentioned in various accounts and the crossover is such that I wonder if they may in fact be exactly the same group of skydivers, just jumping under two different club names? But if that were the case why the different patches?
Viet-Nam Parachute Club Nhay Du
Viet-Nam Parachute Club Nhay Du patch. Two versions of this patch are known to exist, along with a smaller metal ‘beer-can’ insignia. Collection: Julian Tennant
The Viet-Nam Parachute Club Nhay Du was co-located with the Vietnamese Airborne Division HQ at Tan Son Nhut airbase. The club had a mix of Allied and Vietnamese members, with most of the latter coming from the Airborne School staff who sometimes used the opportunity for free-fall descents to qualify for the higher-grade parachute monitor wings. Thom Lyons a long time skydiver, served with the USAF in Vietnam andrecounted his experiencesjumping with the club during his tour of duty in 1966-67. He recalled that after “Charles” had made jumping difficult at the old DZ“, jumps were done on the military DZ at Ap Dong, which was used by the Vietnamese Airborne school.
Thom Lyons’ Vietnam Parachute Club Nhay Du and Parachute Club of America membership cards along with his Vietnamese parachutist wings which he earned whilst jumping with the club. Photo: Thomas Lyons
The Saigon Sport Parachute Club
Saigon Sport Parachute Club patch. Collection: Julian Tennant
Thom Lyons also jumped with the Saigon Sport Parachute Club (SSPC), which used the same DZ at Ap Dong. Thom recalls,
I was in a group of crazies in 1966-67 called the Saigon Sport Parachute Club jumping at Ap Dong. We used H-34’s which is strange cause when you spot you can yell “5 BACK!”.
The first incident was a 10,000 footer and at about 4000′ I noticed that the DZ was being shelled!!! I seriously wondered if it was worth it to open at all or just get it over with, but I wasn’t that young or that stupid.
Next was a few weeks later when the crew chief ordered everyone out for some reason. We were down wind over a jungle canopy to the east of the DZ and no way could we get back. I spotted a small clearing maybe 25′ in diameter and started towards it with my 28′ cheapo. I had to work the target and put my M-45 Swedish 9mm sub-machine gun together at the same time. I land in the clearing, but the canopy was in the trees and I was dangling a foot or so off the ground. I heard people running towards me and I almost shot three kids who came after me to carry gear or whatever for money or cigarettes. They got my gear out of the tree and when I went to put some ripstop tape on some small tears from the tree, I found two small calibre bullet holes! Don’t know when I got them. Let’s say the experience was UNIQUE! The DZ was also had as rock so you either did an excellent PLF or stood it up which wasn’t often in that heat and humidity. AP DONG was also the DZ for the Vietnamese 2nd Airborne Division and there was a small triangular fort on the DZ. The chopper could land right next to the packing area, but we discouraged that for obvious reasons.
Every time we jumped, we were plagued by people trying to sell us everything from Coke-Cola to their daughters and these boys were all over who would field pack for you for a couple of cigarettes. Carry your gear back for another one.
The club had mostly Army in it, and a couple of Navy and Air Force but also some Aussies and American Civilians. The first CrossBow in Viet Nam didn’t get jumped more than a few times. An American civilian brought it in and did a hook turn into a tree trunk and the H-34 had to fly him to the 3rd field hospital which left us without a jump ship for several hours.
By the way, the H-34 was Viet in VNAF colors and we paid the pilots a (5th) bottle of Johnny Walker each to fly for us, the chopper was free. I didn’t drink so it was usually my ration for 5th’s that got used up.
After TET in 1968 the club couldn’t get the chopper anymore and the club folded, I’m told.
The club jumped every Sunday morning and had a mix of military and civilian members from Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the USA. The club seems to be run on a shoestring budget, with Dan Bonfig, the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Rigger who was working for the RMK-BRJ construction consortium based at 12 Thong Nhut, Saigon administering the club from his workplace. Unfortunately, he has passed away and I have not yet been able to find out any more information about the SSPC or its relationship to the Viet-Nam Parachute Club. A lot of the anecdotal information that I have uncovered so far seems to cross over between the two clubs, hence my belief that there may be a direct connection between the two.
Saigon Sports Parachute Club circa 1967. Photo: Hector Aponte
Cape St Jacques Skydivers VN
Cape St Jacques Sky Divers VN patch. Collection: Julian Tennant
The club represented by this last patch is a complete mystery to me. Cap Saint-Jacques was the French Indochinese name for Vũng Tàu, which during the 2nd Indochina War was home to the1st Australian Logistics Support Groupas well as various US military units. It was also a popular in-country R&R destination during the war so it does seem logical that a skydiving club may have existed there. However, I cannot find any record of this club existing during the war and none of the Australian veterans I have asked about it have any recollection of a parachute club being located there. The spelling of Cap Saint-Jacques as Cape St-Jacques on the patch suggests to me that it is post French era and my best guess is that it may be an earlier club that had folded by the mid 1960’s when the military presence started to build up in the area, but this is speculation on my part.
If anybody can help provide more detail about any of these clubs, I would love to hear from you to help clarify the situation and record some more detail about their respective histories before they are lost forever.
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Whilst the American Airborne operations on D-Day were concentrated around the Cotentin Peninsula and commemorated at the Airborne Museum and D-Day Experience museums, the British Airborne landings were on the eastern flank of the landings and are featured in two museums, Memorial Pegasus, which I covered in an earlier post and the Merville Battery.
In 1942, the Organisation Todt commenced construction of the Merville Gun Battery as part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall fortifications. Situated near the port town of Ouistreham on the eastern end of the Normandy coastline, the battery’s location was of strategic importance overseeing the estuary of the Orne and Caen canals as well as controlling maritime access to Caen. For Allied invasion planners looking at Normandy as a landing option, it also provided vital eastern flank protection and a pivot point for further advance.
Construction of the casemates at the Merville Battery.
By May 1944, the last two 1.8m thick, steel-reinforced casemates were completed and despite several air raids, the structures remained intact causing some consternation for the D-Day invasion planners who believed that the casemates housed 150mm guns capable of bombarding the beaches on which the British and Canadian 3rd Division were to land. In fact, the guns were first world war vintage Czech 100mm howitzers but with a range of over 8km they still posed a considerable threat to any invading force.
May 1944 bomb damage assessment photograph of the Merville Battery.
Merville Battery Magazine bunker. The battery has two of these bunkers, one not yet fully restored. This one features two store rooms, one for the shells and the other for the charge-bags. Photo courtesy of the Merville Museum.
The battery, manned by 130 men of the 1716 Artillery Regiment, consisted of four artillery casemates along with command and personnel bunkers, a magazine, 20mm anti-aircraft gun platform, fifteen weapon pits each holding around 4 or 5 machine guns plus various outbuilding and shelters all in an enclosed area 640 by 460m. This was surrounded by two, 4.6m thick by 1.5m high, barbed-wire obstacles and a 91m deep minefield. A yet to be completed, 365m long, 4.5m wide by 3m deep anti-tank ditch also faced the casemates on the coastal side completing a formidable defensive position.
To prepare for the assault, a full-size mock-up was built by the Royal Engineers at Walbury Hill in Berkshire and the paras carried out nine practice assaults including four at night in preparation for the assault. Around 50 paras of A Company and some sappers were also retrained as Glider troops whose role was to crash land inside the perimeter, in three Horsa gliders to deliver a ‘coup-de-main’ during the final phase of the attack.
The plan was for the battalion to be divided into two groups with the first, smaller group jumping at 00:20 with the pathfinders to prepare the RV and also carry out reconnaissance on the battery. A bombing mission by Lancaster bombers was scheduled for just prior to the arrival of the paras and Otway wanted to know the extent of the damage before launching his assault. The main body, comprising B and C Companies would be the main assault force with B Company breaching the wire and clearing a path through the minefield which C Company along with the sappers would funnel through before splitting into four groups each tasked with destroying a casemate. This was timed to coincide with the three gliders landing inside the perimeter delivering the additional troops drawn from A Company and sappers carrying flamethrowers and explosive charges. The remainder of A Company, which jumped with the main force, had been tasked with securing and holding the firm base used as the launch pad for the ground assault. Then, if all else failed HMS Arethusa was standing by to pound the battery with her 6inch guns at 05:50.
Members of the 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion prior to em-planing for Merville Battery.
The advance party departed RAF Harwell at 23:10 and dropped on time at 00:20. Very little resistance was met on the DZ, but unfortunately many of the signal emitting Eureka Beacons were damaged during the drop and unable to be operated. The battery reconnaissance party set off for Merville whilst the pathfinder group marked the DZ only to be bombed by the Lancasters who had strayed off course and missed the target. Luckily nobody was injured and the DZ party attempted to guide the main body in using Aldis lamps.
By 00:45, 32 Dakotas carrying around 540 paratroopers were approaching the DZ, but the pilots were confronted by a huge dust cloud caused by the wayward bombing raid, causing them to make their run-ins at different altitudes to those planned. The despatching problem was compounded by an increase in flak which caused the pilots to take evasive action throwing the paras around in the back and weighed down by their equipment it was difficult for them to stand up and move into position to exit the aircraft. This resulted in most of the battalion missing the DZ completely, many bogged down by the weight of their equipment, drowning in the surrounding fields which had been flooded by the Germans.
When Otway finally reached the RV, it was nearly 02:00 and he was dismayed to find that there was hardly anybody there. Only 150 men of the original force finally arrived. It was less than 25% of those who had set out and they did not have any of the equipment needed for the assault, only side-arms, one Vickers machine gun and twenty Bangalore Torpedoes. At 02:50 Otway could wait no longer and set out for the objective, reaching the designated ‘firm base’ area, about 450m from the battery, at 04:20.
The original reconnaissance group, under the command of Major Allen Parry was given the task of forming the assault party and divided his group into four, in a rough imitation of the original plan. They would make two large gaps in the wire and send two of the assault groups through each. A pathway through the minefield was painstakingly cleared by one of the Company Sergeant Major’s and an officer who had crawled up to the wire, in order to listen and observe German movements. Otway waited to launch the attack as the glider borne force arrived, but things went wrong again. One of the three gliders broke its tow rope just after take-off, the second landed several miles east of the battery and the third was hit by flak, overshot the target and crashed in an orchard some distance from the perimeter.
Otway knew that he would have to make do with the force that was in place and at 04:30 the assault went in. A diversion attack was staged at the main gate, whilst the Bangalore Torpedoes were used to blow gaps in the wire and the paras stormed into the Battery. After about 20 minutes of fierce hand to hand fighting the defenders surrendered and the paras entered the casemates. Without the explosives needed to disable the guns the paras did what they could to make the guns in-effective, dropping No.82 (Gammon bomb) grenades down the barrels and throwing away the breech blocks. Only 75 paras were still on their feet, 22 Germans had been taken prisoner and the position was now being bombarded by German artillery. At 05:00 Otway and his surviving paras left the battery and after a short break at the designated RV point, the Calvary Cross about 850m to the south-east, continued to their secondary objective, the village of La Plein where they linked up with elements of the 1st Commando Brigade later in the day.
German troops of the 736th Grenadier Regiment quickly re-occupied the Battery after the paras left and two of the guns were able to be brought back into action, bringing accurate fire onto SWORD beach. On 7 June, the battery was assaulted by 4 and 5 Troops of No.3 Commando who suffered heavy losses in the action that followed.
Whilst the effectiveness of the Battery had been diminished, the British never succeeded in completely neutralising it and the Battery remained under German control until they began their withdrawal in mid-August.
The Merville Battery Museum is situated in the original casemates of the battle and opened on 5 June 1983 as way of preserving the memory of the exploits of the men of the 9th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment. The museum extends over five hectares with an education trail explaining how the Battery worked and the attack of 6 June 1944.
At the entrance, which is the site of the diversionary attack, there is a Memorial to the 9th Parachute Battalion and small gift shop. Visitors are then free to explore the area following the information boards and diagrams to gain an idea of what happened. The four casemates each feature different displays relating to aspects of the battle and there are also artillery pieces, memorials and the Douglas C-47, serial number 43-15073 ‘SNAFU’ which dropped American paratroopers of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment on the Cotentin Peninsula during D-Day.
Casemate No. 1 replicates the events at the Battery on D-Day with a very intense sound and light show occurring every 20 minutes. The show commences with the bombing raid conducted by 109 Lancaster bombers at 00:30, followed by the German artillery being fired at the canal locks at Ouistreham and the Parachute Regiment attack. Casemate No. 2 is a memorial to the 9th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment featuring various objects, photos and stories of the men who took part in the attack. Casemate No.3 shows objects related to the Glider Pilot Regiment, No.3 Commando, 45 Royal Marine Commando and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion who acted as a protection force on the left flank during the operation. Casemate No. 4 is dedicated to the Belgian, Dutch, Luxembourg and British units which finally drove the Germans out of Merville in August 1945.
Sound and light show in casemate No.1. Photo: Julian Tennant
Sound and light show in casemate No.1. Photo: Julian Tennant
German Navy Kriegsmarine uniforms on display in casemate No.1. Photo: Julian Tennant
German Navy Kriegsmarine uniforms on display in casemate No.1. Photo: Julian Tennant
Casemate No.2 is dedicated to the men of the 9th Parachute Battalion, the Parachute Regiment. Photo: Julian Tennant
Casemate No.2 is dedicated to the men of the 9th Parachute Battalion, the Parachute Regiment. Photo: Julian Tennant
Beret and medals awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Terence Otway, Commanding Officer of the 9th Para Bn. Photo: Julian Tennant
Casemate No. 4 is dedicated to the Belgian, Dutch, Luxembourg and British units which finally drove the Germans out of Merville in August 1945.
A trip to the Merville Battery can easily be combined with a visit to the nearby Pegasus Bridge museum, stopping at various marker points along the way. Major & Mrs Holt’s D-Day Normandy Landing Beaches guide gives an excellent overview of the points of interest in the area and I spent the best part of a day examining this area. As a airborne insignia and militaria collector, I must admit that whilst I particularly enjoyed the Pegasus Bridge museum,the Merville Battery really helped to convey an understanding of the battle, particularly from the defender’s perspective via the ‘sound and light’ show in Casemate No.1. I think it made me think about bomb scarred defences on the cliff tops at Pointe du Hoc very differently than I would have, when I visited that site the following day.
Musée de la Batterie de Merville
Place du 9ème Bataillon
14810 Merville-Franceville
France
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