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The Ships of the Royal Canadian Navy Present Off the Juno Beach on June 6/1944 and June 7/1944 (The Normandy D–Day Landings)

compiled by Commander Fraser McKee RCN(R) 2013 (Updated 2017)

Landing craft from HMCS Prince David (Photo from Wikipedia)

Destroyers:

• HMCS Algonquin – LCdr D.W. Piers, RCN
• HMCS Sioux – LCdr E.E.G. Boak, RCN

Landing Ships Infantry (Medium):

• HMCS Prince David – Cdr T.D. Kelly, RCNR
• HMCS Prince Henry – Cdr V.S. Godfrey, RCN

Their two LCA Flotillas:

• HMCS Prince Henry’s: 528 Flotilla – Lt R.G. Buckingham, RCNVR
• LCA #736 – Lt. G.W. Hendery RCNVR
• LCA #850 – L/S P. Duchnicky RCNVR
• LCA #925 – L/S ? Moody RCNVR
• LCA #1021 – L/S ? Townson RCNVR
• LCA #1033 – S/Lt J.A. Flynn, RCNVR (+ Lt R.G. Buckingham, RCNVR as Flotilla Officer)
• LCA #1371 – A/B ? Mellway RCNVR
• LCA #1372 – Lt. G.E. Nuttal, RCNVR)

• HMCS Prince David’s: 529 Flotilla – Lt J.C. Davie, RCNVR
• LCA #1059 – Lt. J. McBeath RCNVR
• LCA #1137 – L/S G.R. Lavergne, RCN
• LCA #1138 – Lt J.F. Beveridge, RCNVR
• LCA #1150 – Lt J.C. Davie, RCNVR (+ served as Flotilla Officer)
• LCA #1151 – Lt D.F. Graham RCNVR
• LCA #1375 – Lt G.E. Allin, RCNVR

RCN Minesweepers: with RN flotillas:

14th Flotilla:

• HMCS Georgian – A/LCdr H.A. Boucher, RCNVR
• HMCS Guysborough – Lt B.T.R. Russell, RCNR
• HMCS Kenora – Lt D.W. Lowe, RCNVR

Plus two RCN Flotillas:

31st Flotilla:

• HMCS Caraquet – Cdr A.H.G. Storrs, RCNR (as S.O.)
• HMCS Blairmore – Lt J.B. Marston, RCNR
• HMCS Cowichan – A/LCdr K.W.N. Hall, RCNR
• HMCS Malpeque – Lt D. Davis, RCNVR
• HMCS Fort William – A/LCdr H. Campbell, RCNR
• HMCS Milltown – Lt E.H. Maguire, RCNVR
• HMCS Minas – Lt J.B. Lamb, RCNVR
• HMCS Bayfield – Lt S. Pierce, RCNR

32nd Flotilla:

• HMCS Thunder – Cdr H.D. Mackay, RCNR (as S.O.)
• HMCS Canso – Lt J. Kincaid, RCNR
• HMCS Mulgrave – Lt R.M. Meredith, RCNR
• HMCS Vegreville – Lt T.B. Edwards, RCNR
• HMCS Wasaga – Lt J.J.H. Green, RCNR

Landing Craft Infantry (Large) – LCI(L)s: (Manned by RCN, ex–RN ships):

1st Canadian Flotilla (ex-RN’s 260th)

• LCI(L) #117 – Lt R.L. Gordon, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #121 – Lt D.H. Botly, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #166 – Lt G.M. Oliver, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #177 – Lt W.C. Gardner, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #249 – Lt J.E. O’Rourke, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #266 – Lt J.G. Wenman, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #277 – Lt W.H.M. Ballantyne, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #285 – Lt H.S. Square, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #298 – Lt J.S. Monteath, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #301 – Lt R.M. Smith, RCNVR

2nd Canadian Flotilla (ex–RN’s 262nd):

• LCI(L) #115 – Lt V.D. Ramsay, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #118 – Lt C.R. Bond, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #135 – Lt. John Douglas Kell, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #250 – Lt H.M. Harrison, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #252 – Lt R.E. St.J. Wakefield, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #262 – Lt P.R. Hinton, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #263 – Lt J.B.B. Shaw, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #276 – Lt A.A. Wedd, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #299 – Lt W.B. McGregor, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #306 – Lt A.K. Stephens, RCNVR

3rd Canadian Flotilla (ex–RN’s 264th):

• LCI(L) #125 – Lt C.R. Parker, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #255 – Lt H.E. Trenholme, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #270 – Lt A.C. Clark, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #271 – Lt W.R. Sinclair, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #288 – Lt W.E. Charron, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #295 – Lt P.G.R. Campbell, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #302 – Lt J.M. Ruttan, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #305 – Lt C.B. MacKay, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #310 – Lt L. Williams, RCNVR
• LCI(L) #311 – Lt D.J. Lewis, RCNVR

Motor Torpedo Boats of the 29th Flotilla: (Arrived in p.m. of June 6th)

• MTB #459 – Lt C.A. Law, RCNVR (as S.O.)
• MTB #460 – Lt D.A. Killam, RCNVR
• MTB #461 – Lt. C.A. Burk, RCNVR
• MTB #462 – Lt. R.J. Moyse, RCNVR
• MTB #463 – Lt. D.G. Creba, RCNVR
• MTB #464 – Lt. L.C. Bishop, RCNVR
• MTB #465 – Lt C.D. Chaffey, RCNVR
• MTB #466 – Lt S.B. Marshall, RCNVR

RCN Beach Commando "W" in Operation Neptune

• Principal Beach Master Lieutenant–Commander Dennis James O’Hagen RCNVR GM and Bar
• Deputy Principal Beach Master A/Lieutenant–Commander Richard John Johnstone RCNVR
• Beach Master W.1 Lieutenant Donald M. Sutherland RCNVR
• Beach Master W.2 Lieutenant A. Dudley Rayburn RCNVR
• Beach Master W.3 Lieutenant Forrest Angus RCNVR

Supplementary Author’s notes:

1. Many other RCN ships were in service in U.K. waters, or were on blocking or A/S patrols, or were escorting Normandy–bound Mulberry "Phoenixes" or were under RN or USN control etc.: (See page 312 of Ken Macpherson & Ron Barrie’s book "The Ships of Canada’s Naval Forces, 1910–2002", 3rd edition, 2002.) These vessels were not present at Juno Beach but may be considered to have been present at D–Day (off of one of the other beaches). The battle honour for D–Day was given to many ships which served in the area over the next two months (60 days) which were not present on the first two days of action.

2. I’m not sure if any of the MGBs of the 65th Flotilla were present there or not. They were larger (and slower!) D–Class MLs. No one has yet written their history. Douglas and Sarty et al say that they were on blocking patrols east of Normandy, so presumably they were not present at Juno Beach.




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To quote from this article please cite:

McKee, Fraser (2013) The Ships of the Royal Canadian Navy Present Off the Juno Beach on June 6/1944 and June 7/1944 (The Normandy D–Day Landings). Nauticapedia.ca 2013. http://nauticapedia.ca/Articles/RCN_Present_D–day.php

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