List of ships in Gold Bombardment Group
Below is a list of ships responsible for bombarding targets at Gold Beach as part of the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, the opening day of Operation Overlord. This force, code-named "Bombarding Force K", and commanded by Rear Admiral Frederick Dalrymple-Hamilton of the Royal Navy, was a group of eighteen ships responsible for bombarding targets in support of the amphibious landings on Gold Beach on 6 June 1944 ("D-Day"); this was the opening day of Operation Overlord, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II.
Bombarding Force K was part of Royal Navy Force G, commanded by Commodore Cyril Douglas-Pennant.[1] This was in turn part of the Eastern Naval Task Force, under Admiral Philip Vian.[2]
| Name | Type | National service | Primary target |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Ajax (22) | Light cruiser | Royal Navy | Longues-sur-Mer battery[3] |
| HMS Argonaut (61) | Light cruiser | Royal Navy | 105mm battery at Vaux (WN-50)[3] |
| HMS Emerald (D66) | Light cruiser | Royal Navy | 105mm battery (WN-41)[3] |
| HMS Orion (85) | Light cruiser | Royal Navy | 122mm battery, Mont Fleury[3] |
| Flores | Gunboat | Royal Netherlands Navy | Gun position WN-39[3] |
| HMS Cattistock (L35) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, King sector[3] |
| HMS Cottesmore (L78) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, King sector[3] |
| HMS Grenville (R97) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, Jig sector[3] |
| HMS Jervis | Destroyer flotilla leader | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, Jig sector[3] |
| ORP Krakowiak (L115) | Destroyer | Polish Navy | Beach defenses, King sector[3] |
| HMS Pytchley (L92) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, King sector[3] |
| HMS Ulster (R83) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, King sector[3] |
| HMS Ulysses (R69) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, Jig sector[3] |
| HMS Undaunted (R53) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, King sector[3] |
| HMS Undine (R42) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, Jig sector[3] |
| HMS Urania (R05) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, Jig sector[3] |
| HMS Urchin (R99) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, King sector[3] |
| HMS Ursa (R22) | Destroyer | Royal Navy | Beach defenses, King sector[3] |
Citations
- Trew 2004, p. 42.
- Churchill 1951, p. 594.
- Trew 2004, p. 49.
Sources
- Churchill, Winston (1951) [1948]. Closing the Ring. The Second World War. V. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. OCLC 396150.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Trew, Simon (2004). Gold Beach. Battle Zone Normandy. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton. ISBN 0-7509-3011-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)