Normandy Assignment

Posted on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at 1:40 pm

Normandy Assignment
Beachmasters at Normandy on D-Day?

Could someone please clarify for me what the job of a beachmaster was on the beaches at Normandy during the D-Day Invasion?

I have a pretty firm grasp on what other people were doing, be it piloting the landing crafts or using Bangalore mines to blow sections of wire or hauling around the flamethrowers, but I cannot seem to find a description of a beachmaster’s duties.

They are referred to frequently in the book I am currently reading, and in other books I have read about the invasion, but I cannot find information on exactly what they were doing that day.

Any explanation or clarification You Can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your consideration of my question.

(Just so you know, this is not homework or related to any kind of assignment. It is an effort to expand my understanding of what I am currently reading.)

Like traffic cops, they had to keep the traffic rolling on their part of the landing zone. They landed early to keep order. They “marshalled” the landing troops off the beach via established demined “lanes” indicated by tape.

If you ever saw “The Longest Day”, that Royal Marine on Juno Beach with his buldog, shouting “The war’s over there!”, who “repaired” the armored vehicle by hitting it with his swagger stick, was Beachmaster Colin Maude (played by Kenneth More).

“Junior officers were beachmasters and assistant beachmasters. Much like the captain of a ship, during a landing a beachmaster had the final word on operations and outranked any officer who crossed his beach.”

“Royal Navy Commandos in World War II” : http://www.historynet.com/magazines/world_war_2/3033561.html

” “Beach Masters own the beach,” explained Constructionman Justin Jardenaux. “We are the experts, and we run the show from the three fathom mark to the high-water mark.” ”

“‘United We Land’ – Beachmasters Own the Beach” : http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pnav/is_200302/ai_3411170115