Royal Marines: D-Day and the Battle of Normandy

Royal Marines: D-Day and the Battle of Normandy
With Si Biggs
Part of our DDay and Battle of Normandy series
• DDay and the Battle of...
Also part of our 80th Anniversary Series
• 80th Anniversary Special
A look at the diverse role of Royal Marines, including manning the guns on battleships, coming ashore as Engineers and with tanks and more famously as Commandos on 6th June 1944 and beyond.
Si is a former Royal Marine who served in 45 Commando and later specialised in Amphibious Warfare and Raiding, and has since worked all over the world from the Amazon to Japan, he classes himself as a very amateur historian and runs the website www.royalmarineshistory.com/
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[@poppyfields0675]

I have a massive interest in the 46 RMC. I will be sharing this to their group. What a lovely person Si Biggs is. Totally personable. Respect to him for his service, and all the Royal Marines. My best friend served with them. I will be sending it to him too. Top presentation. Thank you Si and Woody for this. Three pages of A4 notes made!

[@sibiggs]

Thank you so much for the feedback, and please if anyone has anything they can add to my site that would be wonderful. Si

[@davidlavigne207]

Unfortunately my work schedule got in the way of watching this live, but what a tremendous presentation by Si Biggs. I really appreciated how he tied in the overall history or the Royal Marines from 1664 until the present. His research into their contribution in Normandy has educated me and many others about the various operations they conducted, but also their organization and tactics. I was impressed with how the Royal Marines, just as the US and Canadian Marines never shied away from a fight. The Marines I've know in my military career always seemed to relish a good fight. I'm sure that Si was a prime example of this in his career as a Royal Marine. Well done Sir!

[@alganhar1]

My Grandfather was RM Landing Craft crew. He was a Royal Marine mortar man on board HMS Glengyle. Served on her for his entire war service, which was from 42 till the end of the war. Not sure if he was on one of the Support LC(M)'s, not certain if Glengyle had one, but it would make sense given he was specifically trained on mortars.
He was not at D Day though, Glengyle was supporting off Anzio until just two days before the landings in Normandy. Unfortunately Grandpa never really spoke about the war, and he did not keep a diary, so all we have are a few photo's and a handful of letters home. For a long time we were not even sure what a mortar specialist was doing on board an LSI like Glengyle, it was only when I found out about the various beach support landing craft that the penny started to drop.

[@sibiggs]

I am not sure she carried LC(M)s, but your Grandfather could have been on board as an AA gunner or similar, I'd be happy to look into this, maybe you have his war record? Thank Si

[@robmisener2786]

Fantastic presentation! My grandfather was in no. 41 and our family has limited info on his involvement. This really helps! Thank you!

[@sibiggs]

Hi Rob, I am am chatting to 2 ladies at the moment who both had Fathers in 41, one in particular has very little knowledge of her Fathers service, I hope I can bring more of their story into focus over teh coming months.

[@dummre83]

Great show woody.

[@sibiggs]

Ladies and Gents, I have just read through all the live chat from the presentation, thankyou to Paul for inviting me on, and I am delighted that it went down well, I'm gutted my notes crashed on the other computer, it was more than my brain capacity would allow to remember all the various names, locations etc, but probably saved you all another 20 mins of waffle and detail. Thanks for watching and please feel free to contact me here or on my website if you have any specific questions and I will do my best. Si

[@Scaadoo]

Great prog - thank you both

[@lesliebeilby-tipping6854]

Great show Paul.

[@eric-wb7gj]

TY 🙏🙏

[@rich_john]

Great presentation 👏

[@sibiggs]

Thanks, Paul is a very good host and I was delighted to be apart of his great show

[@TJBell-n6y]

I must apologize, I should explain the first part of the comment for those not fluent in Bootinese and those abroad. For hoofing read brilliant, for Royal read a member of His Majesties Corps of Royal Marines. For BZ read well done. I found my glasses 😁

[@TJBell-n6y]

Hoofing job Royal. BZ. Just for Paul we are not only happy with heavy things on our backs. I was at my happiest on Saturday night at closing time on Union Street, kebab in hand and the delightful company of one of Plymouth's fine ladies. 😋Now I can't find my glasses to proofread. 🤣

[@sibiggs]

😂

[@rossbrook5919]

Hoofing effort Royal

[@sibiggs]

Cheers Royal....!

[@russsykes5652]

Si, you didn't mention the Royal Marines Bands on the capital ships who manned the Transmitting Station providing fire solutions to the main armament, so often overlooked even though it was a massively important role in the ships gunnery.

[@WW2TV]

But he did talk for 105 minutes about a great many of the Royal Marine actions and personnel

[@sibiggs]

@russsykes5652 yes sorry it was my intention to, that's why I had the icon up. But my notes would not open, and i missed it. I was also going to say that it's likely the youngest member of the armed forces present that day may have been a boy bugler...

[@soerenkepler]

Wonderful presentation - im curious - what were the commandos trained to do, if they ran into a handful of PzIVs? Just use their piats or call in anti-tank support from other regiments? if support - what would have been the most likely.... M-10 17pdrs, towed 17 pdr, towed 6 pdrs or something else? Air? In terms of support artillery - sextons, 25 pdr statics? Naval? or? Cheers

[@WW2TV]

Any of the above depending on the situation and what coms they had