- No. 8 Beach Group during the Second World War -
Allied Forces Index
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No. 8 Beach Group
4th Jun 1944 Preparations
5th Jun 1944 On the Move
6th Jun 1944 In Action
7th Jun 1944 Unloading Commenced
8th Jun 1944 Ammunition
9th Jun 1944 Unloading
10th Jun 1944 Move
11th Jun 1944 Shelling
12th Jun 1944 Aircraft Downed
13th Jun 1944 Visit
14th Jun 1944 Air Raids
15th Jun 1944 Quiet
16th Jun 1944 Visit
17th Jun 1944 Quiet
18th Jun 1944 Report
19th Jun 1944 Message
20th Jun 1944 Enemy Aircraft
21st Jun 1944 Shelling
22nd Jun 1944 Difficult Conditions
23rd Jun 1944 Enemy Aircraft
24th Jun 1944 Quiet
26th Jun 1944 Quiet
27th Jun 1944 Quiet
28th Jun 1944 Supplies
29th Jun 1944 Supplies
30th Jun 1944 Awards
11th Aug 1944 Shelling
12th Aug 1944 Anti Tank Mine
13th Aug 1944 Landing Craft
14th Aug 1944 Shelling
15th Aug 1944 Fire
16th Aug 1944 Shells
17th Aug 1944 Inspection
18th Aug 1944 Enemy Aircraft
19th Aug 1944 Mine
20th Aug 1944 Quiet
21st Aug 1944 Bad Weather
22nd Aug 1944 Bad Weather
23rd Aug 1944 Gun Fire
24th Aug 1944 Quiet
25th Aug 1944 Quiet
26th Aug 1944 On the MoveIf you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.
Those known to have served with
No. 8 Beach Group
during the Second World War 1939-1945.
- Champion Walter Jack. Pte.
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List
Records of No. 8 Beach Group from other sources.
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Want to know more about No. 8 Beach Group?
There are:41 items tagged No. 8 Beach Group available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.
Pte. Walter Jack Champion 5th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment
Walter Champion was working in his uncle's bakery (Wyatt’s) in Pangbourne, Berkshire, when called up. He had previously joined 4th (Pangbourne) Home Guard. He then joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment on 12th of December 1941 at Brock Barracks No. 17 Infantry Training School.On D-Day, he landed on Juno Beach as part of No. 8 Beach Group and then served on the beach until 8th of August 1944, when he transferred to the 5th Dorsetshire Regiment. On 27th of August 1944, he was promoted to acting Lance Corporal but decided he preferred to "be one of the lads", as he put it. He served as batman to his company commander (possibly Major Meade, not sure). When his officer was posted to Division HQ, he was invited to go too as it would be safer, but he turned down this opportunity saying that if his mates had to face front-line danger then so should he.
When his battalion crossed the Rhine, he was on leave, but he was in the area around Hannover when Germans surrendered on VE Day. His battalion was the closest to the location of surrender.
He participated in the following actions:
- D-Day landings
- Falaise Gap.
- CrossIng the Seine at Vernon on 27 August 1944
- Market Garden with XXX Corps at Nijmegen.
- Various actions around southern Netherlands and Aachen
- Periphery of the Battle of the Bulge, covering US left flank.
- Tripsrath (Dorset Wood)
After the war, he served in Berlin and was transferred to HQ XXX Corps on 20th June 1946, just before 5th Dorsets were mothballed. During that time, he helped to guard Rudolf Hess in Spandau Prison. On 18th October 1946, he demobbed and went into the Reserve.
He died in October 2014, just before his 92nd birthday. He was a great chap and a wonderful father-in-law to me.
Richard Jackson
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