Clydeside Images.co.uk
  • Home
  • About
  • Galleries
    • Scotland
    • England
    • Europe >
      • Cyprus
      • Germany >
        • Germany: Dusseldorf Airport >
          • Germany: Dusseldorf Airport - German & Austrian Airlines
          • Germany: Dusseldorf Airport - British Airlines
          • Germany: Dusseldorf Airport - Other European Carriers
          • Germany: Dusseldorf Airport - American Airlines
          • Germany: Dusseldorf Airport - Rest of World
          • Germany: Dusseldorf Airport - Biz-Jets & GA
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • Irish Republic
      • Italy
      • The Netherlands
      • Poland
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
    • The Americas >
      • Canada >
        • British Columbia
        • Nova Scotia >
          • Nova Scotia: Halifax >
            • Nova Scotia: Halifax Citadel
            • Nova Scotia: Halifax Waterfront >
              • Nova Scotia: Halifax Harbour Ships >
                • Nova Scotia: Halifax Naval Dockyards
            • Nova Scotia: Halifax - Statues & Memorials
        • Nova Scotia: Annapolis Royal
        • Nova Scotia: Digby & Digby Neck
        • Nova Scotia: Kejimkujik National Park
        • Nova Scotia: Lunenburg
        • Nova Scotia: Cape Breton Island >
          • Nova Scotia: Joe`s Scarecrow Theatre
        • Nova Scotia: Blank
      • Mexico
      • Tobago
    • Africa >
      • Angola: Quatro de Fevereiro Airport
      • Namibia Main >
        • Namibia: Etosha >
          • Namibia: Etosha (West)
          • Namibia: Etosha (Centre)
          • Namibia: Etosha (East)
          • Namibia: Etosha Animals - Antelope & Other Herbivores
          • Namibia: Etosha Animals - Carnivores
          • Namibia: Etosha Animals - Elephants & Rhino
          • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes >
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Chudop
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Dolomietpunt
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Gemsbokvlakte
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Goas
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Halali
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Kalkheuwel
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Kleine Namutoni
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Koinachas
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Namutoni
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Natco
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Nebrownii
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Okaukuejo
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Ombika
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Ozonjuitji M'Bari
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Rateldraf & Klippan
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Salvadora
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Suedo
            • Namibia: Etosha Waterholes - Blank
        • Namibia: Etosha Safari Lodge
        • Namibia: Damaraland
        • Namibia: Elegant Farmstead
        • Namibia: Erongo Mountains
        • Namibia: Midgard Country Estate
        • Namibia: Mushara Outpost
        • Namibia: Namib-Naukluft National Park >
          • Namibia: Sossusvlei
          • Namibia: Solitaire
        • Namibia: Okonjima Nature Reserve >
          • Namibia: Okonjima - Africat
        • Namibia: Okutala Etosha Lodge
        • Namibia: Skeleton Coast >
          • Namibia: Swakopmund
          • Namibia: Walvis Bay
        • Namibia: Vingerklip
        • Namibia - Bird Gallery
  • Image Search
  • Image Sales
  • Contact
  • Links
France
The D-Day Battlefields
GOLD Beach - Creully
Picture
This is the 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards Memorial which stands on the outskirts of Creully close to the stream and its old watermill. This location was chosen for the memorial as the unit’s DD tanks, having driven 4 miles inland from the beaches on D-Day, assaulted the German-held defences around the village. Although the battle didn’t spill into Creully itself, the fighting in the surrounding countryside was fierce. The British prevailed and the village was liberated by ‘A’ Squadron before darkness fell.
Picture
Picture
Above: Sherman tanks of the 4/7th Dragoon Guards, 8th Armoured Brigade, advance through the Normandy countryside. 
Picture
The memorial includes the Regimental Crest and a relief of a Sherman tank, panels of dedication and information on the 4/7th’s contribution to the Campaign in Northwest Europe during which it suffered 340 casualties including 124 fatalities. One panel reads `Take these men for your example. Like them remember that prosperity can only be for the free, that freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it.`Just of the main street is a plaque (not photographed) to the Royal Winnipeg Rifles who assisted in liberating Creully.
Picture
The main inscription on the Tank Memorial reads `In Proud Memory of the 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards who Lived or Died in the Fight for Freedom, Landing in France September 1939, Withdrawing through Dunkirk June 1940, returning to Normandy to Assault King Beach La Riviere at H Hour on D-Day 6 June 1944 to Liberate Creully later that day and in due course assist in bringing the Fight to a Successful Conclusion. `Quis Separabit.``
Picture
Picture
Picture
The large chateau which towers above the village was built, as a residence rather than a castle, in 1035 but underwent various expansions and alterations, being converted into a fortress before it was captured by the English in 1356. Following the D-Day landings, the world was desperate for news and the BBC was one of the main and most listened-to sources. 
Picture
After Creully was captured, the organisation’s war correspondents set up a broadcast studio in the chateau and transmitted regular reports which other stations across the world immediately redistributed. Canadian, American and French journalists also made use of the BBC’s facility at Creully. There is a small museum in the tower where the studio was situated but it’s only open July-September. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
The view on the left above shows the Rue Bayeux, the main road through Creully which is packed with Allied motor transport. The vehicle in the middle-distance to the left is a Humber ambulance, and to its right, off the road, is a BBC vehicle perhaps used by one of the Corporations` war correspondents staying at the chateau.

​Although not obvious in this low-res image, the spire of the church in the background is scarred by a number of large shell holes. Following Creully`s liberation, Allied troops soon adorned the village`s Great War memorial with British, French and American flags.
​
The Crusader gun tractor was a converted Crusader tank with the turret and superstructure removed. It was used as a prime mover for 17 pounder anti- tank guns.

The example shown here is moving down Rue Bayeux in Creully, past the E. Riding tobacconists shop and Girard Grocers shop. The vehicle has been named Duntocher, after the village in Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, so I presume that`s where at least one of the crew originate from.
Picture
This vehicle has a wading kit installed. Additional steel plates have been fixed to the superstructure to increase the overall height enabling it to negotiate deeper water without getting swamped. This vehicle was part of the 91st Anti-tank Reg, Royal Artillery (ex 5 Battalion the The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the unit became 91 AT Reg, RA in 1941). This regiment was part of VIII Corps.
Picture
Picture
​Fairly close-by, at Chateau de Creully, Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery had his tactical headquarters where Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited him.
Picture
Picture
Please bear in mind that all images on this website are Copyright. They are not free to use and have been embedded with a digital watermark. Any historic photographs from the Imperial War Museum and other organisations` archives have been used courtesy of a `Share & Reuse` policy and are also subject to copyright restrictions, or are in the public domain.
Top of Page
GOLD Beach Main Page
D-Day Main Page
France Main Page
Home
About
Galleries
Images Search
Images Sales
Contact
Links
Copyright © 2021