Rommel, 12th SS and Normandy

I’ve been researching France in World War 2 recently, and I stumbled upon this article on JSTOR:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/286380?casa_token=HrDISj647xoAAAAA%3A4r0lrbG6dLMbOFV1mHpvWIxLmi5kgJmFmZ_TYY5Ct12HpfBVa87FyqGvcP00vs2G1JuM3ol2qcQ

Unfortunately, my regular free JSTOR account cannot access this.

Please let me know if you have access to this article in any way. Thank you!

Hello, my daughter found a fascinating letter from her great great uncle who arrived on the Normandy beaches D-Day +13 (19-June). He was British army royal signals. Sergeant Frank Sandys 2591478.

I’ve looked at the NARA database and some of the other posts about LST logs on here, but I’ve not been successful in locating any information about Frank’s two journeys. Unfortunately, I haven’t got the vessel registration numbers of either. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Or indeed any information that would help build a bigger picture for my daughter of Frank’s journey and experience through Normandy as the campaign continued.

The initial LST left just after midnight in the morning of 18-June and in the heavy storm the cargo doors were broken open at 4:00 and the ship had to return to a port in England. It was apparently not repairable and Frank the British artillery and US forces with them boarded another landing ship tank which set off at around midnight on the 18th. They arrived in the early hours of the morning on the Normandy beaches on the 19th.

There was a major Richard Milliken, who may have been with Frank he sadly was killed by a German 88 mm shell in a vehicle with two other officers on the 20th of June (the day after Frank arrived).

I’ve shared a transcript of Frank’s letter below for anyone who might be interested in the personal account of those days. I think it gives a fascinating insight into that generations quiet stoicism and understated fortitude under fire and deprivation.

I’ve copied below a transcript of the letter and the timeline I created. We found records at the British National Archives in Kew (War Office ‘diaries’) that record Major Milliken’s death and the two other officers and we found their war graves. If anyone would like more information or the original images of the letter, let me know and I’ll post them also.

The new baby at home that Frank refers to, that he doesn’t know the name of yet, is my daughter’s still living grandad 🙂

Transcript:

2591478 Sgt Sandys. F.,

Csos Branch,

HQ Second Army Main,

B.W.E.F.

23 Jun 44

Dear Eldon and Ruth,

It’s a bit late in the day to be writing to thank you for your good wishes and cigarettes which you sent for my birthday, but I can assure you that the delay has not been indifference on my part. I was delighted with your long letter and very pleased to have the cigarettes (at the time I hadn’t got any, and couldn’t get any). Together with, a small parcel from home, and letters from Wilfred and Charlie, they all made the day a pretty good one. Thanks very much for everything anyway.

When we arrived in France your letter saying that you now have another son, was waiting for me.

Congratulations! I understand from a letter mother has since sent that both Ruth and the youngster (I don’t know what you have decided to call him), are doing well and I sincerely hope they are well and still progressing.

You would be thankful, I’m sure when it was all safely over and you had another boy in your family. Have you, I wonder, decided his name? You’ll have plenty to do for the next few months, what with Michael and the new arrival but as Eldon says, when they get a little older, as Michael now is, they are very good company and provide endless interest.

I should like to send something along for him, but at the moment it’s not possible for there are no shops here, and no facilities of any kind.

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You will have had father over since the event. Mother told me that he came up and apparently had a quiet journey - not many people on the train – far different to what he expected in fact.

I am sorry not to have written to you sooner but, during May and till the invasion started we were literally working night and day, and found it hard to get a few hours sleep even.

When D day came, however, things started to slacken off on the clerical side, but loading & packing was then the order of the day. This was a lengthy business on account of the waterproofing of loads, and all papers etc, but it was finished eventually with a few hours

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to spare, and we were called forward for shipment in the early hours one morning. The order was a typical Army one, for we were all asleep in the tents when the Rsm came round and told us all to be at a point 2 miles away, with all our kit inside 15 minutes. Needless to say, we hung around all that day, moving towards the embarkation point, with our lorries, at the rate of a ½ mile in an hour. In the evening we embarked on a Yankee L.S.T. and sailed in convoy about midnight or shortly afterwards. The sea was rough, and being a flat bottom ship, she rolled abominably. You may have seen this type of ship in Glasgow. They are quite big really and take a fairly heavy cargo.

Fortunately, I and the Draughtsman Sgt managed to get one of the few bunks which were available in the ship and so got in a little shut-eye till about 4 am when we awoke to the sound of terrific thuds against the ship’s side and the ship trembling as well as rolling. This didn’t make me feel very happy but when I saw the crew, with whom we were sleeping, getting on their M. West lifejackets, I felt genuinely alarmed. What had happened was that the Bow doors – huge things which are used for loading vehicles off the beach, had broken open with the rough sea, and were swinging against the ship’s side every time she rolled, making a terrific din and shaking the whole ship. Furthermore, the hold was taking water and the vehicle hold already had six inches in it.

We dropped out of the convoy then with a Corvette standing by about

one mile away – not near enough for my liking. At dawn I went on deck but it was impossible to move about. The crew were all clustered round the bows and waves coming over them every few minutes whilst the ship’s side rails were alternately in the water as she rolled. Presently we turned around and Major Millikin [sic: Maj R. Milliken 123370] who was in charge of our party said we were returning to England. We were only sailing very slowly now and so we continued for about 2 hours when the Capt. turned round again and continued to port in reverse – stern first.

We arrived in harbour about 2pm, staying on the ship till about dinner time the following day when we went into dock. Apparently nothing could be done about repairs as later in the afternoon, we left the dock and sailed up coast

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to the beach where unloading could take place. At tea time we disembarked and were provided with cigarettes, chocolate, biscuits, newspapers and a good meal.

I must say the yanks do you very well on the ships – the food was excellent – all tinned but really good stuff and plenty of it.

It was funny to see all the lads dashing off to the nearest pub as soon as we disembarked, only to find when they got inside that they had only French money in their pockets, having changed all English money previously.

We hung about the beach for 4 or 5 hours watching ships loading and unloading and landing craft disgorging long lines of wounded, until we embarked in another ship ourselves about midnight.

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We sailed again that night and arrived here at dusk the following night, coming ashore after dark. It was just coming light when we were passing through the first French village and very strange it all seemed in the half light.

When we arrived in our area it was raining heavily and it continued to do so all day which wasn’t so good whilst we were erecting tents, particularly as each tent had to be dug in 2 ft or so. However we worked hard and finally completed the putting up of camp by tea time.

The following day Maj Millikin [sic: Milliken] and 2 other offrs were killed when a shell hit their vehicle. It is very noisy around here with bombing and A.A. Once or twice the Germans

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have shelled our area with their 88 mm guns, but didn’t do much damage and there were only a few casualties.

We are situated in a farm. There aren’t many French civilians about but what few there are look remarkably well fed, and prosperous for an alleged starving country. Prices seem to be high though for they charge 5 francs (about 6d) for an egg, if you can get one.

Our own food isn’t so bad though. All canned stuff, of course, but quite good apart from the hard biscuits instead of bread. Your jaws tire before you’re full, eating these biscuits.

Today is a beautiful hot day and I’ve taken the opportunity of having a bath – 2 biscuit tins,

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full of water, a piece of canvas for a little screen, all the lot underneath our apple tree, is how I organised it.

Well, I’m afraid I’ve gone rambling on in this letter, longer than I intended. I should be glad tho’ to have a few lines from you to hear how baby is going on.

Thanks again for the birthday present. Hope you are all well.

Love to you all,

Frank.

Abbreviations:

Sgt = Sergeant

Csos Branch = CSO’s Branch = Chief Signals Officer’s Branch

HQ = Headquarters

B.W.E.F. = British Western European Force, later redesignated British Liberation Army (BLA)

Rsm = RSM = Regimental Sergeant Major

L.S.T. = Landin

g Ship, Tank

M. West = Mae West

A.A. = Anti-aircraft

Timeline:

Sergeant Frank Sandys’ Normandy Timeline (June 1944)

Pre-D-Day (May 1944 - June 6, 1944):

Activities: Frank was engaged in intense, “night and day” clerical duties until the invasion started.

Post-D-Day Preps (June 6, 1944 - approx. June 16, 1944): After D-Day, clerical work “started to slacken off”, but “loading & packing was then the order of the day”. This was a “lengthy business” involving waterproofing all loads and papers, which was eventually finished with “a few hours to spare”. This period covers roughly 10-12 days after D-Day.

First Embarkation & Incident (Estimated: June 17, 1944):

Early hours: Frank and his unit were “called forward for shipment” from their tents.

All day: They “hung around all that day, moving towards the embarkation point, with our lorries, at the rate of a ½ mile in an hour”.

Evening (about midnight or shortly afterwards): They “embarked on a Yankee L.S.T. and sailed in convoy”.

LST Incident & Return to England (Estimated: June 18, 1944):

~4 AM: Frank awoke to “terrific thuds against the ship’s side”. The “Bow doors…had broken open with the rough sea”, and the “hold was taking water”.

Dawn: They “dropped out of the convoy” with a Corvette standing by. Major Milliken confirmed they were “returning to England”.

Journey to Port: They sailed “very slowly” for “about 2 hours”, then the captain turned around and continued to port in reverse, stern first.

~2 PM: They “arrived in harbour”.

Time in England & Second Embarkation (Estimated: June 18 - 19, 1944):

Remainder of June 18th - Dinner time June 18th: They stayed on the LST in the harbour until “about dinner time the following day when we went into dock”.

June 18, 1944 (Later Afternoon): “Apparently nothing could be done about repairs as later in the afternoon, we left the dock and sailed up coast to the beach where unloading could take place”.

June 18, 1944 (Tea time): They “disembarked” from the damaged ship at the beach. They were provided with cigarettes, chocolate, biscuits, newspapers, and a good meal.

June 18, 1944 (4-5 hours): They “hung about the beach for 4 or 5 hours watching ships loading and unloading and landing craft disgorging long lines of wounded”.

June 19, 1944 (~Midnight - early hours of June 18th/19th crossing): They “embarked in another ship ourselves”. This embarkation took place around midnight on June 18th, leading to an early morning arrival in Normandy on the 19th.

Normandy Arrival & Camp Setup (June 19, 1944):

Early Morning (June 19th): After sailing “that night”, it was “just coming light when we were passing through the first French village and very strange it all seemed in the half light.”

Day (June 19th): They “arrived in our area” while it was “raining heavily” and they worked hard erecting tents, “digging in 2 ft or so”.

Tea time (June 19th): They “completed the putting up of camp”.

Major Milliken’s Death (June 20, 1944):

June 20, 1944 (Confirmed Fatalities): “The following day Maj Millikin [Milliken] and 2 other offrs were killed when a shell hit their vehicle”. Frank notes the area was “very noisy… with bombing and A.A.” and “the Germans have shelled our area with their 88 mm guns”. They were situated on a farm.

June 21 - 22, 1944 (Activities after Major Milliken’s Death):

Frank’s letter implies events continuing, but does not provide specific day-by-day actions for these two days. He mentions being on a farm and general conditions like prices for eggs and their food.

June 23, 1944:

Letter Written: Frank writes the letter home from Normandy, describing the "beautiful

hot day" and taking a bath.

I was reading this document (https://history.army.mil/html/books/104/104-20/CMH_Pub_104-20.pdf) which counted the Panzer 1 as a tankette. Do any of you think this is a better description for the vehicle than a light tank? It’s not much heavier than some Japanese tankettes and its armament and crew size is certainly similar.

This is the first time I’ve heard of classifying the vehicle as a tankette, which is why I find it noteworthy.

If I was going into Tank on Tank combat I’m taking the M4 Sherman. Better sights, better visibility, an actual turret basket, better ergonomics, better mechanical reliability, and with the 76mm variant a very capable anti armor gun. As well as far more reliable armor due to high production quality standards. The M4 armor is reliable face hardened. The T34 could be correctly hardened, too hard so that it’s brittle or too soft.

If I was trying to drive a tank to get into a fight, the M4 is the obvious choice due to the much better reliability.

If I had to pick a tank to work on. M4 again due to its easy to repair design.

If I wanted to drive a comfortable tank well that’s no contest it’s the M4. Also it’s an easier to drive tank due to the vastly superior production quality.

So the M4 is a vastly superior weapons platform the only reason they seem comparable is on paper armor thickness and gun. Off of paper they aren’t close. Like pretty much all Russian military equipment they seem intimidating but ultimately are trash. Like how the T 72 got smashed by the M2 bradely and infantry fighting vehicle not even a tank.

I’m sure many of you have heard of Infantry Attacks, a book by Erwin Rommel in the interwar era. It is about Rommel’s experiences in World War 1 as a mountain infantry commander mainly in Romania and Italy, but he also fought in France for the first year of the war, as part of a regular infantry unit. Throughout the book, especially in Romania and Italy, Rommel assumed higher and higher commands, ending in the command of the Rommel detachment of the Wurttemberg Mountain Battalion. This also doubles as a military textbook, with the English translator and the US army writing an introduction at the start of the book. I finished it and it is a great book.

One of the highlights is the Tolmien offensive in Italy, where the Rommel detachment of the Wurttemberg Mountain Battalion destroyed five Italian regiments and took 9000 prisoners in three days, the most successful of Rommel’s career.

I highly recommend it, but it’s quite a long and complicated book. It really shows you Rommel’s power as a commander. A sequel, Tank Attacks, was planned but never completed, due to Rommel’s suicide in 1944. It was meant to be based on Rommel’s experiences in North Africa. What was written can be found in the Rommel Papers. I just don’t recommend it because it was edited by Liddell Hart, a British general who edited the works to make it seem like Rommel was his “pupil”, and that Liddell Hart taught Rommel what he knew. It was also edited by one of Rommel’s staff in North Africa, and his wife and son.

If you have read this book, what are your thoughts on it? Thank you!

@CWO:

A question: if the Allies had concentrated their efforts and resources on conquering the southern part of Europe, and had not invaded France, isn’t it possible that the Russians would have driven westward through Germany in 1945 and would have kept going through France (which Germany would still be occupying in this scenario) until they got to the English Channel?  In other words, doesn’t a scenario in which the Anglo-Americans end up controlling the southern and eastern parts of Europe create a situation in which the Soviets end up controlling the northern and western parts of Europe, with France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark and possibly Norway being switched from Nazi occupation to Soviet occupation?

You’ve raised a very good question.

In the scenario I outlined, one possible Allied objective would have been to reach the Baltic before the Red Army arrived. Had this been achieved, all of Europe west of this Anglo-American line would presumably have been protected from the Red terror. Whether that was achievable goal is difficult to say.

@aequitas-et-veritas

I think you overestimate Germany’s ability to not get fooled.

Germany was fooled several times-just look at what the Soviets did:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj7mfyEm_3zAhVeJzQIHWXCB54QFnoECAUQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRussian_military_deception&usg=AOvVaw3hgbVBMWuU26iUG3iTRmQK

If you’re saying D-Day and the deception in Operation Bagration (and all the other times on the Eastern Front) was all due to betrayal, it should be well known.

In response to your questions, there are several clear answers:

Most German submarines were destroyed by now, and the rest would have been near Pas De Calais, where Germany expected the Allies to land.

And there were German naval units in Normandy-several torpedo boats, or E-boats, which sunk a Norwegian destroyer, the only German naval victory on D-Day. There were also these German naval assets at Normandy: 3 torpedo boats, 29 fast attack craft, and 72 minesweepers. If there truly was sabotage these would have disappeared as well, and the secret traitor would not have been uncovered anyway by the Nazis if we don’t even know his identity today.

The stripping of Luftwaffe and anti aircraft assets were probably done to reinforce the forces in the Defence Of The Reich campaign, after the Big Week which drove German aircraft numbers down to irreplaceable levels:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Week

As for the ordering of targeting devices from Normandy, it’s the same reason why Rommel left for his wife: Inaccurate German weather reports.

As for the two agents or spies your were talking about, one of them was a double agent (like Germany’s entire spy network in Britain), and simply bad luck and quarrelling at higher levels in the German command prevented them from using potentially important information from the other agent.

I cannot find evidence about the problems with the Panzer Lehr Division that you talked about, but I do believe you on this information.

The Allies were much stronger than thought-analysis shows that even if Germany was able to get the full plan from a dead body after the Exercise Tiger disaster (which involved an attack by Germans ships against troops preparing for D-Day), and Germany transferred all of the Fifth Panzer Army to the beaches, and Rommel stayed, the Allies could not have been repelled-shore bombardment and air power would have broken up panzer forces enough to prevent a collapse. The war would have simply lasted longer, or the Soviet would have conquered more of Germany.

Honestly, I find it quite interesting that you came up or mentioned this theory, as it makes for good discussion. I hope we have some great discussions about the German side of D-Day!

Finally, as for the original question, the Fifthteenth Army was eventually used at Normandy, where it was devastated as well as at the Falaise Pocket. The main problem with Operation Market Garden were the Allies not taking seriously Dutch resistance intelligence the fact that German panzer divisions were refitting right where the Allies were going to land. I think if the Fifthteenth Army was at Normandy on the first day, it might have been much harder for the Allies, as they would not have stablished as secured beachheads.