A TIMELY REMINDER...
Amongst our frequent visits to south Devon was a week we spent in the coastal village of Torcross. It wasn`t the greatest holiday we`ve ever had; the cottage we stayed in was `iffy` and the neighbours were decidedly `unwelcoming,` despite which we were blessed with decent weather and a few decent coast path walks, memorably the hazardous bit between Start Point and Mattiscombe beach.
But Torcross was interesting. Along with many other villages in the South Hams area, Torcross was evacuated to make way for 15,000 allied troops who needed the area to practice for the D-Day landings. But in the early hours of 28 April 1944 a tragic accident occurred during a training exercise when nine German torpedo boats intercepted a three mile long convoy of vessels travelling from Portland to Slapton Sands to undertake the D-Day landing rehearsals. Two tank landing ships were sunk with the loss of 946 American servicemen but poor communications by the allied command led to badly times shelling on the beach, killing about 300 more men.
Over 1,000 lives were therefore lost over the course of that operation, most of them through American `friendly fire.` So it seems fitting that a Sherman amphibious tank along with several plaques stand at Torcross car park between Slapton Ley and the beach as memorials to those men who lost their lives in such tragic circumstances.
And it also seems fitting, on this 75th anniversary weekend of VE Day, to remember our week in Torcross as being clearly less memorable than the tragedies that took place all those years ago. Anyway, here`s a photo I took showing Torcross and that fateful beach as it is these days.......
But Torcross was interesting. Along with many other villages in the South Hams area, Torcross was evacuated to make way for 15,000 allied troops who needed the area to practice for the D-Day landings. But in the early hours of 28 April 1944 a tragic accident occurred during a training exercise when nine German torpedo boats intercepted a three mile long convoy of vessels travelling from Portland to Slapton Sands to undertake the D-Day landing rehearsals. Two tank landing ships were sunk with the loss of 946 American servicemen but poor communications by the allied command led to badly times shelling on the beach, killing about 300 more men.
Over 1,000 lives were therefore lost over the course of that operation, most of them through American `friendly fire.` So it seems fitting that a Sherman amphibious tank along with several plaques stand at Torcross car park between Slapton Ley and the beach as memorials to those men who lost their lives in such tragic circumstances.
And it also seems fitting, on this 75th anniversary weekend of VE Day, to remember our week in Torcross as being clearly less memorable than the tragedies that took place all those years ago. Anyway, here`s a photo I took showing Torcross and that fateful beach as it is these days.......
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