T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard, Cornwall
HISTORY · Cornwall · England · United Kingdom
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Tolverne is a small landing stage where members of the 29th Infantry left England to attack Omaha Beach. Tolverne is situated north of the King Harry Ferry crossing on the river Fal and north of Falmouth, Cornwall.
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
A map (February 1944) of southern Cornwall showing the 'O' camps and 'N' camps where US troops were concentrated ready to board their LST's for Normandy.
Then the Hard's, T13/T14 & T15 where they and their vehicles would board LST's.
WO 199/2414 February 1944
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
This map a bit later April 1944 showing the one way routes to the two hards on the River Fal.
RCRP - Road Convoy Regulation Point.
TP - Traffic Post.
WO 199/2414 April 1944
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
The River Fal looking inland.
A very deep river, quite large ships are often tied up here when not in use.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
The road in.
On the left is down to Old Harry Ferry, to the right the way to T13 Tolverne.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Chocolate blocks. S.W. Flexible Concrete Mats. Mark IIB.
This is a farm wall built up with
Chocolate blocks that were used at the hard as a roadway. They were made like a mat and then hooked together and pinned down. If any came loose or broke up, a new section could be just placed in the gap.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
S.W. Flexible Concrete Mats. Mark IIB.
Sketch No. In5/CO266 D-Day Museum Archive
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
The road was a small local almost track and then the Americans widened it all the way to the Hard.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Details.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Vehicles would have been stored in fields at the top of the hill and arranged in boat loads. When the corresponding boat arrived then they would be let down to the Hard.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Vehicle control Nissen hut sentry post.
A Nissen hut set here was the control for all vehicles loading.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Details.
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T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
The view down stream.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
A bit of artistic license. How it may have looked.
There would have been a wooden jetty to walk out between two LST's loading as in the picture
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T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Looking back at the new gates, also note the yellow circle, set into the concrete surface are hooks to attach the brick landing block that was laid over the beach.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Very quite & peaceful today.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
The Hard looking towards Falmouth & the Sea.
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T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Now a very nice cafe. Note also the large pieces of concrete making up the landing stage. Somewhere by the cottage was a 3inch AA gun.
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T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
Memorial.
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T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
The Hard.
The LST's were not used on the assault landing, they came onto the beach a bit later. I am not sure when on Omaha Beach that would have been but it could have been late on D-day itself. After D-day the were shuttling back and forward with troops landing and prisoners & casualty evacuation coming back.
18 September, 2008
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
The battle for Fox Green.
from Dwight Shepler
T-13 Tolverne D-day Embarkation Hard
18 September, 2008