30 Assault Unit - Normandy

[Bob Pearson]

Firstly, my apologies for writing this message in English. Unfortunately, my knowledge of French is insufficient. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Currently, I am researching for a book concerning Lieutenant Commander Patrick Dalzel-Job, a Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve officer. This officer worked mainly in Norway. However, from D-Day + 4 he was in Normandy gathering information, kit and intelligence for Naval Intelligence in the UK. 30 AU was a small commando run by Commander Ian Fleming - later to be famous for his books about 'James Bond'.

Dalzel-Job was with the US 39th Infantry when they captured Villa Meurice, Octeville in Cherbourg. He was also part of the team that searched the tunnel complexes under the villa that connected the two German forts. It was here that the Allies captured General von Schlieben and Admiral Hennecke.

Later, Dalzel-Job was in Caen, Carteret, Surville - quartered in a large house called Villa Belle Vue - Granville, Brehal, Etretat and Chateuneuf-du-Faou before moving on to Germany. At the war's end he returned to Norway to inspect the sunken Tirpitz.

I would very much like to talk to anyone who has similar interests of the places mentioned or about 30 AU. I am more than happy to share information where possible.

Best wishes and cordial to all.

Bob

[Manuferey]

Hello Bob,

In case you don't know them, here are two US WW2 footages showing members of the 30 A.U. at and around villa Maurice in Cherbourg on June 26,1944:

starting at 8:51 here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdeYqZKUHDY

starting at 5:14 here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7byINr5Q87s

Would Dalzel-Job be visible on any of these footages?

Emmanuel

[MLQ]

Bonjour

A Caen
http://sgmcaen.free.fr/temoignage-dalzel-job.htm
et Charles Wheeler sur le VP Boat 12
http://sgmcaen.free.fr/navire-allemand-canal.htm

[Bob Pearson]

Dear Emmanuel and Michel,

Many thanks for your replies, it is much appreciated. I have viewed both youtube links with great interest. One of the clips shows an M10 tank destroyer about to enter the grounds of Villa Maurice on the Octeville Heights. This property was taken by 30 AU and the 39th Infantry of the 9th Division. I can see no images of PDJ, but I am fairly certain that he took an image of the M10 as it passed him, which is almost the same shot you see in the clip. Some of those houses are still standing and can be seen via google maps.

The 30 AU officer is Captain Hargreaves-Heap. Unfortunately, I don't recognise the 30 AU soldier with him.

PDJ always had two marines with him - Marine Fraser and Marine Wright. For some reason I have yet to work out, PDJ had something of a free ranging role and does not appeared to have been attached to one force. He came ashore with Woolforce, but shortly afterwards he appears to have been following different orders from other groups.

Michel - an amazing website and thanks for the link. I need to spend time looking at this. I am particularly interested in the resistance in and around Caen as PDJ was receiving information from them. Secondly, a Sgt Bramah - a Glider Pilot - worked closely with the resistance in Caen, but when PDJ arrived, Bramah made himself known to him and then worked with him for a period.

Thanks again, Emmanuel and Michel. My mail address is [email protected]