716 Company, RASC, 6 June 1944

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Often used as an image to illustrate accounts of the 1st (Airborne) Battalion The Royal Ulster Rifles, the image (right) is correctly attributed as 716 (Airborne) Light Composite Company (RASC) Company. The scene was captured by the photographer Sgt Christie of No 5 Army Film and Photo Section of the Army Film and Photographic Unit. The Imperial War Museum has amended its description to read:

'Glider pilots in a trailer being pulled by a jeep. In the jeep itself are L-R, Driver Hiram Clough, Lance Corporal Joe Wilkenson and Driver Kenneth Brierley (seated at the back) of 716 Company RASC, 6th Airborne Division. 6th of June 1944.'

The three occupants of the Jeep, as described by Kenneth Brierley, aged 94 in 2016, confirmed that these are RASC soldiers Driver Hiram Clough, Lance Corporal Joe Wilkenson (driving) and that he is seated behind them. Amongst those sitting on the tail of the Jeep and in the trailer are glider pilots who would soon be making their way back to the Normandy beaches in order to board vessels that would return them to the UK.

The 716 (Airborne) Light Composite Company, Royal Army Service Corps was a support unit for 6th Airborne Division. Its personnel were inserted by parachute, glider and across the Normandy beaches to gather and distribute supplies in support of the 6th Airborne Division’s fighting troops. Because aircraft and gliders were severely limited, only a few were available to land elements of the Company, including part of its C (Transport) Platoon, with the latter lending jeeps and drivers to a number of units, until the major part of the Company travelling overland married up with them by D+6.

A study of helmets, one with goggles, chevrons and the cap badge on the beret worn by the soldier in the trailer, as well as the rucksacks, support the description. The image (B5205) is in the collection of the Imperial War Museum. The accuracy of '6th June' might be questioned as the first landings were at 2100 hours and notwithstanding brighter summer evenings, it may be that the original photograph was taken on at least the following day.