84 Field Company Royal Engineers D-Day-3: new film footage

Hi Everybody - New member, first posting .. here goes ~

I have been watching an excellent BBC docudrama called "D-Day: 6.6.44" and was pleased to note a section of original footage filmed 3/6/44 of British troops embarking prior to D-DAy. There is a over laid voice of Colin Wills (BBC) describing the scene in real newsreel style as a port "somewhere in the south of England" (about 47th minute in).

Prominent in this short footage are Beach Party troops with white bands on their helmets on the crowded dock and filing up the gangplank. Also identfiable are Marine Commandos going aboard (including the Padre). This caught my attention as this suggests these troops were bound for Sword and therefore the beach party troops might possibly be the 84 Fd Coy RE. I have a particular interest in this unit as my wife's great uncle was in it on D-Day and lost his life on Sword Beach on 10 Jun 44 (Spr Sidney Thomas Stevens).

On closer examination of he footage one particular soldier on the gang-plank looked very familiar and I believed him to be Sapper Jimmy Leask - more famous in the photograph of the 84 Fd Coy landing on Sword and imortalised in the D-Day tapestry. I took screen shots (as I haven't a clue how to capture video!) and managed to track down Jimmys daughter in Saskatoon Canada. She had never seen these photos before but confirmed that the man was her father.

So ..... there is film footage confirmed to be of the 84 Fd Coy prior to D-Day that was previously unknown. Sadly I was unable to identify our relative among them but others might be luckier. Isn't it such a shame that most of these guys have gone. If there are any old soldiers of the 84 Fd Coy out there I would be glad to hear from them

 

Sorry Guys ... a very inauspicious start , I think I put this thread in the wrong place ... what should I do?

 

Consider it done and welcome to the forum.