The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2015 3:47 pm Post subject: H.M. F.D.T. 216

A topical item from my "well I never knew that" list:

On 5 June 1944 three large converted Landing Ship, Tanks (LST) were in position off the beaches of Normandy. They had been built in the US and delivered to the John Brown Shipyard at Clydebank where they were converted to Fighter Direction Tenders (FDT) numbers 13, 216 and 217.
RAF personnel were trained at Gailes Camp in Ayrshire and helped with the installation of the Wireless Communication and Radar equipment.
Their role was to identify enemy aircraft concentrations and to task Allied fighters to intercept, to defend the invasion fleet and to provide ground support.
For much more detail see the excellent http://www.combinedops.com/FDTs.htm site.

On 7 July 1944 FDT 216 was hit by a torpedo from a Junkers 88 and sank. Five RAF men were killed including Corporal George Logan from Dumfries and Aircraftman John Hamilton Ferguson from Dunaskin, Ayrshire.
Both are remembered on their local War Memorials and on the Runnymede Memorial.
_________________
Ken

Adam Brown · Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 9:33 am Post subject:

Great post Ken. The D-Day "funnies" tanks get a lot of publicity and so does Mulberry harbour but there was obvioulsy a lot of specialist equipment involving the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force too for D-Day.

The mention of Dundonald on the website you linked to reminded me of a caravan park in Symington which I stayed in years ago. It is called Dankeith Park and it was used by the military in the war.

http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/details/900684

Seemingly a pre D-Day conference with Ike was held there. Secret Scotland record that it was part of the combined operations base RAF Dundonald.

http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/RAFDundonald

Thanks

Adam