Can Anyone Name This D-Day Combatant?

John, thank you very much for that input. It is appreciated.

I notice the original image has fallen foul of Photobucket’s policy change. I must root around and replace it.

Moggy

Billy Tibbs’s sister is adamant that it is he. As mentioned earlier, he was Pte 5784588 Arthur William Tibbs, known as Billy, of 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regiment.
I have spoken by phone with Billy’s (now adult) nephew, James Gower from Haddenham, Cambs. Apparently his mum has always wanted the wider public to know that this is her brother. As for his calm appearance while approaching the beach, she says that it was typical of him, always quiet, unafraid and interested in what was going on.
The Norfolk’s regimental history confirms that Billy’s battalion did indeed land on Queen Red Beach, the left flank of Sword Beach, at 07:25 on D-Day. One has to wonder whether there is an error in the caption to the photograph – it may not be a Commando unit but the Norfolks.

hope his brother was telling me the true story and gave me old video of film clip and said that was my dad Peter McCann and he was with him all the way to Berlin and his brother was James McCann.

thanks for youre feedback only spoke to his brother James just before he died too and i think he just wanted me to know the story of thier battle to Berlin.

Peter McCann but did not give any interviews.

red beach was already clear before my dad landed reinforsments moving in land.

defo he was 21yrs old in pic

thanks that would be great only talked to his brother just before he died to and i think he was just wanting me to know more about my dad in war time to understand him more

will try to find somone in my family to have a dig around their lofts for pics

I heard from his brother, James Mccann both were making their way to Berlin. My dad, Peter McCann was always joking about how he got fed up walking, so he got up early one morning and took the bands lorry they were using and drove it to next camp. He was then arrested all over again. Both my dad and James were well known as brothers to everyone within their division. My dad was arrested three times for small incidence( 21 at the time) before they got to Berlin but always met up with James in the end. Thanks to all for their feedback sofar. look forward to hearing if anyone else has any information to pass on.

no my dad never talked to anyone only family no media

The IWM still from the film gives the name of the camera holding soldier, I have never seen a feature article of the work of that Army film unit and think it would be a good article. It must have taken a lot of prescence of mind to keep filming when the bullets were flying.

Although originally posted at the 70th anniversary of D-Day this is an image which has real resonance.

I believe there was a feature or article relating to this image in ‘Britain at War’ a while back which also looked at the story of the man in the photograph. I will try to dig it out.

If I can track it down (and if I have not imagined it!) then I will get a copy to you martin63.

Thank you for posting that image in the first place, Moggy. Things like this, and a connection to the family involved, sometimes really make this Forum more than worthwhile. This is one of those occasions, and this particular Key Publishing magazine is grateful for the post!

My contribution to the conjecture is to mention that most, if not all of the Commando soldiers who landed on and around D-Day would have worn their green berets not, helmets. The purpose of this was to let the opposition know what kind of troops were opposing them.

I’ve always thought that that famous image was of an Army Commando but, the beret/helmet thing induced some uncertainty.

Martin.

So we have a claim for Pvt Arthur William (‘Billy’) Tibbs, and your claim also.

Do you have any post-war images of your father?

Moggy

Similar WW1 query seems to have been resolved

http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Revealed-soldier-iconic-Great-War-image/story-19406469-detail/story.html

Interesting to know that this particular newsreel clip was indeed genuine. So much of the newsreel footage from WWI
was filmed well behind the lines, and even back in England.

Wow !! Great for the ID Martin. And thanks for putting this up too M. Jeepers, If that was me on that boat, not only would I be staring into space I’d be C********** myself very badly too. I’d be sick and wanting to turn around. These great men rarely spoke of WWW2 indeed, my father was an LAC Engine Mech in Battle of France,he only mentioned once about Sgt Aircrew friends who were all killed in action and the Tiger Moth that delivered their mail every so often. We were watching “War in The Air” back in 1950’s and he saw movie film of it coming in to land which made him jump up and swear, then say “That’s our Tiger Moth delivering mail ” and because that was only time he ever talked about it all, I never forgot that. He somehow got through Dunkirk and onto a warship that got him back to Blighty and I only found out about that after he died in 1981. Martin, glad to see your dad made it back too.—— Salute !!!
Bill T.

PETER MCCANN MY DAD

THIS IS MY DAD PETER MCCANN HAVE PICS FROM HIS LATE BROTHER JAMES MCCANN WHO WERE IN BERLIN TOGETHER AND THIS WAS D/DAY RED BEACH PART OF 4 COMMANDO 1ST SPECIAL BRIGADE.DIED 5TH APRIL 1985 WAS FROM COATBRIDGE SCOTLAND DID NOT SAY MUCH ABOUT WAR

Yes, it is “Billy” Tibbs. I placed a poppy on his grave at St Charles de Percy cemetery a couple of weeks ago. His family have left a newspaper cut-out about him in the cemetery list of the interred. God bless you young man.