Internationale Orden & Militaria - A82

| 151 5215 landing presented Dalton and his men not only with a lengthy and dan­ gerous hike to their designated sector on JUNO, but also with a hike from east to west directly through the expanse of the SWORD and JUNO com- bat zones. In his own words: ” …. we were going to have quite a trouble- some time getting to where we were supposed to be, through mortar and machine gun fire, crossing through streams of troops and tanks (which were) storming over the beach and up to the enemy’s first line of defence”. It is important to note that the German defence had adjusted their machine guns not to fire directly towards the tide-line, but instead to fire along the beach in order to enfilade the allied landing. Dalton and his men were therefore at times receiving enemy fire both to their front and rear in the course of their journey. In addition to moving with their weapons and equipment east to west through this hail of enemy firepower, Dalton effectively had to cross the ‘line of traffic’ of the assaulting troops moving generally north to south from the tide-line to inland. Dalton’s journey to the ‘P’ Commando beachhead HQwest of Courseulles would probably have taken several hours under these gruelling conditions. FromDalton’s account to his friendHarbisher (to whomhe subsequently gave the present flag), it is assumed that he was carrying the flag with him throughout this time. Back from the dead, having eventually made con- tact with his beach commander, Lt. Commander Lowndes R.N., Dalton was assigned to his proper beachhead duties. The entire 3rd Canadian Division, including its 9th Brigade artillery and armour, was ashore by 14.00 hrs on 6th June. Fighting on sections of the beach continued until late morning and then at its inland edges well into the afternoon. The ‘P’ Commando continued its subsequent organisational beachhead opera- tions at least until 22nd June. Having carried the present flag across the beaches, it is most probable that Dalton’s union flag was then flown at the mast of ‘P’ Commando’s beach- head H.Q. on JUNO, presumably identifying the location of the H.Q. within the Canadian landing zone. This flag carried by Dalton on 6th June was subsequently brought back by himas a fitting souvenir of his experiences on the Normandy beaches. Extracted in parts from recent private research by Dr Andrew Cormack, FSA, FRHistS, formerly a member of the curatorial staff at The Imperial WarMuseumand at The Royal Air ForceMuseum, currently editor of the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. P rovenance : Sub-Lieutenant AlanDalton, R.N. ‘P’ Commando (subse- quently Sir Alan Dalton, CBE, DL, 1923 – 2006). Gifted by Dalton, circa 1990, to Brian Harbisher of Mylor in Cornwall. Sold by him at Charles Miller Ltd., London, 7th November 2017, lot 89, to the present owner. 267684 II - III € 9.500