The John Bannister Collection - D-Day and Militaria
Lot 1038:
Description
This archive is a somber and historically significant collection of primary source documents detailing the U.S. Navy’s Landing Craft Flak (LCF) operations leading up to the invasion of Normandy. The centerpiece is a “Secret” sailing order handwritten in blue ink, dated March 6, 1944, which outlines the early tactical movements of the group three months before the assault. The collection is further bolstered by navigational coordinates for the Dartmouth to Falmouth passage and comprehensive crew rosters for LCFs 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 18, 22, 27, and 31. The roster for LCF 31 is of profound historical significance, as this vessel struck a mine off Utah Beach on the morning of June 6, 1944, and sank within minutes. Of the 72 men listed on the included roster, only 18 survived. The documents name the officers—Lieut. S. Finkelstein and Ensigns Taylor, Cliffel, and Molter—all of whom were lost in the sinking, alongside crewmen like Robert Bonnesen and Donald Tennity (whose recovery was later reported by the Group Commander). Conversely, the roster lists survivors such as MoMM2c Leonard “Lucky Larry” Lampton and Bernard Venesky. While LCF 31 was a total loss, other craft mentioned in the sailing orders (such as LCF 18, 22, and 27) participated in the assembly near the Carentan Estuary and “Uncle Red Beach”. While many suffered damage from shore fire or mines, LCF 31 is the most notable loss within this specific group. Because the survival rate for this specific craft was so low (25%), the roster of LCF-31 in this collection is an incredibly rare and historically significant document. It serves as a primary source for identifying the nearly 54 men who were lost on this vessel alone. These papers, provide the granular data (7-knot speed requirements, radio frequencies, and towing instructions for the Carentan Estuary) that defined the naval logistics of Operation Overlord. Lieutenant Cameron, a Royal Navy officer detailed to this American unit, was highly commended for his “coolness and leadership” during the crossing and subsequent assembly near the Carentan Estuary, later receiving the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for his actions during the invasion. The physical condition is fair; all sheets exhibit heavy rust staining and oxidation damage at the top margins where original metal clips have degraded the paper over the decades, though the typewritten and handwritten operational details remain entirely legible. The rust stains on these papers—likely from the very clips used to hold the “Secret” orders and rosters together in 1944—add a profound physical layer to the history they contain. H 13″, W 8″ Total pages in group: 29. Part of the John Bannister Collection. John acquired over a lifetime of collecting. Please see photos.
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