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This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Janet Hockin on behalf of Winifred Hopkins and has been added to the site with her permission. She fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

Winifred Hopkins was a Wren Officer who was posted to Thirlestone. This was formerly a holidy resort with a long wide beach, 10 miles from Plymouth. During the war, and particularly in the run up to D-Day, the beach and adjacent wild acres of Dartmoor were used for training hundreds of men. It was called the Officer Cadet Commando Training Unit.

Winifred was sent there one year before D-Day; it was ideal for every kind of military manoevre. Dartmoor had wide open spaces for tank driving, also many creeks and gullies ideal for commando assault courses.

In the seven days prior to D-Day, Winifred and her colleagues had to stay in their offices the whole time, and they were not allowed out. Lines of ships were bringing a continuous procession of men and equipment. Eventually, they were all amassed on shore, and the beach was blocked off and mined.

Officers were given sealed envelopes which could only be opened when the order was given. All was ready, but a terrible storm blew up and no one could put out to sea. The suspense and tension were palpable. Eventually the signal was received and at last this vast armada set off; the sea was black with ships, boats, men and landing craft, making their way towards Dover. An eerie silence descended as Winifred and her colleagues waited for news. Soon it did. Lists of dead and wounded men slowly came through, often young men known to Winifred.

Famlies of these dead soldiers and sailors were informed by Telegram from the War Office.

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