大象传媒

Victory in Europe 1944
On the day prior to D Day I was transferred to the 37th. LCT Flotilla on mission unknown. I was almost nineteen years of age and had travelled down from HMS Westcliffe,( requisitioned Hotels at Westcliffe on Sea) to report to HMS Shrapnell, the old South Western Hotel,Southamton where I was to report to C O of the 37th. LCT flotilla as Flotilla Signalman.
The train journey from Waterloo was to say the least quite exciting and to present day eyes unbelievable, all you could see from the windows of the train for almost the complete journey were military troops with their equipment, tanks, lorries and guns parked on every possible space, ready for something, as yet unannounced, to happen.
On alighting from the train at Southampton Docks station the atmosphere was electric, the hustle and bustle and tension could almost be tasted. Security and Military police were everywhere.
I was told at the Flotilla Office that I was to embark on LCT 941, which was tied up on Town Quay and that once I had passed through the Harbour gates I would not be allowed out again.
I found LCT 941 fully loaded with lorries and equipment of the Canadian Army along with the rest of the Flotilla and hundreds of other craft of all descriptions moored at
鈥� Trots鈥�, buoys, around the harbour. We were also carrying a Barrage Balloon, which was, I suppose, to have a dual purpose of protecting us from air attack and also to protect the Beaches on which we were to land.
At this time we had no idea of where we were going but that late afternoon we started to move down the Solent with the rest of our Flotilla, painted with a bright red identification strip, and other craft, this operation was quite exciting and memorable.
All the ships and other shore establishments gave us a grand send off with hooters sounding and cranes in dipping in salute. It really was quite moving and this carried on until we were out of the Solent.
The Flotillas assembled at Spit Head to receive our instructions. Where our Commanding Officer who told us we were heading for the Normandy Beaches as part of Operation Neptune, which was to be the prelude to Operation Overlord, in P Squadron J force and each of us handed a message from General Eisenhower wishing us well. We were also issued with special edition French money to use once ashore, although we in the Royal Navy couldn鈥檛 understand why, as we were expecting to come straight back to Blighty after the successful landings
Shortly afterwards we set sail and what a sight it was, the sea was like a Motorway on a Bank Holiday, we proceeded in columns of two with MTB,s and ML,s racing up and down the outsides for further protection. There were of course also,
Ships of all descriptions Merchant and Royal going about their business.
The night passed almost uneventful we heard the occasional bang and lights flashing, but what a sight in the early morning at the assembly point. We were allocated to Juno Beach, which was the Canadian Beach sector in the centre of the whole operation. The whole area was a mass of shipping and I was told to locate the Signal Ship, HMS Hilary to inform it of the arrival of the 37th.LCT Flotilla and request instructions. This was not an easy task bearing in mind the vast amount of shipping in the area but by finding the direction of other Aldis signal lamp beams from other ships, was able to do so and was told the precise time and place to beach and land the men and equipment which was close to the village of Courselles sur Mer.
By this time the infantry who had been landed by LCA carriers were just over the sand dunes had secured the Beachhead. We were guided in by Aldis signals from a Naval Beach Signal station, under an overhead barrage of shells etc. particularly from HMS Warspite which continues to fire its 15 inch shells into the German positions, also being very careful to avoid underwater obstacles and mines laid by the enemy and disabled landing craft from the initial landings.
We withdrew from the Beach I think it was about 0800 hours and regrouped ready for the return journey. We listened to the 大象传媒 on the radio telling us about landings and we also Spliced the Mainbrace.This was a full tot of Navy rum, actually I was underage for this entitlement but no one bothered to ask, so I didn鈥檛 inform the boson. It was very strong for my tender years and I had to be very careful with my signals for the next couple of hours as we sailed back to the UK for the next cargo of troops and equipment to be taken over the Channel.
This ferry service was continuous over the next six months or so, in all sorts of weather, and bearing in mind that we were Flat Bottomed craft that did more than just rock and roll in anything other than a calm sea it was not always a very pleasant experience, picking up all sorts of cargo with wheels or tracks from various Embarking points, mainly I recall at Calshott.We went to many disembarking points in France from Le Havre to Cherbourg, as the ground forces advanced, including the famous Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches using the floating Spud Pier which had been laid down within the concrete caissons floated across the Channel to form the artificial Harbour.

nb LCTis Landing craft TANK
LCA " " Assault

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