大象传媒

Thoughts On D-Day

鈥楲ord, my ship is so small and the sea is so big.鈥� A phrase that was often in my thoughts during a spell in the wild North Atlantic on board a small mine sweeper, the HMS Salamander.

5th & 6th June 1944

The Solent is crowded with ships but it is also quiet and awe inspiring. We know what is ahead as we leave the great company of ships and head off towards Arromanches on the Normandy coast in company with five other minesweepers. It is early evening as we steam across the Channel followed by our trawlers to shoot at any mines that are swept up 鈥� that is if we can see them. We are also using a device to explode acoustic mines ahead. This sounds like a pneumatic drill when we are sitting in our Mess Deck.

It is dark now and the sky is filled with heavy aircraft. We won鈥檛 have any sleep tonight. Our course is set and we must not stray from it as it is to ensure a safe passage for the thousands of ships that are to follow to the coast of Normandy.

A red glow in the sky and the noise of bombing tells us that Normandy is in sight. Have I fastened my life jacket properly?

We are now much nearer the coast and the heavy ships behind us have started their bombardment. I hope their shells will go over us! We are too near the coast now and the heavy shore guns are returning the fire. Will their shells go over us too?

A searchlight comes on and its beam starts to move towards us. It goes out. Perhaps it needs another shilling in the electric meter! It is very noisy, and the air is filled with smoke. 鈥楲ord, my ship is so small and the sea is so big.鈥� Surely this is near enough. The order comes: 鈥業n sweeps, switch off the acoustic gear.鈥� The ship is nearly stopped now as the sweeps are hauled in. Let鈥檚 get moving again quickly. Job done, we turn away from the coast and drop anchor to form part of the defence ring for the harbour that is to be built.

At first light I count up, our group is still complete. The sea is now in turmoil as the ships of every size move towards the beach. I feel sorry for the soldiers many of whom must have been seasick, and now to go into the smoking chaos ashore.

7th June 1944

We are to resume sweeping the Channel again but only halfway to Pompey and then return to the beach again by the evening to resume the defence ring around the harbour through the night. Why can鈥檛 we sweep the debris from the harbour? It is a sad sight with so much timber, army equipment and floating bodies. The daily becomes a boring job, the night watch is more exciting.

Sunday 27th August 1944

There are only four sweepers in our group now; one has returned to the UK with engine trouble and on has been damaged by a mine. We have spent a week clearing a minefield off Le Havre to enable the battleships to go in and shell the city. Today we finish the job. It is a flat calm and a hot sunny day.
1.15pm: Sunday dinner for the crew: two thick pork chops, roast potatoes, followed by Bartlett pears and near solid custard. The off-duty watch are on the upper deck, sun bathing; my duty is in the wheel house. Aircraft come into sight, identified as RAF. The Tannoy crackles: 鈥渇riendly aircraft, carry on sun bathing.鈥�

The next fifteen minutes cannot be described. In spite of recognition signals we are mistaken for German shipping escaping from Le Havre and an attack takes place by sixteen rocket firing Typhoons. Two sweepers are sunk and the Salamander hit astern and on fire. The fire is under control and we are eventually towed back to England to a scrap yard. On our group of mine sweepers there were 78 killed and 149 wounded.

It was a sad end to a very happy ship, where in a confined space we lived, laughed and worked together. Witnessing burials at sea we also cried together.

Len East

P.S. The disaster took place through a mix up of signals at HQ.

P.P.S. Salamander 鈥� a reptile that lives through fire and water (Just).

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