大象传媒

This was written by my Grandad, George Louden. I have typed his account exactly as he left it, as he is no longer with us. We hope it will be of interest.

By Squadron Leader George Louden, MBE, 鈥淢entioned in despatches鈥�. Navigator on Douglas Boston 111A aircraft 鈥淟鈥� of No. 88 Squadron flying from R.A.F. Hartford Bridge, Hampshire in the No. 2 aircraft to the leader Wing Commander Paddy Maher DFC our Squadron Commander (later killed in denmark in 1946), and supported by No. 342 French Lorraine Squadron to lay a covering smoke screen down at sea level for the Royal navy bombarding battleships and also for the troops landing on the beaches at first light.

On the evening of 5th June 1944 the bar was closed in all the Messes at 1800 hours and we were all ordered to have an early night. The 鈥渂attle order鈥� was pinned on the notice board which indicated that our crew were flying No. 2 to the Leader who was our Squadron Commander Wing Commander Paddy Maher DFC. There were 12 aircraft listed for 88 Squadron and also 12 aircraft for 342 Squadron.

For some reason I found myself alone in the Officer鈥檚 Mess so I went to find the other boys at the tented site we occupied. When I arrived there was a strange silence over the area and I thought I was missing something. I then went to the field Latrines at the rear of the site and found almost everyone there discussing the situation, those not 鈥渟itting鈥� were standing in front of those who were 鈥渟itting鈥�, eventually we got to bed for a while, but no sleep.

At 0100 hours on 6th June we had the usual big 鈥渇ry-up鈥� early breakfast in the Mess, then to the Briefing, and out to our aircraft 鈥� 鈥淟鈥� for Louden!!! At 0436 hours we were airborne and heading for the 鈥渂ig one鈥�. Our task was to lay smoke at sea level (for which our craft had been specially adapted with canisters in the bomb bays and funnels projecting out through holes in the bomb doors), to protect the Royal Navy ships and also the invasion troops as they forged ashore.

The code names of the beaches were 鈥淕old鈥�, 鈥淛uno鈥� and 鈥淪word鈥�, No. 342 Squadron were to cover the yank invasion at the far end of the beachhead landing area.

We flew from Hartford Bridge to Selsey Bill at about 500 feet and descended to wave top height as soon as we reached the Bill, then on course for the beachhead. I was to call up the battleship 鈥淩amilles鈥� on the radio transmitter whilst 鈥渆n route鈥� and inform them that we were ready and about to lay smoke. I am still awaiting their reply! However, as we flew below her decks at sea level the 鈥淩amilles鈥� acknowledgement was to give us everything she鈥檇 got by way of tracer gunfire, what-have-you this despite the fact we were painted like a humbug (this being the black and white stripes, painted overnight, under the wings and fusillade of the aircraft, the markings of the 2nd Tactical Air force).

Our next pin-point on the lead into the beach area were the battleships 鈥渨arspite鈥�, 鈥淩odney鈥�, and 鈥淩enown鈥�, they handled us more gently. However, one cannot blame those itchy trigger fingers on the 鈥淩amilles鈥� when one considers the sea to shore battle going on. We were in the middle of it and catching it from both Jerry and our own forces. We found out afterwards that Commanders were anticipating 75% losses from this smoke laying operation.
Our final pin-point before hitting the beaches was a Naval Monitor, this was merely a barge with one bloody great gun. My memory at this time, just for a laugh, is that as we flew below the deck height of the battleships I could hear their big guns going 鈥渨uff, wuff, wuff鈥� at the enemy, whilst the Naval Monitor was covered in black smoke and it was delivering a massive 鈥渃rump, crump, crump鈥� on some Jerry鈥檚.

We were going in to the beachhead at intervals to lay smoke and approaching the naval monitor I could see the smoke screen laid by our leading aircraft Wing Commander Paddy Maher, we hit the beach slightly to the North West of Bayeux turned to port and laid our smoke inshore slightly to that laid by Paddy. I鈥檓 glad we were on the deck although I suppose it didn鈥檛 make much difference as we were getting attention from our own and the German forces. Having pressed the tit and laid the smoke we turned to port coming home, and immediately were over the port entrance of Le Havre and we got a rough reception from German 鈥淓 Boats鈥� and their defence forces. Then we were home, a fag, a pint and another good meal. A wonderful hairy, scary and sad day Eh!!!

I shall never forget the sight of the English Channel that day, nor of those mates that 鈥淏ought It鈥� what was a proud success.

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