大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Sarah Harding of Kirklees Libraries on behalf of Mr. Smithson and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Part 7

D-DAY THE SIXTH OF JUNE 1944.
In the morning we loaded our glider with three Airborne Gunners, along with their Jeep and Trailer filled with stores and ammunition. We were now ready for take-off. Late in the afternoon all went well and we lifted off easily and flew in a large square touching the edge of Birmingham before heading towards the south coast. This was to allow all the gliders to get airborne. At a height of a 1,000 feet we crossed the coast near Bognor Regis and headed towards the Normandy coast. Here we changed from high tow to low tow position. This meant that we were now flying lower than the Stirling. It also meant that flying became much more difficult. This was because we were following so many aircraft, the air streams, from the other planes, plus part of our own threw us all over the sky almost like a paper aeroplane on the end of a string. It also meant that we were flying the Horsa together and not taking turns and thus became more tired. However we soon saw the coast of France and the great number of landing craft and small boats going back and forth to the beaches from the larger ships off shore. No noise from below as our own sizzle through the air was too loud even though we had no engines. The slip stream noise at 160 mph airspeed is loud. We had now to keep our eyes open as to where we were, relative to the ground. There was little time before we needed to cast off We were over the coast and could see the River Orne beneath us. A right turn by the tug, a loss of height and there below us our landing zone with some gliders already on the ground. We cast off, put the nose down and with full flap were soon heading steeply for the ground. Poles and wires could now be seen. Spinner picked a path between the poles. A slight shudder as our wheels took the wire and we were down, brakes on and we bumped to a stop. The glider was a little lop-sided as one wheel was in a hole but no damage. The main wheels could have been dropped over the channel but our decision to leave them on was right as they clearly took the wire first and slowed us down quickly.

I told the gunners to get out and start unloading. They were not to tell twice. We soon had the tail off and the runners in place. We all helped to push the jeep and trailer down the runners and then connect them together, load them with the gunner's personal kit and they were ready to join their unit. The lance corporal thanked us for a good trip and a save landing. Then with best wishes they were away. I thought at the time, that it had not been a good trip for us as, over the channel, it had been very rough. The fact of being safely down on the ground again probably influenced their views.

We looked around and shouted to other pilots nearby. We then re-entered the glider and took out our own kit, had a look at the map, not really necessary as Pilots from other gliders were making their way to a small orchard alongside some farm buildings. Here we started to dig slit trenches for ourselves. It was easy going in the French soil. We could hear a few sounds of fighting in the far distance but nothing near us. Many of our own fighters were flying around overhead, far different from Dunkirk when it was the other way about. Then they were mainly German.

Three Junkers 88 s did flyover us at about 2000 feet and watching them I got ready to take cover at any sign of bombs dropping. Not a chance, within seconds they were attacked by our fighters and made off to their own lines. We carried on digging and soon Spinner and myself were sitting in our slit trench looking at each other. This was the first trench Spinner had dug. We spent the night there. At first light Lt. Corrie came in a duck [a personnel carrier for both land and water] and ordered 7 of us to go with him to operate as guides for the battalion which was to move to a new rendezvous. I was placed on a crossroads not far from the beach and stayed there for most of the day. More Ju 88 s came over and bombs were dropped this time. In one case, I threw myself on to the ground thinking they would drop near me. Not so, they finished in an orchard about 100 yards away. Lucky again. One of the German planes must have been shot down, because later when walking towards the beach, we passed a soldier marching two German flyers away, probably to a Prisoner of War compound.

Not really strange but on crossing a road before going on to the beach I passed some of my old mates of No 1 Section 246 Field Company Royal Engineers. They were testing for mines on the side of the road. I had a few words with them. Charlie Cox and Jack Devenny told me that they had had a rough time of it on the beaches. They also said that Sgt. Peter Gallagher had been blown up by a mine and killed whilst clearing mines earlier that day. He was too good a man to lose. Nearer the beach I had a word with Sapper Russell Gill also of 246 Field Company. He was by himself and waiting for the rest of No. 1 Section. We carried on to the beach and there got on a landing craft fully expecting to set off back to England. [Glider pilots were issued with special passes to enable us to get back to England as soon as possible so that we could bring more Airborne troops into action, when and where needed.] We spent the remainder of the day cruising in circles just off the beaches and really left about 16-00 hours. An exciting few days but much easier than the actions in Belgium and France in 1940, culminating at Dunkirk.

I remember little about the return across the channel. We docked at Newhaven about 08-30 hours on Thursday 8th June. I probably slept for most of the crossing as I had learnt how to sleep when ever possible and under any kind of conditions and for long or short periods. On getting ashore from the landing craft we were taken to a sorting centre and there had a bath and a meal. As far as I remember we had no casualties nor any minor injuries and were soon in a truck and heading for Fargo, our depot on Salisbury Plain. Almost there and on the edge of the Plain, we were stopped by a Military Policeman and then greeted by Lt. Col. George Chatterton, the Chief Glider Pilot, along with reporters and cameramen from the Daily Express. Much line shooting and photographs taken. One, showing T-D. [Sgt. Kenneth Travis - Davison, Later a Lord Mayor of Leeds.] Sadly he died about seven years ago .He was wearing a German coal scuttle helmet and standing in the back of the truck with the rest of us round him. My face could just be made out in the bottom left hand corner. This photograph became the centre front page of the Daily Express on Friday the 9th of June. I had a print of it but have since misplaced it. I only hope it is somewhere among the memorabilia.

More debriefing at Fargo. Most of us had a similar story and from our point of view, everything went according to plan. Like all battles there are many differing stories. Here we learnt of our flight's only casualty. This was the youngest member of 10 flight and he was hit and killed on the descent to the landing zone. His name was Sephton. I cannot remember his first name but the manner of his death was tragic. On this operation, we had such few casualties that to be killed and not even to land and take some part in what one has trained so long and hard for, makes warfare a strange and terrible activity. After the war I became friendly with Peter Denton a chemist at the ICI in Deighton. His wife had a brother in the G.P.R. He was on the "coup de main" party and landed during the night of the 5th.of June and was killed. Visiting the area after the war I took photographs of his grave in Ranville Cemetery and gave prints to Mrs. Denton. Wars are not the same for everyone.

After the debriefing we returned to Fairford and waited for further action.

THAT IS THE END OF OUR ACTION ON D-DAY

ARMY LIFE AFTER "D-DAY" JUNE 6TH 1944 TO BECOMING A PRISONER OF WAR ON MONDAY THE 18TH SEPTEMBER 1944

Back at Fairford. At first we were confined to the airfield. Exactly why we never knew! We had been de-briefed twice and there was nothing left for the authorities to find out and nothing we could tell anyone that they did not already know. We had only just settled in when I had a surprise. It was Sunday and we had to have a draw as to who would be flying on another "Op". We had to be prepared and ready. No details were given us, except that 6 pilots were required and that we should P - this was the first of a number of false alarms. At the time we could only read newspaper reports about the conduct of the war in France and having read many accounts since, I think what happened was a preparation for possibilities. In this case, an attack was taking place around Caen. The Canadians were encircling one flank and the Highland Division the other. We were being prepared to drop between them and thus surround the city. I was thankful that it did not come off I had no desire to become a plug to block a hole.

Activities were now mainly exercises and keep fit classes. Initiative schemes became popular and some of these were very enjoyable. They were of many kinds and as the name implies they depended on the skill of the Officers making them up and then on our own skill in carrying them out. We usually worked in pairs and were given clues, often like crossword clues, which when solved gave us orders to carry out. Anagrams and riddles were popular. Frank Basnett and I often went together. On one of the schemes we ended up in a wood near Cheltenham. We were in third position but the two pairs in front were standing on the bank of a pool, which seemed deep. The last clue was tied to a pole in the middle. I realised that no one had a clue what to do so I took off my outer clothes, dived in, got the clue and won the prize. I have forgotten what it was but probably cigarettes. I do not smoke!

On another occasion with "Spinner" instead of Frank and in another wood. We had to stay overnight. All the flight were in the same area. Everyone started to make shelters out of groundsheets and branches from the trees. Spinner became anxious as to why I was making no effort to start building. I told him not to worry and to watch me. Just before dusk, I layout my groundsheet and told Spinner where to lay his. We settled down and after the usual chat went to sleep. During the night, I heard and sensed there was some movement but did not awake properly. In the morning, on wakening up, everyone else was astir and moving around wearing their groundsheets. During the night it had rained very heavily and everyone had been soaked. Spinner who had slept all night, could not understand this and asked why we were not also wet. I told him to look up which he did. We had put our groundsheets on either side of, and close to the trunk of a very large pine tree. I pointed out the circular channel the water had made as it drained from the branches of the tree. The pine tree was as good as a tent. I had noticed this the previous night and knew we should be all right. Scouting has its uses.

In the middle of July no tugs being available for us to use we went to Watchet on the north coast of Somerset and were billeted in tents in a recreation ground on the top of the cliffs. There, for the first time, I saw a boy [12 or so] with a jackdaw for a pet. The bird would fly around and alight on the shoulder or head of anyone who called out "Jackie". I had never had a bird on my shoulder before. The bird never stayed long. As soon as the owner walked away and called the, bird followed. We finished our stay there with another initiate scheme. These were often designed to go near the home addresses of the Officers. I leave you to decide why! On this one, we had a clue for a suburb of Birmingham and there to get the autograph of a leading lady at one of the theatres. Frank's wife was a fan of Cicely Courtneidge. So it had to be hers. We had to wait until the interval to meet her and were then invited into her dressing room where we also met most of the cast along with her husband Jack Hulbert. One of the junior members must have made a mistake of some kind as she spent most of the interval apologising. I felt sorry for her.

From Birmingham we had to go to a map reference in the middle of Exmoor. After a number of lifts, which were easy to get by servicemen during the war we arrived at Minehead. There we got into conversation with a local person who knew the area well. She helped us to get to a bus stop from which we could walk to our reference point. At the same time told us that, within a half mile of our meeting place, there was a cottage where we could probably stay the night. This cottage turned to be Jan Ridd's from Lorna Doone. [True or false, I never knew.] Our time to meet at the rendezvous was very early 06-00hrs. I think. So we had a very pleasant night with a shave and a wash in the morning and an easy stroll to the rendezvous. The others on the scheme had been there all night and were looking rather bedraggled. There were some sarcastic remarks but most were envious. I think that they thought that we had not made the correct map reference when we had not arrived the night before.

At the end of July I had leave and afterwards returned to a grass airfield at Shrewton, a small village on the edge of Salisbury Plain and not far from Netheravon. I joined Spinner there and we had a marvellous time. We were given a Tiger Moth and for a week we flew where we wanted and only returned for meals. We were supposed to follow a set routine of exercises but Spinner was easy going and we took the opportunity to go sightseeing. Flying round Salisbury Cathedral at a height of about 600 feet was magnificent. The spire is superb.

Holidays do not last very long and we returned to Fairford and more mundane matters. One day in August we were free from flying and watched a scheme on the airfield by the American Airborne. We understood that there were to be 150 gliders [Wacos] and some paratroopers. We expected something really good but they only landed in three waves of 50 gliders each and, even then, cleared the landing zone after each wave. Not at all like our exercises at Netheravon.
Also during some part of August I was at Leicester East again. I am not sure why, possibly to ferry some gliders back to Fairford. From my diary I seem to have, spent most of the time swimming or on the Link trainer. [An artificial cockpit where the controls show movements on a screen]
Rumour that we have a "stunt" in view. We were re-kitted with a different kind of pack. This was a great improvement, being what we now call a rucksack, and was more comfortable, easier to wear and could hold much more than the traditional army pack. We had no "gen." about the proposed "op" but we did move by trucks to Aldermarston in the Thames Valley and about 10 miles from Reading. The airfield was under American control and therefore it must be that we are to fly behind American tugs. Our first briefing was given by the American Commandant. This was strange as we had been given no destination or knowledge of the operation. The C.O. gave a kind of apology for the Sicily operation when many of our gliders, towed by American pilots, were dropped three and four miles out to sea. The Tug Pilots pulled the release lever, which is utterly against regulations. The glider pilot is responsible for pulling off. He is the one to know whether he can reach the landing zone or not. Some of our pilots and their airborne soldiers were drowned. One of our pilots ["G" Flight] was on that operation. He stated categorically that he would not fly behind an American Pilot. I believed him as he was a very strong character and meant what he said. He had fought in Spain, during the civil war there, on the Government side. The "Op" was called off. I think it was lucky for him. During our short stay there I found some things very interesting. The American way of eating in the mess was strange to us. The food was very good but all the different items were piled on top of each other and when our men tried to keep them separate the cooks got very annoyed. I think they thought that we were letting them know that we thought them crude. It was just that we were not used to their method. I spent a lot of my free time watching a Polish woman test pilot, test flying "Spits" after repairs. It was fantastic to watch her take off, Once her wheels were off the ground she took the plane to 20 feet for the full length of the runway and then into a rocket climb out of sight. We were informed that the "Op" had been called off, probably because our ground forces had over run the landing zone. We returned to Fairford by truck.

Saturday the 2nd September our flight moved to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and not far from Oxford. We were billeted in tents close to the Sergeants Mess. There was no "gen" about any operation but on Sunday we loaded some gliders with a Polish Anti-tank battery. On Monday we unloaded them and were told that we were not on the "Op." whatever it might have been. Another anti-climax and nothing to do all day! Tuesday, Spinner and me spent the day watching planes and gliders take off and land whilst lounging on the ground near the end of the runway. Casually watching an Albermarle , with a Horsa in tow taking off, I gradually realised that something was going wrong as the plane had not lifted off when it should have done and the Horsa was airborne. As the plane passed us, we could hear the warning signal going. Almost immediately the undercarriage dropped and the plane carried on, on it's belly, across the perimeter track, over the grass edge of the airfield, through the boundary hedge and into the next field where it came to a stop, following a ground loop. The glider, still airborne, calmly did a left turn over the grounded plane and landed easily alongside, The crews of both plane and glider quickly disgorged from their respective kites and stood idly by, glad that they were OK. After that I did not look forward to flying behind an Albermarle.

However we do as we are told. The next day we were detailed, with others, to fly a spare glider to Manston in Kent. This was a special airfield used by any aircraft that might be in trouble when returning to England after a raid on the continent. The runway was very wide and we could almost have landed across it.

When flying behind a tug and we arrive at the landing zone the drill for pulling off, is, first, the tug Pilot informs us via the intercom in the tow rope or, if that is out of order, by an Aldis lamp pointing at us. We then pull of when we can make our landing safely. Our tug pilot must not have known the drill as he made a couple of circuits without signalling, so we pulled off without the necessary sign. Later, in the Mess, he told us he had forgotten. We could have been flying round Manston for hours. We had a good meal, a drink and a bed for the night. A pleasant trip back to Fairford to-morrow, but not so. Dragged out of bed and informed that we had to return to Fairford immediately. No sleep for us that night! We had stops in Croydon and Reading arriving back with "G" Squadron at 14-30hrs and were confined to billets straight away. Another "op" in view! This operation almost became a farce as it was on and off a number of times and we were confined and let loose frequently. I managed to get to Lechlade a few times and went rowing on the Thames. On one occasion, I rowed so far upstream that my oars almost touched the banks. Until then I had not known that the source of the Thames was near. It is, of course, higher up and close to Cricklade.

At last the "gen" seems genuine. We have started briefing and the landing zone is close to Arnhem on the Rhine. Three rivers are to be crossed and our landing zone is the most advanced. It will be quite a party.

The next two days were taken up by more briefing and preparations with no chance of outside visits. On Sunday the 17th September the first lift set off on "Market Garden" the name of the operation. Market for the Airborne side and Garden for the land operation.

Monday the 18th September. The only record I have of what follows is from the back of a photograph and was written after I had been taken RAF on the Island of Overflakke in the Scheldt estuary. For many years I thought the island was Schowan. How this came about I will write later. I did keep a slightly fuller diary when in a more permanent camp later.

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