大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Wendy Wood of Hastings Community Learning Centre, a volunteer from 大象传媒 Southern Counties Radio on behalf of Harold Packham and has been added to the site with his/her permission. Harold Packham fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.
was 28 years old and a craftsman (cfm) in REME. We were held up for two days due to bad weather just off the Isle of Wight. We traveled in darkness and I was very seasick but when dawn came it was lovely weather and we saw the French coast. Our warships were bombing the French coast and the Germans were shelling us and many craft were sunk, we should have gone at zero 45 but because so many craft had been lost we went in at the first assault. We landed in six foot of water at Lyon sur mer on the extreme left flank next to the river Orne. Our job was to get the vehicles and equipment ashore. It was very difficult for the soldiers who were carrying heavy equipment and dropped in deep water and many of them drowned. We tried to save some of them but over the loudhailer we heard 鈥済uns and equipment first鈥� so we concentrated on getting the equipment ashore. For days we landed vehicles and equipment and our mechanics cleaned them and readied them for fighting. We felt constantly in fear of our lives but we were so busy we just got on with it.
Field Marshal Rommel had said this would be Tommy鈥檚 longest day but in fact to me it was one of the shortest we were so busy the time just flew.

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