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PART TWO OF D-DAY LANDINGS

Needless to say it was a rough one and during the course of the next 60 hours it was every man for himself. However the bridge was held and the Army got through 2 to 3 days later. We were then told to make our own way back to Siracussa. As I came back through I was amazed at the number of dead we were leaving behind. I helped to bury several in shallow graves before pushing back to Siracussa. We rested here for a week having lost a third of our lads and been on the go, non stop, for four days.

General Montgomery apparently informed Lt Col Slater (Our CO) that a plaque was to be erected on (Primasole Bridge) commemorating the bridge to the troops who had held it (No. 3 Commando)

During the rest we made ourselves comfortable in an olive grove sleeping at night wherever we could. I found that with my back to a well and mosquito net over my head I slept, but the red ants had a birthday on my body. After a day or two I was covered with painful red spots. During one night the enemy bombed Siracussa and created much damage and many casualties. Several Naval ships were sunk and the next day we were sent to the harbour to recover as many bodies as possible. This took several hours but we did manage to put many lads ashore. On another occasion we were sent to sort out a glider which had crashed into the sea in shallow water and there we were able to dive down and recover four lads and temporarily bury them on shore. We did other landings up the coast which diminished our numbers somewhat but eventually some three months later we set sail for Africa; which turned out to be Bone, on the coast some five hundred miles down from Algiers.

Here we received a host of mail backdated for months. I had anticipated this and had arranged with Joyce to number her letteers as she wrote them. On this occasion I received 21 letters from Joyce and several from family and friends. Joyce always numbered her letters on the envelope so I would know where to start reading. Our courting was carried out by mail and we eventually got to know each other very well. It was after reading this latest batch of mail that I thought, "When I get home, I will ask Joyce to marry me".

At this time I, along with hundreds of others went down with jaundice and so to hospital. However I was soon fit and the Commando set sail for Algiers. We arrived in Algiers two days before Xmas and slept under a football stadium (on the benches).

On Xmas day 1943 we were in Algiers loading the ship for home. Landed at Liverpool on the 5th Jan 1944, rested the night and set off on leave for 19 days. Before going on leave we were told to report back to Worthing in Sussex, where digs had been laid on with civilian households.

It was fantastic to be on leave in England, to sleep in a bed again and live with a roof over one's head. During the leave I became engaged to Joyce and before going back off leave arrangements were put in hand for us to be married soon.

In Worthing I settled in with a very nice friendly civilian couple along with three other Commandos.

The usual drill went on from then on; training and more training.

We didn't have phones in our houses in those days but I had arranged with Joyce that I would ring a certain public phone box at a particular time each night and it was in this way that we arranged our wedding. When the date was fixed people were invited, church laid on and the usual catering problems were overcome (thanks to Joyce). The next task for me was to apply for leave. This seemed academic but the 'OC' to whom I had to apply referred me to the Officer commanding the Commando. This was unusual and I sensed a problem. Upon being interviewed I stated my case and the CO shook his head and said "No". I said "But everyone is invited, church and everything laid on". He said "I should not tell you this but on that date you will be on extensive training in Scotland; but when we get back you will be the first man on leave". I had to accept this and that evening on the public telephone had to tell Joyce to postpone arrangements until later.

We arrived in Scotland and did a severe two weeks training then back in Worthing when the CO was true to his word and I went off home and was married. We had a wonderful leave. Joyce was allowed off munitions work and we both went to Worthing, with Joyce staying at my digs for a week. We obviously had to travel across London to get to Worthing and Joyce hadn't seen London before so we spent several hours browsing round the popular spots. It was around seven o'clock when we used the Tube and Joyce was amazed to see the Londoners getting their beds down along the platform. In 1940 they didn't allow people below ground during an air raid but they eventually had to give way due to the number of casualties on most nights. We eventually arrived at the main line station and settled down on the journey to Worthing via Brighton. Alas when we arrived at Brighton there was an air raid on and all trains to Worthing etc, were cancelled during the raid. We had no idea how long this would be so we settled on the Worthing train to await results. The raid went on beyond midnight and the station was hit with incendiaries, shrapnel etc. The glass roof was shattered, glass falling all around. We just hoped that the station wouldn't get a direct hit but there was no safer place to go. At this stage we gave a lot of thought to the Londoners whom we had seen getting their blankets and belongings together and settling down for the night on the platform of the tube stations. They would somehow have to prepare for work next morning. How did they wash? How did they feed? However did they manage to do anything? It could only be sheer determination.

The raid finally ended and we settled to sleep until 5 am when the train was due to move off. When we arrived at my digs the people had been waiting up for us and (bless them) they were quite decent about the delay. The sojourn in Worthing was very enjoyable but Joyce had to go back home to work and I had to continue training. She (Joyce) managed to spend the odd two or three days at Worthing but security was getting tighter and it was a case of dodging the civilian and military police to avoid her being sent back away from the South coast. If you were not resident for at least twelve months you were considered a security risk. (It was on one of the many training trips to Southampton that I had reason to report sick (a bit of the jaundice returning). The medical officer suggested that I rest in the Medic tent for a day or so, and so it was that I spent my 21st birthday alone in a tent). However, back to Joyce. She managed to stay until we (the Commandos) had cleared our digs and paraded for another of the many trips to Southampton. We paraded at 0500 hrs and the roll call echoed across the Village green as we cleared.

Though we knew something big was coming off we didn't (until later) realise that it was for "D" Day.

Joyce of course had to go back home (the police insisted) and it was at home a week later that she learned of the "D" Day landings.

It was whilst we were in the transit camp in Southampton that the whole picture began to form. The many practice landings which we had done (it was during one of these practices that the fiasco happened at Slapton sands when so many poor Americans loss their lives. We were supposed to come in on a beach near Southampton and I thought that we had strayed too near the French coast. It was pitch dark and a terrific amount of shell fire seemed to be heading for us. The information went round, Landing abandoned ("E" boats), and so back to our tented camp somewhere near Southampton. We also had time to think about the hundreds of thousands of Army vehicles which had lined the streets throughout the South of England. It was ob vious now where they were heading.

On Sunday 4th June we had been briefed on our particular jobs (after landing). We paraded, loaded on to the TCVs (Troop carrying vehicles) and headed through the barbed wire etc to the perimiter gate. We halted there, a long conflab went on, we then debussed and went back to our tents oblivous to what was happening. Played cards etc and the following afternoon (June 5th) went through same procedure again. We arrived in a narrow country lane leading down to Warsash, debussed paraded in a field and were served a reasonable mess tin dinner. Had a few cigarettes, lounged a while and then marched (full kit and parabikes) down to the jetty and were allocated our LCIs (Landing Craft Infantry). The WRENS were there to check us aboard (I noticed a few tears). (Name rank number etc) and we quickly boarded and were ordered below. Once below there was little to do but lounge, so I played cards. At approximately midnight I felt the throb of the engines and thought "Ah well, this is it".

Later (about 5 am) I went up on deck and was amazed that even though it was dark I could make out thousands of ships of all shapes and sizes threshing towards the enemy. It was cold so I went below and just (uncomfortably) lounged.

Later, when I thought it was light I went on deck again and I was even more amazed to see the thousands of ships threshing through the water but now guns were blazing and the noise was terrific. At the rear (some ten miles) the monitors were firing their 15 inch shells and as they went over there was a sound like an express train rushing overhead. Other guns had opened up and flashes were appearing from the sea and from the shore. I repeat (the noise was terrific).

"D" DAY - 6TH JUNE 1944

"Right Lads, kit on and up on deck". That was the sergeant as he leaned over the companion way.

I had been up on deck earlier at about 0500 hrs. It was cold, breezy and there was little to see but silhouetts of hundreds of ships of all types threshing through the water towards France. We had seen it all before when we were going in on Sicily last year. One of the lads said "Cold up here, lets go below and get the cards out", and so it was that I was doing quite well at Pontoon when the sergeant's order broke up the school. Stuffing the occupational French franc notes into my battle dress blouse I stood up and proceeded to check my Tommy gun, grenades etc. I then put on my equipment. Having made sure that my Section was ready we started to climb the steel steps to the deck. It was very much lighter now on deck and the LCI (Landing Craft Infantry) was heaving somewhat but nothing to worry about. Looking around I was amazed at the number and types of craft in view, battleships, destroyers, corvettes and landing craft of all types. Shells were exploding on shore, in the sea and on ships etc. The noise was deafening. Some of the craft were on fire, some were sinking but most were still ploughing on. Overhead I could hear the constant sound (like an express train) of the Monitors 15" shells from some 5 miles to the rear heading for the defences on shore.

"Thats it Lads open them up for us". Was the general shout from our lot. Then the command "Stand by" brought us back to the job in hand. I went forward, my section (12 men) following to the steel steps which would soon plunge forward as the LCI ploughed into the beach. "Right lads, when we hit the beach, get clear as soon as possible and head for the road up ahead". All were very tense (it was the first time for some of them) but we were all eager.

I was now at the top of the steps, full kit on(which meant, Tommy gun, hundred rounds of .45 inch ammunition, 4 grenades, not forgetting shaving kit, clean vest and pants, cigarettes and a parabike on which were strapped six 3" mortar bombs) waiting for the bow of the LCI to plough into the sand and shingle which was fast approaching.

When this happened the craft stopped dead, catapulting me down the steps at a fair rate. I hit the beach in about 2 feet of water, the bike somersaulted and I landed on my chest. I was quickly afoot and running for the road which I had seen earlier. Most of us made it but others were hit by shrapnel, rifle or machine gun fire, some toppled off the side of the LCI, went into the water and didn't surface. I was repulsed and saddened but unfortunately nothing could be done. It was hard going up the beach and I was pleased to reach the little cover which the edge of the road presented. We were soon reformed and as Jerry seemed intent on demolishing the edge of the road under which we crouched it was obviously time to move. On the command we went across the road and dived for cover on the other side, but alas the enemy had flooded the fields beyond the beach and we plunged into about 2 feet of water, another soaking but at least the water was having a cushioning effect against the mortar bombs and shells which were dropping in profusion. The water stretched for some quarter mile and in the distance we could make out shrubs and bushes which would afford some cover. We were ashore, casualties were fes, "half the battle lads, half the battle".

The noise was more apparent now, shells and mortar bombs crashing from two sides but mainly from the right. It seems that Jerry was still concentrating on the beach but had spotted us and so it was on the move again. Across the flooded field we waded heading for the sanctuary of the copse ahead. Fortunately few casualties due to the cushiioning affect of the water. "Arch look at this". It was Alf shouting and poiinting to his grenade pouch which was burst open and yellow powdder was streaming down his trousers. A shell splinter had hit the grenade, broken it open but had missed the detonator which was fortunate for both of us. Chas was not so lucky, he had a piece of shrapnel in the throat and went under the water.

The copse was reached; reassemble and push on over dry rising ground towards the "Bridge" (River Orne and Caen Canal).

Near a church another hold up, Paras inform us that snipers are still active from the vicinity of the Church. We all wait and civilians pop their heads up from ditches and from behind shutters. Bit of commotion up front as two French girls, one blonde and one brunette start screaming and gestulating. I don't speak French but it transires that their boy friends are holed up in the spire of the church and sniping. We wait a short while whlst the artillary line up on it. Two or three shells and the spire topples - sniper fire stops. On we went towards the bridge diving for cover now and then until at last round a bend, there it was. Arriving at the bridge it was obvious to us that the Paras and Glider troops were still coming in for some stick and we assembled under cover awaiting the next move. "Right corporal, take your section over the bridge and cover us from the other side". "Watch it" yelled a glider officer "we are still under sniper fire".

"Right lads" I said "when you see me move forward follow and peddle like mad over the bridge". Half way across a German came running towards me hands held high. As we drew abreast he dropped like a stone. It seemed to me that he had been shot by a sniper who had me in his sights as we drew abreast. We reached the other side and formed a covering position until we were joined by the rest of the Troop. About a quarter mile further on the Captain received a radio signal and we were told to rest in a hollow and unload the mortar bombs from our bicycles and await the arrival of the mortar section.

(continued as Part 3 on No.

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