大象传媒

My father, who died in 1989, passed for duty with 293rd King's Squad Royal Marines on the 13th August 1938, when he was just seventeen years old, having lied about his age. During the war he saw service on the HMS Exeter during the battle of the River Plate and on return to Britain was briefly interviewed by the News Of the World. On D-Day he skippered an LCM onto Sword Beach, repeatedly landing troops and equipment ashore. He kept a considerable amount of memorabilla from the war, including an aluminium stencil of HMS Exeter used to paint lifebelts and property of the ship. For D-day he kept something more personal, a brief diary, written in pencil on the back of the Orders of the Day issued by Admiral Ramsey, Rear Admiral A.G.Talbot and Dwight Eisenhower. The diary entries begin on the Saturday at 20:00 and end on Monday at 16:00. Some of them are very hard to read but they convey the essence of the man, his courage, humour and sense of adventure, which he retained to the last of his days.

"Saturday
20.00 hours - embarked in landing craft.
22.00 hours - arrived Portsmouth. tied in alongside L.C.T.A. - Sea choppy, strong wind.
Sunday
Rev. - 06.00 - sailing cancelled for 24 hours. Moved to fresh berth. Sea rough, wind force 4. Too rough to cook breakfast.
Rev. 06.30 - managed to make tea, one man holding the stove, one holding the kettle.
07.45 - orders received to sail.
08.00 - sea still rough.
09.00 - first watch at wheel; - sea rough, unable to hold course.
12.00 - unable to cook food - living on Bic and chocolate.
12.30 - sea sick.
13.00 - tank working loose, rolling from side to side.
14.00 - aircraft overhead.
16.00 - managed to make tea, waves thirty foot high - shipping water fast.
Tuesday
05.00 - cleaned guns - removed tarpaulins, clear up deck ready for action.
05.30 - made tea - removed securing ropes from tank,
06.00 - lost escort, steaming on our own at 12 knots, shipping water.
06.30 - sighted LCI - tried to come alongside. - Sea too rough.
07.00 - 8 miles off beach - looks quiet.
07.30 - steaming for the beach - with LCGs.
07.45 - US cruiser alongside. Took on board Lt Col. - Tank Corps.
08.00 - 3 miles of beach being shelled. Flak ships - shelling houses on beach.
08.05 - standing on cockpit - feeling very elated, giving commentary to crew in well deck, shell - 5 yards away, not feeling so elated.
08.10 - beached alongside LCIs - machine gunned. Marine Commandos landing - beach black with dead.- craft alongside hit with shell. tank ashore. Marine tanks going up beach - several hit - T.L.C Bulwing(?) - Navy still shelling. Tracers by the million going ashore - well deck full of water.
08.15 - being shelled. Going to rescue of one our landing craft - mined, shelled from beach. Shells hitting, don't feel too good. 15 hits, 35 officers severely wounded. Took over wheel - had to leaving one of our craft.
08.20 - 5 craft destroyed out of 8 - full speed ahead - steaming away from beach - LCM 1293 direct hit, still floating - received reports of remanding craft.
08.30 - go alongside - cruiser warfare officer to cruiser, says he thinks she's dying, move away - shell falls eight yards from cruiser.
08.45 - steam alongside carrier, go on board, got a can of tea; two lb. of Bully and cheese. Bread, -
10.00 - Beach again, get cheered by Navy.
11.00 - ditto
11.30 - ditto
14.00 - stunned - quiet on beach.
15.00. - Land troops can't get off, change clothing - have wet of tea - take on Sub Lt. Smith RN from Porthcawl. - have a sing song - quite happy,
15.15 - oblivion - direct hit from bomb. hit ramp - bows blown off craft, thank the Lord for saving my life - check up on crew -3 dead - remove.
16.00 hours - rifles etc. - abandon craft - deaf in both ears. - all kit lost. - get craft. - 50 F.C. had cup of tea, sleep - badly shaken."

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