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The following is an account written by my father of events which took place between Sunday 4th June and Monday 12th June 1944. The account below is exactly as he wrote it (aged 24) in diary form. We still have the original notes.

Telegraphist Leslie Corney

H.M.S. ‘Speedwell’ (Minesweeper)

Trained H.M.S. ‘Ganges’ 1940 (Aug)
Iceland - approx. 18 months
Aberdeen - approx. 1 year
Arctic convoy to Russia
D. Day
De-mob November 1945

Sunday 4th June 1944

Expecting to open Second Front. Weather bad — Postponed operation.

Monday 5th

Sailed at 1300 for France — many guesses as to where we’ll land. Our job is to sweep a channel through the enemy minefield to let everything else go in. We go in first — not a pleasant prospect. Told that at one spot a 16 inch shore gun can be brought to bear on us — unless the R.A.F. can knock it out. The weather during the afternoon very choppy. We all expect things being called off. Wind and sea eased off in the early evening and the weather seemed quite good. Began to sweep about 2000 and swept all night. Things very quiet except for colossal numbers of aircraft going
over - ours fortunately! No trouble from shore gun — thanks to R.A.F.!

Tuesday 6th June

Slept anywhere we could. I spent part of the night on the deck wrapped in a duffel coat — the remainder on the lockers — much more comfortable! Found ourselves off
Ouistreham this morning just cruising around. An amazing number of ships and a terrific bombardment going on by us. Began widening the channel. Mines exploded in our sweeps occasionally from 1000 to 1330. Destroyer hit a mine nearby about 0700. Broke her back and see part of her. Water shallow. Ordered to return to Portsmouth at night. Off Portsmouth on the Wednesday morning 7th and turned round without going in and went back towards France to sweep. Swept all afternoon and then ordered back to Portsmouth again. Weather lovely all day. Ships going in all directions.

Thursday 8th June

Terrific explosion just after I’d come on the Middle watch — at about 0015. The Buntings said there was a huge red glow. Evidently some ship hit a mine or been tin fished. The latter probably as it was underwater explosion. Really did arrive back at Portsmouth this morning. Going to oil now — and then what? Hospital ship St. Julien down by the bows - must have been the explosion we heard last night. Got all night in our hammocks. Thank heaven! First sleep of more than five hours since Saturday!

Friday 9th June

Sailed on a searching sweep from Portsmouth to the beachhead on the French Coast. No mines. Dirty weather. Anchored on defence line off beachhead all night. Plenty of activity — None too near us.

Saturday 10th June

Sweeping all day. Lovely weather. Lots of wreckage on the water, oil and a body. From Destroyer? Anchored on defence line again. Usual activity.

Sunday 11th June

Sweeping again for acoustic a magnetic mines. Dull day but calm. Was on deck in the ‘dogs’ for an hour and saw a couple of bodies pass still in lifebelts. In minefield so we couldn’t stop to do anything.

Monday 12th June

More sweeping and a few mines — more bodies and odds and ends. Usual night activity off and over the beachhead.

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