大象传媒

April 1944 OA3 (Chief P.O.) Base - Royal Navy Ordnance Workshop 101 Shed Terminal, Southampton Docks. I found myself Senior Rating in charge of an Ordnance Staff responsible for supplying and maintaining ordnance to all landing craft and also D.E.M.S (Defencibly Equipped Merchant Ships)
It was my job to report to the Naval HQ in Southampton and take note of any new arrivals and their location and find out whether they required our services. I would allocate a working party to board the craft or merchant ship and carry out the required service, be it a repair or stores.
On 2nd June 1944, reporting as usual at R.N. HQ, my CO told me to forget the normal routine and to take one of my best men, complete with full tool kit and report to the CO of L.C.G.3.(Landing Craft Gunnery) My first reaction was, "What's so special about this change of routine?" The only reply from the CO was "ORDERS".
The Solent at Southampton was just a sea of ships, all shapes and sizes, and finding the L.C.G.3 was quite a task. Finally, after reporting to the CO and awaiting his request for our services, imagine my surprise to be informed that we were now Ship's Company and that we were to act as Ordnance Repair party for the L.C.G.'s, taking part in the ardment of the Normandy coast. (13 in all). The L.C.Gs were equipped with 2 x 4.7 inch guns and the crafts being flat-bottomed were able to negotiate shallow water.
Later, the CO cleared lower deck and unveiled a of the Normandy beaches and surrounding countryside. All known gun batteries covering the beaches were clearly shown, and it was explained that our job was to take part in the initial ardment of these gun batteries together with a number of rocket ships, also flat-bottomed.
Taking part in this pre-invasion action were a number of big ships; cruisers and battleships plus RAF ers. Within a short time from our first assault, the German batteries opened up and took toil of our L.C.G boats. I remember it so well, after all these years. From the flash of the German batteries opened up and took toil of our L.C.G boats. I remember it so well after all these years. From the flash of German batteries, we counted 7 seconds for the shells to land.
TIME 0430 HOURS - June 6 1944. Our initial coverage was Gold Beach but later we were to transfer to Juno with the Canadian forces and Sword beach-head. The initial expectancy of our part in the invasion plans was around 3 days, but due to other beach-heads having a delayed landing, we were 3 weeks before we returned to Southampton.
From the onset, all leave from the RN was cancelled but on returning to Southampton, we were granted special Survivors leave for 2 weeks, which was very welcome indeed.
I lost all contact with the Petty Officer who joined me on this trip. After our respective leave we went our separate ways. All I remember of this shipmate was his name, JACK who was from St Helens, Lancashire and his rank was Ordnance Mechanic. I would very much like to meet up with him, if at all possible

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