- Contributed by听
- nostalgicW
- People in story:听
- Arthur Reginald Greenleaf
- Location of story:听
- Omaha Beach, Normandy
- Background to story:听
- Royal Air Force
- Article ID:听
- A2755974
- Contributed on:听
- 17 June 2004
My father became a corporal in the RAF. Unable to fly as the result of a burst ear drum, he was sent to Omaha, Normandy on secondment to one of the first American units to land on French soil on 6th June 1944. After weeks of preparation on the south coast, although nervous, he was glad when the order to invade was given. After crossing the Channel overnight and spending several hours in a landing craft he was so seasick he couldn't wait to get to dry land.
His job was to take a radio truck, land on the beach and be responsible for vectoring in the bombers. Unfortunately, the truck was blown up almost as soon as he landed, so he had no job to do except survive. According to my father some "brass hat in Whitehall" had instructed the RAF unit to wear dress blue by way of showing the flag. Unfortunately, RAF dress blue is similar to the German field grey and in the confusion of battle he was under attack from both the Americans and the Germans. Therefore, when he could emerge from his fox hole he swapped his uniform with that of a dead American GI and survived the day until he was shipped back to the UK to be resupplied with another truck.
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