大象传媒

8th June Time 02.l5 approx.
Action stations large number of E boats about but none too near us. Just heard an ammunition ship was blown up ahead of us. Altered course to avoid E boat pack. Arrive Le Havre early this morning. Anchored near Rodney who engaged shore targets with 6". Frobisher was pounding concentrations of enemy tanks with 5" gun broadsides!!! 08.30 Up anchor, transfer to bombardment position. Engage enemy 6" battery. This battery reported by aircraft to be completely destroyed by ll.00pm. Engaged further shore targets with good effect. No air raids. 22.45 Alarm to arms sounded. FW190's and ME 109's. One bomb dropped near destroyer.

9th June Time 02.00am.
Browned off, to patrol forecastle with Lanchester to open fire on mines, torpedoes, Eboats etc. Engaged motor boat, (one of ours,) which came straight for us port side. She soon sheered off. Fired at several suspicious objects. No apparent results. 0.4.20 approx, stick of bombs dropped between Rodney and ourselves. No apparent results. 0.8.30 Opened fire on several targets ashore. Concentrations of enemy tanks, guns, infantry, motor vehicles etc. grouped in woods, villages or on the roads. Very good effect reported by Forward Observation Post. Rodney, Mauritius, and ourselves all firing broadsides at the same time. Forgot to mention, about 03.00 Rodney opened fire with 16" on shore targets, made an awe-inspiring sight at night. 18.30 sat down to supper - air raid. Flight of FW190 and Melok 9. Narrowly missed the Roberts with bombs. None near us. 22.45 Air raids ashore. Very pretty flak display, quite as good as Belle Vue! 23.30 Just been having a look round ashore through the telescope. Lots of damage along beach to houses etc. Can see tanks, motor vehicles, armoured cars, lorries etc. moving up to the front (which is not fixed at all but is quite fluid.) No air raids, pretty tired though. A week sincs I had a night's sleep.

10th June Time AM
Nothing of importance. PM Bombardment of railway marshalling yards near Caen. Also troop and transport concentrations. Apparently our salvos are doing a great deal of damage. Very, very few projectiles being outside the target area. Rear Admiral reports he has had many congratulatory signals from ashore on the precision and terrific help given to the army. It's really good to know we are vital, as on board you can't see any visible effect of course. By all reports up to date, we have been tearing up railways, blasting tanks and troops vigourously and generally making a thorough mess of things of Jerry.

11th June. Time AM
No air raids last night or tonight. Just heard over the broadcaster that we have to support the Paratroops and 6th Airborne Division. They are on the left or Eastern Flank. PM Attacked concentration of 200 enemy tanks with good effects. Shifted target to an important railway bridge in the centre of Caen. Evening. Straffing with 10 shells every half hour. Cruisers also lobbing 6" bricks over. The most surprising part of this invasion (from our point of view) is the almost complete lack of retaliation against the naval ships. After the first day we have had no real attempt at engagement by either shore batteries (if any) or aircraft or submarines or E boats.

11th - 12th June. Time 23.00 to 01.00 120 Armour Piercing Caps fired at marshalling yards at Caen.

12th June. Time 02.00 - 04.00
90 rounds armour piercing cap at another marshalling yard. 30 rounds H E. Programme postponed for 24 hours. Nothing of note during day except Physical training on the Quarter Deck with the bomb happy Physical training instructor. 23.00 Bombardment opened - finished 03.45. Apparently a very good effort. Army trying to capture Caen tonight. 02.00 Dive bombed by enemy plane - bombs fell between Nelson and us but forward 200 yards of tanker - 400 yards. Forenoon, Bombardment continued 227 H E and A.D.C shells lobbed over during the early hours. About 60 shells this morning. 11.30 - 12.30 Enemy 6" shelling of landing crafts. Where the heck are they from!! We suspect the battery we originally engaged. Hear it is a mobile battery. 16.30 Opened fire again on enemy troops and concentrations on the main road along which 6th Airborne Division is advancing. About 60 salvos. Altogether about 350 shells fired today. Observation points ashore say our shooting very good. Quite a recommend in fact. Approximate layout of Front Line. It was reported on the 06.30 new bulletin that Ramillies carried out fiercest bombardment ever known by a battleship. 23.45 Quite a sharp air raid developed ashore. Tons of Flak and many sticks of bombs. One really large fire.

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