大象传媒

This story has been written by George Appleton's daughter, Jayne Cant.

In 1933 I was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, 5th (Rifle) Battalion, The King's Regiment, (T.A.) based at St Anne's Street, Liverpool.

In 1938 King George VI came to Liverpool and presented colours to the Battalion at Goodison Park (Everton football ground). I was the 2nd senior officer in the Battalion and received the colours from the King.

When the War broke out I attended the Staff College at Camberley. In 1941 I rejoined the Battalion and was in training on the west coast of Scotland.

On 6th June 1944 I took part in the Normandy Landings on D-Day. I was a Company Beach Commander.

Reveille that morning was at 0330 hours. We sailed from Portsmouth on "HMS Cutlass", escorted by destroyers, the sea was rough.

Two or three miles off shore we were transported onto landing craft, 30 men in each boat and ours leaked. What a reception! There was shell-fire, mortar-fire and small gun fire.

It was a very tricky period, there was more opposition than I expected. The East Yorkshires suffered 50% casualties as we were landing at Hermainville la Breche (Sword Beach). My beach group's job was to secure the landing area and I was responsible for ensuring the men under my command got ashore. My Commanding Officer and his batman were killed during the landing, by a sniper's bullets.

After the first few weeks, which we spent in slit trenches, we used the chateau at Hermainville as a Headquarters. There is a small cemetry at Hermainville where some of my colleagues are buried. I saw some horrible sights.

After two months on the beaches I saw service in Holland and Belgium.

I was stationed in Brussells when the War ended in Europe. I was twice mentioned in dispatches and awarded the O.B.E. for Services in N.W. Europe. I had then attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

After the War I returned to my wife and daughter in Liverpool and to my former job as director of a soap maunfacturing business in Aintree. In April 1946 my wife Pat gave birth to our son John. In 1958 I left the business and bought a farm near St Helen's in Lancashire where I bred pedigree pigs.

When I retired I became involved with the British Red Cross, the Burma Star Association, the British Legion and the
Normandy Veterans Association. I was a magistrate and later Chairman of the Southport bench.

In 1971 I was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Lancashire and in 1977 The High Sheriff of Merseyside.

I have four grandchildren, four great grandchildren and another expected. I now live in a Nursing Home a mile away from my daughter's home in Bridgnorth. I celebrated my 92nd birthday in July 2005.

Story: This story has been submitted to the People's War Site by Muriel Palmer (volunteer) of Age Concern Shropshire Telford & Wrekin on behalf of Jayne CANT (author) daughter of GF APPLETON and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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