大象传媒

My late father was CPO Telegraphist stationed onboard HMS PLUCKY, one of a group of minesweepers that sailed prior to the invasion fleet for D Day. He attended the briefing prior to sailing and received detailed knowledge of the times and landing areas of the invasion force.

At that time my mother was living with my Grandparents and was pregnant with my sister. My father was given permission to visit home and see my mother before the ship sailed. Most sailors at that time wrote personal letters bearing in mind that none of them knew if they would be going home again, but my father traced the D Day map and copied it onto the back of a piece of an old chart. He carefully placed it in an envelope with a brief note to my mother, took the train to Petersfield station where he was met by my Grandfather. He handed the envelope to my Grandfather with the classic "If anything should happen to me open the envelope". The ship duly sailed, D Day was a success and my father returned home safely.

Not long after his death in 1993 whilst searching through some of his private papers I found the old piece of chart with the D Day map beautifully detailed on its reverse and it was then that my mother told me the story as I have described above. I contacted the D Day Museum in Portsmouth and it was presented to them along with this story. I am not sure if the map is still on display but it is still in their possession.

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