大象传媒

I was Gunner in the Royal Navy for the duration of the war. My memories of D-Day are as vivid now, as they ever were. Here is my story -
The 2 hours before and after dawn on June 6th were the most memorable.
We sailed for France from Portland harbour the night before, stopping 5 miles offshore waiting for dawn to break. Two hours before daybreak a massive bombardment began on the enemy positions, spectacular as it was it was nothing to the sight that greeted us at dawn. We were at sea, but the only expanse of water that could be seen was straight ahead.
On the portside and on the starboard side and astern as far as the eye could see, even with binoculars, was a solid mass of ships and boats of every size and shape.
I could almost have walked back to Portland without getting my feet wet.
Overhead the sky was black with bombers, fighters and gliders being towed full of airborne troops. I was nearly 21 at the time, I read many years later that 11,000 ships and 4,000 planes took part in the invasion.
I wonder what the Germans thought, when they saw this great armada approaching.

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