- Contributed byÌý
- WMCSVActionDesk
- People in story:Ìý
- Thomas Hill
- Location of story:Ìý
- Normandy, France
- Background to story:Ìý
- Royal Navy
- Article ID:Ìý
- A7414832
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 30 November 2005
Thomas James Hill
6th June 1944, S.S.Empire Battle Axe, anchored 8 miles off Normandy Beach. Our 1st wave of Landing Craft Assault (LCA) got the troops on board to go to the beaches, I was in the 2nd wave which followed in 20 minutes later. On the way in we counted out 9 LCA’s returning to the ship and thought we were going to be alright, we had a shock when we landed on the beaches. Mortar fire was very accurate, only 3 of our craft got off the beach one which had got a body round it’s propeller which I escorted back to the ship and got told off for doing so. I was told to report back to the beach for ferrying the troops. 3 weeks later we got picked up by an American tub as the rough seas sank our LCA.
This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Anastasia Travers a volunteer with WM CSV Actiondesk on behalf of Thomas Hill and has been added to the site with his permission. Thomas Hill fully understands the sites terms and conditions.
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