蜜芽传媒

Gnr R Dalley
1838809
E Troop
320/98 HAA REGT. R.A.
BAOR

Normandy
30th August 1944

Dear Mum Dad and Bubs,

Two weeks prior to 鈥淒鈥� Day our Anti-Aircraft Regiment arrived back in Southend from Scotland. There all our equipment was waterproofed and tested in an old disused quarry-ready for 鈥淒鈥� Day. We then assembled them onto a road just outside Lewes in Sussex; ready to proceed to an embarkation Port for France.

鈥淒鈥� Day came with no order to move. 鈥淒鈥� Day plus one came with the first arrival of a VI (flying bomb) for London; the pre-cursor of 100 a day. This was a perfect target on the radar screen (360 mph plus no deviation). To counteract this onslaught, all the anti-aircraft units were diverted from their embarkation stations to be operational all along the south coast of England. We were operational from the beach at Winchelsea near Rye. Thus we escaped the initial landings at Arromanches-probably saved my life! (One year later, in Germany, I was being issued with a uniform to be used in the invasion of Japan. The dropping of the Atom bomb saved my life).

About nine weeks later we embarked on a tank landing craft from Gosport for the beaches of Arromanches. Everything seems so peaceful and calm yet a hive of activity is going on to ensure that the convoy gets safely through.

It is a tribute to the Navy that nothing whatsoever was encountered 鈥� in fact, it was more like a pleasure cruise. Wherever one looked across the Channel our ships were plying their way to and fro; without the semblance of any trace of enemy activity. The question of 鈥淲ho owns the English Channel?鈥� arose in my mind. It seemed so absurd that such a question should arise- the answer was partly answered by the name itself- English; which is definite and undisputed.

Prefabrication was put to good use, by our landing at an artificial harbour. By the size of the ships I expected some big port or dock 鈥� but no!- it culminated in just an ordinary beach! The development and brilliant method of evolving such an idea must be amongst the outstanding achievements of this war. Credit Must also be given to the R.E, who must have worked like Trojans since 鈥淒鈥滵ay- and, no doubt, died as they worked. The finished thing was too staggering in its finished state to comprehend: one could just stand and marvel at such a product of the human brain.

My surprises were not over. All around were small boats racing too and fro from the anchored ships; and, loaded with materials, simply careering up the slopes of the beaches without a pause. These vehicles apparently served a dual purpose: that of a land and water role, which enables it to take both in its stride. The semblance looked like a nest of ants dashing about. A feeling of pride arises when you know that you are acquainted with such a Navy- the best in the world!

My first impressions of France weren鈥檛 any too cheerful- but probably this was due to our heavy equipment and hungry stomachs!

Funnily enough, but being on foreign soil, my first impulsive movement was to clutch my rifle tighter towards me- at the same time reassuring myself that it was still there.

For the first 24 hrs we lived on concentrated foodstuffs. Even our tea was in a concentrated form; being a square block of tea, sugar and milk, which just requires the addition of boiling water. I鈥檝e never had so much chocolate, sweets and biscuits as I did that first day.

At our first camp was a black army van, outside of which was a queue of hundreds. After waiting ages, I finally arrived at the counter, and to my surprise found two women serving. Even if they had been the two ugly sisters themselves they could not have appeared more angelic than they did at that moment. Anything to eat would have been tolerated- as indeed it was, by more biscuits! Cigarettes are very cheap over this side, which pleases everyone! The currency is a bit haywire, as instead of receiving one franc for change we may receive a razor-blade or a packet of chewing gum in place of it: irrespective of whether we want it or not! It is quite understandable though as there is a shortage of one and two franc notes.

Only a few yards away from our tent were hundreds of Jerry prisoners. I鈥檝e never seen such a despicable, wicked and dirty crowd in my life. Just to gaze upon them was to fill you with loathing and hatred. No feeling of sympathy or leniency could ever be extended to such human beings. The arrogance of some of them has to be seen to be believed.

Being such a varied lot they are mostly sorted out into different cages- Russian, Poles, Italians, Germans and the most hated of all, The S.S. men. Even some Japanese are amongst this 鈥渋nvincible army鈥�. The one outstanding fact was that the majority were just mere youths, and all seemed to suffer from bad feet. I tried to get a swastika badge from one of them, but he said that it was sewn to his tunic. To my mind the worst of the whole lot were the French civilians who had been caught sniping our own chaps, they assured us that Jerry had forced them to do it, but the moral over this side is to trust nobody. There may even come atime when I shall not be able to trust myself- who knows!

You think you live in a civilized age! Its laughable! No one is deluded but yourself; as one glimpse of this rabble would show how low human nature can sink. The Scotch and Canadian troops are the only ones who carry out the proper treatment these people deserve. Hitler鈥檚 dupes! How well his invincible army look behind cages!

I cannot help thinking to see these prisoners, the brutal and harsh treatment our poor fellows must suffer when captured by the Japs. It must be hellish! And what is their reward? - two lines of newsprint! 鈥� or the forgotten army!

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.