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Your name JOHN BLAKE
In times of great crisis, people generally show either
great ingenuity or self-reliance; others do incredibly stupid
things. Do you remember any examples of either from D-Day?
A few facts struck me as being significant during
D-day. Firstly the fine teamwork of the men aboard
ship, the handling, leaving and loading of the assault
landing craft were accomplished smoothly. I believe and
I know that every man (had a) possessed a degree of fear,
a certain amount of tensensess, but the morals of the men
was high and everyone had the feeling that (the) a job were
to be done and to carry it out.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944?
I was carrying out my duties in the ward room but we were
preparing the ships for leaving harbor.
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944?
I was carrying out my normal duties in the ward room; we
were still anchored off the coast Normandy. The landing operation
was progressing satisfactorly but on the beaches the soldiers were
[illegible] stuff
[illegible], a great
number of casualities.
Do know of anybody else who landed within the 24 hours
of D-Day, June 6, as infantry, glider or airborne troops,
or who took part in the air and sea operations, whom
we should write to?
LIEUT. DAVIES - [inserted] PO [end inserted] DUNCAN, VANCOUVER ISLE, B.C.
LIEUT. EDW. McNALLY- MONTREAL- NOW ILLUSTRATING ARTIST
FOR MONTREAL WEEKEND MAGAZINE
S/LT. H. H. STIKEMAN- NOW A PROMINENT MONTREAL LAWYER.
All these men were officers of H.M.C.S. PRINCE HENRY
and could write a more detailed precise on the Normandy operation.
LIEUT. DAVIES- was actually in command of the assault landing craft
operations - a precise would definitely be his cup of tea.
PLEASE LET US HAVE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,
SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE BOOK. WE
HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE YOUR STORY ON SEPARATE SHEETS
IF WE HAVE NOT LEFT SUFFICIENT ROOM. FULL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
WILL BE GIVEN IN A CHAPTER CALLED "WHERE THEY ARE NOW;"
YOUR NAME AND VOCATION OR OCCUPATION WILL BE LISTED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
W.M. Lee Squadron Leader
Director of Public Relations (Air)
Air Force Headquarters,
Ottawa, Ontario.