ryan_box024-tld_f15_03

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 -
Your name DONALD MAXWELL FOWLER

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?
[insert] Post D-day [end insert] [crossed out]
ONE OF THE VEHICLES BECAME LODGED AT A HIGH STONE WALLED
NARROW "T" ROAD JUNCTION AND WAS BLOCKING A SMALL [insert] AMMO. [end insert] CONVOY. IT WAS
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE IT UNTIL THE CONVOY COMMANDER A
LIEUTENTANT FROM RCASC (SERVICE CORPS) HOOKED A WINCH ONTO THE
TRUCK AND BENT IT AROUND THE CORNER. IT WAS DRAGGED ALONG
THE ROAD AND DISCARDED IN A FIELD. I NEVER DID LEARN IF
THAT OFFICER EVER MADE CAPTAIN. I SUSPECT HE MADE MAJOR INSTEAD. [end crossed out]

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944?
OUTSIDE SOUTHAMPTON IN A VEHICLE COMPOUND.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944?
SAME PLACE.

Do you 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?

[crossed out] SUGGEST YOU CONTACT THE FORMER "GLENS"
[underline] IN MY OPINION HERE ARE A FEW OF THE COLOURFUL PERSONALITIES [end underline]
----"PORKY" COLLIN BATES - in Sudbury now (5'2" TALL)
P----"SPIDER" *JOE SOMMERVILLE: - 455 4TH ST. WEST CORNWALL (6FT 4" TALL)
Drummer ---- LITTLE SPOTS" GORD BERGERON 23 BEDFORD CORNWALL (AVERAGE HEIGHT)
? "BUM BOY". DOUG CAMERON SUMMERTOWN, ONT. NEAR CORNWALL (B.H.Q. & C.O.'s CLERK)
--- "NIG" RAY LAPENSEE - CORNWALL
MERP." ALF MERPAW 663 GEORGE ST. PETERBOROUGH. ONTARIO
"SCROUNGER" DOUG LALONDE - CORNWALL
[insert] THE SMALL GROUP FROM BROCKVILLE
COULD DRIVE TO CORNWALL. THERE
WOULD BE ABOUT A DOZEN. [end insert]
"YOU BLACK BASTARD" -JOHN PEER BROCKVILLE
? - ERNIE BISSONETTE "
AJAX - LOCHINVAR - DONN FOWLER
[end insert]
PERHAPS THE BEST ARRANGEMENT WOULD BE FOR ME TO LINE-UP A
GROUP "BULL" SESSION AT CORNWALL AND HAVE YOUR MONTREAL REP.
BRING ALONG A TAPE RECORDER AND REFRESHMENTS. PERHAPS AT THE HOTEL
CORNWALLIS ON A SUNDAY. OF COURSE I CANNOT GURANTEE RESULTS
BECAUSE
THE MOOD
OF THE GROUP
WOULD HAVE TO BE
STIMULATED AFTER
SO MANY YEARS.
I FEEL CONFIDENT
THIS CAN BE DONE.
I KNOW ALL OF THEM
WELL. [end crossed out]

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.

Cornelius Ryan

Frances Ward
Research, The Reader's Digest

[insert] * WE - 2 - 6829
Tues Aug 19 at 3.30 [ end insert]