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of rumours about this time. One was that the whole Brigade was
going to go to the United States. In the billets everybody played
cards - they played whist, solo, twenty-one and so on. Private
Tommy Underwood, a barber, who was always called "Short back and
sides" was the real card player in the Troop and "Honest" William
Williams - he had a mouthful of gold teeth - a cockney, was also
quite good. He could sell anything and it was reputed later in
the war that he once found an old Don Quixote tank and sold it to
a Belgian farmer.
The day before D-Day Montgomery came down to the camp
and told the Brigade that they were going to be members of the
invasion force. "You will be back in 21 days - you are only the
invading forces - you will be relieved at the end of that time."
"Blimey", whispered "Honest" Williams, "do we get danger
money?"
They began waterproofing their trucks. George' s was a
3-ton truck containing a lot of mechanical equipment. On June 5th,
the day before, they drove on board an L.C.T. That evening they
set sail and they spent the day first sitting up in the driving cab
but it became so uncomfortable that George and his pal climbed on
to the canvas top. He and Ginger spent the remainder of the trip
on the top of the cab over two fabs. There were nine trucks on the
L.C.T. altogether and when they got off the shore that morning
George and Ginger were duly amazed at the amount of shipping that
they saw. Both of them were exceptionally proud to be part of this
great invasion. It was about 3.30 that afternoon when they headed
for the shore. Another L.C.T. beside them gave them a hail when
they saw that they could not beach immediately. Apparently the
ramps would disappear into a large shell hole each time they tried
to make a landing at the precise part where they were supposed to
come in. Finally they were told that they would have to drive
through the water, and the order was given over the loud speakers
"Start your engines". They drove off the ramp into the water.
Only one truck, a breakdown truck, out of the first four got ashore.
George' s truck which carried four tank engines besides mechanical
equipment sank immediately and completely below the water. George
and Ginger got out through the door window, half swam and half waded
ashore and then later they were brought out of an amphibious truck
and from it they dived on to the truck, attached chains and drove it
out. While this was going on Ginger fell off the breakdown truck