Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 020, folder 27: George Reginald Dale

Tel No. GIPsy Hill 6544.

'OAKDENE' ELDER ROAD WEST NORWOOD LONDON. S.E.27

21MAY1958 Q.S. 21/5/58

18th May, 1958.

Dear Sir,

With reference to your advertisement in the "Evening News" concerning the Normandy Landings, my husband was one of the many who took part. He embarked on the night of the 5th June from Newhaven and went right through the campaign to Germany. Like most men, however, who took part, he feels that his part was only a tiny share and cannot contribute much to such a detailed account you have in mind, but any account or item of interest he can assist you in, he will be pleased to do so.

Yours faithfully, H. Dale

P.S. He was attached to the 3rd. Inf. Div, and was in R.E.M.E.

Box. 9468.

Int Extract

21st May, 1958.

Dear Mrs. Dale, I m so pleased that you have seen the notice about our D-Day project, and I am most grateful to you for getting in touch with us so promptly.

Our book is to be written by Mr. Cornelius Ryan, a former war correspondent. Mr. Ryan is at present in Paris, interviewing French civilians and resistance workers who were in Normandy during the first hours of the Invasion. He is returning to England shortly, when he hopes to be able to talk to men and women of the British Forces about their D-Day experiences. I am sure Mr. Ryan will be very interested to hear of your husband's own experiences, and I wonder if he would, therefore, very kindly fill in the enclosed questionnaire. A stamped and addressed envelope is attached for his use.

I should like to thank you for your kind co-operation, and I look forward very much to receiving the completed questionnaire.

Yours sincerely, (Joan Ogle Isaacs) Research Editor

Ack 27/5/58

"Oakdene", 57 Elder Road, West Norwood, S. E. 27.

Dear Madam, Thank you for your letter of the 21st May. I have pleasure in returning the questionnaire you send, filled in as far as my husband can remember any details. He feels he cannot recall so much of the actual hours of landing as he can of events that took place during the drive through France. However, we do hope it is of some small help.

I should like to add how interested I was to read your letter, and shall look forward tremendously to reading the book when it is written, because, however small a part, I feel very proud to think that my husband actually was a member of the invasion force, and also because of the fact that I was shorthand typist at the War Office at the time the invasion was being planned.

Yours sincerely, H. Dale

Encl. Miss J. O. Isaacs.

I made an appointment with Mrs. Dale for her husband to come to Brown’s Hotel at 3.30 tomorrow, Wednesday, If by any chance this is not convenient for Mr. Dale he will ring us first thing in the morning and we will then fix another appointment. Mr. Dale is a very modest man and is afraid he will waste Mr. Ryan’s time by telling him of what were the experiences of many others like him. Mrs. Dale herself has had to draw it out of him, but she thinks that as an experienced interviewer Mr. Ryan will succeed even better than her.

It sounds as if Mrs.Dale will come to see Mr. Ryan too.