Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 022, folder 21: Ronald John Northwood

4 a.m. SWORD Juno red HMS SCYLLA OUIESTRAM JOB "On pom -pom anti-aircraft gun. Scylla headquarters ship of Admiral Vian, carried no. of war reporters, no troops. Admiral Vian had a reputation for going into things. He was on the Cossack when the Altmark was rescued. ON NAVAL BOMBARDMENT "We waited for daybreak and watched the RAF finished off at about 4 a.m. I thought 'It's our turn, now'. The naval bombardment was a non-stop barrage, of about one-half to three-quarters of an hour just as day was breaking. Troops were going in while we were still bombarding. 'We were amzed not to see enemy aircraft anywhere.' We were a crew of about 5 in charge of the gun. I was a gun layer; my trainer was a/s Derek Parker, a particularly good friend. Another man on the gun, an Irish marine, said 'We' ill give it to them' when I said 'We are going at last.' 'In years to come, Capt. Browning had told us, ' you will be able to tell your grandchildren that you took part in the liberation of Europe. It is a great honour' My brother, Ernest, 9 years older, had been taken prisoner in Greece in 1941 and was in Stalag 383. I thought of him most of the time: did he know what was going on; how did he feel. I thought this was one day nearer to his release. While we were still bombarding, we could see the Commandos going ashore. They passed Scylla in little boats and gave us the 'thumbs up' salute. They didn't have steel helmets just their green berets. I thought as they passed 'I don't think I could do that-- they 've got plenty of courage.' Rocket guns, attached to the landing craft, were being fired onshore as the troops went in. Bigger alanding ships were in after Commandos, with tanks, lorries, etc. I saw a German tnak on the beach moving blowly, then blown up by ship's gunfire. I don't know whether Scylla or Warspite close by got it. 8 a.m. First survivors were brought aboard. They had blankets thrown around them and stil some of them wore their green berets. They were given a tot of rum and cigarettes. Many were badly wounded, nearly all were stretcher cases, but they were cheerful. Scylla's recreation room was converted into a sick room. Our surgeons took care of them. It was the first time I had seen wounded. I thought: "I'd like to be going back home but not the way they are going." I would have given anything to be in London just then. I remember clearly the pain on the face of one man was he was lifted abroad. IMPRESSIONS OF THE BEACH It looked like a mass of men with little German resistence. Mines were blown up, scattered along the beach with obstacles. We saw one plane a JU 88. She flew low over our mast but didn't fire. We didn't use the pom -pom all day after the early morning bombardment. FAMILY "Mum heard it on the radio. She said she never slept for days, couldn't do the houework. I was the youngest of three boys. I learned later that Ernest, my pow brother, had a radio in Stalag. A German guard came to them said, 'It won't be long now.'

THE ASSAULT LANDINGS IN NORMANDY D DAY: MIDNIGHT JUNE 5 — MIDNIGHT JUNE 6 rec'd 10/6/58, acknowledged 10.6.58 What is your full name? Ronald John Northwood What is your -present address? 37 York Grove, Peckham, London SE 15 Telephone number: What was your unit, division, corps? H.M.S. Scylla, Admiral Philip Van Flagship Where did you land and at what time? left Portsmouth 5pm 5.6.44, arr. French coast 4am 6.6.44 Ouiestram (area) Normandy What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? Able Seaman 18 years, 6 months Were you married at that time? no What is your wife's name? Did you have any children at that time? When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion ? Several weeks before. Due to many exercises, which could only mean one thing. Normandy. Told officially after leaving Portsmouth Harbour What was the trip like during the crossing of the Channel? Do you remember, for example, any conversations you had or how you passed the time? Just like any other night at sea, except was at action stations through out the night. Of course we all wondered what was ahead of us, and that was inner most in our thoughts and conversations. Remember what a heart warming sight, when we joined the battle fleet in the Channell during the night, warships everywhere. Were there any rumours aboard ship? (Some people remember hearing that the Germans had poured gasoline on the water and planned to set it afire when the troops came in .) I personally did not hear of that. The opinion, I formed, was that nothing could or would stop us. Everyone I was in contact with thought the same. Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? no

2. Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? no Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? Were you wounded? no How were you wounded? Do you remember what it was like — that is, do you remember whether you felt any pain or were you so surprised that you felt nothing? Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed amusing at the time? Or anything unexpected or out-of-place? I remember when the wounded from the first landing came aboard, how they raised a smile, and were waving, as we lifted aboard. I thought, look at them, they haven't even got steel helmets on, only the green beret. I thought then they must all be "MAD". Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, that struck you more than anything else? I remember bringing on survivors from ships that had struck mines just blankets thrown round them, all they wanted was a cigarette, but no panic, no fears, or at least they were not shown.

3 . In times cf great crisis, people generally show either great ingenuity or self-reliance; others do incredibly strange or stupid things. Do you remember any examples of either? The opinion I formed there was, that everybody was getting on with the job. I remember the terrific bombardment from the warships, "The Commandos" in the landing craft, waving to us on the way to the beach. Thumbs up. All round. Looking back after these years moral of everyone concern must have been very high. Do you know of anybody else who landed within the 24 hours ( midnight 5 June to midnight 6 June) either as infantry, glider or airborne troops, whom we should write to? What do you do now? hairdresser, Lambeth Hospital, London 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." Cornelius Ryan Joan 0. Isaacs The Reader's Digest

RONALD JOHN NORTHWOOD, HMS SCYLLA. On pom-pom antiaircraft gun, on SCYLLA, carrying no troops. Headquarters ship carrying Admiral Vian and a number of war correspondents and reporters. Boarded on June 4th. SCYLLA right in front line, Vian had reputation for “going into things". He was on the Cossack when the Altmark was rescued ( ? ). On first line of naval action: could see last of the R.A.F. as they bombed the French coast, nothing between SCYLLA and the coast. We waited for daybreak, the R.A.F. finishing at about 4.0 a.m. ( ? ) still dark then, could see multi-coloured tracer bullets of enemy coastal defences. I thought "Its our turn now." "Don ’t know what's ahead of us but it is encouraging to know that the R.A.F . has been there before us." Then came the naval bombardement - a non-stop barrage, about half-hour to three-quarters of an hour just as day was breaking. Troops going in whilst we were still bombarding. Northwood himself was waiting for enemy attack, but not a sign of enemy aircraft anywhere. "We were all amazed it was so quiet." Crew of 5 ( 6 ? ) in charge of gun: Northwood a gun layer - his trainer was a /s Derek Parker, particularly good friend. Another man on the gun, an Irish marine, said "We ’ll give it to them " when I said "we are going at last ". Going over Captain Browning gave us a pep talk. "In years to come you will be able to tell your grandchildren that you took part in the liberation of Europe. It is a great honour." Northwood had a brother, Ernest, nine years older, who had been taken prisoner in Greece, 1941, and was held in Stalag 383. "I thought of him most of the time, did he know what was going on, how did he feel. I thought this was one day nearer to his release and I was helping him. "Said he didn't think of his parents, mostly of his soldier brother. Whilst we were still bombarding, we could see the commandos going ashore; they passed the SCYLLA in little boats giving the "thumbs up" sign - in green berets, no steel helmets. Northwood thought as they passed "I don't think I could do that - they've got plenty of courage ". Was wearing steel helmet himself . Sea was full of troops. Rockett guns were attached to landing craft and were being fired onshore as the troops went in. Bigger landing ships went in after commandos, with tanks, lorries, etc. Saw German tank on beach moving slowly, then blown up by ship's gunfire ( didn't know whether SCYLLA got it or WARSPITE, close by ). First survivors came aboard at about 8.0 a.m, M. T. B's bringing them aboard. They had blankets thrown around them and some still wore their green berets. Given a tot of rum and cigarettes. Many badly wounded, nearly all stretcher cases, but cheerful. Maybe 15 to 20 survivors. No hospital ships on first day, so SCYLLA's recreation room converted into sick room. SCYLLA's surgeons took care of them. First time he had seen wounded but things happening so fast, scared myself thought "I’d like to be going back home with them but not the way they are going." Would have given anything to be in London now. Did remember very clearly the pain on the face of one man as he was lifted aboard. Wanted to get away from noise- even though it was 'encouraging' noise. Gunnery Officer came around to see things O.K. Manned the guns all day, only food was cocoa and cornbeef sandwiches - "bloody cornbeef again".