Page 2

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