Page 2

Ack 29/5/58
THE ASSAULT LANDINGS IN NORMANDY
D DAY: MIDNIGHT JUNE 5 -- MIDNIGHT JUNE 6
What is your full name? John Arthur Slapp
What is your present address? c/o Station Staff Officer Essen
British Forces Post Office 34
Telephone number:
What was your unit, division, corps? 1st Bn The Royal Norfolk Regt. 185 Inf Bdg.
3RD. British Infantry Division
Where did you land and at what time? Ouistreham, near mouth of the River Orne,
at about 05 30 AM
What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? Cpl. age 27 years (Section Comdr)
Were you married at that time?
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? We were told
that we were taking part in a major operation, but we were not told it
was to be the [crossed out] [illegible] [end of crossed out] Invasion until the 2 week in May when we
were in J2. sealed camp at Haywards Heath
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?
The crossing was rough, but everbody was tense and only forced
conversation was made most spent their time cleaning weapons and
card playing. When the word was given our special maps were
opened and we had our final briefing. Everyone was anxious to get at
the enemy and very little was said. Some passed the time away
having their hair cut and the popular [crossed out] [illegible] [end of crossed out] style was to leave a V
in the centre of the head.
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.)

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No