World War II D-Day Accounts from the Cornelius Ryan Collection

2.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? yes- several killed and wounded

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? Two in particular - but these conversations were made whilst we were in the concentration area- one from a married man - the other with a widowed mother

Were you wounded? yes- but so slightly it was not discovered until 2 days later

How were you wounded? - shrapnel

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? as stated above I was not aware at the time other occasions were later in the campaign

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? Being sniped - and the brass buttons of my trousers not taking the strain of non elastic braas and as I was dragging myself plus equipment + a bicycle - my trousers reached my ankles

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, that struck you more than anything else? many- but the man who took my place on the companion way + was killed immediately on getting on deck strikes a very deep chord also - the troop leader who was told he was wounded in the legs- and collapsed immediately on being informed the 'thumbs up' sign from a fellow commander with -------------

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? Here I would rather confine myself to my own personal reactions- as I felt a great fear before anything happened- but as soon as things started a calm descended on me- especially if I was looking after someone. With regards to this question apart from personal reactions in the main I only saw what I should have expected from my colleagues 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? I am a senior Assistant in the Chief Accountants Dept of the South Wales Electricity Board

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 J oan 0. Isaacs The Reader’s Digest I'm sorry I've taken so long to answer this questionnaire but I've been very busy and still am at the moment and I cannot find time to give fuller details on seperate sheets. F.R. John

20 Heol Penyfai Whitchurch N. Cardiff Box B 1084 The Times C4 20th May 1958 21MAY 1958 QS 22.5.58

Dear Sir, With reference to your advertisement in 'The Times' of May 20th I should be pleased to offer any information that may help in your account of D Day landings. I was an assault trooper with No 6 Commando - 1st SS Brigade- we sailed in the afternoon of June 5th and landed at 'H' house- 15 I was in the point section of the leading troop at Queen Red Beach and followed Lord Lorat to 'Pegasus' Bridge

Extracts Ack 13-6-58 THE ASSAULT LANDINGS IN NORMANDY D DAY: MIDNIGHT JUNE 5 ~ MIDNIGHT JUNE 6

What is your full name? Frederick Roy John

What is your present address? 'West Mont' 20 Heol Penyfai Whitchurch Nr Cardiff

Telephone number: Business (Cardiff 33261 Ext. 24)

What was your unit, division, corps? No 6 Commando 1st S.S. Bde

Where did you land and at what time? Queen Red Beach- 'H' Hour minus 15

What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? Assault Troops Were you married at that time? No What is your wife's name? Did you nave any children at that time?

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? several months before

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? We were sailing in Landing craft (Saturday) which were flat bottomed -it was fairly rough crossing in such craft but I remember quite a few witnesses of what happened - conditions and conversations

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.) not to my knowlede

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? I did - but this has become mislaid with the passing of time

22nd May, 1958. F.R. Jolin, Esq., 20 Heol Penyfai, Whitchurch, nr. Cardiff. Dear Mr. Jolin, I am 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 know Mr. Ryan will be particularly interested to hear of your own experiences on the 'Pegasus' Bridge. Would you then very kindly complete and return the enclosed questionnaire, which will help me in planning Mr. Ryan's programme of interviews. A stamped and addressed envelope is attached for your use. I should like to thank you for your kind co-operation, and I look forward very much to receiving your completed questionnaire. Yours sincerely, (Joan Ogle Isaacs) Research Editor

10th July, 1958. F.R. John, Esq., West Mont, 20, Heol Penyfai, Whitchurch, nr. Cardiff.

Dear Mr. John, I felt that I should personally write to thank you for the wonderful contribution which you have made in the preparation of the D-Day book which I am writing. Your questionnaire was so complete that I did not think it would be necessary to ask you to come to London for interview. The account which you gave was precisely the sort of thing that I was searching for and I feel confident that I will be able to use extracts from this as 1 am writing the book. As you must well appreciate, we are dealing with several thousand people, and in the book's final edited form, we shall probably be lucky if we can do more than give each participant a few lines. It is the sum total, however, of all these accounts which I hope will give the book its accuracy and unbiased presentation. I have one more request to make of you. In order to extract some material from your questionnaire, 1 will need your signature to the attached release. A stamped and addressed envelope is attached for your use. It may well be a year before the manuscript is published in The Reader’s Digest, but at that time we will duly send you a copy of the issue with the story “The Longest Day”. Yours sincerely, (Cornelius J. Ryan)

I hereby agree that Mr. Cornelius Ryan has all rights whatsoever in the questionnaire and letter from me regarding D-Day. SIGNED F R Johns DATE 16/7/58

[written note top of page] Sword 0715 followed Lord Lord Lovat to Pegasus Bridge, lost pants. Thumbs up sign from fellow Commando with half his face shot away.

THE ASSAULT LANDINGS IN NORMANDY D DAY: MIDNIGHT JUNE 5 — MIDNIGHT JUNE 6 Ack 23/5/58

What is your full name ? Desmond Charles March What is your present address? 60, Crouch Hall Road N.8 Telephone number: FIT 0489. HOME NOR 3705/1986/6292 OFFICE What was your unit, division, corps? F/318/92nd LAA Regt R.A. 3 Brit Div. Where did you land and at what time? Sword Beach What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? Lieutenant. 29 years Were you married at that time? Yes What is your wife's name? Patricia Did you have any children at that time? Yes. A giel When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? Jan. 1944 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? Uneventful crossing in a LCT Rather Rough but all in good spirits

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. did not have time.

3. In times of 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 ?

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? I attach an account of my troops activities sent in by an observer officer

What do you do now? Director Engineering Co

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 J oan 0. Isaacs The Reader ’ s Digest

2. Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Yes. D & E Troops of our Battery were sunk by shell fire & we were the lucky troop to defend our V.P.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? No.

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 outof-place?

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, that struck you more than anything else? Watching the Air landing brigade came in to land the evening of 6th June