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Wells, Wm. James Br. S/Sgt. "F" Sqdn Gli. Plt. Regt.
OK Day list
6. Married, one child and another expected.
18. We were in a very nice house, that had been hit by mortar fire the occupants were in the cellar. I said, that they probably didn't like us being there, we were the cause of their home being ruined. The man said "A home is not much to give for liberty. You perhaps giver your life."
22. Walking to the river my friend Sgt. Nobley who had stuck to his Bren gun through thick and thin, suddenly cursed and stumbled, struggled and then threw it away,
23. Our fellows bellowing "Lilli Marlene" when the Germans were putting over propaganda through a loud speaker.
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Reader’s 31/5 Digest
Tel
The Reader’s Digest Association Limited 25 Berkeley Square London W1 Telephone Mayfair 8144 Cables Readigest London W1
William James W.J. Wells Esq., 39 Flower Lane, Mill Hill, London N.W. 7.
20th April, 1967
Dear Mr. Wells,
Your name appears in the records of those who may have taken part in the airborne assault on Holland in September, 1944. I am therefore writing to ask for your help with some research that we are doing on behalf of Mr. Cornelius Ryan, author of The Longest Day and, more recently, The Last Battle.
Would you be kind enough to answer the following questions in the spaces provided. Please return this letter to me as soon as possible so that Mr. Ryan may include your experiences in the account of the airborne invasion of Holland which he is planning to write. The book will include a chapter entitled ’’Where They Are Today”, in which your name and occupation will be listed with full acknowledgment. Your assistance will be very much appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Randolph Editor, British Editions
1) Are your name and address correct on this letter? If not, please amend them. Yes
2) If you can be reached by telephone, please give your number. 959-3547
3) What is your present occupation? Principal Assistant, Administration, London Electricity Board.
4) What was your rank and unit in September 1944? Staff Sgt. 'F' Squadron Glider Pilot Regt.
5) What was your age in September 1944? 29
6) Were you engaged or married then? To whom? If married, did you have any children at that time? Married to my present wife, one child and another expected.
7) Where were you born? Bethnal Green, London
De Witt Wallace usa Lila Bell Wallace usa T G M Harman obe chairman J H Davenport managing director WS Leuchars M Randolph
G Ravenscroft V Ross GAG Selby-Lowndes P S Crane mc
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TWO
8) What previous action had you seen? Invasion of Sicily
9) When did you learn that you were going to take part in the operation in Holland? About 2 days before I believe.
10) What was your reaction? Were you, for example, anxious, resigned or relieved to be going into action? Relieved- we had been briefed + loaded up 6 times between "D" Day + September 44 + each time it was cancelled
11) What was the trip like into Holland? Did you see anything unusual? Do you remember any conversations you had how you passed the time on the journey? * Very good I had told my passengers that air/sea rescue were on the job- one of them said "Thats what they told us for the Sicily 'do' ! I was very pleased to point to a Glider going down into the North Sea with an air/sea rescue launch running almost beside it waiting for it to ditch
12) How. did you feel about a daylight operation? Do you recall any conversations with your friends about it? What was said? Preferable to night operation
15) What were the rumours? Had you heard, for example, that if the invasion of Holland was successful, the war would be over by the coming winter?
14) Did you keep a diary or notebook of what happened to you during any part of September, 1944? Do you still have it? No
15) Were any of your friends killed or wounded on the day of the drop or on subsequent days? Not until the last day 2 of my friends Sgt Jock Thompson + Sgt Frankie Taylor were with me when we started for the river but I never saw them again
{ Ranks? Did they get lost? What was last they said? }
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16) Do you remember any conversations you had. with them before they became casualties?
17) Were you wounded, or captured during this period? Can you give details? No
18) Do you remember any significant dealings you may have had with Dutch civilians or members of the Dutch Underground? Please explain. * We were in a very nice house, that had been hit by mortar fire the occupants were in the cellar- I said that they probably didn't like us being there - we were the cause of their home being ruined. The man said "A home is not much to give for liberty- you perhaps give your life" embarassed
20) Do you recall any incidents with the Germans - fights, surrenders, truces or conversations you may have had with them afterwards?
21) Do you know of others who took part in the operation, to whom we might write? Please give their names and last-known addresses.
22) Do you recall seeing or hearing anything that seems humorous now, even though it may not have seemed so at the time? Anything sad? Walking to the river my friend Sgt Nobley who had stuck to his Bren gun through thick + thin, suddenly cursed + stumbled struggled + then threw it away, it had got tangled on some wire
23) Do you recall any-thing incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable which struck you more than anything else? * 1) our fellows following "Lillie Marlene" when the Germans were putting over propaganda through a loud hailer 2) The Dutch civilians with arm bands for uniforms helping + fighting with us
Please turn over
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FOUR
24) In times of crisis, people generally show great ingenuity or self-reliance; others sometimes do stupid things. Do you recall any examples of either?
If you need extra space for your answers to any questions, please write below. When you have completed this Questionnaire, we would appreciate your returning it in the enclosed reply-paid envelope. We shall, of course, acknowledge it. Thank you very much for your help.