Relating to the Invasion Of Europe.
My Journey tells me that on the Morning of 9th June we dashed back to Plymouth as had fired all ammunition and needed to load more, and we were back in Normandy the same night!!
It seems as though there air raids most nights though none on a large scale, and by June 11th the coast in area of "GOLD" has be secured by the army and we moved along the coast to "SWORD" Beach opposite Ouistreham. The army were having difficulty in taking the town of Caen and We supported them by shelling all and every target from gun batteries to tanks, or even German infantry.
We watched as our own bombers carried out raid- some being shot down. The German defence of Caen held up the advance inland and the town was eventually completely destroyed before it was captured. When I returned to Normandy with D-DAY Revisited in 2013. I spoke with the locals and said I felt guilty about the damage we had done to their town. They replied that accepted the damage and the casualties they suffered because without the invasion they might still have been under Nazis domination.
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| H.M.S AJAX |
Richard began life as sea man of the young age of Just 17 years old. He entered for Pangbourne National College and he became R.W.R. Cadet there in September 1939.
I left school as soon Certificate Exams were takes in May 1914.
Then he trained Students for a Career at Sea - as one of Exams passes was in Navigation which bore fruit over the next few years.
In December 1943.
Richard transferred from H.M.S. Howe, a Battleship based in Scapa Flow,to the H.M.S.
AJAX light Cruiser Berthed alongside in Portsmouth, As it was normal routione in war
In the Ship!
A Ship with a new crew had to embark on a "Working Up"
Programme - Which involved everybody becoming Familiar with their action station duties, Richard Practicting all the many execise which coverts the Ship into an efficient fighting machine. So it found myself sailing back to Scapa flow, Where I guess we arrived On December 26th , Where Battleship and Cruisers of the fleet returned from Engaging and Sinking the,German Battleship Called "SCHARMHORST" off the Norway. The Scapa flow in Winter is Cold,Wet,Gales and Not the Best Place to do anything!
Richard
Our Working up Programme terminated, and on January 18th We set sail for Plymouth,
We Traveled and arrived on 20th January the contrast between Scapa flow and greenery of Plymouth
Sound was something to Stir the Heart...
In Plymouth, We stored the Ship and then we took on Ammunition all of other provisions need for an extended period away.
Richard Learned some of the Arts of Navigation at School. I came the Navigation Officers "Dog Body"!
Called the Navigation's Tanky , Which I was ok as my Action Station was always on bridge, which meant that I had afront row views of what was happening as well. As Being a privy to where Ship was going to ect.
Richard On January 25th. We Sailed for the Mediterranean In first 24 hours, We met Severe Storms and
Sold green water,coming over the bridge and causing damage.
The Crew were mostly young and their first sea trip and I recall the sailor's mess deck was awash with Vomit. But they recovered in after a couple of days at sea, Our first stop was Gibraltar where we arrived on 31st January to gorgeous warm sunshine! I remember it well, never having been further away from UK than Brittany in 1939! And these were the days when long distance oversea travel was the privilege of the very few- and obvisously not all during the war! After the drabness of wartime Britain in Winter it was bit of Magic! ..
Richard Stayed in the Mediterranean. Until May and in the intervening months traveled extensively In the Central med. Life fairly rountine, and Included a Bombardment of Rhodes harbour time in Malta and Naples.
Where we Supported the allied Landings at Anzio a little furthes North along the Coast. We were lucky enough to be in Naples during the eruption of Vesuvius which was Spectaclar Anchored in the bay of Naples each night and had to hose the ash off the decks each morning.
Visited Pempeii, Climbed to the top of Vesuvius with the help of the Army, and Went to a Performance of La Boheme at the San Carlo Opera House - Looking a little the worse for wear after a year of war, But a Memorable Occasion never the less.
Richard Sailed to the UK and On May 10th, He arrived in Gibraltar in the Middle of the night for oil and left Before it got light Since most of the Cruisers in the Med.
Were he was doing the same thing Serecy was Important Because of the Build - Up to the Invasion of France But we returned to Scapa flow and next couple of Weeks was spent doing a few days in Greenock
Where some early radar set were installed Richard left on June 3rd.
I believe it was just as well it didn't start 24 hours before it was first due as the might have been disastrous!
Owing to heavy seas more men and materials to support the initial landings could not have been put ashore.
I only hope the delay wont have any long term ill effects. I have the First Watch to-night so should get a good night sleep!
Monday June 5th. 1315. After an anxious forenoon during which the sea was really rough we have round
Land's End and are now on our way up the Channel.
The waves have gone down and sun is shining. The Coast of Cornwall is visible and the sea is a Wonderful Blue.One might almost say 'Perfect invasion weather' The Captain has Just broadcast telling us the Second front is liable to start any hour and we must be prepared for attacks from the enemy,particularly from
E-boats, U-boats and the air. E-Boats seem to be the most source of danger at the moment.
22:30 'The Invasion is on! At night Action Stations. The Commander told us what is to happen.
I wont go into details as they will soon be news.After N.A Action Stations I visited the Plot and discovered
The details from Torps ( Torpedo Officer) .
We go to Action Stations at 0400 Which suits me nicely as I was to have had the Morning Watch anyway!
We should arrive at our Bombardment position at 0445 and when it is light 0515 (approx) Commence our Shoot at a 6" shore battery. At 06:45 Heavy Bombers come in and at 0725 our troops Land.
At 20:00 Tonight mine Sweepers started to sweep Channels for us and during tonight paratroopers are to be landed. At moment I am just about to turn in and hope no events take place before 04:00.
Everything is quite normal on the ship,just a slight feeling of execitement and everyone is pleased that we are at last doing what we came back from the Med to do.
Wednesday June 7th 0145 Today has been a very tiring but very interesting day.Since this morning, or
In actual fact yesterday morning as this is being written in the Middle Watch.However, I'll refer to it as today Still. We closed up at Action Stations at 400. We were then passing down the swept Channel made by our Mine Sweepers earlier. The Channel was marked by buoys and was only 4 cable wide. It led due South to the Invasion area - Between Le Havre and Cherbourg. As we Steamed down the channel at 12 knots we passed convoys of LCTs, invasion craft, and transports which were to come in later. Along the French Coast our Bombers were busy, fire raging.
05:00 Reached buoy marking end of swept channel, turned to post opposite Gold Beach.Sighted target which opened fire. Started bombardment - target destroyed. Heavy bombardment all along coast - whole area under heavy shelling. 0705 Anchored.
Rocket ship in position and opened fire 17 minutes before H- Hour. Smoke and Noise.
Assault craft went in at 0725, all ships bombarding.
I left school as soon Certificate Exams were takes in May 1914.
Then he trained Students for a Career at Sea - as one of Exams passes was in Navigation which bore fruit over the next few years.
In December 1943.Richard transferred from H.M.S. Howe, a Battleship based in Scapa Flow,to the H.M.S.
AJAX light Cruiser Berthed alongside in Portsmouth, As it was normal routione in war
In the Ship!
A Ship with a new crew had to embark on a "Working Up"
Programme - Which involved everybody becoming Familiar with their action station duties, Richard Practicting all the many execise which coverts the Ship into an efficient fighting machine. So it found myself sailing back to Scapa flow, Where I guess we arrived On December 26th , Where Battleship and Cruisers of the fleet returned from Engaging and Sinking the,German Battleship Called "SCHARMHORST" off the Norway. The Scapa flow in Winter is Cold,Wet,Gales and Not the Best Place to do anything!
Richard
Our Working up Programme terminated, and on January 18th We set sail for Plymouth,
We Traveled and arrived on 20th January the contrast between Scapa flow and greenery of Plymouth
Sound was something to Stir the Heart...
In Plymouth, We stored the Ship and then we took on Ammunition all of other provisions need for an extended period away.
Richard Learned some of the Arts of Navigation at School. I came the Navigation Officers "Dog Body"!
Called the Navigation's Tanky , Which I was ok as my Action Station was always on bridge, which meant that I had afront row views of what was happening as well. As Being a privy to where Ship was going to ect.
Richard On January 25th. We Sailed for the Mediterranean In first 24 hours, We met Severe Storms and
Sold green water,coming over the bridge and causing damage.
Richard Stayed in the Mediterranean. Until May and in the intervening months traveled extensively In the Central med. Life fairly rountine, and Included a Bombardment of Rhodes harbour time in Malta and Naples.
Where we Supported the allied Landings at Anzio a little furthes North along the Coast. We were lucky enough to be in Naples during the eruption of Vesuvius which was Spectaclar Anchored in the bay of Naples each night and had to hose the ash off the decks each morning.
Visited Pempeii, Climbed to the top of Vesuvius with the help of the Army, and Went to a Performance of La Boheme at the San Carlo Opera House - Looking a little the worse for wear after a year of war, But a Memorable Occasion never the less.
Richard Sailed to the UK and On May 10th, He arrived in Gibraltar in the Middle of the night for oil and left Before it got light Since most of the Cruisers in the Med.
Were he was doing the same thing Serecy was Important Because of the Build - Up to the Invasion of France But we returned to Scapa flow and next couple of Weeks was spent doing a few days in Greenock
Where some early radar set were installed Richard left on June 3rd.
I believe it was just as well it didn't start 24 hours before it was first due as the might have been disastrous!
Owing to heavy seas more men and materials to support the initial landings could not have been put ashore.
I only hope the delay wont have any long term ill effects. I have the First Watch to-night so should get a good night sleep!
Monday June 5th. 1315. After an anxious forenoon during which the sea was really rough we have round
Land's End and are now on our way up the Channel.
The waves have gone down and sun is shining. The Coast of Cornwall is visible and the sea is a Wonderful Blue.One might almost say 'Perfect invasion weather' The Captain has Just broadcast telling us the Second front is liable to start any hour and we must be prepared for attacks from the enemy,particularly from
E-boats, U-boats and the air. E-Boats seem to be the most source of danger at the moment.
22:30 'The Invasion is on! At night Action Stations. The Commander told us what is to happen.
I wont go into details as they will soon be news.After N.A Action Stations I visited the Plot and discovered
The details from Torps ( Torpedo Officer) .
We go to Action Stations at 0400 Which suits me nicely as I was to have had the Morning Watch anyway!
We should arrive at our Bombardment position at 0445 and when it is light 0515 (approx) Commence our Shoot at a 6" shore battery. At 06:45 Heavy Bombers come in and at 0725 our troops Land.
At 20:00 Tonight mine Sweepers started to sweep Channels for us and during tonight paratroopers are to be landed. At moment I am just about to turn in and hope no events take place before 04:00.
Everything is quite normal on the ship,just a slight feeling of execitement and everyone is pleased that we are at last doing what we came back from the Med to do.
Wednesday June 7th 0145 Today has been a very tiring but very interesting day.Since this morning, or
In actual fact yesterday morning as this is being written in the Middle Watch.However, I'll refer to it as today Still. We closed up at Action Stations at 400. We were then passing down the swept Channel made by our Mine Sweepers earlier. The Channel was marked by buoys and was only 4 cable wide. It led due South to the Invasion area - Between Le Havre and Cherbourg. As we Steamed down the channel at 12 knots we passed convoys of LCTs, invasion craft, and transports which were to come in later. Along the French Coast our Bombers were busy, fire raging.
05:00 Reached buoy marking end of swept channel, turned to post opposite Gold Beach.Sighted target which opened fire. Started bombardment - target destroyed. Heavy bombardment all along coast - whole area under heavy shelling. 0705 Anchored.
Rocket ship in position and opened fire 17 minutes before H- Hour. Smoke and Noise.
Assault craft went in at 0725, all ships bombarding.
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