D-Day, June 6. “I was there”!

One of the most memorable things about France, according to John Frost, was the smell – the stench of death! 

D-Day was the most guarded secret of the war.  And, yet to Londoners, it was the most open secret in the World. 

Where else could all those military vehicles be going, day and night? 

For weeks, long convoys of troops, tank carriers and lorries moved along London’s arterial roads all heading in one direction – London Docks. 
 

Main: The memories and lessons of D-day. 
 

As an army driver, I recall that first week in June 1944 so well.  There were flags and bunting all the way with cheering crowds yelling “Good luck, Boys!” and giving us cups of tea to help us along.  Yes, even then we had plenty of sugar! 

Once at the Docks we were sealed off from the outside world.  No letters, no phoning, for we had now been officially told our destination was France. 

Work consisted of waterproofing vehicles and checking equipment.  Once aboard we endeavour with a Naval Escort and put our vomiting bags to good use.  

I wrote to my mother: “Here I am en route to Normandy by courtesy of the Royal Navy – not a Jerry plane in sight, the RAF rules the skies.” 

Luckily, our landing was dry.   

I clearly remember driving across the beach between white ribbons – the sign that it had been cleared of land mines.  The few houses were just ruins.  British bombers had gone in before us, the Germans had retreated and the fighting was going on way ahead of us. 
 

D-Day still resonates after 80 years.
 

But British troops and vehicles were everywhere.  We headed a few miles inland to a deserted farmhouse.  Our first task was to unload the camouflage nets and remove sticky waterproofing from our hot engines, and then to dig in. 

That first night we were ordered to sleep under our lorries, but I found a stretcher and had a comfortable night’s sleep in the back of mine, the sound of gunfire in the distance. 

The most memorable thing about that first day in France was the smell: the stench of death. Not human flesh, but cattle.  Scores of them were lying on their sides – potbellied and dead.  The sun didn’t help much either. It wasn’t until we reached Bayeux several days later that we actually saw any French people. As far as the fighting went on our front reaching out towards Caen, there was stalemate for some weeks while the Americans battled for Cherbourg. 

We made up for it later when we covered 400 miles in six days in July to be the first troops in Antwerp.
 

John Frost: “Headlines we never forget. Important events which will change history.” John has them all.
 

The organisation and planning of the D-Day operation was brilliant – absolutely nothing was forgotten.  Aboard ship every man received a printed message from the Supreme Commander, General Eisenhower wishing “Good Luck on the Great Crusade.” 

On landing, each man was given a pre-printed Field Postcard on which to write home.  It consisted of sentences such as “I am well” or “I have been wounded” which could be struck out.  We all had tin rations plus a portable “Tommy Cooker” with tiny solid fuel tablets. 

I can still recall the delicious steak and kidney puddings. It was several weeks, though, before we had bread and so biscuits were the order of the day supplemented by the compulsory daily vitamin pill. 

Special praise, too, must be given for the Army Laundry Ablution Units.  Dirty shirts and underwear were just exchanged for clean ones and it they fitted you were lucky. 

Every day was an uncertain one, but the comradeship and spirit has never been equalled.  We were the British Liberation Army, and we knew we were going to win. 

They were the days of many slogans and one which I really took to heart -- “Save Paper”.  I did! 

<< By John Frost, in London, now deceased. Adaption by Frank Morris.
 

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