“Today’s the day. Today, Germany will receive a bit of her own medicine.” Our troops knew that this invasion of Normandy would have a heavy blow upon the Nazi soldiers. All surviving veterans should be proud of having participated in playing a major role in any Great War. D-Day, however marks the first time Canadian soldiers were considered equal to British soldiers (they were not being ordered to do dirty work, and were not sent on a suicide mission). Our navy, our infantry, and our air force would play a part in conquering Juno Beach, while the American army had to take care of Utah and Omaha Beach, and the British army secured Gold and Sword Beach. My troops and I were all leading troops from the Queen’s Own Rifles, Royal Winnipeg Rifles, and Regina Rifles, after having been promoted after somehow surviving the failed mission at Dieppe two years ago. When I think about D-Day, I just remember about how amazing it is that my troops and I, and half of the soldiers we were leading, survived in one piece after that day. The first day of our assault began on Juno beach, and we were to work our way several miles inward. In addition, it was just our luck to be forced onto the shore without covering fire from our DD Tanks. The Germans were more than prepared to destroy us, but our combat tactics saved quite a few lives from certain death by Nebelwerfer, and earn ourselves a good blow to the Germans, even with only our Bren light machine guns. We were able advance when reinforcements finally arrived. As we moved onward, we had eventually rallied with the British troops at Gold Beach. In light of having lost around 1000 soldiers, we had made a decisive victory, along with the American and British troops. Two months later, every single one of my Third Class Master Gunners were promoted to Second Class, in recognition for their skill and tact (resembling my own) demonstrated in D-Day. A week later, I was promoted to Master Gunner, First Class, at last. Veterans, what were your D-Day stories?
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), I did not take part in the historic D-Day landings in Normandy. Though most Canadians will forever remember the 6th of June, 1944 as the day of the landings in Normandy, I was in Italy at the time. It was just two days after Rome had been liberated by the Allies and the Germans were racing across the Alps back into Germany. Nonetheless, I had many friends in the armoured divisions landing on Juno beach that day and they have all told me wonderful stories. One of them, a Sergeant in the Fort Garry Horse by the name of Barry Worthington, landed near St. Aubin to support the North Shore Regiment. By afternoon, the Fort Garry Horse would clear all of St. Aubin but Barry would later be wounded in the leg in the process. He would survive, but as he told me in a letter, “[D-Day] was hell; but all the worse ‘cause it was necessary to win the war.”
ReplyDeleteOn D-Day, Me and my air buddies were busy helping you guys stay behind our cover of artillery and bombs so you could advance on your certain positions. This would help you infantry men to have less of a fight on land.WHAT A DAY!! Just before D-Day, one squad pounded Normandy beaches with tons of bombs. I mean TONS! IN THE THOUSANDS! AT least that was what I heard. This was to again make you guys prevail on your assault. My division was the 83 Group, which helped you guys bomb the heck out of everything: bombing roads, bridges, railways, airfields, communications centres... you name it! While doing that, we still were fighting the experienced German fighter pilots. Sadly, I lost another friend while in the air. As we tried to bomb the beaches for another wave, a German squad ambushed us from the side and we lost half our squad including my friend, Jeremy. I hope we saved some lives in your squad Gunner Michael! D-Day was full of action!
ReplyDelete(Major Rey Hypolito T.)
ReplyDeleteThat was very much not the way that my group and I went into battle feeling. Juno Beach was exhilarating, stupid, and relieving. Many men were saved that day but I was worried that it would have been a suicide mission. But I was willing to do whatever I needed to do because I could not just sit there and watch my fellow comrades die with ought I fight.