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shelling and some of the craft were hit.
Lieutenant Stuart Hills M.C. was commanding a troop of tanks in C
Squadron. The ramp of his landing craft had just been let down when a shell
landed on the side of it, and another close by, wounding Sergeant Sidsway.
Lieutenant Hills decided to launch immediately, but as soon as they entered
the water it was apparent that something was wrong. Water poured into his
own tank everywhere, and it was evident that the first shell had holed one
of the bottom plates. It was hopeless to try and save it, and the crew
scrambled into their rubber dinghy. A few seconds later the tank
"Bardincollis", disappeared under the waved. Things were going badly for
this troop, as not far away two other tanks were going down. Naval craft
picked up Lieutenant Hills and his crew, and treated them to a welcome
breakfasr of whiskey and Mars Bars. They could not be put ashore as this
craft was too busy bombarding the beaches with a six pounder and twin
Oewelikons. The next day they borrowed a dinghy, and made a rather belated
invasion of the continent in this.
In some cases, however, the launching of these DD tanks was more
successful. The tanks of the 13th/18th Hussars were launched from 5,000
yards out, and most of them reached the beaches safely to support, the 3rd British
Division on our left flank. The sight of tanks swimming shore from deep
water considerably startled the Germans.
The 1st Battalion, the Dorsetshire Regiment, the left assault Battalion
of 231 Brigade, landed a little to the Bast of Le Hamel at half-past seven.
There was a considerable amount of shelling and mortaring, but it was not until
they advanced inland that really stiff fighting began. The other assault