ryan_box023-tld_f44_03

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 -
Your name D S Axford
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you
that day?
No, I have never kept a diary.
Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during landing
or during the day?
No, all my friends, in fact our whole HQ landed safely.
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties:
N/A
Were you wounded? No
Do you remember what it was like--that is, do you remember whether
you felt any pain or were so surprised that you felt nothing?
N/A
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now,
even though it may not have seemed funny at the time?
The main scene, which I now think comical, was during our dis-
embarkation from the LST to a Rhino Ferry taking us into the
beach. One of our Liaison Officers, in jumping from the LST
ramp, fell and either twisted or broke his ankle (I forget which).
He was brought back to the LST and as far as I know never did
land on the beach until about four months later.
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable,
which struck you more than anything else?
The only thing I remember which to me was sad was the wrecked
landing craft on the beaches and the damaged and blown up equip-
ment lying about. During the evening, when our HQ made its first
stop, there in the field opposite to us were four self-propelled
guns of one of our field artillery regiments which had formed in
line to go into action, but had been hit by German 88mm guns in
succession and all crews had been killed, or so it was reported.