Box 023, folder 45: John Backosti

BACKOSTI, John Canadian Navy Box 23, #45

2040107 LAC J. Backosti nothing THOUSANDS OF MEN, ON LAND AND SEA AND IN THE AIR, PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF NORMANDY BETWEEN MIDNIGHT JUNE 5, 1944 AND MIDNIGHT JUNE 6, 1944. IF YOU WERE ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. What is your full name? John BACKOSTI What was your squadron, station, unit? H.M.C.S. "Prince HENRY" Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? BETWEEN La Havre & Cherbourg - 0600 June 6/44 What was your rank on June 6, 1944 ? Acting Leading Stoker What was your age on June 6, 1944? 29 yrs Were you married at that time? yes What is your wife's name? Mildred Did you have any children at that time ? yes 1 boy. What do you do now? [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out]A.E. TECH. in R. C. A F. 436 sqdn. When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? Jan 5 1944. left Victoria B.C. for Scotland. June 2nd in Southampton What was the trip like during the crossing of the Channel? we knew Do you remember, for example, any conversations you had Invasion was or how you passed the time? to be France. We left Cowes at 2100 June 5th/44. for France. The channel was not very rough. We talked most of the night of what we would do when we return home. Wrote letters What were the rumors on board the boat, ship or plane in which you made the crossing? (Some people remember scuttlebut to the effect that the Germans had poured gasoline on the water and planned to set it afire when the troops came in). We told that there will be 6 battleships, 22 Cruiser's, 93 destroyers, 5,000 planes & 6 thousand smaller ships, that all the beaches were lined with mines & other traps

Your name John Backosti Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Include any impressions from it. Yes There was very little opposition when we arrived at Coast. We were relieved of tension when we unloaded Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during troops & headed landing or during the day? back for England at 1300 [? hrs ?] Yes some were in the landing Do you remember any converstions you had with them before they became casualties?: 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? Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed funny at the time? Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Did you encounter any enemy aircraft or flak? Was your aircraft damaged? yes enemy aircraft & some flak but ship was not damaged.

Your name In times of great crisis, people generally show either great ingenuity or self-reliance; others do incredibly stupid things. Do you remember any examples of either from D-Day? Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944 ? Left Cowes, Isle of Whight Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944 ? Back at Cowes Do you know of anybody else who landed within the 24 hours of D-Day, June 6, as infantry, glider or airborne troops, or who took part in the air and sea operations, whom we should write to? PLEASE LET US HAVE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE BOOK. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE YOUR STORY ON SEPARATE SHEETS IF WE HAVE NOT LEFT SUFFICIENT ROOM. FULL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WILL BE GIVEN IN A CHAPTER CALLED "WHERE THEY ARE NOW;" YOUR NAME AND VOCATION OR OCCUPATION WILL BE LISTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. W.M. Lee Squadron Leader Director of Public Relations (Air) Air Force Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario,