ryan_box023-tld_f49_02

For Cornelius Ryan
Book about D-day

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? Arthur Henry Boon

What was your unit and division? 19th. Canadian Army Field Regiment (S.P.) R.C.A.
3rd. Canadian Infantry Division.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time?
St. Aubin Sur-Mer. We arrived off the French coast at 7.30 A.M.
and began firing on the beach until 8.20 A.M. After the infantry had landed
we went ashore at approximately 9.30 A.M.
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Gunner.

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 19

Where you married at that time? No.

What is your wife's name? I was married in 1956 and my wife's name
is Lois.

Did you have children at that time? No.

What do you do now? I am employed by the Canadian National
Railways, Stratford, Ontario.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? In October
1943 my regiment was detached for 5th Can. Armoured Div. and
placed with 3rd Can. Inf. Div. and told that we were to be part of the
invasion. What was the trip like during the crossing of the Channel? Do you
remember, for example, any conversations you had, or how you passed
the time? I remember the crossing of the Channel quite well
as the water was very rough and since we were in a Landing
Craft Tank, which is not a very large craft, we were bounced
around quite a bit. I passed some of the time reading a pocket
book entitled " A Maid and a Million Men", which I never did
finish reading. Also we checked and re-checked our equipment.
Some of the conversation was about where we would land,
how each of us would personally make out on the landing.
One thing we all agreed on was that we didn't care where
we landed just so long as we got off the choppy channel onto the
ground again. 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).
Some of the rumours where to the effect that we were
going to land in Holland, others thought in Belgium. I
believe some of the rumours came about because we had
been in paid in French money in Southampton and they didn't
believe we would land in France. Some of the boys talked
about Dieppe, and hoped that we would have a better time
of it [inserted]no matter where we landed.[end inserted] than the 2nd Canadian Division had there in 1942.
I never heard the rumour about the Germans pouring gasoline
on the water and I doubt that anyone would of believed it as we
believed our security was good and that we would catch
the Germans by surprise, which we did.