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[inserted] RCAF 20445 F/L V. W. Eldridge [end inserted]
[inserted] RCAF [end inserted]
[inserted] Exerpt [end inserted]
THOUSANDS OF MEN, ON LAND AND SEA AND IN THS 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. [inserted] CANADIAN [end inserted]
[inserted ]Nothing [end inserted]

What is your full name?
VICTOR WISHART ELDRIDGE
What was your squadron, station, unit?
415 RCAF Squadron based at Bircham Newton England

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time?

What was your rank on June 6, 1944?
Warrant Officer
What was your age on June 6, 1944?
22
Were you married at that time?
NO
What is your wife's name?
N/A
Did you have any children at that time?
N/A
What do you do now?
ADJUTANT 436 (T) Squadron RCAF Downsview Ont

When did you know that you were going to be part of the
invasion?
No specific instructions were given to our crew
but were assigned direct support duty and briefed ahead of time. Aircraft were marked.
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?
Our job was to protect the ships from E"Boat attacks and possible subs. WE were close
by the battlewagons firing salvos at the beaches and could see the shells and bombs hitting
the shore. It was a forth of July with the sky lit up. The great worry was that the
[underlined] German E Boats [end underlined] with their torpedos would wreak havoc weaving in out of the ships and landing
barges. [underlined] There were known to be 35 or more in [end underlined] the immediate area that 415 Squadron had seen
on previous flights. [inserted] ? [end inserted]

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 knew the 2nd front was opened. Our only worry was German fighters. The
flak never [crossed out] particula [end crossed out] accounted for many of our planes. Our Squdron comprised
of Wellingtons and our bomb load was 9 500LB barometric fused bombs. This
gave a wide blast area very suited to destroying small craft.

Shortly after takeoff from the base in England I was filling the
position of rear gunner. We took turns on our aircraft as were all trained in
wireless, radar, fighter control etc. An aircraft came in on our tail and I
ordered a corkscrew evasive action. We could not identify it as a friendly
or enemy aircraft. The fighter apparently lost us. I had him zeroed in my gun
sights but did not want to shoot down a friendly fighter which seemed to me to
be a British Mosquito aircraft.