Box 024, folder 17: Clinton C. L. Gammon

GAMMON, Clinton C.L. Canadian 3rd Div. Box 24, #17

[insert] Neg. Rec'd. 1/26/59 [end insert]

Bathurst. N. B. 29-Aug-58

[insert] Can. Army [end insert]

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? Clinton Cecil Lloyd Gammon

What was your unit and division? The North Shore (New Brunswick )Regt. [underline] 3rd Can. Inf. Div. [end underline]

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Approximately 0800 hrs,6-Jun-44

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Captain.

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 37 yrs.

Were you married at that time? yes

What is your wifes name? Lois Anne Ruth Gammon

Did you have any children at that time? Yes,daughter,Margaret Jane, 31/2 yrs

What do you do now? Papermaker

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? About Aug 1943.

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? We were concentrated in the Solient between the Isle of Wight and the mainland, we started our crossing about dusk on the evening 5-Jun,and as we watched the shores of England fade behind us,I think we wondered if we would ever see England again,I think most of us had every confidence we would,that is personally We knew others would not come back.We had trained during the winter of 43-44 aboard the HMS Brigadier,which carried four LCAs consequently knew the crew quite well and during that time we had taught a number of them to shoot dice, which was our main pastime.I remember they did quite a good job on most of us and took our money, we did not care much as we figured we could not spend it where we were going.Later in the evening I wrote my wifeand daughter whom I had (over)

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). Do not remember any rumors etc.If we did we did not pay too much attention to it.Morale was very high in the Unit and most of us were just looking forward to another landing.

had never seen as she was born 3 months after I went overseas.Felt a bit badly about writing but assured my wife I would be back,and that I would see her again.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2Your name CCL Gammon

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during landing or during the day? Yes,quite a number both dead and wounded.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties: I specifically remember a conversation with Major Archie Mac Naughton with whom I tented with, in the concentration at Chilworth. Major MacNaughton who was a veteran of World War 1 commanded A Coy of the Bn and had done his landing job of clearing our right flank and making contact with the Queens Own, was [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] marching along the road with his Coy and going on to Tailleville, a village about four miles inland. I remember saying "Well Archie you made it and we chatted for a few minutes,he was all smiles,an hour later I cursed as I looked at his dead body.He was killed with three others while making a recce in the village.

Were you wounded? Yes

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? I was knocked unconscious in the attack on Carpiquet by shell blast and distinctly remember how nice and quiet it was and thiught I must be dead, I thought how nice it was,no noise,no shells landing,no burning wheat fields and no worry.When I came to,a member of the Chaudiere Regt who were on our right flank,had my tie loosened and was nearly drowning me by pouring water down my throat. [crossed out] (over) [end crossed out]

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed funny at the time? About the funniest thing I remember was my batman coming to me about 1700 hrs the day we landed and asking me what he would do with a bottle of scotch he had carried around all day.This bottle had been given to him by one of the ship's crew for me.He had carried it on the landing stuck in his tunic.Of course we put it away for medicinal purposes.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? A very sad sight was four riflemen lying face down across their rifles [insert] THEY [end insert] had been killed charging a house,about 100 yds from the beech They had run into a machine gun post. At another point I ran past a piece of machine gun swept path and noticed one of "D"Coys Sargeants whom I [crossed out]knew[end crossed out] had known all my life lying there dead with the grass burning around him.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name CCL Gammon

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? On board the ship HMS Brigadier somewhere in the channel.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? In the village of Tailleville

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? Only infantry troops of the Bde.

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.A. Milroy Lt.-Col. Director of Public Relations(Army) Cartier Square, Ottawa, Ontario