ryan_box024-tld_f49_02

Hudson, QUEBEC

For Cornelius Ryan
Book about D-day

Possible excerpt

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? Morris Henry Magee.

What was your unit and division? 14th Field Regt. Royal Canadien Artillery
3rd Canadian Division.

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Berniere-Sur-Mer. France.
at 0925 hours. ( 6th June. 1944)

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

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 25 yrs old. [inserted] 39 now [end inserted]

Were you married at that time? Yes.

What is your wife's name? Nesta Evans Magee.

Did you have any children at that time? No.

What do you do now? Cardiographer. - Technician.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
after training on combined operations we had the feeling for month s
that when the invasion came we would be in it. -

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?
Very rough crossing - because we [underlined] crossed in a L.C.T. whieh is like
being in a rowboat on Lake Champlain [end underlined] -

my most vivid recollection of crossing channel was how seasick
I was.some of the boys played cards other read while some just
slept.- conversation was of a minumum.

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).

rumours were flying that the Germans would pour gasoline
on the sea and set it afire also that they had all kind s of
obstacles on the beaches with explosives attached to them
that would detonate when the Landing craft attempted to pass over
them.

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We definitely knew that the Great D.Day had arrived and we were in it
when the signal was given at 1400 hours on the 5th June. to break
open the Canvass bags containing maps of the French coast. -