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MATHIEU, Paul
Canadian 3rd Can. Div.
BOX 24, #52
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Possible Ep. 3
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? PAUL - MATHIEU
What was your unit and division? LE - REGT - DE - LA - CHAUDIÈRE 8 - Bde - 3rd Cdn. DIV.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? BERNIÈRES - SUR - MER - 08.05 - AM. (NAN - WHITE)
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? LIEUT - COLONEL.
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 37
Were you married at that time? NO
What is your wife's name?
Did you have any children at that time?
What do you do now? ASSOSIATE - DEPUTY - MINISTER DEPT. OF NATIONAL - DEFENCE.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? SEPT - 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? SEA - WAS - VERY - ROUGH, MEN WERE SEA SICK, WE STUDIED OUR - OPERATION ORDER AND MILITARY MAPS.
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). NONE.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name
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
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties: NO
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?
The small number of casualties compared to what we were expecting. The efficiency of the Canadian soldier in battle.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - 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? When we first came under artillery fire in an orchard, one officer climbed up a tree. He still does not know why.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? CROSSING - THE CHANNEL - ON - THE - "ISLE - OF - MANN" -
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? LA - MARE. seven miles inland.
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.A. Milroy Lt.-Col. Director of Public Relations (Army) Cartier Square, Ottawa, Ontario