Box 024, folder 60: Gerdow A. McNamee

McNAMEE, Gerdow A. Canadian R.C.A.F. Box 24, #60

[inserted] RCAF [end inserted] [inserted] Excerpt [end inserted] [inserted] RCAF [end inserted] 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? Gordon Andrew McNamee ("Andy")

Whatwas your squadron, station, unit? 405 Sqn P.F.F. [?Guonsden?] Lodge

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

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Flying Officer

What was your age on June 6, 1944? Twenty One

Were you married at that time? No

What is your wife's name? Rosemarie (Nee "Hill" of Moose Jaw)

Did you have any children at that time? No

What do you do now? Flight Lieutenant at [inserted] RCAF, HQ. [end inserted] [crossed out] [illegible][end crossed out] /HQ., Ottawa AS/F [?tr?] C.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? Our crew was met upon return by F/L Ron Milne RNZAF and informed us what our mssion had been.

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? It seemed a routine mission until my H25 radar picked up an "island" of great size in the channel where I knew no such island existed. This was, of course, the radar return from the thousands of vessels on the way to the assault but not until we returned to base was I able to comprehend.

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). As I recall there were ten aiming points distributed along the Normandy Coast: Our target was the easternmost point from which we wer to fly westward just inside the coastline to Cherbourg. It was the unanimous opinion of our crew that we should have been ordered to fly beyond the range of coastal ack ack and that this route indicated the stratigists had "[?groped?]"- Each succeeding mile along this interior route only confirmed our suspicions. The next day it was, of course, clarified completely.

Your name Gordon Andrew McNamee

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Include any impressions from it. I was overwhelmed by the secrecy attained for an operation of such magnitude.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during landing or during the day? Ray Peebles and Gordon Williams of Moose Jaw killed in Army landing assault. (School chums)

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? Had not seen them for several months.

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? As we taxied to our dispersal upon our return. F/L Milne (RNZAF) ran towards us shouting - " The boys have landed! The boys have landed." Since this was our 1st trip in a new sqn we were flattered by this display of concern for our safety. I confess to a small amount of disappointment when learning wer were not "The boys" being referred to, but the [underlined]impact[end underlined] [?restored?] our good humour.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Only the immense radar return caused by the assault vessels.

Did you encounter any enemy aircraft or flak? Was your aircraft demaged? A fair amount of flak only - no hits.

Your name McNamee

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? No. Our Trip was routine pretty well throughout.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? At briefing for this mission

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? At briefing for mission to [?Forres de Guerisy?]

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? No.

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.M. Lee Squadron Leader Director of Public Relations Air Force Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario.