Box 024, folder 62: Frank A. McTavish

McTAVISH, Frank A.

Canadian Royal Can. Engineers 3rd Can. Div.

Box 24, #62

[ inserted] Major F.A. McTavish [end inserted]

[inserted] EXCERPT [end inserted]

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? FRANK ALEXANDER McTAVISH

What was your unit and division? 5 Field Company, R.C.E. [inserted] Royal Canadian Engineers [end inserted] attached to 3rd Cdn Inf Div

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? On the extreme left beach (I forget its code name) Approximately H Hour.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Major

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 34

Were you married at that time? Yes

What is your wife's name? Mary Elizabeth Mc Tavish

Did you have any children at that time? Yes, one.

What do you do now? Still in army

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? Several months prior to invasion

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? A little rough and the seasick pills were not of much help. The navy on the LCT which took us over kindly offered a tot of rum shortly before landing which was largely declined because of great queasiness. Men were eager to get ashore - whether to engage the enemy or escape the rolling motion I'm not sure.

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). There were no rumours on our little LCT. Everyone was well briefed and messages read to them from Montgomery and Eisenhower were well received.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2-

Your name [underlined] Mc TAVISH [end underlined]

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Just the official War Diary

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: Nothing except our job immediately on landing. All ranks were remarkably stoic and single minded.

Were you wounded? Very slightly on the hand.

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? Too minor to [?recount?] much thinking about it

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed funny at the time? I was giving first aid to one of my sergeants who looked as if he was dying when he whispered to me to loan him a knife with which to dispatch a wounded German lying beside him. (The Sgt did not die)

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Several, but one night saddened & sickened me above all. Small enemy mortars were hailing down on the beach and when our tanks arrived with turrets open we called to them to take cover. Most of them did not close their hatches and one received a missile clearly down the hatch, setting fire to the tank with horrible consequences

- 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? I noticed no example of either extreme.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? On the LCT

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? In slit trenches on an estate at the beach.

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?

Lt Col R.J. Cassidy RCE (Was CRE 3 Cdn Inf Div) 277 Irene Crescent, Ottawa, Ont.

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 IP 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