Box 025, folder 06: William Paterson

PATERSON, William

Canadian 1st Can. Parachute 6th Brit. Airborne

BOX 25, #6

Rexdale ONTARIO Nothing RCAF NOTHING

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? WILLIAM PATERSON

What was your unit and division? 1st CDN. PARACHUTE BN. BRITISH 6th AIRBORNE DIVISION.

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? 12.30 A.M. JUNE 5/44. 6HRS BEFORE H HOUR.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? PRIVATE

What was your age on June 6, 1944? - 22

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? HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? [crossed out] APPROXIMATELY [end crossed out] INDEFINITE - YEAR BEFORE DEFINITE - 2 WKS BEFORE D DAY

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? CROSSED [?AND?] JUMPED FROM A DAKOTA. PLANE RIDE SMOOTH [?AND?] FAST. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE FLAK ON COAST OF FRANCE. IT LOOKED PRETTY; BUT DANGEROUS. JUMPED WITHIN 3 MINUTES OF HIT THE COAST OF FRANCE. [crossed out] AIRCRE [end crossed out] NO ONE TALKED TOO MUCH.

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). NO RUMORS. MOST OF THE BOYS WANTED TO GET OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. NO ONE LIKES TO HAVE FLAK THROWN AT THEM.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name WILLIAM PATERSON

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 the landing or during the day? YES

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? NO

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? [crossed out] FELT A [end crossed out] I WAS SURPRISED ABOUT THE LACK OF PAIN WHEN IS WAS HIT WITH SHRAPNEL IN THE LEGS [?AND?] FACE.

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 DEATH OF OUR C.S.M. HE LED A SECTIONAL NIGHT ATTACK. HE DID NOT HAVE TO, AS HIS FUNCTION DID NOT CALL FOR HIM TO BE IN THE ATTACK. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR AMMUNITION [?AND?] SUPPLIES [?AND?] TO REMAIN AT COMPANY HEADQUARTERS. HE WAS AN INSPIRATION TO HIS MEN. I KNOW BECAUSE I WAS IN THE SECTION [crossed out] HE LED [end crossed out] LED. HE WAS A TREMENDOUS MAN.

- 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?

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? IN AN AIRCRAFT ON THE WAY TO FRANCE.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? - IN A SLIT TRENCH IN FRANCE (LE MESNIL)

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.

Cornelius Ryan

Frances Ward Research, The Reader's Digest

August 28, 1958

Mr. William Patterson George Harvey Vocational School York Township, Toronto, Ontario

Dear Mr. Patterson:

A book about D-day, June 6, 1944, is being written by Cornelius Ryan for publication in The Reader's Digest and in book form next spring on the fifteenth anniversary of the Normandy invasion. With the help of The Legionary and the war office at Ottawa we have been able to reach some of the Canadians who participated in the invasion--but not enough of them to do justice to the Canadian assault effort. We have been told that you might agree to help us. I hope that you will.

Mr. Ryan wants to tell the story of the Canadians who landed on D-day, for we have been directed to their weighty role in the invasion often and respectfully. However, we are at a disadvantage in approaching the Canadian story simply because of short time and long distance. In order to give our Canadian interviewers a sound basis for their work, I need the answers to the enclosed questions.

I hope that you will agree to contribute to the book and that you will return the enclosed record to me as soon as possible. Since our absolute deadline for research is the end of September, I should be grateful too if you would let me know if and where you could be interviewed during the coming month.

This will not be a strategic history, but a story of the mental, physical and emotional impact of D-day as men truly knew it. To tell this story we sorely need your help. We particularly look forward to your reply.

Sincerely yours,

Frances Ward Research Department