Box 025, folder 10: Cecil McKee Rehill

REHILL, Cecil McKee

Canadian 3rd Can. Div.

Box 25, #10

NOTHING

For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-Day

THOUSANDS OF MEN, ON LAND AND SEA AND IN THE AIR, PARTECIPATED 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 fall name? CECIL McKEE REHILL

What was your unit and division? REGINA RIFLE REGIMENT. 3rd CANADIAN DIVISION

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Courcelles - Sur - Mer at 1000 hrs.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? LT

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 26

Were you married at that time? YES

What is your wife's name? HAZEL EVELINA REHILL

Did you have any children at that time? NO

What do you do now? CANADIAN ARMY REGULAR.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? APRIL 1944

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? ROUGH CROSSING.

What were the rumors on board the boat, ship or plane in which you made the crossing? (Some people remember scuttlebut to the effetct that the Germans had poured gasoline on the water and planned to set it afire when the troops came in). NONE. REMEMBERED.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Maj CM REHILL

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 llke--that is, do you remember whether you felt any pain or were so surprised that you felt nothing? N/A

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed funny at the time? NO

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? NO

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

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Maj CM REHILL

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? ON BOARD SHIP - " The MARGURETTE"

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? AT BN HQ of the Regina Rifles. place name not know.

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, who we should write to? Lt Col Mathison. OC Regina Rifles - now at Saskatoon Maj S Tubb. now at D.V.A. Saskatoon, Sask. Maj [crossed out] Capt [end crossed out] Jamison. " " " Saskatoon Sask.

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.