Box 025, folder 16: Charles J. Scott

SCOTT, Charles J.

Canadian Navy

BOX 25, #16

New Toronto, ONTARIO NAVY

For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-Day

good - GREEN

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? Charles Jackson Scott (called Jack)

What was your unit and division? R.C.N.V.R. on loan to the R.N. and in command of L.C.T. 926 of the 75th L.C.T. Flotilla

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Utah Beach area---daybreak, D-day.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Lieut., R.C.N.V.R.

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 37

Were you married at that time? No

What is your wife's name? Married Ferne Jackson, July, 1950

Did you have any children at that time? Not to my knowledge.

What do you do now? Editor of employee magazine.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? November or December, 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?

Fairly rough when we left the Solent in the afternoon and just after we passed the Needles our flotilla leader caused excitement by setting off an acoustic mine which did no damage. After dark the main problem was to keep in line ahead so as not to stray out of the swept channel. When day broke about one third of the flotilla had done so but succeeded in rejoining without mishap.

Periodically the officers of the American army unit we were carrying came up on the bridge to "pump" the C.O., myself. They talked about home, seemed very apprehensive about the landing and questioned my 1st Lieutenant and myself repeatedly about whether they would get a rough reception.

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).

Don't recall any specific rumours but pre-sailing briefings included predictions that the landing wouldn't be any pink tea.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Jack Scott

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? No

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties?

Were you wounded? No

Do you remember what it was like--that is, do you remember whether you felt any pain or were you so surprised that you felt nothing?

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time?

Yes--one of our L.C.T. C.O.'s going in full tilt for a death or glory beaching regardless of underwater obstacles or what have you. He disembarked his personnel and vehicles successfully but due to his brash approach his craft had two or three holes blown in its bottom by underwater artillery shells fastened on steel stakes and with fuzes set to explode on contact.

Another L.C.T. which came in near 926 unknowingly beached on a sandbar and when its load of vehicles drove off the bar they encountered 3-4 feet of water between it and the beach. Although not waterproofed, most made it, several "died" and were pulled ashore by bulldozers, and one was "drowned." With several G.I.'s sitting forlornly on the roof it sat there until completely covered by the rising tide. To add to their discomfiture, the truck's horn eventually shorted and blew continuously for about an hour. Personnel all saved.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else?

When one L.C.T. skipper lost the forward half of his craft, instead of abandoning ship, he took the stern half back to England and into Portsmouth harbour under its own power.

Another L.C.T., returning to England the night of D-Day. Suddenly, out of the darkness came the battleship Repulse heading for Normandy. There was no time for either to alter course and the battlewagon went right over the 200-foot L.C.T. which, with its crew of 12, sank without trace.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Jack Scott

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?

When our flotilla received the order to beach independently, [inserted]each skipper[end inserted] at his own discretion, some C.O.'s sized up the situation and waited until a craft from the first wave had offloaded and unbeached[inserted],[end inserted] then beached in exactly the same spot, with practically a gilt-edged guarantee that a successful beaching would result, vehicles would get safely ashore and there would be no damage [crossed out]for[end crossed out] to the craft from underwater obstacles,[crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] mined or otherwise. Other C.O.'s, like the eager beaver type mentioned on page 2, dashed in to the nearest open stretch of beach. Some got away [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] with it; others had their bottoms punched or blown in; others grounded so hard they were unable to unbeach and were sitting ducks for enemy fire until the rising tide floated them off--if they were still alive and their craft hadn't been disabled by gunfire. In my books this was stupidity, not heroism.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? About halfway across the channel en route to the beachhead, in convoy.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? In the middle of the Channel on the way back to Portsmouth, alone, with no idea whether I was or was not in the swept channel, and continually dodging large and small ships headed for France. With the ever-present possibility of being run down, or blown out of the water by a mine, E-boat or submarine, it was a long night.

Do you know of anybody else who landed within those 24 hours (midnight June 5 to midnight June 6) as infantry, glider or airborne troops, or who took part in the air and sea operations, whom we should write to?

Yes, I still correspond with a couple of L.C.T. skippers, also our flotilla officer. (Of these, two are in England and one in New Zealand.) Can supply names and addresses if desired.

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

Anaconda American Brass Limited New Toronto, Ontario

ANACONDA Copper and Brass TRADE MARK REGISTERED

March 26, 1958

Mr. Cornelius Ryan, 230 East 48th St., New York, N.Y.

Dear Mr. Ryan: According to an item in "Canadair News" you wish to contact servicemen who took part in the D-day landing in Normandy.

Don't know if I could be of much help to you or not, as I didn't keep a diary, but, as commanding officer of a British L.C.T., I landed American troops and transport on the beach early on the morning of June 6th.

Sincerely yours, Jack Scott

CJScott/mp Editor, ANACONDA SPEARHEAD