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THOMPSON, Earlston H.
Canadian 262 Flotilla
BOX 25, #23
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1. SB 33887 Cpl THOMPSON, Earlston H.
2. 262 Flot. L.C.I. (L) R.C.N.V.R.
3. I landed at approx. 2-4 hrs after initial assualt.
4. Petty Officer (Motor Mech
5. I was 34 years of age
6. No.
7. N/A
8.
9. I am NCO i/c of mail at 10 Personnel Depot. Calgary, Alberta.
10. I began my training courses in 1943 at General Motors Tech Institute at Flint Michigan, U.S.A.
11. The trip across the Channel was rough for a small craft. I understand there was considerable amount of sea sickness among the troops. We were kept busy keeping station in convoy due to a damaged rudder. Later we were taken in tow by a drifter out of Lowestoft and continued to our destination.
12. We heard that story, but did not put much stock in it as for some time we had been listening to Lord "Ha Ha" predicting our doom if we attack the "West Wall."
13. I did not keep a diary, regulations would not allow it.
14. I heard later some of my friends were casualties. None on my craft were wounded.
15. N/A
16. No I was not wounded.
17. N/A
18. I believe I was too busy to take much notice.
19. In my opinion the whole operation was both memorable and heroic in regard to the troops on the beach which was well zero'd in by the defenders.
20. No not in particular.
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21. We were laying off of Hailing Island or the Isle of Wight, I am not too sure.
22. I was on the beach near Berne-Sur-Mer. Being on loan to the R.N. , I was the only Canadian on L.B.V. 38, so I never knew the rest of the crew which consisted of Midshipman, a P.O. , Coxswain, 2 AB's, 1 O.S. and myself i/c of machinery. I won't mention the material we carried as it may still be a restricted subject. My job was completed after tying up.
I went then to the British transport Ascainius for a day or two, on her return to U.K. we moved aboard H.M.S. Hawkins (cruiser) when she moved we went to the Auxiliary ship city of Belfast. We then moved ashore after three days aboard. We stayed at the Camp of the Royal Marines and after a week we were moved to a U.S.N. camp to work with E.9.A section of the Seabees working on salvage and recovery. We felt much better ashore as on the ships off shore we were bombed and machine-gunned every night and one felt like "sitting ducks". We had some trouble with raids ashore but it seemed the Germans were out to get the ships off shore. We were a party of 4 Canadian ratings and 2 Engineer Officers. These other ratings were from various other landing crafts which had become wrecked in the storm by being driven high and dry and unable to be re-floated. I can only remember by name Lieut P. Scholer, Leading Seaman (Electrician), W. White and Petty Officer Chas.Smith (Motor Mech). The last address of the men I remember are very vague. Lieut P. Scholer was living somewhere in Winnipeg, Petty Officer C. Smith in Halifax, N.S. and Leading Seaman, White in North Bay, Ontario. We were returned to U.K. by L.C.I. (L) 125 one of our flotilla. It sure was a good sight. We tied up at our base at Southampton about 1730 hrs 28 July 1944. That completed my stay in France.
Former/ V7746 Petty Officer E.H. THOMPSON R.C.N.V.R. (Motor Mech) 262nd Flot LCI (L)