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THOMPSON, Robert James
Canadian 3rd Div.
BOX 25, #24
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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? ROBERT JAMES THOMPSON
What was your squadron, station, unit? 44th BATTERY ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILLERY (SELF - PROPELLED) 3rd DIVISION
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? BERNIER SUR MER "H" - HOUR + 4
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? GUNNER
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 22
Were you married at that time? NO
What is your wife's name? CLARA EILEEN THOMPSON
Did you have any children at that time? NO
What do you do now? FIREFIGHTER R.C.A.F.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? MANY MONTHS IN ADVANCE, FOR CERTAIN - JUNE 5
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? GOOD TRIP. PASSED TIME PLAYING CARDS READYING EQUIPMENT ETC.
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). RUMORS WERE NOT TOO ABUNDANT. WE HAD BEEN [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] TRAINING ON LANDING CRAFT FOR APPROX. 11 MONTHS AND HAD MADE NUMEROUS RUNS AT OR TOWARD THE FRENCH COAST
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Your name R J THOMPSON (Sgt)
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Include any impressions from it. DIARIES WERE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN
Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during landing or during the day? [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] NOT ON THE LANDING OR THAT DAY
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 so surprised that you felt nothing?
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed funny at the time? ENEMY PRISONERS VEHEMENTLY DENIED BEING GERMAN AND INSISTED THEY WERE RUSSIAN OR POLISH CONSCRIPTS
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? ONE OF OUR AIRCRAFT (FIGHTER) FLEW INTO A BARRAGE FROM OUR ROCKET FIRING LANDING CRAFT RIGHT NEXT TO OUR LANDING CRAFT
Did you encounter any enemy aircraft or flak? Was your aircraft demaged?
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Your name R J THOMPSON (Sgt)
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? ABOARD LANDING CRAFT (TANK).
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? ABOUT 2 MILES INLAND
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.
W.M. Lee Squadron Leader Director of Public Relations (Air) Air Force Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario.