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WEBBER, John L.
Canadian R.A.F. 86 Sqdn.
Box 25, #31
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THOUSAND 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? JOHN L. WEBBER.
What was your squadron, station, unit? 86. SQDN. COASTAL COMMAND R.A.F. (LEIGH-LIGHT)
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? N/A
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? SGT.
What was your age on June 6, 1944? TWENTY-TWO.
Were you married at that time? NO.
What is your wife's name? N/A
Did you have any children at that time? N/A
What do you do now? FLT/ENGINEER. 408(R) SQDN. RCAF.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? WE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL NIGHT BRIEFING JUNE 5TH PRIOR TO TAKE-OFF
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? OUR TRIP WAS TO DROP SILLY LITTLE PIECES OF SILVER PAPER IN THE SOUTHERN END OF THE N.SEA ABOUT 50 MILES OFF THE FRENCH COAST. AND THEN TO PROCEED TO NORTHERN AREA AND CARRYOUT AN A/S PATROL WE AFTERWARDS LEARNED THIS PREVIOUS PART OF OUR TRIP WAS PART OF OPERATION "WINDOW"
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). WE CARRIED OUT OUR OPERATION WITH LITTLE CHANCE OF CONVERSATION BUT I'M SURE THAT LIKE MYSELF, THE REST OF THE CREW HAD THEIR OWN THOUGHT AS TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE BEACHHEADS. WAS THE OPERATION GOING AS PLANNED? THE CONDITION OF THE SEA LOOKED A LITTLE ROUGH WHERE WE COULD SEE IT. WHAT SORT OF RESISTANCE WERE THEY MEETING. I SUPPOSED THAT OTHER UNITS OF THE AIRFORCE WERE
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GIVING CLOSE SUPPORT BUT IT DID SEEM AS IF OUR OWN EFFORTS THAT DAY WERE SOMEWHAT INSIGNIFICANT. POSSIBLY WE SHOULD BECOME MORE INVOLVED ONCE THE OPERATION PROGRESSED, BUT, THIS WAS NOT TO BE AND SO OUR SMALL PART IN THIS GREAT UNDERTAKING WAS HARDLY EVEN MENTIONED IN THE MESSES OR QUARTERS EXCEPT IN CONNECTION WITH OTHER SCUTTLEBUTT.
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Your name JOHN L. WEBBER.
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Include any impressions from it. NO
Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? ONE FRIEND A BOY OF 20 WHOSE PARENTS WERE MY FOSTER PARENTS BEFORE I JOINED THE RAF IN 1938. A PRIVATE IN AN ARMOURED UNIT THAT LANDED SOMETIME THAT DAY.
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties?: N/A
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? 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
Did you encounter any enemy aircraft or flak? Was your aircraft damaged? NO
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Your name JOHN L. WEBBER
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
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? AIRBORNE OVER THE NORTH SEA AT THE APPROCH TO THE ENGLISH CHANNEL
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? IN THE SEATS MESS AT TAIN IN SCOTLAND. STANDING BY THE BAR LISTENING TO THE NEWS OVER THE RADIO PLUS EXCHANGING SCUTTLEBUT.
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? NO
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.