Box 025, folder 36: Theodore Zack

ZACK, Theodore

Canadian 3rd Can. Div. Box 25, #36

[inserted] Welland {?Jeh?] ONTARIO [end of inserted]

For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-day [inserted] GREEN [end of inserted]

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? THEODORE (JOE) ZACK

What was your unit and division? 6 CDN. ARM'D REGT. (1H) (FIRST HUSSARS) 3 CDN. INF. DIV..

Where did you arrive in Normany, and at what time? H PLUS 45 MINUTES 0820 HOURS MIKE SECTOR. BETWEEN COURSEULLES-SUR-MER AND BERNIÈRES-SUR-MER

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? TROOPER GUNNER TANK

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 25

Were you married at that time? NO

What is your wife's name? -

Did you have any children at that time? -

What do you do now? BEER ROOM WAITER, EGG MAN, AND PART TIME FARMER.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? AUGUST OF 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?

THE TRIP WAS VERY ROUGH I [crossed out] [illegible] [end of crossed out] GOT INTO A ROPE LOCKER ON THE L.C.T. I WAS SICK FROM THE TIME WE PULLED OUT OF SOUTHAMPTON AT ELEVEN O'CLOCK MORNING JUNE 5TH UNTILL ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER LANDING. TO ME THE TRIP WAS JUST ONE LONG TWENTY HOUR SPELL OF SEASICKNESS

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). NOT THAT I KNOW OF

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name THEODORE (JOE) ZACK

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? YES BUT I LOST IT WHEN THE TANK GOT HIT ON 25TH JULY.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? THERE WERE 2 OFFICERS AND 19 TROOPERS KILLED FROM THE REGIMENT ON D-DAY. (I CAN GIVE YOU THEIR [crossed out] [illegible] [end of crossed out] NAMES IF YOU WANT THEM)

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? NO

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? ON THE 4TH JUNE WE [insert] Pre D-day [end of insert] WENT FOR A ROUTE-MARCH AROUND THE DOCKS ONE TROOPER APTLY EXPRESSED HIS FEELINGS BY SAYING - "HERE I AM SPENDING WHAT MAY BE MY LAST DAYS IN ENGLAND AND I HAVE TO GO ON ANOTHER DAMN ROUTE-MARCH." TROOPER UNKNOWN

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? OUR TANK BLEW A TRACK ON A MINE ABOUT 80 RODS INLAND AND AFTER LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE, IT WAS FOUND IMPOSSIBLE TO FIX IT WITH THE FEW TOOLS ON BOARD THE TANK , SO AFTER HIMING AND HAING FOR A FEW MIN. I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THE BEACH AND TRY TO FIND A FITTERS TRUCK (HALF TRACK) (WHILE ON THE BEACH I REALLY GOT A GOOD LOOK AT THE "ORGANIZED CONFUSION" WHICH EXISTED THERE) I FOUND WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR THEN STARTED BACK TO THE TANK, BUT IT WAS LATE AFTER NOON BEFOR WE GOT THE TANK ROLLING AGAIN AND EARY THE NEXT MORNING BEFOR WE FOUND OUR REGIMENT. ALL THIS TIME THERE WAS A BURNING ENGLISH SCOUT CAR WHICH HAD BEEN HIT BY AN ANTI-TANK GUN SITTING WITHIN 50 YD. [crossed out] FROM [end of crossed out]OF US

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name THEODORE (JOE) ZACK

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? THE RUBBERIZED FABRIC AROUND THE TANK TURRET FAILED TO BLOW OF AS IT SHOULD HAVE, SO ME BEING THE GUNNER, IT WAS UP TO [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] ME TO RIP IT OF BEFOR THE TURRET OR GUNS COULD BE BROUGHT INTO ACTION. THE FUNNY PART ABOUT IT WAS THAT THERE WAS NO NEED TO GET OUT OF THE TANK AS I DID. ALL [crossed out] THERE [end crossed out] [insert] THAT [end insert] I HAD TO DO WAS TO TRAVERS THE TURRET 360' AND THE WATER PROOFING WOULD HAVE RIPPED OF.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? ROPE LOCKER L.C.T. SICKER THAN [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] ALL GET OUT

Where you at midnight on June 6, 1944? SOMEWHERE ON THE CEAN-BAYEUX RAILWAY LINE IN THE BRETTEVILLE AREA

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?

FIRST HUSSARS ASSOCIATION LONDON ONTARIO. CANADA. ------------------------------------- CT 152655 HOLY ROLLER THE ONLY [insert] [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] [end insert] TANK KNOWN TO HAVE LANDED ON D-DAY AND WAS STILL GOING STRONG ON V.E. DAY. THAT I BELEIVE [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] TAKES INTO ACCOUNT ALL BRITISH, AMERICAN, AND CANADIAN TANKS. IT IS ON[crossed out] [illegible][end crossed out] PUBLIC[crossed out] [illegible][end crossed out] DISPLAY IN A LONDON ONTARIO PARK.

PLEASE LET US HAVE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT BE CAN INCLUDE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE BOOK. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE YOUR STORY ON SEPARATE SHEETS IF IE HAVE NOT LEFT SUFFICIENT ROOM. FULL ACKNOWLEDGMENT 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

WELLAND JCT. ONT. AUG. 3 1958.

MISS WARD IN REPLY TO YOUR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR JULY ISSUE THE LEGIONARY ARMY ADDRESS B61662 TPR. ZACK T. 6TH CAN. ARM'D REG'T 1ST HUSSARS. (1.H) C.A.O.S.

(SOLDIER'S SERVICE BOOK PAGE 18) EMBARKED U.K. JUNE 3 1944 DISEMBARKED FRANCE JUNE 6 1944 (V.W. JEWKES CAPT.. ) HOME ADDRESS

THEODORE ZACK WELLAND JCT. ONTARIO CANADA