Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 019, folder 28: Alfred George Baker

BAKER, Alfred George Release Int. Sword--Royal Navy BOX 19, #28

Finished

0600 SWORD 500th LCI (s)FORCE "S" LCI 521

JOB To land the 48th Royal Marine Commandos

RUN INTO THE BEACH I recall the captain shouted to the coxswain "For Christ's sake don't knock those bloody coconuts down or we will all get a free trip to hell.” He was referring to the tellermines on the tops of posts all along the beach.

"As we hit the beach very close to another ship, a cloud of evil tasting and smelling choking smoke invaded the decks and someone shout ed "Gas". I tore my brand new respirator from its case, put it on and then gasped for air. I couldn*t breathe. I had forgotten that the plugs hadn't been removed. It turned out that the 'gas" was in fact a large chemical smoke container that someone had set going on board the ship alongside.

We saw LCI 524 get a direct hit a distance from the beach after landing her troops. She was hit, it apears, in her fuel tanks and went up in a sea of flames. A United States Coast Guard cutttr nearby sailed right into the falming seas around her to pick up survivors. I think they only picked up about three who were badly burned.

"Wdhen we hit the beach the marines ran down the ramp and onto shore. A young marine major who was in front of his men and who was armed to the teeth with revolver, knife, hang granades plus his cane, shouted "Come out and fight, you bastards. The Marines are here" I dthink he was hit before he got off the beach, but I*m not sure.

THE ASSAULT LANDINGS IN NORMANDY D DAY: MIDNIGHT JUNE 5 -- MIDNIGHT JUNE 6

What is your full name ? Alfred George Baker.

What is your present address? 149, Spencers Croft, Brays Grove, Harlow, Essex.

Telephone number:

What was your unit, division, corps? 500th LCI(s) Flotilla, Force "S", my ship was L.C.I.(s) 521

Where did you land and at what time? Sword Beach, approx 06-00 hrs: We landed the 48th Royal Marine Commandos

What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? Able Seaman, Date of Birth June 4th / 1922 (22 yrs.)

Were you married at that time? No

What is your wife's name? Louisa Elizabeth Baker

Did you nave any children at that time? No

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion ? We did not know for certain untill June 4th when we embarked troops at Warsash on the Hamble River.

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? I think that time was passed on watch in checking ammo guns, first aid gear, looking out for "E" boots [?planes?] etc off watch writing letters, reading, eating plenty, since we didnt know when the chance would arise again for a good meal.

Were there any rumours aboard ship? (Some people remember hearing that the Germans had poured gasoline on the water and planned to set it afire when the troops came in.) I remember one story that went around that the Germans had set up huge flamethrowers on the beaches, but no one seemed to worry about the possibility if it were true.

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? I did write a few notes but I am afraid they has been destroyed as I have searched in vain for them.

2.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? There were some killed on other ships of the flotilla and a few wounded on ours but I'm afraid I could not recollect names.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? I'm afraid I do not

Were you wounded? No

How were you wounded?

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 may not have seemed amusing at the time? Or anything unexpected or outof-place? I recall as we went into the beach the captain shouted to the coxswain something to the effect "For Christ's sake don't knock those bloody coconuts down or we will all get a free trip to hell.” Referring to the tellermines on the tops of posts all along the beach. For a further incident see separate sheet.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, that struck you more than anything else? Yes, a young Marine major was in the forefront of his men he was armed to the teeth with revolver's, knives hand granades plus his cane and before the ramps were touched down he leaped ashore shouting "Come out and fight you bastards the Marines are here" I think he was hit before he got off the beach, a further incident under this landing appears on separate sheet -

3.

In times of great crisis, people generally show either great ingenuity or self-reliance; others do incredibly strange or stupid things. Do you remember any examples of either? I cannot bring any to mind,

Do you know of anybody else who landed within the 24 hours (midnight 5 June to midnight 6 June) either as infantry, glider or airborne troops, whom we should write to? No.

What do you do now? I am now employed as a Chemical Process Operator by Revertex Ltd of Harlow. We moved into a house of our own here in December last, our first home since we were married in 1948, prevous to that we lived in rooms in Rotherhithe, London.

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.”

Cornelius Ryan Joan O. Isaacs The Reader’s Digest

1 An incident that seemed funny afterwards but was not at the time happened to me, as we hit the beach very close to another ship a cloud of evil tasting and smelling choking smoke invaded the decks and someone shouted "Gas", I tore my brand new respirator from its case put it on and then gasped for air I couldn't breathe, I had forgotten that the plugs of some [?find?] put in by the makers hadn't been removed, it turned out that the "Gas" was in fact a large chemical smoke container that someone had set going on board the ship alongside.

2 The other incident that struck everyone who saw it was when L.C.I.(s) 524 I think it was got a direct hit whilst a distance from the beach after landing her troops, She was hit it appears in her fuel tanks and went up in a red of flames and a United States coastguard cutter nearby sailed right into the flaming seas around her to pick up survivors I think they only picked up about three who were badly burned.

Sir, I do hope this will be of some help to you, I have tried to recall as truly as I can the actual [crossed out]incindents [end crossed out] incidents that took place although I cannot vouch for them being word to word, I have enclosed a further photograph, of some of my shipmates who took part in the "D" day operation, the [?antlers?] on the mast in the background came from a bombed house somewhere in Arromanches and to the best of my knowledge were still there when the ship was sold as surplus after the war back on the Hamble River, Yours Faithfully, A. G. Baker, cx C/JX 315394 RN: