Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 019, folder 33: Sidney John Thomas Beck

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Our L.C.T. was towing a fast motor launch to save fuel. Three times before nightfall the towing cable snapped with the strain of the constant buffeting of the waves. In the end it was cast adrift to come along under its own power. It was almost dark before we finally said the land was out of sight.

June 5th/June 6th -

(I spent the night in a hammock (naval pattern) up on the bridge of the LCT out in the open and was it cold! No lights could be seen anywhere. Peering in the darkness from the bridge of the L.C.T. one would have imagined one [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] alone under the sky.)

June 6th - The long, uncomfortable night came to an end at 0430 when preparations were made for the "run-in" shoot. Blankets stowed away, a hasty breakfast snatched for those capable to eating ammo prepared and guns checked. Wireless silence which had been maintained for more than 10 days was broken at 0530 as sets were switched on and communications checked. By now it was light enough to see the most amazing sight. The sea was literally alive with ships of all shapes and sizes as far as the eye could see in any direction. Just ahead were the small L.C.A.’s of the 7 Green Howards and on either side were long lines of D.V.K.W.s, all heading in the same direction, all intent on the strip of beach still out of sight. The "run-in" shoot began at 0645 hrs. while our L.C.T. was still 7 miles from the coast. It was the signal also for the Navy to open up. Fast destroyers racedpast the L.C.T.s firing their guns at the coast and even drowning the noise of our own guns temporarily. H-hour was 0720 hrs. After the "run-in" shoot, we steamed up and down with the other L.C.T.'s waiting our turn to land. Our L.C.T. was in the second half of the Regiment to land and by the time (0845 hrs.) [insert] we [end insert] were due to land it was getting difficult to find a chear spot on the beach. The strong wind and tide had made the first boats ground almost sideways to the coast instead of head in and far too much of the beach was covered by ship’s sides. Also boats which should have pulled away after unloading had been damaged or stuck and the beach was fast becoming jammed.

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Our L.C.T. came in alongside an L.C.T. which had already beached. The first vehicle off its ramp had stuck in the water and in consequence none of the vehicles behind could get off nor could the L.C.T. close its ramp. Fortunately, or skillfully, our craft made a perfect beaching. The R.E. detachment on board rolled out the roly-poly (a long hessian carpet strengthened with iron bard to form a firm base for the vehicles and prevent them cutting deep grooves in the sand) and the Sappers waded ashore. (They were a Beach Maintenance Party and we did not see them again). Our S-P guns had a short distance to run through the water, dragging behind them flat "porpoises" containing 25 pdr. ammo. We joined the single line traffic making for the only exit from the beach. (Lt. Dorey, our Battery C.P. officer, already a foot on the beach waves us along in the right direction.) The beach was by now a narrow strip between high water mark and tide, crammed with boats and vehicles and men in seeming confusion. Rolling clouds of smoke from burning buildings and grass formed a fitting background. The first German prisoners standing dazed and bewildered amid all the activity were a centre of interest. One P.O.W. lifted a wounded Tommy out of the path of vehicles. The road leading from the beaches passed a deep anti-tank ditch. (I cannot remember now whether the R.E.'s had bridged it or bull-dozed it, to make a good passageway.) I was ordered to deploy my guns alongside the knocked out casements of the Mount Fleruy Battery of Coastal defence guns, only recently captured. Great slabs of masonry and concrete had been unrooted by the heavy bombardment and bombing. Our Command Post was established in a bomb crater. (We learnt later that some German gunners were still underground and remained there for about two days after D-day.) Three Centaur tanks, manned by Royal Marines, joined us on this site and for the first and last time in the campaign my Troop had 7 guns. As soon as I reported that my guns were in action, the other half of my battery (A Troop) who had been firing from the beach itself, were brought up and put into action alongside my Troop. (A few bursts of a rifle suggested there was a sniper around, but we did not see him.)

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We soon got orders to mo e forward to an area just north of Ver-sur-Mer and on this move forward we saw our first dead German soldiers, lying in the cornfields and almost hidden from sight. By 12.30 hours were were well-establish in time to give artillery support to the flying column of infantry pushing ahead. A bridge into CREVLLY was held by one enemy platoon and the guns of B-troop were called in to support a swift attack by the Green Howards to capture the bridge. At about 1400 hrs. [inserted] we [end inserted] were called upon to fire at a German 88 mm S P gun which was forced to withdraw from Creully. Fire support was given to this flying column of infantry all the afternoon [insert] x [end insert] on orders from our Forward O.P. officers. Our guns were not able to move further forward that day and remained on the outskirts of Ver-sur-Mer. Many snipers were hiding in the woods just behind the Battery position and on one occasion shells from British Sherman tanks engaging the snipers landed in the Battery area, fortunately without damage. We remained in that position for the night. All night long the rattle of A.A. guns from the beaches and the moving patterns of the tracer shells told their story of the desperate enemy air attacks on the beaches and shipping. We thought of the R.E.’s beach company who had landed with us and thanked our stars they were on the beach and not us.

x Between 1600 hrs. and 1700 hrs. we were engaging 88 mm SP guns and infantry. Between 1800 hrs and dusk we were firing on some fortified farm buildings housing what was known to be a radar station and which was directing fire on to our leading infantry. Acting on orders from our F.U.O. Capt. Perry, our shells landed on the roofs of these buildings and silenced the enemy fire. At dusk, the leading infantry Battalion formed a pivot on high ground west of Coulomb and fire from our guns was maintained to cover the withdrawal and no more was heard from the farm buildings until the next day).

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[underline] Extracts from my diary [end underline] [underline] June 4th [end underline] At last, to everyone's relief D-day was announced for June 5th. Our LCT up-anchored and began moving down the Solent passing the great L.S.I.'s. Waves were running high of the I.O.W. the convoy stopped and hung around until a signal ran through the fleet. We turned round. Postponed. The suspense aboard all ships was almost unbearable.

[underlined] June 5th [end underlined]. The Armada set sail despite most unfavourable weather reports. Our L.CI. weighed anchor at 10.00 hours once [insert] more [end insert] passed the great L.S.I.'s and once more the waves were running high. Capt. Perry and Capt Hale [insert] * Later killed, about June 12th. [end insert] (in the L.S.I.'s - acting as F.O.O's for Infantry) flashed signals by lamp "Good luck" to our L.C.I. as we steamed by. As we passed the Needles and felt the first Atlantic swells we knew there was now no turning back. The documents marked "Not to be opened until the last possible moment" were now opened. Messages to the Troops from the King, Eisenhower, Montgomery and 50 Div. CommDr. were read out in the Army shelter under the bridge of the L.C.T.. Final briefing with correct names as well as their code names were given and the last instructions. [As there was little room in this shelter, I had to give the briefing 3 times to all Army personnel aboard, which included a detachment of a R.E beach party. Each briefing lasted about 40 minutes and in the confined space, with the L.C.T. beginning to pitch and roll, I was feeling very queasy at the end and glad of some fresh air.]

Everyone was by now wearing his Mae West (life belt) and a check was made to see that everything was securely fastened down and the ammunition secure and dry. Spray and waves were washing over the sides. Soon we began to feel queer and bags, vomit, were produced. [Sea-sick pills had been distributed earlier. I did not take mine until the briefing was over and already beginning to feel sick. Later I remembered "retching" in a quiet corner, but not violently sick]. The wind was dead against the bows, the boat heaving and swaying, chains and shackles grinding against each other and the tanks, the boat's engines reving at high speed. There was little comfort for anyone. Some tried to sleep inside their vehicles.

Our L.C.T. was towing a fast motor launch to save fuel. Three times before night fall the towing cable snapped with the strain of the constant buffeting of the waves. In the end it was cast adrift to come along under its own power. It was almost dark before we finally said the land was out of sight.

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[underline] June 5th/June 6th [end underline] I spent the night in a hammock (naval pattern) up on the bridge of the L.C.T. out in the open and was it cold! No lights could be seen any where. Peering in the darkness from the bridge of the L.C.T. one would have imagined one alone under the sky].

[underline] June 6th [end underline] The long uncomfortable night came to an end at 0430 when preparations were made for the "run-in" shoot. Blankets stowed away, a hasty breakfast snatched for those capable of eating, ammo prepared and guns checked. Wireless silence which had been maintained for more than 10 days was broken at 0530 as sets were switched on and communications checked. By now it was light enough to see the most amazing sight. The sea was literally alive with ships of all shapes and sizes as far as the eye could see in any direction. Just ahead were the small L. C.A.'s of the 7 [?] [?] and on either sider were long liones of DVKWS. all heading in the same direction all [?] on the strip of beach still [?] of night. The "invasion" in short began at [?0945?] has which