Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 020, folder 04: Roy Cadogan

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CADOGAN, Roy British 27th Armoured 1st Brit. Corps BOX 20, #4

Sword

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[?Note?] E

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

What is your full name? ROY CADOGAN

What is your present address? 117 KIMBERLEY RD. PENYLAN, CARDIFF.

Telephone number:

What was your unit, division, corps? 'A' SQUADRON, 13/18th. ROYAL HUSSARS. (QMO) 27th. ARMOURED BRIGADE. 1st.BRITISH CORPS.

Where did you land and at what time? On QUEEN WHITE Beach between LA BRÉCHE and LION - SUR - MER at H - hour (approx 0730 hrs). (Scheduled time of landing was H - 7 1/2 minutes).

What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? TROOPER. AGE 20.

Were you married at that time? No.

What is your wife's name?

Did you nave any children at that time?

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? In Autumn 1942 when the regiment was stationed at Skipton, Yorks. We were addressed by a high ranking officer, and told we would form part of the spearhead when the invasion took place.

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 Channel crossing was extremelyrough. and as we had been at sea since the evening of June 4th. most of us, including myself were extremely ill through sea-sickness. Most of the time was spentlying around in misery at feeling so ill. L.C.T.'s being flat botlowed one the most unconfortable of ships. I do not remember any specific conversations - the talk was mostly speculative as to whether our DD tanks would be [?launched?]. (See extra sheet)

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 heard no rumours at all.

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No. But I wrote an account when the war ended, which is enclosed to what its worth. It seems rather colourful reading it now, but it is authentic.

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2.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Yes. The wireless operator of my tank was drowned. Some friends in other tanks also lost their lives, and some were wounded. Another friend was wounded later in the day by a bomb splinter.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? I cannot recall anything particular - there was certainly no premonition of death or anything like that.

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? After our DD tank had beached we hit an underwater obstacle and became water logged. Eventually we had to [?bale?] out when the turret was flooded. Swimming to the shore I became rather exhausted and I was forced to rest on a tank obstacle sticking out of the water which had a teller mine basted to it. My holding on to such a highly dangerous structure for a rest became something of a joke in the squadron later.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, that struck you more than anything else? Yes. I remember seeing a Captain of the Royal Engineers walking along the beach getting everyone to dig in as the beach was being shelled. Part of his left hand had been blown away and was wrapped in a shell dressing but he refused attention - just carried on doing his job and [?selting?] a fine example.

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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? No, Im afraid I can't recall any examples.

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? By profession I am a Chartered Surveyor, employed as a Valuer in the Inland Revenue Valuation Office at Cardiff. Married with two children.

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

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As far as I remember the talk was mainly about the D.D. tanks - technical details regarding stowage etc, but mainly whether they would be launched as planned, and if they were launched whether they would stand up to the sea - for never before in training had they been launched in such a rough sea. Most of the time however we were very seasick, and as the LCT's engines were developing some sort of fumes, the sailors were also sea-sick - causing some considerable amusement to ourselves, ill as we were. We were also issued with little books about France and a message from Field Marshal Montgomery.

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