Page 5

E SWORD
Cheshire

JACK CHESHIRE

Went in on Sword beach, near Ouistrehem. Knew exactly what we
had to do. At one of the briefings, somebody said "Good God, I went there
for a holiday." He wastaken away and we never saw him again - security.

I was platoon sergt. of anti-tank group numbering six. Spent
lot of time up on point with private, corporal and the gun... nobody
else all around us... Suddenly a German sp. at range of 1,000 yards
appeared. Our range was 800 yards, couldn't do anything about it.

Got message back and an sp, gun was sent up to me. Just going to point..
when the gas discharge of recoil of gun gave me a "close shave"... took off
my eyebrows, unshaven beard and the nap of my greatcoat...lifted me into
side of wall.. "You can't complain... look what it did..." got gerry.

BACK TO CHANNEL TRIP.

This time we were given 50 rounds of ammo...usually it was
taken away from us, so we knew this was the real thing. Can remember
as it was getting light seeing HMS RAMILLIESon flank and the rocket ships.
Another segt...said "Cor, just remember Ches.,happy returns of the day.."
"Good God" I said, "don't wish me happy returns of this day."

As we landed saw a dead soldier, with hands over chest.... we turned
white.. sergt. called out "I'll kick your backsides if you look at things
like that... Had been at Dunkirk.. First German I saw was a dead German,
don't remember seeing another on D-Day.

AT NIGHT

Casualties were not heavy.. mostly from mortar fire.... In the
afternoon an officer came up to me.. "Thank God you are here... up there
with you and take the gun." We had already knowcked out Gerry half-track.
We Went up to high ground.. open country all around, cemeteryon [crossed out]lfe[end crossed out] left.
Found ouselves plenty todo.. digging gun in on hard ground, tried to blast
ground with a Hawkins grenade.. Made friends with people in two or three
house nearby.... We made our H.Q. in garage on high ground, cleared it,
particularly one corner under wall so we could rest.. We were sniped, bullet
went into wheel of gun... Still digging but could only get down matter of
inches, just enough to squat. In front was a field of potatoes... Taffy (ToM)
Evans from Treadegar and Corporal Kimble were with me. Taffy said
"somebody moving out front.." "Keep quiet, we can't do anything" I said.
"They're still there." "Keep your fingers off the trigger." He nodded.
Again "Shsh"... then "Got the so-and-so." Heard no more.. Next morning
we saw a Frenchman moving around with arm in sling... He had obviously
tried to get potatoes from field under cover of darkness..

On evening of D-Day there was a big drop of Stirlings.. When they
came back low over beach somebody opened up with machine gun... Tail came
down and the rest of the plane fell into sea.

On night of D-Day a sing le gerry fighter came over.. he had got a
bomb under each wing.. was hit and he jettisoned.. dropped them in ammunition
dump which blazed for days. Colonel Sale was responsible for getting
vehicles out from burning dump.

NOTE Cheshire had no idea that it was a recce of the 21st Panzer Div.
which came passed his gun position on that day........if Gerry had the mind,
he could have demolished Cheshire and his little gun party... Cheshire was
really frightened when we told him this...