Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 020, folder 40: Harold Finch

FINCH, Harold British Gold 2nd Battalion Box 20, #40

Ack 23/5/58

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

What is your full name? Harold Finch

What is your present address? 8 Manor Road, Mile Oak , near Tamworth, Staffs.

Telephone number:

What was your unit, division, corps? 'W' Coy. 2nd Battalion. 'The King's Shropshire Light Infantry.

Where did you land and at what time? Near Arromanches 'Queen Beach (Code Name)

What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? Private. 20 years.

Were you married at that time? Yes.

What is your wife's name? Louisa Finch

Did you have any children at that time? No.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? About May when we were moved from Scotland to Haywards Heath. We all started training for beach landings using the ship 'Battleaxe.

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? Along with many others I was a por sailor and took very little interest in what was going on or being said, we were all of cause curious. Two of us especialy were waiting for the landing so that we could stop feeling ill. Our main concern apart from that was keeping our cigaretes dry.

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 none.

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No.

2.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Yes, one by anti-personel mine, one by shell fire whils't firing his 2" mortor.

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

Were you wounded? Not till later.

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? Before we landed we were issued with very thin waders to keep as dry thinking again of my cigs, I pulled the waders up as high as pssible and when I came to climb up the steps to the deck they ripped at the seat, I was hustled along and told to jump off the ship because the gang ways had been blown off . We were helped ashore by a sailor who was holding a long rope attached to the ship. I jumped in and immediately my waders filled with water and I fell under the water, there was so much water in my waders I was unable to move, the sailor saved me by helping me out or I would have still been there.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, that struck you more than anything else? The sailor who helped me out I saw was badly wounded in the thick of the thigh, the water was washing into the wound but he ignored it. I don't know who he was but he must have been in torment.

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? Not that day We were too busy to notice a lot.

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? I know of many but not their addresses.

What do you do now? Police Officer.

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

There is very little one can say, we landed at about 7.20am or therabouts. I was on Infantry Landing Craft No.lll. We felt the boat bump the tree trunks that were sunk into the sea bed and when the second bump came we were all rushed upstairs and onto the deck. One of our battle ships was firing into the hotels and houses on the promenade to dislodge snipers. The beach was covered with wounded men of the 9th Brigade who had got onto the beach and were waiting for us to push through. As we came ashore we came under fire from these snipers and had to run the gauntlet of their fire. We reached a side road leading off the prom and a shell fetched down a hotel on our right nearly burying my section, that was really our first taste of what was to come. We were told by the lads of the 9th that the snipers were French women. As we left the houses behind, we came under fire from tanks, (light), we then spread out and advanced over great fields towards a high ridge on the skyline. Here we found the mines. As we reached the top of the ridge we could see a couple of tanks down below, they were not doing anything in particular. We were sent after them and caught one in a little church yard. This was the first time but not the last, that we had to destroy a church to get the enemy. The tank was despached by 'PIAT' fire about three Piats firing at it. Then we had our first casualty in my section. A man new to us, stepped on a mine and was killed instantly. We were still not afraid because nothing had yet sunk in deeply enough to frighten us. We pushed on meeting bunches of German troops who were very quickly moved off in the right direction. Then we met heavy resistance for the first time and were held down for some time. Our mortorman, Stevens, was firing as fast as he could, he was the fastest mortorman in the Batn. he could put eight in the air together, that is all eight were in the air fired singly. He fell across his mortor with his stomach ripped open, he died while we were trying to help him. He lay by the side of my trench all night long and it upset me no end. After this bit of trouble we pushed forward into a village and again we were stopped by shell fire and snipers. Our Major. Major Blatter whom we later called the Mad Major, was typical of this type. He was hit in the right arm by a sniper's bullet and the artuary was cut. He would not have attention because everything was stopped and he was very determined that his company should not be idle. He was. then hit again and forced to go back. (He later stowed away on a ship and landed at Cherbourgh joining us after Caen.) (After being sent to hospital in England) We moved the snipers and got as far as 'The Ridge' which was a natural anti tank ditch, and then we waited for orders to attack Caen. We waited there all day under shell fire until we were told that we were going no further and that started a long wait under constant view and shell fire from the enemy for I think about fifteen days. We were told that casualties were expected to be 60%, but of course they were not. We lost quite a few men but as you well know things don't always register in the mind as they do normally.

I omitted to say at first that my platoon were in a boat with 'Y' Coy. 'W' Coy didn't have their own boat unfortunately and we were split up between three boats. Only about twenty of the original Coy were left after the finish of hostilities and I do not know where they are. One man only I can remember, Frank is all I can recall of his name, his last address was at 4 Albion Road, Lozells, Birmingham. He originally came from Hastings and during the months that followed he was very badly wounded trying to rescue a wouded corporal. I cannot remember his name but perhaps a letter to that address would contact him. The house I know is tenanted by his sister and although you can't give a name 'The Occupier' would no doubt be sufficient. What I know is very little indeed but I suggest a letter to this address.

Yours Sincerely HFinch