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Going back to collect Smudge to pull him into safety... had to
drop him and go on. Beach group got tank. Quite upset us. First personal
casualty we had met. We had escaped beach, felt safer once we were passed
that obstacle.. consolidated by oncoming troops. No more casualties in
town. Working in platoons... (only 50 of us left out of 300 by end of
day). About 40 of us massed in "A" company - the leading company.

Driving forward in afternoon came to a farmhouse and banged on
door for water. Going out of the town we came across a sign which said
"Ouistreham-sur-Mer" - that was the first time we knew where we were.
We overtook some of the 6th Airborne, say their gliders on roof tops,
caught in telepgraph wires, etc.. We came across a lot of their dead..
took their cigarettes, then pushed on until we consolidated with the
Airborne.

Came to Benouville. Our money was really useless but cigs. were
invaluable. We got two eggs for [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] 10 Capstan cigs.
They charged 5 cents for a bottle of French cider... I got a postcard, scrubbed
names out and sent it to my wife with the words "This is the first village
we have liberated." People welcomed us - even garlanded us.. Doors opened
and out came white wine... "prussic acid" we called it. At midnight we
encamped in a field... Gerry brought some of his 21st Panzers to attack
us.. It was the first time we had come up against black helmeted troops..
gave us a proper going over that night.. We were under constant fire all
night, plus a creeping barrage. Gerry dropped flares. Then everything
went quiet after this action... We had dug in, two in a trench.. We began to
wonder how things were going elsewhere on the front... I was with a friend
"Wacker" - he came from Liverpool. He was "proper choco" - fed up...
wonder "How soon shall be get back to England." It was at this point
I decided to go and see Smudge's family personally.... I tore up the letter
... Thought we wouldn't have a chance of coming through anyway.... This
was the beginning of the Falaise and Caen action.