Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 021, folder 33: Donald Edwin Kimber

Gold. x

6 a.m. ARROMANCHES FLOTILLA LCM

JOB

To take troops off transports and run them into the beach

RUN IN TO BEACH

"As we approached, I noticed that almost everyone was in a cold sweat We were getting very close now—about 6 or 7 hundred yards and I could see that the tank landing craft had already landed and tanks were going up the beaches, German 88mm guns were firing at them; several tanks got direct hits but others came on out of the crafts

We had no time to see how they got on as our own craft as beginning to get close now. We were standing by to lower the ramp for our troops to pour out. About 200 yds or so ahead of us was a wall where there were Germans firing from the top of it. As we got nearer, they swept us with mg fire and when we were almost on the beach, they threw grenades. One landed in the craft, killing some of the xtroops.

WOUNDED

"I almost at once felt a stinging pain on my forehead, followed by a floating sensation which was the blast. I must have passed out for a couple of minutes, but on recovering found that during my fall to the deck I had broken my right index finger.

"In the meantime what troops that were o.k. had all gone dashing out up the beach and onto the road. By now craft were landing all over the place and troops were pouring out and getting off the beach as soon as they could because there were still 88's firing on fixed lines directly across the beaches. The Navies big boys were shelling fortifications a few miles inland now.

ON THE BEACH

"A few minutes before I reched the beach I saw ahead of us and to left a sight I'll never forget. There were a lot of sailors of the RN Beach Commando wading ashore with water up to their necks, with arms fully extended holding hands walking in line abreast in fullview of the Germans. As they got nearer one would step on a mine; two or three would disappear and then they would close up and carry on walking. They must have lost quite a lot of men before they got ashore, althought that wasn't the end for them, not by a long way. Their work had only just begun.

D DAY EVENING

"It was evening before I got to the beach dressing station. My forehead had bled freely and I developed a nasty headache. My broken finger oidn t hurt much at first, but as time wore on it began to ache like hell. But when I got to the dressing station and saw some of the poor chaps there, I soon realized how lightly i‘ d been let off."

[sideways] Release Int Kimber, Donald Edwin

609th flotilla Gold

Box 21, #33

Extracts

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

Read 10/5/58

Acknowledged 10.6.58

What is your full name? Donald Edwin Kimber

What is your present address? 6, Bishops Hall Road, Brentwood, Essex.

Telephone number: None

What was your unit, division, corps? 609 Flottilla LCM (Assaul C/O G.P.O London

Where did you land and at what time? The time was about 6 o'clock A.M.

What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? Marine. My age was 17 1/2 As you see I joined up under age 12 months before.

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? Well we knew something was in the wind some weeks before, but not the exact time or place until June 5th

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? Its a trip I'll never forget ant I sstill sometimes wonder how the devil we ever got there at all. The weather was shocking. For most of the trip we were ploughing through waves 6 to 8 ft in height, being thrown about all over the place, nearly capsizing - two or three times. I remember looking at my pal, he at me, both of us thinking the same thing (this is it.) but somehow we stayed afloat.

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.) No nothing to speak of

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No I did not but I have never forgotten and never will.

But I'd never have missed it for the world.

2.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Yes there were several killed and wounded mostly by underwater obstructions with mines attached which acounted for so many of our lads, and craft. on that morning.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? Yes we have several conversations during the trip over. The main one which must have been on everyone's mind who took part that moring was. wondering what kind of a reception was awaiting us on the other side. Wether we would come through it O.K. or not.

Were you wounded? Yes slightly.

How were you wounded? As we approached the beach, about 200 yds or so ahead of us there were Germans fireing at us from the top of a wall, as we got nearer they - swept us with M.G. and then threw grenades, one of which landed in the cra[ft] killing some of the troops. I however felt a stinging blow on my forehead, must have passe[d] out a couple of minutes. On recovering noticed I had also bromen my index finger R. Hand.

Do your remember what it was like -- that is, do you remember whether you felt any pain or were you so surprised that you felt nothing? I felt the blow on my forhead or I suppose it felt more like a stinging sensation than anything. I know it began to bleed freel[y] and I developed a nasty headache. With my finger it didn't hur[t] much at all at first. But as time wore on it began to ache like hell. And I must say I was something pleased when I finally got it seen to at the beach dressing station that same eveni[ng.] When I sas some of the poor chaps there. I soon realized how lightly I'd been let of[f.]

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?

The only thing that seems amusing to me now, but didn't then is when we were on our way over, being thrown about in general by the weather. Durin gone of the many lurches we made, I was thrown off balance falling against one of the fire extingwishers knocking it from - its houseing. It hit the deck and instantly began to squirt white foam all over the place particularly over a certain signaler who was - trying to read a message from one of the other craft at the time. It went mostly over his rear. He called me all the so and so's under the sun.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, that struck you more than anything else?

Yes there is an incident which happened a few minute's before I reach[ed] the beach. Ahead of us to our left I saw a sight I'll never forget. There were a lot of sailors of the R.N. Beach Commando wadeing ashore wit[h] water up to their necks, with arms fully etended hoding hands walking in line abreast in full view of the Germans, and as they got nearer one of them would step on a mine. Two or three of them would dissapear then they would close up and carry on walking. They must have lost quite a lot of men before - they got ashore. Although that wasn't the end for them - then, not by a long way. There work had only just begun.

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? THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY HERE , IS, WHEN WE WERE IN DANGER OF SINKING ON THE WAY OVER (AND THERE WERE MANY TIMES) THE WAY IN WHICH EVERYONE REACTED, GOING OUT OF ONE'S WAY TO HELP A CHAP WHEN HE'D BEEN THROWN TO THE DECK. SEEING IF HE WAS ALRIGHT. THINGS LIKE THAT) I THINK THAT WHEN YOU'RE IN REAL DANGER AND YOU'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT SO TO SPEAK) IT GIVES YOU MORE BROTHERLY LOVE TOWARDS YOUR FELLOW COMRADES.

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? YES I DO. MR F. GARRETT, 26, WESTERN AVE. BRENTWOOD, ESSEX. HE WAS IN THE 9TH PARACHUTE BN 6th A.B. DIV. AND WAS WOUNDED.

What do you do now? I am a Machine Operator in a film factory of (Ilfood Ltd) at Brentwood, Essex.

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

On the afternoon of June 5th 1944 we were just leaving our base on the river Hamble Southhampton to assemble just off the Ile of Wight. After months of training we knew now that this was it, the Invasion had co[?] and we were going to be part of it. I can well remember the sickly feeling I had in my stomach when we were told that Morning that we were going to be part of the Assault Forces first to be landing on the Enemy Coast at a place called Arromanc[?] at about dawn or soon after. But when we got out into Southhampton Water I felt a little bit better w[?] I saw all the ships and Loading Craft that were assembled there, there must have been hundreds all shapes and sizes. I also noticed how choppy the Sea was, and we were some-what sheltered her[?] I was thinking then, that I bet we are in for a rough trip. (We Were) It was about 3 o'clock in the afternoon of June 5th 1944 that we moved off insingle line abest there were about 16 or 18 Craft in our Flotilla and it was going to take us 15 hours or so to get to the Normandy Coast. We were passing the Ile of Wight now I remember takeing a good look at it Wondering at the same time Whether I would be lucky enough to see it again Or as to how many of us would see it again. Soon the I. of W. was almost out of sight; we were bobbing about a bit rou[?] It was my turn to take over the Wheel we all took turns at the Wheel s[?] as to relieive the strain on the Coxswain, who was of course in chrage of our [?] ---- Our Coxswain was a one, CPL "creaker" Denis a Regular Marine haveing had pre-War experiences -- on big ships such as the HOOD EXETER, and SUFFOLK. After I had been at the Wheel about an hour, the thought struck meI wonder if this is going to be another "Dieppe" or not, then the old tummy started Rolling a bit, and for awhile I felt a bit uneasy. As we went on it seemed to become rougher and rougher, and some of [?] chaps were sea sick, I was feeling pretty bad and it wasn't long before I became violently sick, the Craft was being thrown about all over the place and it took us all our time to hold on to something, ship's were being constantly barfeed shoulders bumped against the steel sides stoves began [?] about the deck, then I was flung against a fire Extinguisher it came away from its housing and on hitting the deck began to squirt White foam all over the place one chap in particular got quite a soaking with it and I soon heard all about it in no uncertain terms. It was getting dark now, the sea was just as bad as ever if not worse and at night when you can't see anything its seems ten times worse By now everyone wsa feeling pretty bad we were all constantly being sick the Craft was doing just about everything but sink, every time we hit a big Roller there would be a shuddering grinding lurch as if we were going to go right over. Why we didn't or how we didn't go over to this day I'll never know. Soon we could hear a point at first droneing sound then it became louder a louder untill they couuld be heard just over head, we all shouted more or le[?] at the same time it must be the Airborne boys just going in. We gave a cheer knowing that we couldn't possibly be heard, but I think it made us feel better.