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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.