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Ack 27/5/58

THE ASSAULT LANDINGS IN NORMANDY

D DAY: MIDNIGHT JUNE 5 — MIDNIGHT JUNE 6

What is your full name? Patrick Allen John Ward

What is your present address? 65 Crystal Palace Park Road S.E. 26

Telephone number: Sydenham Y261

What was your unit, division, corps? 115th Minesweeping Flotilla Ship M.M.S. 22

Where did you land and at what time? —

What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? Lieutenant R.N.V.R.
34

Were you married at that time? Yes

What is your wife's name? —

Did you have any children at that time? Yes

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
1st June 1944

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?
Quite good - sea moderate Personally I felt
very pleasantly tensed up. Together with
my CO I was on the bridge for about 36 hours
We had already been half way over on the night of 3/4 June
but were recalled due I believe to the weather.

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.)
—

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day?
—