This videocast is part of the War on Film series, created by The National Archives to mark the 70th anniversary of the Second World War. The series recounts the events that went on to inspire popular war films, using extracts from real government records and archive footage.
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The Longest Day
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My father was part of Force ‘G’ of the Armada. A sgt in 86th Hertfordshire Yeomanry Field Regt RA of 342 Bty C Troop. The SP Gun regiment took part in the Run-In-Shoot from LCT’s during the naval bombardment. He landed around 8.15 on Gold Beach,King Green,having landed earlier than planned to replace elements of Royal Marine Armoured Support Regt,who had failed to land. Their role was as support to the 6th Green Howards who were starting to move inland.
He was lucky. He survived the war.
On the morning of the 6th June 1944 early morning whilst living at 46 Molesworth Road Gosport Hants I was woken by a great humming. My old house is situated not far from Stokes Bay where later I found that it was where the Mulberry Harbour was built in preparation for D-Day. The humming grew in intensity and I opened the window of my bedroom, situated at the front of the house, to see if I could see what this noise might be? To my amazement over the top of my mother’s house was a great cloud of transport aircraft and what looked like towed gliders. It was vast, filling the sky, never seen anything like it or since! Later I found that it was J Force on its way to Normandy at the very start of D-Day. Regretfully at this time was an army POW in Japan Fukuoka Camp 1/12, captured in Java March 1942.
Peter D Beattie
Military Veteran (RAFA)