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THE ASSAULT LANDINGS IN NORMANDY

D DAY: MIDNIGHT JUNE 5 — MIDNIGHT JUNE 6

Ack 4/6/58

What is your full name? Percy Tomlinson

What is your present address?
33 Dean Road, Rhosnessney Wrexham. N. Wales.

Telephone number: Nil

What was your unit, division, corps? 5132 C. Mobile Signals Unit. [inserted] R.A.F. [end inserted] attached to:
U.S. First Army.

Where did you land and at what time? (Omaha Beach.) 10.50 [inserted] A.M. [end inserted] we drew to within
200 yds of beach, landing craft ahead kept being mined heavily, so orders were
to withdraw until tide went out. The second attempt to land was around 2.30 PM
when we did land, we lost 9 out of 10 vehicles, trough 88 M.M. German shelling.

What was your rank and age on June 6, 1944? W/op. A.C.2. 20 years. Being born 1924.

Were you married at that time? No

What is your wife’s name? Shiela Joan.

Did you nave any children at that time? No

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
Between. 23^RD May and 5^TH June

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?
Very rough SEAS: We were on a single deck craft A L.C.T., we could only carry 2 wagons:-
a Crosley & a Fordson, both were chained heavy, never before have I witnessed so much
strain on steel chains, we were scared of them snapping, if they had done we would
have been unable to do a thing about it. Most likely the craft would have
turned over, most of us were very ill but not sick; A Canadian C/pl was saying
to a few of us when we were 3 mile from the coast: "If it is the real thing ive had
it." True enough he was amongst the first to get killed.

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.)
I do believe there was talk about such a thing if I remember correctly.

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day?
I have kept a diary from Mon: March 20^TH 1944. to Sun 9^TH Nov. But consists
of only places were we went through. Nothing at all about 5^TH or 6^TH June.
One does not need a diary for that; But I see by the diary we did sail @
midnight on 5^TH June. But returned to Portland, before daybreak