D-Day Omaha Beach

1943, we sailed from Plymouth on HMS Belloma Light Cruiser (AA). There were about 300 men on board, I was a torpedo man. On a Light Cruiser the torpedoes are on the upper deck. It was lovely weather for about 3 days then the sea turned choppy about the 10th June. We were off the Normandy beaches for about 3 days, you could see Caen through the range finders, but not with the naked eye. The area we were, Omaha, was where the Americans were.
We were shelling the beaches with 5 — 2” triple gun turrets to soften the enemy position. We stopped shelling and everything went quiet, and then some big enemy guns opened fire; the deck was vibrating so much I thought the ship would fall to pieces. We did not get hit.
My experience was not exiting; the noise from all the guns was tremendous. We only had a few casualties, but bodies were passing us in the water — some were still alive.
We landed the troops, then steamed parallel with the beach, suddenly a large German gun fired at us and we put on full steam ahead. After about a week we returned to Plymouth.
Some of the Americans we put ashore were so young, I was only 23, but they were about 16 or 17.

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