"May the fathers long tell the children" | |
|  | | Year 6 at St John Fisher School, St Albans learnt about D-Day |
| | Enjoy more work from St John Fisher School. |
| | | Dear Diary
Michaela F | 5th June 1944
I'm so nervous. We were just told that we will have to go to war tomorrow. In about ten minutes we have to go and get ready and then we will leave. It's going to be so hard. I have a four mile space where I have to land because on one side there's a swamp and on the other there's a village which is full of germans. If I land in the swamp I could drown and die and if I land in the village I will get caught and will die so I have to nail it. The village is called St Mere Eglise. Some French still live there and they must be scared just like me. I hope the weather gets better by tomorrow otherwise it won't be good to fly in. | 6th June 1944
This morning about 2.00am we left England. When we got over to France all that was going through my head was am I going to make the drop. I didn't. Me and about seven other 82nd airborne troops landed in the swamp. I survived but two didn't make it - Frank and Junior - and Sergeant broke his ankle. When we were walking along a road next to a wall I heard a plane firing. I looked up and when I looked back down I saw about ten German soldiers. They didn't see me thankfully. |
GOING FOR REVENGE
7th June 1944
Helen M | | Yesterday morning, troops from all over the United Kingdom and America flew and sailed over to France to face the biggest battle of their lives. The allies arrived at about 6.00am yesterday morning. Around 4,000 ships sailed including 3323 landing craft, 467 warships, 150 minesweepers and 18,000 paratroopers and commandos. I managed to meet one of the allies and here are a few of his comments: "As I got off the boat I felt my legs wobble and I felt like being sick. But I knew I had to fight for my country, so I started firing and killed at least three people. "I wanted to crawl back into the ship behind me but I couldn't give up. I will always remember this event for the rest of my life." |
Dear Diary
Tom | 5th June 1944
It's still chucking it down which probably means the English and Allied forces won't attack today and we know they will attack from the shortest route (Calais). Although, one crazy soldier says they will attack where we least expect it, which means they will attack from the largest route (Normandy) Crazy huh. I miss home but I like our leader Rommel. At the moment we are losing the war in Italy. | 6th June 1944
At 6.00am this morning we saw over 4,000 enemy ships. As they grew closer they started firing at us and the bunker we were in started to collapse. I was soon found amongst the rubble of our bunker by an English soldier. They captured me and made me prisoner. That was when I knew the invasion had begun. |
Dear Diary
David C | 5th June 1944
Me and the rest of us British commandos have just been informed that we are going to be taking out a target and are also going to be protecting it as well, and it's all going to be taking place tomorrow. The target is a bridge in Bonoville near Caen. This is apparently our primary target. We should arrive at the bridge by about midnight tonight. I'm really hoping that we can get this over and done with because all this waiting is making me too tense. Soon I'll be dead before we even get moving. I suppose the good thing about this mission is that there has been a diversion further north, which means it should be a bit easier for us. | There's no 6th June entry. |
 | D-Day by Joseph R |
Dear Diary
Helen M | 5th June 1944
We are on board the ship and people are still coming. I am really going to miss my family, especially my kids Georgia and Jack. We're leaving at around 8.00pm and I'm getting more and more nervous as we wait. I hope we get moving soon as I am starting to feel sick. The people are continuing to board and I am getting tired. | 6th June 1944
Last night we started moving at around a quarter to eight. We have just arrived and I am really shaken by the events of this morning. We have captured lots of Germans but the Germans have captured some of us too. I shot quite a few people today and a bullet missed me by inches about an hour ago and I am losing my nerve. I hate this. I just want to go home. |
Dear Diary
David O | 5th June 1944
It's raining again, but we don't really care. We're too nervous to be bothered and the weather is the last thing on my mind. I think that we're going tonight. No one else believes me but I think it is tonight. I'me feeling sick and nervous but I want to get it over with so we can get home with a bit of luck. It's now 9.00pm and we've got a message to attack. Let's hope this won't be my last entry. | 6th June 1944
We left last night. We had to land within four miles. If we overshot we would land in Lannaire Eglise, a French city controlled by Germans. If we landed too early we would be in a swamp. Luckily we landed OK. I was very relieved when it was all over and I'm very excited about getting back home to America and I will be so pleased to see my family when I get there because I have really been missing them. I am also worried in case my friends haven't made it back. We were split up at the beginning of the war and I haven't heard from them since, but the important thing is getting back to my family. |
 | Man in the war by Jamie O |
Dear Diary
Sophie P | 5th June 1944
I'm really missing my family back in America. At the moment the weather is very bad. It's gloomy, wet and dull and makes me want to go home, but I know I need to finish my job in France. I don't think we will go into battle because of the weather but even so I am still quite scared. Lots of our men were killed in the practice. | 6th June 1944
Last night at midnight we were called to go into battle. We were ready in no time and jumped into the boat. As we drew nearer I got very nervous. Lots of my friends were shot during this time and I am so glad I survived. We had a very bad time there on the beach but at least the weather was better. I can't wait to see my family and go back to my home in America without worrying about the Germans. I hope I won't have to do anything like this again. |
Dear Diary
Ellen T | 5th June 1944
Today is freezing cold and everyone is miserable. Jeremy was badly shot in the arm today and has been in pain all day. When we were on the ship the weather was absolutely dreadful. The waves were 12 foot high I swear! We stood ready and raring to go. I miss Sherri so much, and my mother and father must be worried sick, wondering if I am still alive. I can't wait to go home when the whole thing is over, to see my family and children, especially Albert. I am dead scared that something or nothing will happen. I must go to sleep now as my leader said we will need all the energy we can get for fighting the Germans. I will write again tomorrow. | 6th June 1944
This morning the fog had lifted and the waves had calmed down. We were woken at 6.00am and flown out to France. Duno, I think the beach was called. Tommy F, Mip G and Jim K were all killed today. I don't know how I am going to keep a smile on my face without them. They and my girlfriend and kids were the only thing that kept me from shooting myself. I got shot in my left foot today so I had to go to the hospital tent to get it bandaged up. The nurse later said I might get an infection or a 'dangle foot' as she called it. |
BACK >> D-DAY REVISITED:
Les Dinning from Milton Keynes returns to Normandy for the 60th Anniversary of D-Day 
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