Acknowledgements
The men who fought in Normandy are today 40 years older than they were in 1944, but it is astonishing how vividly retentive are their memories. All those listed below – American, British, German, French – contributed to the narrative above, either through personal interviews, diaries, contemporary letters, or correspondence. I have omitted their ranks and decorations, which would otherwise overwhelm these pages. To each of them I offer my gratitude, and my admiration for what they endured.
L. W. Ainslie 5th Kings Regiment
W. Anderson 5th Battalion
Abraham Arditti 101st Airborne Div.
D. W. Armstrong REME
R. A. H. Arnold 3rd Infantry Div.
A. Ashley 3rd Infantry Div.
T. K. Atherton 93rd LAA Regt.
Julian Bach
Charles F. Baldwin
S. Bamber RAMC
Alan Barber RAF
G. Barden Armoured Div. Guards
D. Barker 6th Airborne Div.
C. Barnby 1st Royal Norfolks
Mrs N. F. Barnes 6th Airborne Div.
H. T. W. Barter 49th Div.
Bill Bartlett USAAF
Hubert S. Bass 82nd Airborne Div.
T. R. Beason RE
Chris Belcher 2nd Armored Div.
William T. Belvin 2nd Infantry Div.
M. Bennett Royal Navy
Arthur Berry
R. L. Beverley RAF
Richard Bills US Navy
D. G. Bion 5th RTR
Peter Birkett Tyneside Scottish
Norman Bishop US Navy
Edward J. Bisso Jr
A. Blooman RAOC
B. Boden
Robert Bogart 1st Infantry Div.
J. Bond RASC
G. A. Bone RAF
Frank Booth RASC
G. Ascher 357th Infantry
L. Bour 1st Infantry Div.
G. A. D. Bourne Royal Navy
R. I. M. Bowen RAF
G. Braysford Royal Engineers
Dr Warren E. Breniman
C. Brewer No. 12 Field Surgical Unit
G. Brice 246th Coy RE
A. Briggs
A. D. Briggs RE
D. Brinkman
D. G. Brown 5th RTR
J. Brown 11th Armoured Div.
A. J. Brown 3rd Infantry Div.
John Brown 11th Armoured Div.
W. Brown 3rd Canadian Div.
H. Brown
G. Bruce Royal Engineers
Randall Bryant 9th Infantry Div.
Mrs Jean Buck
B. E. Buck REME
Eric Bulman
M. A. Burgess
James N. Burt 2nd Armoured Div.
Jesse T. Butler 9th Infantry Div.
R. W. Campbell 6th Airborne Div.
W. A. Carter
Arthur L. Chaitt 1st Infantry Div.
Mrs M. Chandler
O. H. Clark
Roy Clark Royal Navy
S. R. Cockaday 3rd Div. Provost Coy
Al Cohn US Navy
W. A. Coke Royal Marines
Frank Colacicco 1st Infantry Div.
Harry Collins 6th Airborne Div.
Robert L. Conway 5th Engineer Special Brigade
James William Cook Royal Navy
Leo Cooper
John Purley Cooper Jr. 29th Div.
Paul W. Corrigan 3rd Armored Div.
John Craig
E. A. Crofts
R. B. Crosby Essex Yeomanry
Robert Michael Crossley
Rupert Curtis Royal Navy
Milton Dank
Mrs Margaret Darley-Bentley
W. Davies RAF
Harold Davies 7th Armoured Div.
William E. Davis Royal Artillery
Frederick Davis RE
E. Dearsley
Bernard W. Deehan 2nd Armoured Div.
M. Delaney Armoured Div.
Ronald C. Denhand RAF
James Dobie The Kings Regiment
George W. Dohmann 9th Infantry Div.
H. H. Downs RAF
F. G. Dubber 165th HAA Regt. RA
G. T. Duckworth RAF
Hayes W. Dugan 3rd Armored Div.
Martin Dumoch US Navy
Steve Dyson 5th RTR
C. J. Eason 2nd Lincolnshires
J. Eccles
Alec Ecclestone Royal Navy
J. Edmondson 2nd Armoured Guards Div.
J. E. Edney 7th Armoured Div.
Sidney Eichen 30th Infantry Div.
William J. Eisemann US Navy
J. H. Ellis 1st Ox & Bucks
F. K. Faulkner REME
K du B. Ferguson RAF
W. M. H. Flory RAF
Mrs M. Floyd-Norris QAIMNS/R
A. H. Forrest RASC
J. S. Forster Royal Signals
E. A. Fowles RAF
Edward T. Francis 47th Anti-Aircraft Brigade
Jerrold Freeman RAF
W. M. Frick 79th Infantry Division
R. Frith Royal Navy
Robert Frost Royal Navy
Col. William B. Gara 1st Infantry Div.
Wayne Garrets 90th Infantry Div.
G. George 6th Airborne Div.
E. H. Gibbs 9th Beach Group
A. C. Gigg 50th Infantry Div.
J. A. Gill 2nd Infantry Div.
A. F. Gillespie RASC
L. C. Gimbert RASC
Doug Ginder 3rd Div.
Joe Glavan 35th Infantry Div.
J. G. Glixby Royal Tank Regiment
Don Gordon Royal Engineers
Richard Gosling Essex Yeomanry
J. W. Goulder Royal Navy
Henry Grant 3rd Canadian Division
Mrs M. Z. Gray
J. Greenfield 116th HAA Regt.
N. Griffin Royal Signals
G. Griffin 43rd Infantry Div.
L. Griffiths 2nd Army HQ
Heinz Gunther Guderian 116 Panzer Div.
Helmut Gunther 17 SS Panzergren. Div.
William I. Hahn US Navy
L. Haines 2nd/60th Rifles
J. G. Hanson RAF
Mrs Edward W. Harrison
Robin Hastings 6th Green Howards
R. E. Hauchan Royal Navy
J. A. Hawkes Royal Marines
S. D. Hayden 49th Div.
A. Heal Royal Engineers
Richard Heap
John Hein 1st Infantry Div.
Pamela Hensy QAIMNS/R
Harry Herman 9th Infantry Div.
Andrew Hertz 834th Engineer Aviation Battalion
Heinz Hickmann Luftwaffe Parachute Div.
Lindley R. Higgins 12th Infantry Rgt.
H. Highwood Queens Regiment
George Hird RAOC
R. A. Hoar Royal Artillery
H. W. S. Hodd
Dr Adolf Hohenstein 276th Infantry Div.
Alan W. Holmes RASC
F. A. Honey Royal Engineers
G. B. Honour Royal Navy
S. Hooker 6th Airborne Div.
Charles T. Horner
H. Horsfield Royal Marines
James Houston Royal Navy
R. A. Howard Army Air Corps
W. T. Hoy REME
D. J. Hudson ACC
B. Hudson Staffordshire Yeomanry
D. S. Huett Armoured Div.
J. A. Hughes Royal Marines
G. E. Humnas RAOC
S. F. Humphrey 344th Indep. Searchlight Battery RA
J. H. Humphries 50th Div.
Mrs N. S. Hyde-Ferte
H. M. Irwin
J. L. Irwin 45th RM Commando
Jackson 50th Division
Harolds L. Jett US Navy
Frank A. Jobson 6th Airborne Division
Mrs Susan Johnson ATS
A. E. Johnson 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
R. Johnson 24 Base Section Royal Signals
A. Johnson Durham Light Infantry
G. R. Johnson 5th RTR
Carl R. Jones USAAF
Albert M. Jordan 2nd Armored Div.
T. Josephs 29th Infantry Div.
Kurt Kauffman Panzer Lehr
J. E. Kean 3rd Recce Regiment
R. O. Keeffe RASC
G. Keighley Sussex & Surrey Yeomanry
Dennis Kelley 9th Infantry Div.
Lt. H. G. Kenyon Royal Navy
Henry W. Kilburg 875th Ordnance Battalion
R. R. Killona 237th Engineer Combat Battalion
Jerry W. Komarek 2nd Armored Div.
Vincent A. Kordack 6th Beach Battalion US Navy
Warner Kortenhaus 21st Panzer Div.
Hal Kosut 979th Batt.
Edward B. Kovar 110th AAA Batt.
Walter Kruger 12th SS Panzer Div.
D. Lancaster
Mrs J. Lang WAAF
Helmut Lang Army Group B Headquarters
Fritz Langangke 2nd SS Panzer Div.
T. Langston RA
Bruce A. Larose 1st Infantry Div.
J. Law 147th Regiment RAC
P. Lawton 49th West Riding Div.
J. E. Leather 4th Ox & Bucks
R. D. Lee 1st Ox & Bucks
A. Lee 1st Middlesex
J. M. Leggate FRCS 46th Field Surgical Unit
Edward M. Leitch 2nd Army Troop
Andrew J. Lento 4th Infantry Div.
P. Leslie 79th Armoured Div.
Arthur Lester
J. Leverett 6th Airborne Div.
C. T. Lightman 11th Royal Scots Fusiliers
Mrs R. Lindner QAIMNS/R
Theodore S. Liska 4th Infantry Div.
Dominic J. LoPiccolo 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion
S. Lockwood 4th CLY
Donald E. Loker US Navy
Len Lomell
J. S. Longster Suffolk Regt.
A. V. Looker 1st KOSB
Rev. T. H. Lovegrove 6th Green Howards
W. W. Lund 6th Airborne Div.
R. Lyon REME
P. R. Maclver 8th Armoured Brigade
James G. Macpherson Merchant Navy
Maj. Gen. John J. Maginnis
J. S. Malkin 7th Field Reg. RA
G. C. Mantripp Royal Navy
Arlo J. Markestad 29th Infantry Div.
P. Marshall 78th Coy. Royal Engineers
E. A. Martin 3rd Infantry Div.
W. Martin
S. B. Mason
L. F. Matthews Royal Navy
John A. McAllister 29th Infantry Div.
Robert McCosh
Andrew McFadzean 29th Infantry Division
John P. McGirr 65th Armored Field Artillery Batt.
Dr Marie McHugh
L. J. McLaughlin 9th Infantry Div.
Alan W. McQuillin RAF
S. Mills Royal Marines
James H. Moninger Jr. 79th Infantry Div.
Bidwell Moore 1st Infantry Div.
G. Moore Royal Engineers
David Morgan REME.
W. T. Morgan REME
Ted Morris
H. J. Morris Jones 746th Tank Batt.
G. W. Moses
R. Mosse Guards Armoured Div.
Anthony Mott 500th Div. RHR
F. L. Muttor 1st Infantry Div.
Lt. Gen. Samuel L. Myers
Philip D. Myers 78th Armored Field Artillery Batt.
W. E. Needier
A. L. Neely
Albert E. Nelson RCAF
D. C. Newton 6th Airborne Div.
Ralph A. Nichols US Navy
A. E. Nicholson RAMC
Ronald N. Palmer RMAS
J. Parkinson Royal Engineers
L. S. Parnell RAOC
A. Pascarell 487th Bomb Troop
Lt. Brewster G. Pattyson US Coast Guard
Joseph K. Perkins 29th Infantry Div.
R. Perkins
G. J. Peters 2nd Warwicks
N. C. Phillips
James Taillie Phillips US Navy Minesweep-Unit 9
M. A. Philip Royal Signals
A. G. Pickely
H. A. Pickering 3rd Infantry Div.
C. Piercy-Hughes 6th Airborne Div.
Brig. Gen. Allan G. Pixton 5th Engineer Special Brigade
C. J. Potter
Bill Preston 29th Div.
J. K. Price 2nd Ox & Bucks
Carl D. Proffitt DSC 29th Infantry Div.
Clay Purvis 29th Infantry Div.
Paul J. Quaiver 326th Engineer Batt.
Lt. Gen. E. R. Quesada
Daniel Quinn 9th Infantry Div.
G. T. Radmore 6th Airborne Div.
G. L. Ramage
George L. Ramage Royal Engineers
Edward Rapp 4th Armored Div.
Mrs Margaret R. Rathbone WRNS
Floyd Ratliff 30th Artillery.
Ken Rawlings 35th Infantry Div.
Dick Raymond 3rd Canadian Div.
Mr & Mrs L. R. Reed
Philip B. Reisler 2nd Armored Div.
A. J. Rennie KOSB
L. Reynolds 6th Airborne Div.
Eric Richards
A. Richardson 43rd Infantry Div.
F. O. Richardson 82nd Airborne Div.
Robert L. Riggs 82nd Airborne Div.
G. H. Robinson 5th Dorsets
Walter Rodman 102nd Cavalry Recon.
A. Rolph 50th Div.
George Rosie 101st Airborne Div.
S. Rossant 2nd Welsh Guards
H. Rowe Pioneer Corps
E. Royle Royal Highland Reg. of Canada
G. E. M. Ruffee 14th Field Reg. Canadian Royal Artillery
K. M. Rugman 6th Airborne Div.
R. R. Rylands KSLI
A. W. Sadler RASC
Charles Salt 4th Armoured Brig.
H. L. Salter
Alvin Sapinsley US Army Signals Corps
Richard W. Sargent 2nd Infantry Div.
Rudolf Schaaf 716th Infantry Div.
R. Schafer 9th Infantry Div.
Wilhelm Schickner 2nd Panzer Div.
Kevin Sharkey
Carl R. Sherrets
W. P. Shines Kings’ Regiment
C. Shread 69 Field Coy (RE)
E. F. Siderits US Navy
Frank L. Sills RAF
Lawrence Silverman 5th Amphibious Engineer Special Brigade
P. Silverman 35th Infantry Div.
W. J. Skittrall Essex Regiment
George L. Small 35th Infantry Div.
Lt. Col. A. T. Smith 1st Infantry Div.
Henry Smith Armored Div.
Anthony M. Smith 819th Av. Engineers
J. R. Smith 141st Regt. RAC
Roy Smith 4th Airborne Div.
J. F. Smyth Royal Navy
Mrs Robert F. Snetzer
Henry D. Soderberg 507th Military Police Batt.
Sid Solomon
Saul Solow 30th Infantry Div.
Mrs A. Sowerby
E. F. Spottiswoode REME
Vernon C. Squires 81st Construction Batt.
A. Stackpole
William Stelling 29th Infantry Div.
J. W. Stephens 86th Anti-Tank Reg. RA
Hans Stober 17th SS Panzergren. Div.
W. L. Stray KSLI
Wallace C. Strobel 101st Airborne Div.
D. J. Studdard 2nd Army HQ Troops
Edward Sullivan
William A. Sutton
G. R. Tait 3rd Div.
D. A. Tait 101st Airborne Div.
Peter Terry 47 Commando
Peter J. Terry
Hans Teske
O. H. Thomas 5th Beach Group
G. W. Thomas RAF
Charles H. Thomas 1st Div.
David E. Thomas 82nd AB Div.
G. Thorn Royal Marines
John M. Thorpe 11th Armoured Div.
Matt N. Touchton US Navy
Major F. B. Upfold REME
E. H. Upward Royal Navy
L. J. Verier Home Guard
Dr. Eberhard Wagemann 21st Panzer Div.
P. Wagg RE
Bill Walsh 102nd Cavalry
Edward Warman
John Warner 3rd Recce Regt.
Geoffrey L. Way
A. C. Webb REME
Reg. A. F. Weigall
J. M. Welch 4th Infantry Div.
A. H. Wells RE
Mrs Doreen Westaway QAIMNS
John A. Wheeldon 11th Armoured Div.
F. W. White 51st Highland Div.
Mrs H. G. White RE
Jack D. Whiteley 9th Infantry Div.
A Whittenbury RE
Dr. John S. Wier 2nd Armored Div.
K. M. Wilford RAF
Cyril Wilkins Royal Navy
Harold Wilkinson 3rd Infantry Div.
Col. J. B. Wilks
Mary Williams WAAF
C. A. Williams Royal Navy
J. Williamson 3rd Scots Guards Tank Batt.
Col. John Williamson 1st Infantry Div.
S. E. Willis Royal Navy Commandos
F. V. Wilson Royal Navy
Thomas G. Wilson Merchant Navy
George R. Wilson Royal Navy
P. C. Wixey KRRC
N. C. Wood Military Police
A. S. Woods RAF
D. A. Woods Royal Navy
T. Woodward 3rd Infantry Div.
R. Wright
H. Yarwood
A. E. Younger RAF