THE LANDING CRAFTSMAN

Eric Strange, 95 Sub lieutenant, Royal Navy

‘The one thing I’ll never forget is the sight of a dead sailor floating in the sea… Nothing could be done, the poor devil just had to float along’

WHEN I WAS CALLED UP at 19 I wanted to join the Royal Air Force – everyone did – but I was told I had to choose between the Marines, Army or Navy. My girlfriend, Doreen, told me to go to the Navy because I looked better in blue. But then about two weeks before D-day we were told we had to buy a khaki uniform. (It cost £5.)

I was sent over on a US landing craft. If things went wrong we were the fallback to get the troops off the beach as quickly as possible. We departed from Portsmouth harbour in very rough seas but because it was a big boat I managed to get some sleep. For those in the small landing crafts it was very nasty, being tossed all over the place.

I woke up at 5am as we were approaching Sword Beach. The one thing I’ll never forget is the sight of a dead sailor floating in the sea. That was the first casualty I encountered – nothing could be done, the poor devil just had to float along.

It was very noisy. Water bombs were going off all the time while the troops were still landing. As a rescue boat, we had to stay offshore, which meant we were soon very seasick. (Later that day we created a breakwater out of sunken ships.)

At about 10am I took a party on to the beach to sort out where the tanks were going to go. There was a huge tarpaulin sheet covering a few bodies. I didn’t stay around for long because it was a dangerous place to linger. And yet in spite of the carnage I realised fairly early on that it seemed to be going quite well as everything was still going into shore and nothing was coming off the beaches.

We didn’t see any German planes during the day, but we had a scare at night when a plane was heard. Nothing was allowed to fly over that area so we assumed it was the Luftwaffe and the whole fleet opened up on it. Unfortunately the next day there were a load of coloured parachutes floating in the sea, which meant it was one of ours rather than one of theirs. He shouldn’t have been there, but it was a pity.

I had a few milky moments but overall luck was on my side, and when I came home from Normandy on Wednesday in the first week of August, I told Doreen we were getting married on the Saturday – and we did.

I’ve still got the boots I wore at D-day, still in decent nick. I’ve been back to the beaches twice. Each time it is a feeling of disbelief when you see all the cemeteries. Above everything I feel so thankful that unlike those poor men I was able to come home.

Life after the war Left the armed forces: 1946 (retired as sub lieutenant) / Lives in: Crawley / Family: married in 1944, three children, nine grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren / Career: camera operator

With thanks to The Royal British Legion, the RAF Benevolent Fund, Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar and Imperial War Museums

Far left Eric Strange at home in Crawley. Left Strange in the Royal Navy; he joined at the age of 19. Above Marrying Doreen in August 1944