NAVY’S SUCCESS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24279, 9 June 1944, Page 5

NAVY’S SUCCESS

“Not One Soldier Lost At Sea” CEASELESS WORK OP FERRYING LONDON. June 7. • The naval correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that the Navy transported the great army of invasion troops across the Channel without loss of a single soldier at sea. “Hitler and Admiral Doenitz have wisely decided to avoid naval action in the early stages of the invasion, but it is expected that they will order hit-and-run suicide operations as the German position becomes more desperate,” says the Combined Press correspondent aboard a destroyer off the French coast. “The Allied navies have only begun their big job, which involves the constant ferrying of troops, guns, tanks, ammunition, and, food for many weeks. They must be prepared for ruthless attacks by 100 to 200 Üboats and about 100 E-boats. -s

“German reconnaissance must have revealed to Berlin that the Allies intend to have French ports working as swiftly as Italian ports have been brought into operation.” “The British Navy during D Day did one of the finest jobs of the war and it Is still doing it, wrote Reuter’s correspondent aboard the destroyer Beagle off the Normandy benches on Tuesday evening. “An endless stream of ships carrying reinforcements of men, guns, tanks, and ammunition continues to arrive.

“Conditions have not been easy, and rolling seas, tide, and wind made the landings during th£ first light of Tuesday morning extremely difficult. "Long lines of landing craft, motorlaunches, and supply ships are steadily streaming towards the beaches, and similar groups of ships are streaming back home to bring up more reinforcements. The Royal Navy’s smaller ships had a very tough lime. Area Packed With Shipping

“As we this evening lie anchored close in to the invasion beaches, the Seine Bay presents an even more amazing sight than it did at dawn. The naval craft seem, to have increased in number. The whole area is packed with cruisers, destroyers, lumbering tank landing craft flying their little barrage balloons from the stern, supply ships, motor-launches, lugs, and minesweepers. The sea has abated and the sun is now lighting up the little seaside resorts, but the beach battle goes on. “British destroyers to the south-west are bombarding the coast. Through our glasses we can see German tanks deploying on the beaches below the sea wall, and a stubborn battery on a cliff top keeps' up an intermittent fire, the shells sending up large sprays oft water round the destroyers. The destroyers fight on, darting in and plastering the enemy’s gun positions, "Pillars ,of dull grey smoke inland show where the invasion force is fighting but stubborn artillery battles. We can see a line of Allied tanks and trucks, moving slowly over the winding roads through the green fields and up the hills. “The climax of the whole Allied air invasion came late on Tuesday evening, when we watched the second wave of glider-borne troops soaring in over the area. They came in hundreds, flying incredibly low. The whole sky was black with them. A young navigagtor said: ‘They look like birds migrating to the Continent.’ “The Halifaxes slipped the gliders, which landed gently away in the distance over the coastline.” Casualties Taken Off

“British commandos were among the first casualties taken off by Canadian landing craft on D Day,” says a correspondent. “One ship brought off 43 commandos with blackened faces and muddy, torn battledress. “We were actually in action for about two hours before I was hit in the face by a mortar bomb,” said one. Another said: “It was a good party, with plenty of mortar fire and some 88’s, though not as much as some expected. Inland we could hoar the bombers smashing at the enemy’s ground forces.” Some of the casualties the Canadians rescued had most of their clothing blown off. Generally, casualties were light. Bert Brandt, a news photographer, says that the first assault troops storming the beaches were mown down by German cross-fire. Succeeding waves climbed over the bodies until a foothold was established.

"It was hotter than hell. I was et Anzio. out Anzio was nothing like this. American casualties were heavy on some beaches and light on others. "On one beach the machine-gunners waited until the landing craft lowered their ramps and then poured in a deadly fire.” v