Soldiers found it very difficult to sleep given the constant noise and it was not easy finding a safe place to catch 40 winks!
...The ration packs we had were American, much better than ours and we could just pour hot water onto prepared dried and compressed food for a warm meal. The first one to come over announced: "We’re supposed to be with the Lincolns." I replied, "Just grab a bite of breakfast whilst we gather everyone." This chap was dead keen to get off; we found an officer and were directed forward. The road was under heavy machine gun and mortar fire. There was also heavy artillery and air bursts. We called in incoming and outgoing mail; our shells were coming over from the ships in the Channel and the Jerry shells coming at us from in front. We came across a Tiger Tank which had just been put out of action and the crew with support troops, what was left of them, were being taken away as prisoners. It was constant battle, with the enemy making good use of the bocage countryside, using it as perfect cover for resistance and counter attack.
The enemy held a chateau in the hinterland of the landing beach so they had good command of the terrain. We took it off them but it was hard fighting all the way. As darkness fell there was confusion and I found myself on my own entering the building, or what was left of it. After some poking about I came across a young officer who directed me forward, saying: "We’re under mortar fire but we’ve taken a German trench over there where you can get your head down for the night." Well, I had been soldiering long enough to know it was risky to occupy an enemy trench as they would have its co-ordinates exactly ranged. It seemed alright and I was tired out so I took his advice. It was a very neat trench with duckboards laid in an orderly fashion. Sheltered from ground fire, given that it had been a long day, I nodded off straight away, although people were walking over me throughout the night!
The chateau and all around remained under fire pretty much all night but it didn’t stop me getting at least some sleep. When I awakened properly around dawn, all our troops had moved on. I couldn’t work out what was going on, and so still on my own I went back to the chateau to see if I could find that officer or at least someone who could put me in the picture. All had changed; the chateau was now a First Aid Hospital or Dressing Station with wounded being carried in. I noticed a wagon pull up and saw that it was unloading Compo Ration Packs which were packed for 15 men. Naturally I managed to get hold of one of these, so the day’s provisions were sorted out...
