Audio re Combined Operations: Richard Norris, Normandy

On LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry) in 1944

Pictured here are LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry) and LST (Landing Ship, Tank)

en route to France across the English Channel, June 1944. Tethered to each

ship are barrage balloons, which offered protection from enemy aircraft

Photo Credit - The Memory Project

Please link to an audio file at The Memory Project related to the activities of Richard Norris, from Summerland, that touch on memories related to his training and war time experiences aboard LCIs at Normandy, June 1944.

A portion of Richard Norris' transcript follows:

They were in the planning stages for the [Normandy] invasion and they were looking for people who could handle small craft in rough seas. And that’s where I think it all emanates from there, it all started there. I guess that’s late in the time or early in the time, they were still trying to put forces together in Combined Operations to do the invasions.

So they were a group, they were a naval, air force and army assault force and they just harassed the enemy any way they could. Of course, it was all leading up to the invasion. It was put together by the Royal Marines. This was who we were under, pretty well supervised, and controlled by the Royal Marines.

We didn’t have a shoulder patch; we were just navy working on landing craft. Our training there was just beaching and troops at night and in the day, and on taking them off, practicing the whole invasion process, and gunnery and all the rest.

Troops from The North Nova Scotia Highlanders on the deck

of their LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry) getting fresh air, along

with their ramp gear and collapsible bicycles in June 1944.

Photo Credit - The Memory Project

Link to another audio file at Audio re Combined Operations.