Story: 'The Day' - June 6, 1944, Normandy

The Day: A Story in the Form of a Poem

By Charles H. Murphy, Major (retired)

The North Shore (N.B.) Regiment, Canada

Troops disembark from LCI(L) 299 during D-Day Normandy

Photo by Gilbert Milne, RCN photographer, D-Day Revisited

Introduction -

This poem, written by Charles H. Murphy, is accompanied by a date - June 6, 1986 - the 42nd anniversary of D-Day Normandy. Perhaps it was initially written for private consumption, but methinks it was penned for, or presented at, an anniversary ceremony of some kind, e.g., at a Navy club or Legion Hall.

The poem, twenty verses in all, can be found in the book Combined Operations by Clayton Marks of London, Ontario. The book, printed in the early 1990s - now very rare, almost impossible to find - is in the process of being reprinted and an announcement will be made on this site when ready for sale and distribution.

THE DAY

On the sixth day of June, nineteen forty-four,
A group of us lads stormed Normandy's shore.
Ike issued orders to the troops, one and all.
Our task very simply was to breach Hitler's wall.

The Air Force flew cover and with the Navy below,
We readied our weapons to give it a "go".
Our ships were all ready, poised along Britain's coast.
Now steamed 'cross the Channel, each like a grey ghost....

The Landings were combined with parachute & glider attacks... Piper Millin,

in highland dress, played openly along the route. Photo - D-Day Revisited

.... Some lads wrote last letters, others had a quick smoke,
Played poker or cribbage, one remembered a joke.
Our Padre had blessed us, a tear in his eye.
He offered up prayers, knowing many would die....

.... The Assault Landing Craft, tank-landers too.
Were rolling and pitching; - we lost one or two.
Calmly we circled until all were in line.
You'd think we were punting on the Thames or the Tyne.

We soon get our orders to head for the shore.
Such a motley armada was ne'er seen before.
We stood and looked round us, surveying the sight.
There were craft of all sizes on our left and our right.

The surf it was pounding and so were the guns.
The Navy, God bless them, hurled shells weighing tons.
Some fighters flew over, strafing the beach.
Jerry crouched in his bunkers, safely out of their reach....

We ran up the beaches, we stumbled and fell.
From confusion came order. We did our job well.
We saw our first wounded and stopped to give aid.
T'was clear that many the supreme price had paid.

Our Landing Ships; tank, disgorged out their loads.
We soon had our armour upon the beach roads.
They blasted the houses where the enemy hid.
The lead-tank commander was no more than a kid....

.... The medium machine guns laid on their fixed-lines.
While lads of the Pioneers exploded some mines.
Our anti-tank guns' were all safely ashore.
One silenced a bunker, blasting through a rear door....

.... The machine guns kept rattling, the rifles went crack.
We all were expecting Hitler's counter-attack.
Our companies' objectives we took rather well.
When we counted our losses, we knew we'd seen hell....

.... The Yanks who had landed along the coast to our right,
On Omaha Beach they had one hell of a fight.
From cliff-top positions a hundred feet high,
The defenders made certain that many would die....

.... The years have flown fast and we stand here tonight.
As I raise my glass, I reflect on the sight.
Here's a toast to our comrades who have gone to their rest.
Of the world's bravest men, they sure were the best!

More information about Gold, Sword and Juno Beaches, including a short video showing troops debarking from landing craft, can be seen at D-Day Revisited.

As well, please link to Story: D-Day Normandy - Lt. Anderson's Diary