Seaman Gunner Royal Navy Patrol Service (RNPS) known as “Harry Tate’s Navy” served on the trawler HMS OLVINA mine sweeping off Omaha Beach. Vivid description of landings & minesweeping operations. Had previously done Atlantic & arctic convoys. Impressed by secrecy of Overlord. You could have walked from the Needles to Cherbourg without getting your feet wet! Omaha was just plain slaughter. I saw 29 DD tanks go straight to the bottom. What frightened me more than anything were the rocket ships. You got used to it. You could sleep through anything - you just died. You more or less lived for the day. Later MMS 283 minesweeping.

Jim Leaver

In the Second World War, Jim Leaver served as a Troop Commander in the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment. He was in the thick of the action on D-Day.

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