At the young age of 15, Jim Radford became one of the youngest veterans of D-Day, serving as a galley boy on a deep-sea rescue tug during the Normandy Landings. Coming from a family of seafarers in Hull, East Yorkshire, Jim left school early to join the war effort. He vividly recounts his role in Corncob, a series of British convoy operations that took place during World War II, where his ship towed and sank blockships to create a temporary breakwater for the Mulberry Harbour.

Jim also shares his experience of rescuing survivors from sinking American Liberty ships during a great storm, highlighting the perilous conditions and tragic losses at sea.

Despite the traumatic events he witnessed, Jim shares a touching memory of revisiting Arromanches-les-bains decades later and seeing children playing on the same shore that was once covered in dead bodies. His experiences at Normandy inspired his later work as a folk-singer. Jim’s story offers a unique perspective on the sacrifices made and the enduring legacy of D-Day.