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5th/7th Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders.

‘When I joined the 5th/7th Gordons they were training for the invasion of Normandy. I was quite proud to be joining, as my father served in the 7th Battalion Gordons in WWI. Plus we had heard so much about the famous 51st Highland Division and their exploits against Rommel in the desert campaign. All we did was train and you could feel the tension in the air. We knew that the invasion was coming and the old hands knew what was in front of them. I was going to win the war single-handed. Dream on Bruce. What an idiot! Us young lads did not know what it was like to really be under enemy fire and still thought that war was a great adventure. That thought would soon be shattered and quite a few of us did not survive. One day all leave was cancelled, and we were moved nearer the coast and put in a huge compound under canvas. The Battalion was on the move and heading for the embarkation port and the invasion.’

Men of “Force B” (Backup force) on the dockside at Plymouth to commence loading operations on 1 or 2 June.

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