Telephone No.

COLNBROOK 231/232/233

Central Depositary,

Royal Air Force,

COLNBROOK

Slough, Bucks.

CD/FX.48483

9^th June 1944.

2211329 Sgt. Wilkinson. E.

Dear Madam,

I thank you for returning the Form of Indemnity duly signed and would inform you that the effects of the above named will be forwarded to you as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully

Signature unreadable

for Squadron Leader, Commanding,

R.A.F. Central Depository.

Mrs. E. Wilkinson,

1068 Bury Road,

Breightmet,

Bolton,

Lancs.

LETTER FORM.

9 June 44

My dearest Maz,

I can’t I’m afraid as yet give you an address, so I think if you write me at my old address that would be the best wheeze.  Things are going well here, as that studier of form, the Elli, will be telling you also Boy Howland.  For myself I am fit and well, a trifle tired and rather dirty – if Eileen could see me now she would have a fit!  I do so hope all goes well with you – here, especially at this particular minute, it’s very noisy but not much else – I have thought about you all so much and feel sure that it won’t be long before we all meet again – I still have not received your letter and the ECS sent off just after my 48 hours – my only letter being one from Eileen dated 27 May.  I hope now that your ‘help’ is coming regularly and that you are not to do too much, you must be looking at your best for the champagne dinner we are going to have it – won’t be long now.  – Maz I must close.  So very much love to you all.

            Ever yours very affectionately

                        Peter

Addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 738 dated 10 JU 44.  Passed by censor No 15067 and signed P.C. Benham Capt. Annotated in pencil Rec June 14^th 1944, dated June 9^th.         (2)

G Branch

HQ I Corps

APO England

Sunday 4 June 44

My dearest Maz,

Have you been in the *** for a day or two with very little to do but sleep and read.  To my extreme disgust I have never received any mail at all since that wonderful 48 hours – Corps HQ split into every direction and no one seems to have had any mail – very bad staff work somewhere – it’s all very cheesing but I have something big to look forward to the other side.  These letters will be posted when our craft has dumped its load and has returned to the UK – I shall be very interested to hear when you received it.  I had so hoped to hear from you and from Eileen, to hear how she it etc – no doubt there will soon be considerable buzz and excitement chez Oxford Road, and the ORSSs will get busy!  I have read an excellent Angela Thinkill book called ‘Wild Strawberries’ (makes me think immediately of Westerham and Elli!).  Have you read it?  Simply, lovely and rather to my liking.  I met dear old George the other day, just the same as ever.  By odd coincidence in this craft (there are 30 officers on board) is one of the officers who came back from Africa with me in the *** Hellas.  I have been lucky enough to get a bunk (only 8 of us have) and this feeding and living in the ward-room where we have excellent food but no drink – probably just as well.  Pari will be interested to hear that I have resumed my poker activities – a Field Regt Col and 3 naval surgeons make up the school – stakes very mild, no heavy betting, 1^d antis.  The night before last I was the biggest winner (13/6) (my best hands being 3 full houses) – and last night I was again the winner (12/-) having had two lots of 4s within three hands – the first 4 Qs I picked up off the table, the second I drew a 9 to 3 9s.  I can just imagine Pari’s mouth watering!

There is little news of interest as you can imagine – this waiting is not the most pleasant thing I’ve done but it’s made less unpleasant by the fact that there are a very jovial crowd on board and the thoughts of what lies ahead are at times completely dispelled – I find I have to keep doing something the whole time to keep my imagination from running amok.

10 June 44

Maz dear,

Most frightful thing – I wrote all this on the boat and then forgot in the excitement of the moment to finish same and post it – I wrote to you yesterday and there’s little news to add except that I spent a thoroughly uncomfortable night in every way last night – today I’m back with my proper people.  It’s getting late so I must stop – I do apologise so much for the awful ***** I’ve made with this epistle – Longing to hear from you – take care of yourself I think about you all so much – Much love will write again soon –

            Ever yours

 very affectionately

                        Peter

News excellent, n’est ce pas?

In envelope headed ‘On Active Service’ addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 735 dated 13 JU 44.  Passed by censor No 15487 and signed P.C. Benham Capt. Rec June 14^th 1944 dated June 4^th & 10^th. (4)

My dearest Maz,

I fear that this must of necessity be a very short and hurried note as the mail collector will soon be having his impatience tested beyond endurance.  Before that happens I just have time to tell you that all goes well with me and that you are so much in my thoughts.  There is no news of any interest which I can tell you – I have still received no letters from anyone, a galling experience under the circs but one which, if nothing else, gives me something big to look forward to.  I’ve managed a few odd games of poker recently with, considering the low stakes, considerable success.  I really must fly so will close – God bless.  Maz dear, much love to you all and to dear old Pari and the Elli.  Longing to hear from you and to see you again.

Ever yours

very affectionately,

                        Peter

In envelope addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked POSTAGE PAID  undated.  Signed P.C. Benham Capt.           (3)

Written June 4^th 1944.

June 1944

(France – Normandy)

Operation Overlord was the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare, which included naval and aerial collaboration as well as troops on the ground. Operation Overlord was the codename for the D-Day landings of mainland Europe on the 6^th June 1944. British, Canadian and America Armed Forces launched an invasion against the German occupied coastline of Normandy, northern France. In May 1940, the Germans had swept through Europe, then invaded and occupied north-west France. When America entered the war in December 1941, the Germans began to prepare an Atlantic Wall against the invasion which they knew would eventually come. By the beginning of June 1944, 156.000 Allied soldiers together with their naval and air support were assembled on the southern coast of England. The landings were divided into five separate beaches and were located east to west. The British attacked Sword, Juno and Gold Beaches and the Americans attacked Omaha and Utah Beaches. After a two day bad weather delay Operation Overlord began on the 6^th June 1944.

British troops landed on Sword Beach and their objective was to capture the City of Caen. Glider landed commandos captured Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge as part of theselandings. Although the two bridges were secured, by the end of the day Caen had not been captured.

The landings on Juno Beach was under–taken by theCanadians whose objective was to join up with troops from Sword and Gold Beaches. By the end of the day they were in contact with the troops on Gold Beach. They failed to make contact with Sword Beach, leaving a gap between them.

The British landed on Gold Beach with the objective being the capture of Bayeux, then advancing on to Arramanches. Having reached Arramanches the first British built Mulberry Harbour was established and supplies were soon being off-loaded.  By the end of the day the Bayeux-Caen road had been reached and Bayeux fell the following day. It was on Gold Beach that Sergeant Major Stan Hollis was awarded the Victoria Cross for his “Utmost bravery” by destroying German bunkers. This was the only VC awarded on the day.

The Americans landed their troops on Omaha Beach from landing craft a long way from the shore. Unlike the British, who sent in specialised tanks to clear the beach obstacles prior to the troops landing, the Americans had their troops landed before the tanks arrived. The terrain of the beach ranged from sand onto shingle culminating into high sandy bluffs. Five natural exits through the bluffs forced the assault troops to concentrate for the break-out. Each natural exit was protected by concrete bunkers. The landing craft suffered heavy losses through heavy seas before the troops reached the shore. The strong current caused most of the landing craft to land their troops too far to the east. Of the thirty-two specialised amphibious tanks, launched 6,000 yards from the shoreline, only five arrived. Once the troops were on the beach the defenders in the concrete bunkers concentrated on the five natural exits. However, naval destroyers engaged the bunkers at point-blank range and determined groups of soldiers fought their way up the bluffs. With the troops off the beach a second British built Mulberry Harbour was established. The Americans lost more soldiers on Omaha Beach than the combined losses on the other four beaches. At the days end they held a strip of land but failed to penetrate inland as planned.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

The Americans landings at Utah Beach was obstructed by a strong current and the smoke from the naval bombardment. The landing craft carrying the troops actually landed 2,000 yards off the planned position, far closer to Omaha Beach. This proved to be fortunate as the area was less heavily defended. Thirty-six specialised amphibious tanks landed late, accompanied the assault troops. The clifftop height of Pointe du Hoc was attacked by Rangers to capture six concrete gun emplacements. Grappling irons fired by rocket launchers plus ladders enabled the Rangers to reach the top. The gun emplacements were taken out and the Rangers held off German counter-attacks until relieved by troops from Omaha Beach on the 8^th June1944.

To assist the attack on Utah Beach two U.S. Airborne Divisions were parachuted into the region. However, inexperienced pilots flew into heavy cloud, missing their target areas, and the descending paratroopers were soon totally lost. The 101^st landed behind Omaha Beach to secure the five natural beach exits. The 82^nd landed north-west of Utah Beach and some 82^nd forces reassembled and secured St.-Mére-Église. By the days end the Airborne Division had met up with the assault troops from Utah Beach and pushed inland to the Cherburg-Bayoux road.             

To supply and re-inforce the Allied invasion of Normandy, two temporary portable harbours were manufactured to facilitate the rapid off-loading of cargo onto the beaches. Within hours of the Allies successfully creating beach-heads, towed prefabricated harbours were placed in position and old ships were scuttled to act as break-waters. The harbours, Mulberry ”A” (American) was located on Omaha Beach, and Mulberry ”B” (British) was located at Gold Beach at Arramanches. On the 19^th June 1944 a Channel storm severely damaged Mulberry “A” as it was not as secured to the seabed as Mulberry “B”. The damage was considered to be unrepairable by the invasion commanders and further assembly ceased. With the storm moving west to east along the coast, the well-anchored Mulberry ”B” survived the storm. The damage received was quickly repaired and Mulberry ”B” was the sole off-loading facility on to beach. Mulberry ”B” was in operation until it was finally de-commissioned six months later.

The port of Cherbourg is located on the northern coastline of the Contentin Peninsular west of Utah Beach. Following the successful Allied landings in Normandy, the Allied commanders had decided it would be necessary to secure the German occupied deep water port of Cherbourg.  On the 9^th June 1944 the U.S. 101^st Airborne Division had fought their way to the eastern coastline of the peninsular. By the 18^th June 1944 the U.S. 9^th Infantry Division had reached the west coast of the peninsula, thereby isolating Cherbourg from any potential reinforcements. Cherbourg was finally liberated on the 26^th June 1944 when the Germans surrendered. 

(France)

The Day the Soldiers Came was on the 10^th June 1944, four days after the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day. The village of Oradour-sur-Glane is located in west central France in the (New) Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. The village was destroyed and 643 civilian men, women and children were massacred. The German Waffen-SS, based in southern France, had been ordered north to help stop the Allied advance but resistance activity hindered their progress. As retribution, all the villagers and any surrounding non-residents were assembled in the village square. The men were separated from the women and led to barns and sheds. Upon arrival they were shot in the legs, doused with fuel, and the premises set alight. The women and children had been placed in the local church and when the SS men returned they placed an incendiary device alongside. When the device ignited, 247 women and 205 children tried to escape through doors and windows, only to be met by machine-gun fire. Several days later approximately 20 survivors, who had fled as soon as the SS appeared, were allowed to bury the dead. German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel concluded the SS had exceeded their authority and ordered an investigation. Before any investigation was undertaken, many of the SS were killed in action during the Battle of Normandy. General Charles de Gaule, after the war ended, decided the village should never be rebuilt, but remain as a memorial to the cruelty of the Nazi occupation.

(Britain)

Prompted by the successful Allied landings in Normandy, the German Wehmacht launched the first VI ”Flying Bomb” against London on the 13^th June 1944. The VI was a bomb fitted with wings and propelled by a pulse-Jet engine mounted on the top and had an operational range of 150 miles (250 km). When the engine ran out of fuel and stopped the bomb dropped, and on impact with the ground exploded. Almost 10,000 “Flying Bombs” were launched against London until Allied forces overran the sites in October 1944.

On the 19^th June 1944 two USAAF B-17 bombers of the 379^th Bomb Group collided over the Thames Estuary off Canvey Island in Essex. Homeward bound, they were on their second raid of the day against the VI rocket site of Zudausques, Enguine, Gatte, France. Having reached the Thames they began to prepare for their landing at the USAAF Kimbolton airfield near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. Flying at approximately 20,000 feet lead aircraft “Heavenly Body II”, piloted by 1^st Lt. Lloyd Burns and wingman aircraft “44-6133”, piloted by 2^nd Lt. Armand Ramaciti flew into low cloud. Confusion now occurred as to what actually happened, but the outcome was that “44-6133” collided with the port side of ”Heavenly Body II”. All the crew members of “44-6133” were killed with the exception of 2^nd Lt. Cecil Tognazzini. Three members of  ”Heavenly Body II” were killed but the remaining six crew bailed out and parachuted to safety. The crew members who died were:- Co-pilot 2nd Lt. Fred Kaufman who had swapped seats with the pilot, Navigator F/O Edward Sadler and Tail Gunner S/Sgt Louis Schulte who had swapped seats with Waist Gunner S/Sgt Richard (Dick) Andrews. The impact of the crash resulted in “44-6133” breaking apart immediately and falling into the river. “Heavenly Body II” veered to the east and losing height with one engine on fire.  She crash-landed into marshy ground, still on fire and emitting clouds of smoke then possibly blew up.

For the 75^th Anniversary of the crash, 19^th June 2019, three family members of the crews attended the ceremony. Family members were for Dick Andrews, who survived the crash, and Louis Schulte, the second “Heavenly Body II” crew member. The family of Cecil Tognazzini were the sole members of 44-6133.                        

The B-17 Collision incident has special relevance to the Bay Museum as there is a permanent memorial to “Heavenly Body II”.          

(Eastern Front)

In preparation for the Soviet Unions’ blitzkrieg against Germany, the Red Army launched the Battle of Tali-Ihantala against Finland on the 25^th June 1944. The battle was part on the Continuation War which had begun in 1941 between Nazi supplied Finland and the Soviet Union.

(Pacific – Burma)

The British Colony of Burma was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1941. The British retreated into India while the Japanese occupied Burma. By early 1944 the British had re-armed and re-trained and were preparing to attack the Japanese. Operation U-Go was the Japanese plan to attack India and capture the supply depots at Imphal and Kohima. The British and Indian forces defended the supply depots and a siege of Imphal was lifted on the 20^th June 1944, when the Japanese were desperately short of supplies and food. In the meantime, the Allied offensive in Burma began on the 21^st June 1944 with the troops being supplied by air. The Japanese retreated from Kohima on the 22^nd June 1944 as Japanese troops were starving through lack of supplies and the Battle of Kohima ended. For the Japanese Operation U-Go was the last major offensive and the emphasis from then on was defensive.     

(Pacific)

With The Japanese having been forced to a defensive mode following the retreat from Kohima, the U.S. Naval & Marine offensive began on the 13^th June 1944. The offensive advanced across the Great Central Pacific Ocean capturing the Gilbert Islands, some of the Marshall Islands and most of the Marianas Islands. They by-passed many Japanese Army garrisons, leaving them behind, militarily impotent and with no chance of receiving supplies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

(Other Theatres)

In the Greek occupied village of Distomo German Waffen S.S. murdered a total of 228 men, women and children on the 10^th June 1944. The massacre was part of savage reprisals for a partisan attack on the units’ convoy. For over two hours the S.S. troops went from door to door massacring Greek civilians. Undoubtedly a war crime but a tribunal found in favour of the S.S. even though they admitted they had gone beyond standing orders.

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