The first week of June 1944 was a pretty hectic week at Portsmouth naval base (H.M.S Victory), the place was packed, if you didn't sling your hammock before you went ashore at night you finished up sleeping on the table or floor. I decided the best place to sleep was in the air raid shelter as the air was better there, the air can be pretty foul in a barracks where thousands of men are sleeping and you cant even draw the curtains back because of the blackout. After reporting to the master-at-arms office we were given watches and duties and then we had to wait to see which ship we were sent to.
I began to notice after a couple of days that naval ratings were appearing in khaki uniforms with navy caps and huge numbers of ratings were disappearing from the barracks, they were being for beach clearing exercises which puzzled us, then on the evening of the fifth of June wave after wave of planes flew over Portsmouth, all with distinctive stripes painted under their wings. It was not until the morning of the sixth of June and the newspapers heading D-Day that we knew what was going on.
The barracks was now nearly empty and about ten of us new radar ratings went to H.M.S Collingwood for a couple of weeks extra training.
I went on leave at the end of June for my first trip home since joining, it was great to be home and I enjoyed my leave very much, after a week however, I had to go back so after a tearful farewell, I set off to go back to Fareham wondering what the world had in store for me when I got back. I took the train from Middlesbrough to Darlington where I had to change for Kings Cross. I was sat on my suitcase in Darlington station when two Military Policemen came up to me, "Ordinary Seaman Connor?" one said "Yes", I said nervously, "Go back home, you have a fortnights embarkation leave." he said. Apparently, Mam had received a telegram after I had left and had contacted the police to stop me at Darlington, so I had another fortnights wonderful leave. Good old Mam, it was to be the last time I would see the family for over two years.
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