D-Day 80 The Last Veterans: Albert Barnes
Albert Barnes, Age: 98, Royal Army Service Corps
Interviewed 1 October 2023
A member of 536 Squadron, Albert Barnes from Shoeburyness was among the reinforcements sent over following the invasion and landed on the Mulberry Harbour.
He said: "There was a big build up.
"We had no say, were allocated to different units, and didn’t know about D-Day.
"We were in Derbyshire on a motorcycle course which I volunteered for. Then the sergeants got us all on parade. ‘Anybody 18 or under 18?’ They were off the course.
"There were so many people being killed on motorbikes.
"Left from Portsmouth or Southampton. We saw Mulberry Harbour, you could walk all the way along. The boats pulled alongside, the troops got off and marched ashore.
"That’s how the supplies went inland."
Shortly after arriving he and a friend got lost following a drinking session.
Reporting to military police he was then told to join a unit ferrying ammunition, prisoners and the wounded.
He drove vehicles including the amphibious DUKW (known as Duck) trucks which was a hugely important vehicle in the months that followed D-Day because it could drive on land and in shallow water.
"The DUKWs," he said.
"Fantastic. Six wheel drive, go anywhere. Faster on the roads, they did 50mph. And they were bringing things from ship to shore. We went to the infantry with supplies, back and forth.
"When it was all over we moved forward again."
Mr Barnes went on to serve in Holland and Germany.
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