D-Day 80 The Last Veterans: Stan Ford

Stan Ford, Age 99, Royal Navy

Interviewed 3 June 2023

Manning a gun platform, Stan Ford was on board HMS Fratton -  accompanying ships taking men and supplies across the Channel on D-Day.

It was also a control vessel in the later effort to build an artificial harbour. 

He said: "I was on the twin Oerlikon (anti-aircraft gun) and Fratton was Bombardon control ship for the Mulberry Harbour. And when it got to Normandy took on the role for Mulberry as a guard ship. 

"On D-Day we were on our way as an escort.

"I remember a notice went over the tannoy that when you were on top deck try to avoid walking on the shore side of the ship because of snipers.

"Right through July and August we were the guard ship and did our duties escorting hospital ships and the like. Also our ship was used for conferences for the different forces."

Mr Ford was on board one day in August when Fratton was fired on by a midget submarine and sunk off the Normandy coast.

He said: "I had been on guard duty on the gun platform. Oerlikons were very capable armaments for low-flying aircraft and the like. There was a terrific explosion.

"When you are near explosions you don’t really hear them. You get a feeling of disorientation. 

"I was lucky I wasn’t strapped in the gun.

"The gun platform and the gun and myself  - we went over the side together. Thank the Lord it saved me. Weighed tonnes, it was all heavy metal. And I came to the surface and fortunately we parted company as soon as we hit the water.

Mr Ford was on board one day in August when Fratton was fired on by a midget submarine and sunk off the Normandy coast. Credit: ITV Meridian

"The gun and the platform went on down and I swam around a bit, came to. There were lots of voices around."

"We lost 31 of the crew. They didn’t survive. They had a complement of about 80.

"I was saying ‘My back, my back’ and I was being pulled aboard. Immediately nature put me to sleep, that’s my words. And I was unconscious.

"And I woke up in 84th British Field Hospital."

Mr Ford suffers to this day from his injuries.

"I wear callipers on my legs. I suffered a crushed fracture of the spine. 

"It’s something I am used to now."

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