Wednesday, 29 November [1944] Camp Hursley
Capt. Van Mameren, Lt. Durham, Leu and 69 men and all our equipment left at 0900.1Captain John Van Mameran, Jr., Second Lieutenant John L. Durham, Second Lieutenant Henry G. Leo. Destination Rouen, France. Going in LST and Victory ships.
The rest of us are to leave soon.2A major port city located on the northwestern coast of France at the mouth of the Seine River, Le Havre suffered enormous destruction during World War II. Allied bombing campaigns, especially the intensive British attack of September 5-6, 1944, leveled the city and led to a firestorm in which 2500 civilians perished. Prior to evacuating the city, Nazi troops sank ships in the harbor and destroyed the port facilities. Martin Gilbert, The Second World War (New York, 1989), p. 587. Our destination is Le Havre where we are to meet the rest of the Battery. We are eating “C” rations and not liking it a bit.
Most of us would rather have gone with the advance party but we will just have to wait.
Thursday, 30 November [1944] Camp Hursley
Nothing to do but sleep and eat, (C Rations). Bob and I walk around during the day, go to the movies at night.
Saturday, Friday 1-2 December [1944] Camp Hursley
Friday and Saturday we did exactly nothing. Friday the 87th Div. was on the move and in, as, much as they had priorities.3Goetz’s unit, the 549th AAA was a part of the 87th Division, also known as the Golden Acorn Division. The 87th Division was attached to General George Patton’s 3rd Army, and saw combat in the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), the German Rhineland, and Central Europe. The brave unit returned home from combat in July 1945 and was disassembled on September 21, 1945. “87th Division.” Accessed April 20, 2014. 87thinfantrydivision.com. We sat and waited.
Saturday, “A” Btry. pulled out and we continued to sit and sleep and eat “C” rations.
Bob and I were about talked out by this time but we still enjoyed the movies. There were some Italians (former PW’s) who worked around camp, most of them are very small.
Sunday, 3 December [1944] Camp Hursley
Got word to go, early this A.M. Left camp for Southampton at 1000.4Southampton is a major port city on the southern coast of England. During the war, the city saw severe bombing by the German Luftwaffe as part of the German Blitz. Bombing of the city began on November 23, 1940 and lasted until the end of 1944. Over 4,000 buildings were destroyed, and approximately 631 people were killed as a result of the attacks. Following the Allied invasion of France in June, 1944, Southampton served as a major center for the transport of troops and supplies to the Continent. Boarded S.S. Longford, Berth 30 at 1400. Small channel Steamer, 660 men and officers aboard. Left Berth at 1530. Port of Southampton is tremendous. Anchored outside Harbor. Weighed anchor late at night.