D-Day Experiences of an RN Commando

Our speaker is Commander Jim Speed DSC RAN Ret.
70 years ago, Jim Speed was a young Sub/Lt Commando on Sword Beach Red.

The Commandos job was to land on the beach prior to the landing craft and assist the unloading of troops by holding the landing craft staying ‘bows on the beach’. Thus it was that Jim met the first wave of the landing come in to the beach, observing history being made whilst under fire!

Jim’s first day also involved helping with the removal of the obstacles and marking the location of sunken landing craft. The first night, and the two after, they had to man the perimeter trenches in readiness for the expected counter attack. There was still a lot of the enemy not far away!

This is a brief summary of just part of Jim Speed’s story. After the war Jim rejoined the Royal Navy. Intrigued????. Indeed there is much more to tell .

Jim Speed was awarded his DSC for his services in Normandy!! That’s a story on it’s own!

Join us at The Melbourne Naval Centre for a special evening.

Date

Monday 25 August 2014

Time:

7.30 pm

Location:

The Melbourne Naval Centre

146W Toorak Road, South Yarra

(Melways 2LE4 – opposite Fawkner Park in the ESU Building).

Note:

The Centre opens at approximately 6.30pm to facilitate use of our excellent library.