The Longest Day - First hand accounts of Canadian Soldiers on D-Day

Project '44 is a not for profit that has been mapping the Second World War for the last three years. Visit our free online web map here: https://map.project44.ca
Ohio University Cornelius Ryan questionnaires can be viewed here: https://media.library.ohio.edu/digital/collection/p15808coll15/search

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In 1959 authour Cornelius Ryan began research for his book “The Longest Day”. In doing so he put out advertisements to countries of the Allied nations of the Second World War, looking for first-hand accounts of D-Day.

More than 100 Canadians responded, as well as soldiers from Allied nations serving on the Canadian sector at Juno Beach. For more than 60 years these stories have been held at Ohio University and were largely unknown.

In 2020, Geoff Osborne, grandson of a Second World War Veteran who had written one of the questionnaires, forged a partnership with Project ’44 and the Ohio University Library to transcribe the Canadian accounts.

The Longest Day video showcases eleven accounts read by nine Canadians and one Irishman. The accounts read in order are:

1. Flying Officer Edwin Widenoja read by Dave O’Malley. 433 Sqn RCAF.
2. Joseph Willicombe Junior read by Peter Mansbridge. American correspondent on Juno Beach.
3. Lt. Commander Desmond Piers read by Roger Litwiller. HMCS Algonquin.
4. Major Charles McLean read by Peter Mansbridge. 17th Hussars.
5. Flying Officer John Moffat read by Alex Fitzgerald-Black. 533 Sqn RAF.
6. Gunner Arthur Boon read by Scott MacArthur. 19th Field Regiment RCA.
7. Lieutenant Charles Scott read by Thomas Moore. 75th LCT Flotilla.
8. Sgt James DeLacy read by Raymond Moroney. 8th (Irish) Bn The Kings Regiment.
9. Captain Earl Olmsted read by Geoff Osborne. 3rd Canadian Infantry Division HQ.
10. Major Donald Wilkins read by Jay Baruchel. 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion.
11. Sergeant Morris Magee read by David O’Keefe. 14th Field Regiment RCA.

Видео The Longest Day - First hand accounts of Canadian Soldiers on D-Day канала Project '44