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THE CINETECHNICIAN September— October, 1944
JOCK C. GEMMELL
( Pathe) D-Day Minus X
We arc summoned to a Naval Rendezvous. There are, I suppose, not less than fifty Brit ish War ( iorrespondents present, and the Newsreels are represented by five cameramen attached to the Royal Navy and one to the Merchant Service. They are: Jack Ramsden (Movietone), John Turner (Gaumont), li. Colwyn Wood (Universal), Jimmy Gemmell (Paramount), myself tor Pathe and Alec Tozer for the Merchantmen. We arc transported to the ports where we are to embark in our various ships, and as we shake ha mis and wish each other " Goodbye " and " Good luck " perhaps we have a wee lump in the throat — we've all been in action before, and you never know.
D-Day
Ibid crossing — am aboard a ship that doesn't take i! \lau\ soldiers really had. Full marks to a Major of Signals who was sick many times hut who always came hack to his job even time. All] on deck at dawn — make pictures. The most amazing sight. Have seen part of the Invasion Fleet the previous night, hut now no adjective fan describe the scene. To the left, that is to the
East, the Battle wagons are blazing away, and t< the West the same thing — the din is terrific, b the meantime, the cruisers and destroyers are having a go at the batteries to the East. No pictures. Too far away to film. Astern, that is ' the North, there is just a procession of all kinds of craft with balloons attached heading southwards. Nothing but craft and balloons as far as the eye can sec. Ahead, the landing craft an still going in — brave blokes.
There never was such an Armada — never sucli a spectacle.
The ship that I am aboard is so placed that it docs not present any great opportunities at the moment, but by now I know that she has a spec mission— can't tell you about that. Make all kinds of pictures, and then sec my brother Jimmy's ship coming up and film her escort going 1 1 1 1 ■ action.
Infantry landing craft comes alongside — a gon sight. Don't film it — too gruesome! It's v remains of our gallant young boys.
Later, the Airborne Glider Troops arrive — coining in squadron after squadron, wave after wav< in broad daylight, with impunity the sheer impudence of the whole thine. Make pictures and think "That's that." Hut 1 am wrong. They at still coming in wing after wing. Xewsrcel cameramen all over the world have seen mam awe-inspiring sights in their time but I am sure that nothing could equal that. 1 cheer them \ foolish cameramen shouldn't be emotional.
We move forward until we anchor right inshord
so close, in fact, that I am able to film seems