THE WHITE TRUCK

Notes of Mr Jean AUBERT ( member of association Honfleur 1939-1945)

In the night from the 5 to June 6 1944, 10 000 men of the 6^th Airborne Division are parachuted where land in full shift, on a small still unknown village, Benouville, to take possession of a bridge baptized later " Pegasus Bridge" under the command of the General SCALE.

This bridge is taken midnight by the Red Devils of Mayor HOWARD Les OXF & BUCKS defend the side east of the city. This battalion will arrive at St Arnoult on August 23, 1944 in after midday when engagements took place in distilling where several English was killed like Mr André CHOTARD of St Arnoult.

August 24 in the morning  , three old young people from 16 to 18 years go voluntary to let know with the English troops that the Germans had from Drums in the night, but the bridge was destroyed and it thus been necessary to make pass the river on a raft to the Allies. The bridge bears from now on the name of OXF & BUCKS.

The action and the information provided made it possible the allies to quickly establish a head of bridge saving the town of Drums of a bombardment which was going to be decided to put an end to any resistance.

Second point: the command is given to come in Honfleur, as soon as possible, without any vehicle. The Mayor of Drums asked for volunteers to drive the truck of the firemen of the town of Drums, and Mr AUBERT, then evacuated of Villerville with Touques to agree to transport with his to gas generator, the English troops until Honfleur ( this truck remained famous in the book of history of the last war, under the name of " White Truck " ).

The truck having been painted of the colour to differentiate it from the army trucks.

This convoy thus left Drums towards 14.00 A edge of truck of Mr AUBERT was in addition to the driver, his two sons and student a 22 years old, as interprets. This student become Ambassadeur in LEBANON is carried out, with the service of FRANCE , in 1981. A school and several streets of the area bear its name . It was called Louis DELAMARRE .

The voyage was rather long. After several stops in the course of road, they exceed of place places from there the Belgian troops which assembled the path of the Valley of Queen and spent the night in the farm of Mr Gustave LEBEDEL and with the castle of the Coast of Grace where lived families CHEGARAY  and OF CHALUS.

The convoy stopped with the hotel Saint Simeon and the English troops descended to foot the street from the Capucins to the church Ste Catherine, under the command of the Corporal CORBETT - whose house to England is called Honfleur- accompanied by Mr AUBERT, under the cheers of Honfleurais.

JIM CORBETT AND FRANK DOUGAN IN 1999