Memories of D-Day+4

My father, Neville Edwards, was a Signaller with 38 Group Combined Operations. On 6th June he was moved to a big field near Salisbury Plain. He remembers that local people came out to give them cakes thinking they'd be billeted there for a while, not realising they'd be shipping out in a few days.

They were mustered on Salisbury Plain with French infantry (chaudiere?) who were told to go 10 miles in and then stop and put down yellow discs which would be spotted from the air. The French were "half-cut" with rum (to give them courage) and overshot, going 15 miles in.

Neville left in a convoy of 6 barges from Southampton and remembers they left "hours late". When it got dark, the e-boats began attacking them and 2-3 barges were sunk. They were in the range of the Cherbourg batteries as they approached Normandy and the barge in front and the barge behind him was blown up. They landed 70 miles off course and were met by an MP who greeted them with "what kept you?". MP gave them instructions as to where they were to go. (We think he landed near Bayeaux but can't confirm that).