8th Rifle Brigade - from Normandy to the Baltic - June 1944 - May 1945
AUDIO TAPES DON GILLATE
In the early 1990’s Don Gillate recorded his life on a large number of audio tapes. The 1944-1945 tapes – 12 hours in all – formed the basis for his autobiography ‘With the 8th Rifle Brigade from Normandy to the Baltic’. These tapes (actually sides, of 45 mins. each) can be listened to here.
Tape 1:
Events before the invasion of Europe; up to Tilbury Docks; sailing for Normandy (Spring 1944).
Tape 2:
The Normandy beaches; the way to the war; Operation Epsom begins (13 – 25 June 1944).
Tape 3:
Cheux; a dead German; across the Odon; Hill 112 (25 – 28 June 1944).
Tape 4:
Hill 112, day 2; withdrawal; preparing for Operation Goodwood (28 June – 17 July 1944).
Tape 5:
Operation Goodwood; from Goodwood to Bluecoat (17 – 29 July 1944).
Tape 6:
Operation Bluecoat; Presles; Le Bas Perrier ridge (30 July – 4 August 1944).
Tape 7:
The end of the beginning; promotion; Falaise to the Seine (4 – 28 August 1944).
Tape 8:
Crossing the Seine; a nightly dash to Amiens; into Belgium (28 August – 3 September 1944).
Tape 9:
Antwerp; Antwerp to Vlierden (4 – 23 September 1944).
Tape 10:
The battle of Vlierden; Losing Vicary (23 September – 8 October 1944).
Tape 11:
A naval battle; rest and refit in Belgium; the Ardennes (8 October – 25 December 1944).
Tape 12:
The Ardennes; Christmas in January; back to Holland (25 December 1944 – 12 March 1945).
Tape 13:
Leave to Brussels; across the Rhine; the battle of Holtwick; leave (12 March – 17 April 1945).
Tape 14:
What happened during leave; torpedoed; a floating concentration camp (17 April – 3 May 1945).
Tape 15:
Prussian peacocks; it’s all over; a day out to Hamburg (May 1945).
Tape 16:
A new life!