Able Sea. Robert Frank Escolme White DSM, MiD.
British Navy LCT 513
from:Wanstead
LCT 513 was the Landing Craft (Tank) my Dad was on. He joined HMS Glendower on 25th of February 1943 (aged 18) and was discharged on 27th of March 1946 (aged 21) at HMS Copra. He kept a flag from the ship and a deactivated shell as well as some ammunition boxes which I still have. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and 'Mentioned in Dispatches'.
On 12th of July 1944 The Star newspaper reported that: "After Landing Craft (Tank) 513 had touched down on a beach of Normandy, and her cargo of troops and vehicles had gone ashore, it was discovered that a beach mine was caught in the landing ramp and could not be dislodged. Although it hadn't exploded it was liable to do so as soon as anything touched the detonator". This was said by D S Hawkey, RNVR, the Commanding Officer. His first lieutenant, Sub-Lieut B D Davis, RNVR, of Norbury, wanted to go forward and cut it off "but I didn't think that was very advisable". The ship came all the way back across the channel with the mine stuck in the bows. Then D S Hawkey decided they couldn't enter the harbour with it still there, "so we tried to get rid of it. We rigged a wire from the ramp to the capstan, with the idea of shaking the mine loose as we ran the ramp into the swell. I cleared the upper deck, and the party needed for working the capstan got under cover. I was standing on the bridge, keeping well down, and giving orders to the capstan crew through the loud-hailer. Unfortunately, we heaved in a bit too hard, and instead of shaking the mine loose we pulled it inboard"! However, by a stoke of luck it fell sideways and the detonator was knocked off without exploding the mine. No time was wasted in throwing the mine over the side."
Dad rarely spoke about the war but he did see and experience some horrible sights including standing at an anti-aircraft gun with his friend one moment, and the next seeing his friend blown up.
One of the few times I ever saw my father cry was whilst he was watching the Remembrance Service at Royal Albert Hall on TV and remembering his friends who died. He revisited Normandy in 1990 and movingly recalled the scenes he witnessed there. He died in 1991.
