Landing on Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944, Royal Navy veteran Eddie Gaines witnessed the devastating human cost of D-Day. Before his passing in 2023, Eddie shared his memories of that day with the Veterans’ Foundation - they provide a powerful account of the realities of war and must never be forgotten...
Eddie Gaines served as a Stoker 1st Class in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
On June 6, 1944, he was among the thousands of Allied personnel that took part in the Normandy landings, one of the largest amphibious invasions in military history.
Although Eddie and his fellow servicemen knew an invasion was approaching they had little idea of the scale of what awaited them.
“We didn't know it was D-day, we just knew there was going to be an invasion, an amphibious landing on Normandy.”
“But of course, we didn't realise it was going to be a killing beach.”
Life during wartime had already taught Eddie and his comrades to endure difficult conditions. Food was scarce and the dangers of service had become part of everyday life.
“We existed. We were all skinny and hungry, your stomach gets used to it.”
“I don't think any of us had ever even thought about being afraid. It was just accepted.”
As Allied forces approached the Normandy coastline, Eddie witnessed the enormous naval bombardment taking place around the beaches.
British and American warships had assembled offshore, firing towards German defensive positions in preparation for the landings.
“All the battle wagons, British and American, were in a massive great semi-circle, right around the whole of the beaches, shelling.”
The scene was chaotic. Smoke covered the battlefield while the sound of artillery and machine-gun fire filled the air.
“Battle smoke was everywhere. A lot of thundering and very heavy machine gun fire from the shore.”
For Eddie, some of the most difficult memories came when his landing craft finally reached Omaha Beach.
The vessel approached stern first allowing its rear ramp to be lowered. But what Eddie saw in the water would stay with him for the rest of his life.
“Of course, when we eventually went in, we had to go in stern first with a ramp on the stern. It was a terrible thing because there were bodies in the water. And you didn't know whether they were alive or dead.”
The sight of so many casualties was overwhelming.
Eddie recalled thinking about the American servicemen who had travelled far to take part in the liberation of Europe, only to lose their lives before they could make it off the beach.
“These guys had come all that way, thousands of miles from their homes to help us. And that's as far as they got. Isn’t that sad, that is so sad.”
Witnessing such suffering left Eddie with a profound sense of grief for the men around him.
“At the time, I didn't care damn if got a bullet and I was joining them. You know, that's how I felt about it because of all those poor devils.”
Omaha Beach would become one of the bloodiest landing areas of D-Day with American forces suffering heavy casualties as they fought to establish a foothold on the French coast.
Eddie also recalled hearing about a war correspondent who flew over the beach the following day and described the scale of the devastation.
“It was as if a scythe had cut them all the men down.”
For Eddie, the loss of life was almost impossible to comprehend.
“It’s beyond sadness, it's beyond that. It’s hard to understand how many human beings can be wiped out.”
His testimony offers a powerful reminder of the human cost behind one of the most significant operations of the Second World War.
While D-Day is remembered as a turning point in the liberation of Western Europe, Eddie's account reflects the suffering and sacrifice experienced by those who were there.
Reflecting on what he had witnessed, Eddie summed up his feelings about conflict in just a few words.
“The word war almost sounds a horrible word. It is so horrible.”
Remembering Eddie Gaines
Eddie sadly passed away in 2023 but his memories of D-Day live on through the testimony he shared.
His account provides an important insight into the experiences of those who took part in the Normandy landings, and the devastating loss of life they witnessed.
By sharing his story, Eddie helped preserve the experiences of a generation whose courage and sacrifice must never be forgotten.
The Veterans’ Foundation is proud to have recorded Eddie's story and to share his testimony with future generations. We remember Eddie with gratitude for his service and all those who served alongside him.
