was by this time required once every three days, and certain beaches were being flown
with a special moving film camera at 6,000 feet so as to get large scale photo-
graphs of the obstacles which the Huns had erected in the sea to prevent landing
craft from reaching the shore. They were seen to have mines attached to the tops
of the stakes.
On the night 5/6th June, 69 Squadron were ordered to send two aircraft to
carry out reconnaissance in areas near ROUEN and, when it is remembered that
exactly one month previously this squadron had arrived at
Northolt
to take on an
entirely new job in a new type of aircraft, none of which had arrived, it is a
just cause for astonishment that they were able to carry out these two missions
with success. 140 did three Night Photographic sorties on that night with
excellent results.
As everyone knows, the day that followed was -
"D" DAY
The Invasion of the Continent started at about the same time as 69 Squadron
were over their targets - when a company of the
52nd Light Infantry
were landed in
gliders to capture the bridges over the ORNE in the very early hours of the morn-
ing of June 6th. 34 Wing was informed on the Tannoy that "D" Day had dawned,
in a short broadcast by
Group Captain Lousada
, and sorties were despatched to make
contact with the Sixth Airborne Division which had landed on the left flank.
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