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During 1943 and 1944 we continued with our convoy and patrol duties, and were involved with 2 more commando raids, one at Bayonne in south west France and the other at Stordfjord in Norway, each time with no damage and no casualties.

The came the big one D-Day. We were designated as Control Command ship, ‘F’ Area, Gold Beach, landing Royal Marine commandos, French commandos, Canadians and the 4th Battalion Tyneside Scottish. We anchored only a mile off shore for this operation, and when the tide was out we had only 5 feet of water beneath us, just enough if we had to move out quickly, which happily we did not.

We stood in this position for 10 days, with our early bombardment finishing as the troops moved inland. Larger ships fired over the top of us — 6inch, 8inch, 9inch and even 14inch shells flying over making weird noises as they passed overhead.

After the 10 days we upped anchor and returned to Plymouth where the Albrighton was decommissioned and the crew sent ashore to barracks. She was to undergo a major refit. Our captain became Captain of Destroyers, North Sea, and our ship’s Doctor, Lt. Coward (a cousin of the actor and writer Noel) joined an aircraft carrier. The rest of us went to other ships.

Ironically the Albrighton was eventually sold in 1958 to the Federal Republic of Germany for use in joint NATO forces.

As related to Steve Lamb - Gateshead Council@Blaydon

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