Major Rodney Maude tells us how he was feeling, prior to D-Day. He landed on Sword Beach with 246 Field Company, Royal Engineers.
“It simply doesn’t occur to anyone as a possibility that anything unpleasant can possibly happen, to other people, yes, but not to oneself, so naturally nobody worries about it."
This is the resilience of youth, the illusion of invincibility, and the quiet courage that so many carried with them as they stepped out of their landing craft.
Maude and his men had a job to do, clearing obstacles, opening routes, keeping the momentum of the invasion moving all while under fire. Yet his writing shows us that even amidst danger, there was this underlying belief that somehow they’d be okay, because the alternative was unthinkable.
Rodney Maude lived to be 91 years old.
If you’ve ever thought about visiting, or if Maude’s words spark something in you, SGWT would love to take you there and share more of these human stories that live on in the sand, the villages, and the fields beyond the beaches.
Want to explore Normandy with us? Get in touch today.