V-Mail letter written by Bob Searl to his brother in USA on May 24, 1944, one day after leaving base Camp in Taunton, England and arriving at one of the many marshalling area camps on the coast of England preparing to board the Initial Assault landing ships.The Camp was in the vicinity of Truro, England with complete isolation and temporary housing in tents, with no cameras, outside contact and complete strict security. Somehow we all knew that this was the real thing, no more rumours or guessing. Our time had come to do what we had been trained so long ago to do. With many anxious, but with silent apprehension, the unit was moved out in the early morning hours of June 1, 1944 to the seaside port of Falmouth, England and loaded on LST #54 on June 5, 1944 and headed for the Normandy coast of France. The craft subsequently returned to the port due to bad weather and sailed the following day, arriving at Omaha Beach - Easy Red Area at 11:00 am on June 6, 1944. Due to stiff resistance by hostile coastal artillery forces, the Battalion was prevented from landing on schedule and remained offshore, disembarking on the beach the morning of June 8, 1944. The death and devastation of the beach area was a site never to be forgotten, but the importance of the duty and mission to be performed was apparent.