Cousin had many close encounters but survived to tell the stories

Editor's Note: This story was told by William Domman to his cousin, Ronald Allen, and retold by Allen to his aunt Audrey Rich of Carson City.

This story is about my Canadian cousin who is now 85. His name is William "Bill" Domman.

On D-Day Bill's regiment, the Canadian Highland Light Infantry, were the first ones to hit the beach at Bermeres-sur-Mer. His failure to get seasick saved his life. Certain Canadian regiments were issued bicycles (Bill's included) which they were supposed to assemble while crossing the channel. Most of the men got seasick.

Bill was okay and assembled his bike. He hit the beach running with his bicycle under his arm. He ran right past the German gun emplacements that were still asleep, hit the road and was 4 miles inland before the firing started.

Most of his outfit got pinned down and killed as they tried to assemble their bicycles on the beach. Those who made it inland right away had to wait several days for the armored divisions, etc., to catch up, all the while battling with the retreating Germans.

He didn't get hit (with wooden bullets in his face and I'm not sure where else) until early July when they were taking an airfield in Caan. Bill said he remembers being declared dead and tagged by the medics. Bill couldn't speak or move. When they came along to toss him in a mass grave, he managed to make a sound, which saved him from certain death.

Then he thought he was a POW because the surgeon working on him spoke German and Bill understood every word. Turns out the doctor was a German POW.

His next recollection was a noisy flight on a DC-3 back to England. The flight was another life-saving emergency as he never would have survived the hospital ship trip back.

Bill was offered a return trip for the 60th anniversary of D-Day celebration but had to decline as his health now is fragile. Just think he was only given nine months to live when shot in Caan!

His face is a bit chopped up because of the bullets, but otherwise he looks good. He always had a happy disposition.

I was living in Toronto, Ontario, near where Bill still lives when D-Day happened. We had our ears glued to the radio ... no TV reporting then. What a difference the other wars are with TV reporting.

Audrey Rich

Carson City