The Search: The true story of a D-Day survivor, an unlikely friendship, and a lost shipwreck off Normandy

Archaeologist John Henry Phillips volunteered with a charity that took D-Day veterans back to Normandy. He met Patrick Thomas, a veteran who had a spare bed. Patrick's landing craft, LCH 185, had led the first wave into Sword Beach on D-Day and was sunk by an acoustic mine. John's search for the shipwreck consumed him, and the book is an emotional story of a devastating time in history, an unlikely friendship, and a quest to honor a wartime home and family lost over seventy-five years ago.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 07 December 2023
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

When archaeologist John Henry Phillips volunteered with a charity that took D-Day veterans back to Normandy, due to an administrative error, he found himself without a hotel room and reliant on the generosity of one of the veterans who had a spare bed. That veteran was Patrick Thomas, and it was an encounter that would change both their lives forever.

Patrick's landing craft, LCH 185, had led the first wave into Sword Beach on D-Day, and stayed off Normandy until the 25th June, when an acoustic mine sent it to the seabed along with most of the crew. His story transfixed John, and the resulting search for the shipwreck was to consume him.

Jumping back and forwards in time, between vivid descriptions of the final days on board LCH 185 and John's thrilling search to find the shipwreck, The Search is an emotional story of a devastating time in history, an unlikely, life-changing friendship, and a quest to honour a wartime home and family lost over seventy-five years ago.

John's search for LCH 185 took him to the depths of the English Channel, where he faced dangerous conditions and encountered many obstacles. He was determined to find the shipwreck, and his determination paid off when he finally located it in 2007.

The discovery of LCH 185 was a significant moment in John's life, and it brought him closer to Patrick. They became friends, and John was honoured to be able to tell Patrick's story to the world.

The Search is a powerful and emotional book that tells the story of a devastating time in history, an unlikely friendship, and a quest to honour a wartime home and family lost over seventy-five years ago. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in history, and especially for those who have a personal connection to the D-Day invasion.

Weight: 268g
Dimension: 195 x 127 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472146175