D-Day. Remember all those who fought and in some cases died to free Europe from Fascism.
My dad was in Southampton waiting to go over with the 33rd Royal Engineers (Bomb Disposal) to clear the beaches and minefields but was called up to Leeds to dig out a UXB there. One of his colleagues was so relieved as he was sure he would die in Normandy. He was blown up in England a few days later.
Never forget, Never again
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As the years go past and there are less and less people who actually lived through this time, it is so important to remind people of the effects of this awful time!
My Father was evacuated, born in 1932, and to this day will not talk about that time in his life.
Forget films like "The Longest Day", the opening 20 minutes or so of "Saving Private Ryan" makes you realise just how lucky we are individually these days to never be forced to face that sort of horror.
Unfortunately for Alec his brother was killed attacking a machine gun post on D Day + 3. Worst of it all was that Alec was in the 2nd wave to attack the position and literally tripped over his brothers body. However rather than reacting the way that most of us would have done and fallen apart, he got himself back up, pressed on with the attack, which was eventually successful, and then went back to say his goodbyes and bury his brother.
Despite his CO wanting to send him home he refused and carried on serving until he was wounded in Belgium.
The thing to remember is that Alec was just a Coal Miner from Somerset. Volunteered in 1939, along with his brother, because, as he puts it, it just had to be done.
Makes me goose-pimply just thinking about how brave these average blokes, from average back grounds were.....
We could all learn so much from them and agree that these acts of sacrifice and bravery should NEVER be forgotten
We've all got a hell of a lot to be thankful for for all the guys invovled in the two world wars.
God Bless those who perished.
I am not of an age to remember the war but I am of an age where my parents and everyone they knew were active participants. 63 years ago today my father was in Italy with the RAF (remember, news of Rome's fall also arrived 63 years ago today) and my mother was doing God-knows-what at Butins, Skegness, known in those days as HMS ????
A few years ago - I forget in which particular clearout - someone found some letters written by my mother's brother to his father. In one of them he described the experience of lying off the coast of Normandy on a cruiser taking part in the bombardment - the greatest naval bombardment in history, I believe. Fascinating stuff.
One interesting footnote. When the news of the invasion broke my mother's (very) younger brother was told by his father to pray for his brother (who of course was there) and for everyone else involved before he went to bed. Next day he was sent home from school for misbehaving during assembly, i.e. not praying for those involved in the invasion. His escuse/explanation, according to my grandmother, was that he'd already done that the night before.
A few years ago (well she's at university now) my mother went to talk with my niece's class about her experiences in connection with a project they were doing. We should take advantage of these veterans while they are still with us because they can add personal perspective to history which can never be conveyed in a book.
Here Here.
Better still, go out to Normandy and drive along the Beaches.
Go to Memorial at Caen, one of the most moving exhibitions I have ever seen.
Visit the War Graves and see how many young men, younger than most of us, sacrificed their lives.
When my boys are old enough I'm taking the pair of them on a weekend tour to the Beaches, make sure they know why the war was fought and why we still need to be on guard against fascism.
I would make a visit to the First World War Cemeteries compulsory too.
I was profoundly affected when I visited Ypres a few years ago.
If anyone has been or goes to the Britain at War museum by London Bridge my dad has his photo in there along with a poem he wrote about being in bomb disposal. Not as good as the Imperial War Museum but worth a visit.
I was about 16, on a Bromley music trip to holland and the head of music (ex milatary man) arranged for the whole orchestra to be taken and shown the graves- Got there and got out- the tidiest graves and almost manicured grass- did a slow 360 turn- nothing but graves as far as the eye could see in all direction
Had the most humbling effect on me even then- and i was an evil sod at that age.
I went on an exchange to Normandy when I was 15 and visited the old beach emplacements, the remains of the Mulberry Harbour and the graveyards.
All of which were pretty exciting for a 15 yr old. That was until we visit the war graves of the US troops killed in the first wave at Omaha.................I just couldn't believe how many eerily stark white gravestones there were! And this was just the initial attack
Suddenly the visit went from me trying it on with my exchange families daughter, me and my mates going out and trying to get as much red wine down us as a 15 yr old could handle, to an sudden appreciation, gratitude and humbling for what these blokes, not much older than I was, had done and the ultimate sacrifice they had paid for the world, despite growing up thousands of miles away.
RIP
Not digging you out Medders but we should all remember that money also helps soldiers and families of those who fought in all our other wars since. Korea, Suez, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Falklands, Bosnia, Seirra Leone, Iraq x 2, Afghanistan and the rest.
I think there has only been one year (1969?) since WWII when a British soldier has not been killed on active service. Can anyone confirm and deny that stat for me.
Absolutely, and rightfully so. However, I can well imagine that the WWII veterans are out there collecting with their WWII comrades in mind....
Going off thread for a second.. Why aren't these guys collecting for the Poppy Appeal? Why is left up to WWII generations?
Ive actually volunteered this year to collect outside Sidcup station cos no one was there last year.... I can understand someone in their late 80s / early 90s not wanting or being able to stand around in the cold but whats wrong with someone in their 40s / 50s from the Falklands / Gulf doing it?
Perhaps the WWII veterans attract more money? I'd imagine that people are more likely to give money to an 80 year old, than a 40 year old?
Perhaps but it shouldnt be like that... You're giving to an appeal not the person.
Anyway if any of you lot walk past me in Nov and dont give me any money I'll be naming and shaming on here ;-)
I know that, you know that... but I suspect that's not how Joe Blogg's on the street sees it... As Henry has just said, the decorated Chelsea pensioner will hit the conscience more than any other collector
"So where did you serve?"
CD - "Eeeeerm.....'Nam!"
"Vietnam?"
"No...Totten'am"
Be interesting to find out. Try to get a WWII veteran out with you for a few hours, and I'll bet you'll see a big increase in what's going into the bucket....