Apologies for another random image, but I've found some of the stuff online today very moving and it's somewhat restored my faith in humanity... please log in to view this image
I heard an old boy on the radio this morning. 91 and had been in the gliders which took Pegasus Bridge. Doesn't go to the Cenotaph anymore because he felt that national stuff had been taken over by the politicans, the Royal Family and the Church. Apparently there's a servicemen's Remembrance Day which he goes to, along with many other. They go to remember and not to wallow.
Apologies for another random image, but I've found some of the stuff online today very moving and it's somewhat restored my faith in humanity.... I started this thread yesterday whilst wading through Mr Rat,s angry thread and at the same time the TV was on showing the build up to D Day. I maybe jumped the gun a little, as the 6th is the day of the invasion but they were reporting on the para's who were the advance group tasked with securing bridge's and road junctions. Not being that techno savvy, putting pic's and video's a bit beyond me, all i wanted was for folks to take a minute to themself's. The day will mean different things to different people, putting pic's and video's is fine by me, some of you may have stories you want to tell some of you may prefare to keep them within. But if nothing else take a minute, and never forget them.
And of course he is absolutely correct it is nothing but a showbiz jamboree where the old servicemen and women are just there to give it some respectabillity and legitimacy. I watched our commemoration and Obama's adress to the American veterans and what a difference, ours was stiff with protocol whilst Obama was at ease mixing with those veterans even agreeing to have his picture taken with them and he shook them by the hand. Ours were lined up like toy shoulders to await the usual procession of dignitaries, no wonder they go to their own Rememberance Day.
Good lad Bernard http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-27735086 An 89-year-old WW2 veteran disappeared from his nursing home without saying where he was going and went to France for the D-Day commemorations. The former mayor of Hove, Bernard Jordan, left the home at 10:30 BST on Thursday, and was reported missing to Sussex Police that evening. Staff later discovered he had joined other veterans in France and was safe and well at a hotel in Ouistreham. Earlier, it was believed care home staff stopped him going to the events. Brighton and Hove police had tweeted: "90 year old veteran reported missing from care home. Turns out they'd said no to him going to #DDay70 but he went anyway #fightingspirit" Hundreds of veterans have been marking the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France, with events on the beaches of Normandy. The landings were the first stage of the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Mr Jordan, who was mayor of Hove from 1995-96, is a resident of The Pines nursing home in Hove. The pensioner had gone out wearing a grey raincoat and a jacket underneath with his war medals on, the police force said. A spokesman said: "We have spoken to the veteran who called the home today and are satisfied that the pensioner is fine and that his friends are going to ensure he gets back to Hove safely over the next couple of days after the D-Day celebrations finish. "Once the pensioner is home we will go and have a chat with him to check he is OK." Nev Kemp, the police commander for the City of Brighton & Hove, tweeted: "Love this: 89yr old veteran reported missing by care home who said he can't go to Normandy for #DDay70 remembrance. We've found him there!"
There's a documentary on BBC2 tonight at 9.30 about the entire 77 day Normandy campaign, which sounds good.
Natural geographic have a programme on, as do quest. The one on quest is a 3 hour documentary called surviving d-day. It says: Explore the battle for Omaha Beach and beyond, as stunning graphics and 3D environments portray the life-or-death reality of being part of an operation that changed history. That sounds good too, don't know which to watch.
watched Fantastic service today on the BBC , dont normally choke up for events but to see the NVA on their final formal march did it for me , their pride warmth and remembrance of their own mates . My Grandad was later at Arnhem and Oosterbeek and only briefly spoke about that . I wish i asked him much more as i grew older but i imagine he couldn't tell me anything i'd ever understand .
My granddad was East Yorkshire Regiment, stationed in Burma for much of WW2. He wouldn't really talk about what happened, other than suggesting that we didn't drop enough nukes on Japan. He really hated the Japanese, a blind hate that never left him. My sister married a bloke who worked at the Nissan plant in Tyneside and he wouldn't let the poor bloke in his house. He was from Hornsea ffs(my brother in law, not my granddad).
My granddad said his dad never discussed the war throughout his entire life. It must have been so traumatic if they can't even tell their own sons about it. Heroes, all of them.
What happens in the military, stays in the military. I've had good mates go out to afghan and even they won't say a word about what actually goes on out there other than day to day life in the camp. I think it's now just a thing people just do but no one ever seems to spill their stories and just repeat that opening line. On Japanese hate, some of my aged relatives who lived through wartime have a deeply rooted dislike and mistrust of anyone of oriental ethnicity. None of them fought, they were all too young, but stuff obviously went on and stories reached back home. I know the japs were very f**king nasty, so specially anyone who fought over there will surely be haunted by brutal first or second hand memories.
My Great Uncle is the most unassuming quietly spoken placid man you can think of. He was based in Northern India charged with protecting the railways carrying supplies from local opportunists. I remember speaking to him about his time there for a school project and he produced a picture of himself in desert gear, arms outstretched holding a bandits severed head in each hand. They are a remarkable generation. Forged on the anvil of life.
My granddad was over in the Far East as a Military Policeman (other was a Clydeside ship builder & couldn't go as was vital for the war effort). He didn't say anything about the Japanese, but he hated the Indians. He claimed Indian food was "w@g ****e" whenever my dad brought a takeaway curry home.
Mostly true about what happens in the military stays in the military. When I joined in '89 my Troop Commander was a Falkands vet, having served in 59 Commando Sqn, as was the Troop Sergeant of our sister troop. He'd fought at Goose Green as part of 9(para) Sqn. My Troop Commander never shut up about it. Falklands this, Falklands that. It's all he ever went on about. 3 Troops Sergeant never mentioned it, ever. Turned out my Troop Commander was thought of as a coward in 59 for having a breakdown whilst they were clearing a minefield and getting mortared at the same time. Granted it can't have been overly pleasant but he carried on like he'd won the war single handedly. He was a prize cock and no mistake. The other bloke bayoneted a few Argies into the next world in had to hand combat so we learned. Not a peep from him about that and a top bloke as well.
Anyone watch the BBC documentary? Any good? I watched the quest one, was alright but just retraced the main points everyone already knows.
