Remembering my Dad today. 75 years ago he as a 23 year old soldier landed on Gold Beach, fortunately for me he survived. He also survived Dunkirk, he lived until he was 83 and never ever spoke about his experiences, I have all of his 8 medals and today feel very proud of him.
Some of the stories I'm hearing today are truly humbling. Oooh I've got something in my eye. Thank you one and all.
D-Day 75 yet again superbly handled & presented. We've all been affected and have so many to thank. RIP all those who perished on our behalf.
The veterans absolutely stole the show and so they should, watery eyes every time one was interviewed. Sure the history and archives will still be there but it won't be the same when they have passed on. A little disappointed both the BBC and Sky reporters tried to bring in politics and Brexit when talking to guests. Not sure which channel but one reporter was quite rightly knocked back by his guest who said it was completely out of order, ah but I didn't use the word said the reporter as a way of trying to justify his comments. Thanks and RIP
Didn't hear the Brexit reference in the Beeb airing I saw. I saw it late, so maybe in retrospect they edited the crass reference out.
My Mum, God rest her soul, was on Eisenhower's personal office staff and was one of his receptionists/telephone operators. Wasn't allowed to tell anyone where she worked other than to say that she worked for the GPO, which she did before and after being seconded into his office during the preparations for D Day. My Dad, again God rest his soul, left his homeland with his brother and cousin and travelled a long way to join the Merchant Navy and amongst many voyages around the world did the Russian convoys to Murmansk and Archangelsk. Torpedoed twice but survived when many didn't. They married in 1943 after meeting at a dance at the London Palladium so heaven knows what my Mum thought when my Dad was on the convoys....They both just always said they were just doing their job, no big'ups or egos, a few medals maybe. Total everlasting respect to all involved in the ending of WWII, whatever role big or small they played and the sacrifices made. I hope we never see such things again. I first visited the Normandy landing beaches and cemeteries when I was a teenager. A truly truly humbling experience that everyone should try to do at least once in their life if possible.
My father was in Egypt during the war, and lost many comrades who were buried at El Alamein. My father never got a chance to visit the cemetery there, as he died rather young. So I made a visit there when I was in Egypt on business on his behalf, and it was a life changing experience.
Not directly they weren't. They did a fair bit to soften up the Germans' military strength on the Eastern front however. That was an impact.
It's reciprocal. When I visited the Russian national war museum in Moscow, we don't even rate a mention in any of the WW2 displays or exhibits. Mind you, we were their enemies until Barbarossa.
I didn't realize Churchill was a vegetarian. Thought he was a brickie and an amateurish landscape artist.
I have always tried to do my bit to support and respect our current soldiers, veterans and those no longer with us, either by contributing to Help for Heroes, buying poppies and attending the services at the Cenotaph in all weathers. A few of us have just booked in September to visit the WW One battlefields, Ypres, Passendale, the Commonwealth cemetries etc, and I am really looking forward to being able to pay my respects and see the area. We will remember them.
Have a look at the link I posted on page one and refresh it, some good pictures and stories on there like this one. One thing that just made me smile while we were away in Normandy was a conversation I had with one of the veterans that was with us . His name is Jack Burton and he was at D Day on the 6th of June 44 , jack has not left England since he was sent home in 1944 injured from a mortar attack . We were out last Thursday having a paddle in our dukw and I said to jack I bet it’s a bit different to the last time you were here ... his answer was yes I think they have built a few new houses !!!!!!
