D Day

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BigonaBianchi

Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
Tomorrow is june 6th the anniversary of D day. There is a programme on channel five tonight I think about it all.

It just triggered some memories for me of the two trips I made to the D day beaches and the battlefileds along the Falaise gap and the corridor of death. Having been there and seen the ground for myself it never ceases to amaze me how anybody ever got off Omaha beach in particular. Also the road along the village of Trun and the tiny bridge at Moissey Ford ...here you can still jus tgrab a handful of dirt from the field and it will contain empty cartridges almost for sure.

Then there is the church at st mere eglise, definatly worth a visit.

Anyway...it's a part of history we should not forget imho.
 

EltonFrog

Legendary Member
I agree, I shall record that to watch later.

If you are interested in WWII, you may want to have a read of this.

http://albertpettman.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/start-of-big-adventure.html

http://albertpettmanbook2.blogspot.co.uk/
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
My grandfather was awarded a bronze oakleaf for his mention in despatches on d day.
He was a despatch rider and had to push his motorbike up the beach.
He landed in the second wave of boats so wasnt one of the first guys up the beach.
He never spoke about it much, cant have been a pretty sight, shoving that heavy bike through the sand surrounded by dead bodies.
 

Brandane

The Costa Clyde rain magnet.
Tomorrow is june 6th the anniversary of D day. There is a programme on channel five tonight I think about it all.

It just triggered some memories for me of the two trips I made to the D day beaches and the battlefileds along the Falaise gap and the corridor of death. Having been there and seen the ground for myself it never ceases to amaze me how anybody ever got off Omaha beach in particular. Also the road along the village of Trun and the tiny bridge at Moissey Ford ...here you can still jus tgrab a handful of dirt from the field and it will contain empty cartridges almost for sure.

Then there is the church at st mere eglise, definatly worth a visit.

Anyway...it's a part of history we should not forget imho.

+1.
I was cycling in France just last week, and finished up at the ferry port at Ouistreham, just up from Pegasus Bridge, the place where the paratroopers and gliders went in to start off the whole D Day invasion. I also cycled the coastline from Arromanches to Trouville. So much history around all these places. Hard to imagine the death and destruction that went on around there just 68 years ago.
 

Paulus

Started young, and still going.
Location
Barnet,
My dad who is now 87 was a D day veteran I offered many times to take him over to Normandy. He always said no, he had been there once and didn't want to go back there. He got called up 3 days after his 18th birthday in January 1944. He was 18 and a half when he landed on Gold beach. He always reckoned someone was looking after him as he went through France, Belgium, The Netherlands and into Germany.
 
+1.
I was cycling in France just last week, and finished up at the ferry port at Ouistreham, just up from Pegasus Bridge, the place where the paratroopers and gliders went in to start off the whole D Day invasion. I also cycled the coastline from Arromanches to Trouville. So much history around all these places. Hard to imagine the death and destruction that went on around there just 68 years ago.
My (ex) Father in Law was in Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, and occupying a berth in the first glider to land at Pegasus (at about 00:30 tomorrow!) - he's still alive and I met a few of his pals from time to time. It was all renewed for him when the BBC undertook extensive coverage of the 40th Anniversary. 'Ham and jam' was one of the radio operator's key phrases - the reunion celebrations brought equal pride and sadness I think. He was pleased to 'hold court' in Café Gondrée with his pals and they were treated splendidly everywhere they went..and then he's heard of them passing away - this time in 'peacetime'.
Incredible acts of courage, and worth reflecting upon.
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
One uncle was a tank commander who went through Northern France refused to speak of what he endured. His only wish was that no-one would ever have to fight another war.

Another uncle in the Navy who's ship was providing naval support survived because he was only 5'2" tall. He was standing on the bridge when the 2 taller men either side had their heads taken off by shrapnel. He used to have frequent nightmares about D Day 'til the day he died.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I asked my dad if he had been scared when the landing craft were going in. He told me that the sea conditions were so rough that it was like being in a giant washing machine, being tumbled over and over in bucket loads of vomit from the spewing soldiers. They were so desperate to get off the craft onto the beach that the last thing they were thinking about was the danger ... xx(
 
Until he died a couple of years ago there was an ex German soldier living in our road.

He was sent from Germany to defend the Normandy beaches as an 18 year old, got captured and never returned home.
 
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