Stories of D-Day Veterans

http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/d-day/veterans-stories

Thanks for that Granny.

I'm off to see my Grandad later, see what he has to say. My sister has already been to see him and apparently he is full flow.

He was 23 on D-Day.

I hope he can enjoy his birthday Rude. Best Wishes to him.

This poem has been shared by the Royal British Legion on Twitter.
It had been placed at the CWGC Bayeux Cemetery

The message in the attachment was to be read out 70 years ago today by the officer commanding each contingent of troops as they made their way across the Channel for the D-Day landing. My dad read out that message to his troops.

Fortunately dad kept the document, and the envelope, and they and others like them are scanned as attachments to the website of his memoires

A day to reflect and think of those who did not return as well as the ever decreasing number who did.

Snod

That is a fantastic document Snodvan. My dad was involved in the Normandy Landings (8th Btn, King's Reg't).

Sadly, he died in 2012. He would have been chuffed to see that. Good on you.

I have similar "Monty" documents also issued to be read to the troops as a Christmas Message and when in Holland before the Rhine crossing.

See them and others at
https://sites.google.com/site/continuacs/home

Snod

Respect to Bernard

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-new...rsing-home-3654573#.U5IWQTXPpos.facebook

Love your link Snod, going to take my lappy next time I see my Grandad to show him, he'll be made up!!

I will bet (and sincerely hope) the old guy who did a runner gets the most magnificent hero's welcome when he returns. The Spirit lives on, Bless him

Snod

Bit grainy --Montgomery statue-- took my late dad and my son to Normandy about 18 years ago to do a tour of the beaches and sites. One of the most profound trips ever to affect me. Even got a german tourist to "shoot" us on Gold beach with my camera. Would recommend a visit to the Peace Museum as well near Caen. I remembr sitting at a Normandy Vets xmas dinner and i looked into the eyes of some of the guests and wondered what things those eyes had witnessed when they were young lads on the battle field. Would also recommend a Book Hill 112 --includes diary accounts of soldiers battling for a key hill.

The diversity of the stories amazes me.

I said to Gdad today: 'heard a story today on the tele from a British soldier who ended up with two German soldiers in a trench, he was armed and the Germans were not so were his captives. One German was injured quite badly and the Brit soldier gave him his Morphine supply'.

He replies 'my mate Frank ended up in a trench with a German'

Me: 'what did he do?

Gdad: ' He gutted him like a fish with his Bayonet. Of course, there was an Enquiry to which Frank said the German had tryed to escape'.

How do you even formulate a response to that?????

Other stories included food at an American Camp: he wandered along the line saying 'yes' to the servings on offer- found himself with Syrup scooped onto mash potato. lol

Tea (hot water) was made on a sand/ petrol concoction??

Rats everywhere at Base.

There is loads more......amazing.

Another story he likes to repeat:

(Unsure of location or date)

The Commanding Officer had ordered Fred to count captured Japs onto a ship. Fred (Gdad) thought/ thinks that this Commanding Officer had gone 'mad' in the the heat as he would appear with a skewith hat/ untucked shirt....

He shouted over 'What are you doing there, Fred'? (obvs a bit of a more formal address)

'I'm counting the Japs'

'NOT count them, KICK them'!!!!!!

Gdad reports his legs were 'killing him' in the end.

He is very sharp my Grandad, totally capable of irony and misplaced humour.......

Yesterday saw little movement form this chair, other than a refreshed cup of tea or coffee. Eyes fixed on the commemorative service and events being transmitted from Normandy. An extremely moving day for anyone, and I'm so pleased that the veteran from the care home in Hove, managed to be part of the celebrations. What a spirit eh?


My father was in the forces during the last war but not in the fighting forces and so there were never any related stories of such events. Maybe we would not have heard them anyway, which seems to be the most common remark from relatives of those who experienced.
Strangely enough, a friend of mine yesterday spoke to me about her father who was Royal Navy and arrived at Sword Beach on D-Day. After all those 70 years, she yesterday she found out why he had a great fear of water and had never ever gone near water ever in her memory. He had been in the water for 6 hours before being rescued on June 6th 1944.


So, as part of yesterday and into the night, the memoires of Snod's father was read with great interest and amazement at the events he had recalled and related for posterity.
It goes without saying that you hold pride of the highest level Snod, and who wouldn't ?

Even Winston Churchill and Paton added to the Rhine, so he followed in good company practice. It is the personal memories that add to each and every account from the veterans.

They were brave young men and your father has contributed much to the ongoing story. Thanks Snod.

Snod! Great to meet up and actually see some of the stuff you have - magic! made my day!