Sixty years ago...
Thread Starter
Sixty years ago...
Since nobody else has started a thread about the 60th Anniversary, I thought I would.
Sixty years ago, the largest amphibious assault in history took place. Apart from the significance of the landings themselves, they also point to earlier actions, earlier victories which blunted Hitler's war machine.
These actions were many in number, far too many for me to list, but included the evacuation of the BEF from Dunkirk, defeating the Luftwaffe of the skies of Britain in 1940, fighting and winning, after many victories and defeats, in North Africa, naval and air operations in the Med to support allied forces in North Africa, landings in vichy French colonies, the long struggle in the Atlantic, which resulted in Donitz withdrawing the wolfpacks in 1943, the Arctic convoys - providing Russia with assistance to fight the Germans as soon as they attacked, Sicily, Italy and many others.
Now was the time to put troops back on the continent of Europe, as Churchill had promised at the times of Dunkirk. Now the time had come to rescue Europe from the grip of Nazism.
So sixty years ago, hundreds of thousands of men were waiting. Waiting aboard troop ships, warships, at airfields. We can only imagine the tensions they must have felt, the anxiety, the uncertainties and the feeling of responsibility.
The troops were of course supported by ships of all sizes and types, and aircraft of all types. The current media coverage would appear to forget that. But there role was important too, and involved sacrifice.
On a personal note, my Grandfather was there, a Chief Gunner aboard HMS Belfast. As many of you will recall Belfast fired some of the first shots of the bombardment that preceded the landings.
Most writings on D Day talk of British, American and Canadian forces, but others were there - Australian, Kiwi, Indian, African, Free French, Polish. Their contribution, and the sacrifices they made, need to be remembered.
The heroism they displayed then, and the dignity of veterans now, should serve as an example - and a contrast to modern day "heroes"...
Thank you is hardly sufficient to express the grattitude and respect I rightly have for them. Even the least of them is many times more of a man, more of a human than I will ever be.
Sixty years ago, the largest amphibious assault in history took place. Apart from the significance of the landings themselves, they also point to earlier actions, earlier victories which blunted Hitler's war machine.
These actions were many in number, far too many for me to list, but included the evacuation of the BEF from Dunkirk, defeating the Luftwaffe of the skies of Britain in 1940, fighting and winning, after many victories and defeats, in North Africa, naval and air operations in the Med to support allied forces in North Africa, landings in vichy French colonies, the long struggle in the Atlantic, which resulted in Donitz withdrawing the wolfpacks in 1943, the Arctic convoys - providing Russia with assistance to fight the Germans as soon as they attacked, Sicily, Italy and many others.
Now was the time to put troops back on the continent of Europe, as Churchill had promised at the times of Dunkirk. Now the time had come to rescue Europe from the grip of Nazism.
So sixty years ago, hundreds of thousands of men were waiting. Waiting aboard troop ships, warships, at airfields. We can only imagine the tensions they must have felt, the anxiety, the uncertainties and the feeling of responsibility.
The troops were of course supported by ships of all sizes and types, and aircraft of all types. The current media coverage would appear to forget that. But there role was important too, and involved sacrifice.
On a personal note, my Grandfather was there, a Chief Gunner aboard HMS Belfast. As many of you will recall Belfast fired some of the first shots of the bombardment that preceded the landings.
Most writings on D Day talk of British, American and Canadian forces, but others were there - Australian, Kiwi, Indian, African, Free French, Polish. Their contribution, and the sacrifices they made, need to be remembered.
The heroism they displayed then, and the dignity of veterans now, should serve as an example - and a contrast to modern day "heroes"...
Thank you is hardly sufficient to express the grattitude and respect I rightly have for them. Even the least of them is many times more of a man, more of a human than I will ever be.
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Wasn't Churchill on HMS Belfast, watching events? I think he was, or at least he planned to be, along with George VI.
I can't quite see today's equivalent politicians doing the same thing.
The recent BBC programme on putting today's kids through a sampling of the D-Day experience was interesting. It showed that beneath the backward baseball hats, the same spirit still exists, it just needs some digging out.
Anyway, my thanks go to those who did their duty 60 years ago.
Mark
I can't quite see today's equivalent politicians doing the same thing.
The recent BBC programme on putting today's kids through a sampling of the D-Day experience was interesting. It showed that beneath the backward baseball hats, the same spirit still exists, it just needs some digging out.
Anyway, my thanks go to those who did their duty 60 years ago.
Mark
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My wife's uncle worked at SHAEF in 1944 and has many tales of his time there that take your breath away. One of these was the the level of casualties that would have been tolerated as part of the landings. These were, in his own words, "appallingly high" compared to actual casualties bad as they were. The determination to succeed no matter the cost that such planning suggests is staggering to me now.
According to Unc, Churchill actually sent a written request to SHAEF for him to be a part of the landings. He felt he could not sanction such potential loss of life and not take part. The response was apparently swift and short.
To all those who fought and fell, I have no words that are adequate to express my gratitude and respect.
BM
According to Unc, Churchill actually sent a written request to SHAEF for him to be a part of the landings. He felt he could not sanction such potential loss of life and not take part. The response was apparently swift and short.
To all those who fought and fell, I have no words that are adequate to express my gratitude and respect.
BM
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I spent the week preceding the D-Day in France and dragged Mrs CS along the Normandy beaches - oh lucky girl! However her initial disinterest changed as the day progressed and we moved from Grandcamp-Maissey to Omaha Beach, and the American cemetary that overlooks it. Until then she had not really considered the sheer numbers and could not envisage what the numbers really represented. When she saw 10,000 crosses (and Stars of David) she went very quiet as the enormity of the losses and sacrifice sank in. We travelled along the coast towards Arramanche past the British and Canadian beaches and finished at Pegasus Bridge, and the excellent museum there. Although she did not have much interest in the military exploits she did get wrapped up in the original letters that are on display (next of kin/we regret to announce etc) and had to take herself off to compose herself (allowing Chalkstripe to gaze at the horizon and to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat!).
I was disappointed, but sadly not surprised, that she had been taught so little about the events of the day (she is only a few years yonger than me - how education standards have changed).
Mere words cannot adequately express the awe and respect that I feel for those that went through those terrible days - we should never allow them, or their fallen comrades to be forgotten.
I was disappointed, but sadly not surprised, that she had been taught so little about the events of the day (she is only a few years yonger than me - how education standards have changed).
Mere words cannot adequately express the awe and respect that I feel for those that went through those terrible days - we should never allow them, or their fallen comrades to be forgotten.
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I'm with you there
The heroism they displayed then, and the dignity of veterans now, should serve as an example - and a contrast to modern day "heroes"...
I cannot begin to say how much we owe them.
Thank you - for ever - to those real heroes.
TG
Hero is such an overused word these days. To me that whole generation were real heroes. The fighting men and women, of course, are due our eternal respect and gratitude (although none of them asks for it). But we should also remember the popluation as a whole, who endured air-raids, shortages and the fear of loved ones being killed or maimed in a remarkable and stoic fashion, for years on end. To my mind they were a remarkable generation.
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Myself and Mrs BHR spent our honeymoon last year in Normandy.
Her grandfather had been a Marine Commando in the 1st wave.
Furthermore her grandmother's boyfriend of the time was killed just outside Bayeaux. (She met Mrs BHR's grandfather after the war)
We went to Arromanches, Caen, Pegasus Bridge and the British cemetery at Bayeaux.
This was my 3rd visit to the area and I never fail to be moved by the experience.
To all those who served our thanks goes out to you for all time and with out reserve.
BHR
Her grandfather had been a Marine Commando in the 1st wave.
Furthermore her grandmother's boyfriend of the time was killed just outside Bayeaux. (She met Mrs BHR's grandfather after the war)
We went to Arromanches, Caen, Pegasus Bridge and the British cemetery at Bayeaux.
This was my 3rd visit to the area and I never fail to be moved by the experience.
To all those who served our thanks goes out to you for all time and with out reserve.
BHR
Cunning Artificer
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I always remember the D-Day warriors, those who didn't survive and those who made it back home, after all my Dad was one of them; but don't forget the few million others who stayed behind on the south side of the Channel between 1914 and 1918...
Too many good men gone. Far too many.
Politics is a dirty business.
Too many good men gone. Far too many.
Politics is a dirty business.
