Heroes ?
Biggles78,
Thank you for the warm words of appreciation and gratitude, which I humbly accept on behalf of all the members of my generation, in particular those of us whose good fortune it has been to be able to say: "I was with Harry - on Crispin's Day !" (and who "show our scars" on this Thread).
I am pleased you make mention of the Merchant Navy crews, for in many ways they were the forgotten men of WW2. In the RAF, even suffering the dreadful losses of Bomber Command at home, at least they had interludes of a few days of (relative) safety, and a little comfort, between operational sorties.
But to live a life where you are constantly in deadly peril, with the "sword of Damocles" of a sudden torpedo always over your head, day and night, must have demanded a special kind of courage. Wearing no uniform (apart from IIRC, a little "MN" lapel badge) to earn public respect, often working in the most miserable conditions, they brought in the food, raw materials and the war supplies without which we could not survive - never mind fight a war. They were not richly paid, and deserve a little honour now.
I must stand by the last sentence of the quotation you cite: "I did what had to be done, and so did they, and we all got away with it, and there's no more to be said". (Of course, there were millions who did not - it was always a matter of blind chance).
"Heroes" ? I prefer the much-quoted: "They were just ordinary men who did extraordinary things".
I like your idea of a "Cliff's Memorial Day", although this Thread in itself is a tribute to the very gallant gentleman (RIP) who founded it. What do other people think ?
Goodnight,
Danny42C