[News] D Day 80th Year Anniversary

[Tony Towner's Fridge]

Watching it on BBC.

Puts it all in very very clear perspective!

Our admiration of these great people and their sacrifice shall and must never be underestimated.

Without them and their sacrifice, we simply wouldn't be here today.

Thank you.


TNBA

TNBA

 

[Billy Seagull]

My grandad was part of it, on a boat from Newhaven. Fortunately, he survived to live another day. He stayed alive until August 1969, just five months after his first grandson was born, that will be me.

He was very sporty which inspired my Dad, who was a local footballer & cricketer amongst other sports.

I’d obviously not be here had things gone pear shaped, but fortunately they didn’t.

RIP Grandad & the hundreds of thousands who died, for us.

 

[Billy Seagull]

My Grandad, my hero.

Rank:
Private
Unit / Base:
4 Commando
Regiment/Corps:
Gordon Highlanders
Service:
Army
Number:
2879803
Born:
Monday, August 21, 1916
Died:
1969
Place died:
Sussex
Private Thomas Bain, 'C' Troop, was wounded during operations at Normandy, France. Served in 1 troop at Walcheren (Operation Infatuate). Member of the Commando Association from Newhaven, Sussex.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

BBC- D Day unheard tapes last night, very well done

 

[Official Old Man]

BBC- D Day unheard tapes last night, very well done

I've watched nearly all the D Day programmes on TV. The camera crew shows were interesting. My mum is 89, so 9 back then. Had a long chat with her today about her memories of the war. She remembers her family (farmers) having 2 German pow's working the farm, and named them without thinking.

 

[portlock seagull]

I can proudly say that by the age of 13 or 14, I knew the D Day story inside out, fascinated by a plethora of films, toys, games, books and official anniversaries beside school teachings, first hand accounts and visits to the battlefields. Alas, the average teen today is unlikely to even be able to place Normandy on a map never mind knowing anything about events. It will therefore soon generally slip from memory and commemoration, and I wouldn’t bet against it somehow falling foul of wokery to hasten its departure from the national conscience.

 

[jakarta]

My late father-in-law went to Normandy on D-Day plus two as a signaller with Guards Armoured Division.

Fought all the way across Northern Europe ended his war in Berlin, did some sight seeing around the Reich Chancellery etc.

Place was stuffed with Russians in 1945 ready to do their victory parade, his memory was how they towed cattle behind their tanks to give them fresh meat!

 

[wunt be druv]

I am over in Normandy for the commemorations staying near Caen, it's been amazing over here, the place has a real buzz about it with flags and bunting everywhere, went to Gold,Juno and Sword beaches yesterday and off to Bayeaux today for one of the big memorial services.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Although not directly related to D Day the Kohima epitaph of When You Go Home Tell Them Of Us For Your Tomorrow We Gave Up Our Day. We thank you one and all.

 

[Brovion]

My Dad was at D-Day, 2nd-in-command of a landing craft taking Canadian troops to Juno beach.

I've told this story before on NSC, but as I'm thinking of him today I'm going to tell it again as it always makes me smile. He'd always had a very ambivalent attitude to his war service. He never went back to Normandy, he never wore a poppy, indeed he thought Remembrance Sunday was a load of pompous bollocks, and he didn't go to any reunions or belong to any veterans' organisations - except the Old Comrades club in Coulsdon because the beer was cheap. As far as he was concerned he wasn't a hero, he simply did what he was told to do, no more, no less. He'd had a 'hot' war, prior to D-Day his first posting as a junior midshipman had been on a warship that patrolled the North Sea (and sunk an E-boat), and then he'd done some time on Atlantic convoys and watched ships blow up in front of him.

Anyway, in 1994 on the 50th anniversary of D-Day he did something he hadn't done for fifty years - he wore his medals and he went to church. After church, still wearing his medals, he went to the local pub ... where he was treated as if he'd won the war single-handedly. Everybody wanted to buy him a drink, the pub gave him a free lunch, and then later, when we was pissed legless, they put him in a taxi and got him safely home.

He was so impressed with this treatment that his attitude to Remembrance Sunday immediately changed. Having always ignored it, from 1994 until he died in 2005 on every Remembrance Sunday he'd dress up, put on his full medals and go to the pub; where he'd receive the thanks of a grateful nation purveyed to him in liquid form.

Anyway, thanks Dad. Hope they're still buying you drinks up there.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I am over in Normandy for the commemorations staying near Caen, it's been amazing over here, the place has a real buzz about it with flags and bunting everywhere, went to Gold,Juno and Sword beaches yesterday and off to Bayeaux today for one of the big memorial services.

My Dad was on board HMS Qualicomb just offshore bombarding the Nazi gun emplacements to protect the beaches, so the army could land.
In 1994, the 50th anniversary of Dday, he received this from the Mayor of Caen. A shipmate of his had put his name forward, so it came as a surprise.

 

[The Clamp]

Been listening to the We Have Ways.. podcast on Operation Overlord.

Absolutely outstanding. Beats any telly program I’ve seen on the subject.

My Gran has many memories and stories of being a thirteen yr old in Weymouth in the lead up to D-Day.

Her parents ran a pub that slowly filled up with Brits and US service men.

She remembers everyone having to bring their own cups and jars in to drink out of as all the metal and glass had been surrendered for the war effort.

They were training for the landings in the area and subsequently departed for Normandy from Weymouth harbour.

She recalls that nobody knew why there were there. They just appeared and then a few weeks later all left for Normandy.

It was only when reports of the landings started coming through that they realised why they had been in Weymouth.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Always had a huge interest in WW2, and especially D-Day, since I was a kid. My granddad served in the RNVR on the Atlantic convoys, & later the RN, but while he had no direct link to 6 June, I always remember him on this day - as well as all those lads that left these shores to land in Normandy, many never to return.

Ive just spent a few minutes before work sitting on the cliff tops at Peacehaven, overlooking Newhaven harbour, listening to radio Sussex and some of the stories they are telling. Brought a tear to my eye visualising what went on 80 years ago today.

If anyone is interested, at 8pm tonight there is a walking tour along Newhaven harbour front, run by staff of Newhaven Fort, telling of how Newhaven played a part in Operation Overlord, followed by a beacon lighting in the harbour by the RNLI station.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Always had a huge interest in WW2, and especially D-Day, since I was a kid. My granddad served in the RNVR on the Atlantic convoys, & later the RN, but while he had no direct link to 6 June, I always remember him on this day - as well as all those lads that left these shores to land in Normandy, many never to return.

Ive just spent a few minutes before work sitting on the cliff tops at Peacehaven, overlooking Newhaven harbour, listening to radio Sussex and some of the stories they are telling. Brought a tear to my eye visualising what went on 80 years ago today.

If anyone is interested, at 8pm tonight there is a walking tour along Newhaven harbour front, run by staff of Newhaven Fort, telling of how Newhaven played a part in Operation Overlord, followed by a beacon lighting in the harbour by the RNLI station.

There were 7000 ships off the coast of Normandy, so I’m sure he did something but probably thought it was insignificant.

 

[BN9 BHA]

If anyone is interested, at 8pm tonight there is a walking tour along Newhaven harbour front, run by staff of Newhaven Fort, telling of how Newhaven played a part in Operation Overlord, followed by a beacon lighting in the harbour by the RNLI station.

Newhaven Port Authority - D-Day 80

Newhaven Port & Properties Limited are a Statutory Harbour Authority, and as such are responsible for the ongoing management and safety of the Port of Newhaven.

www.newhavenport.com

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Newhaven Port Authority - D-Day 80

Newhaven Port & Properties Limited are a Statutory Harbour Authority, and as such are responsible for the ongoing management and safety of the Port of Newhaven.

www.newhavenport.com

Thank you! I was literally just about to post that

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

A few photos of Newhaven in the build up to 06/06/44...

 

[nicko31]

42 heroes left, next time there will be none.

A trip to the beaches i thoroughly recommend, it’s a very moving experience.

 

[Weststander]

Classy coverage from the BBC this week. Sophie Raworth and others gentle interviewing with the remaining heroes, have been immense.

 

[Nicks]

My grandfather landed on D Day+2 in his tank.
He was lucky enough to go through the rest of the war unscathed.
I was only 8 when he died and never had the chance to ask him about it.