D-day 80th anniversary

[Jones28]

Tomorrow.

Always feels like a very poignant time of year but more so now that fewer and fewer veterans are still with us.

[Bristolhibby]

I interviewed my grandad about D Day for a school project. He was RAF ground crew, but they used his airfield to launch the gliders on the evening of the 5th. His squadron was over fairly quickly as it was close air support so the fitters went too.

My wife’s side her great grandfather was a Landing Ship Tank (LST) Captain, so was right in the thick of it. Saw his medals at her grans house, he also had the Artic Star, so had run the gauntlet up in Northern Russia.

Of my two other granddads (I have three as one was a step grandad) one was in the merchant Navy and the other in the RAF in India and Burma. (Neither of which (unjustly IMHO) get the recognition that those veterans deserve).

J

[Mon Dieu4]

One of my grandad's war records are sealed, there is some evidence that he was part of the anthrax trials at Gruinard Island up north and they made him sick and he died many years after the war due to complications with it all, it's still part of the official secrets act and the time keeps getting extended to release the information

It's fine for me because I find it interesting but my gran died having never found out and my mum is 70 and will probably never know either

Some of the old boys I've seen on the news the last couple of days are remarkable

[marinello59]

I interviewed my grandad about D Day for a school project. He was RAF ground crew, but they used his airfield to launch the gliders on the evening of the 5th. His squadron was over fairly quickly as it was close air support so the fitters went too.

My wife’s side her great grandfather was a Landing Ship Tank (LST) Captain, so was right in the thick of it. Saw his medals at her grans house, he also had the Artic Star, so had run the gauntlet up in Northern Russia.

Of my two other granddads (I have three as one was a step grandad) one was in the merchant Navy and the other in the RAF in India and Burma. (Neither of which (unjustly IMHO) get the recognition that those veterans deserve).

J

Was your wife’s Great Grandfather RN or Army? I know the LSTs were crewed by the Army after the war and they were still running seagoing landing craft up until the late 1990s. Not the best sea vessels , the troops who were carried on them were lucky to avoid sea sickness, not the best preparation for battle.
You wouldn’t happen to know the name or number of the LST he skippered?

[Bristolhibby]

Was your wife’s Great Grandfather RN or Army? I know the LSTs were crewed by the Army after the war and they were still running seagoing landing craft up until the late 1990s. Not the best sea vessels , the troops who were carried on them were lucky to avoid sea sickness, not the best preparation for battle.
You wouldn’t happen to know the name or number of the LST he skippered?

He was RN. I may have mixed up my landing crafts. He was definitely at D-Day. I’m sure my wife’s uncle will know the details of the vessel.

J

[marinello59]

He was RN. I may have mixed up my landing crafts. He was definitely at D-Day. I’m sure my wife’s uncle will know the details of the vessel.

J

No, you haven’t mixed up your landing craft. They were used for the landings.

[Lendo]

I interviewed my grandad about D Day for a school project. He was RAF ground crew, but they used his airfield to launch the gliders on the evening of the 5th. His squadron was over fairly quickly as it was close air support so the fitters went too.

My wife’s side her great grandfather was a Landing Ship Tank (LST) Captain, so was right in the thick of it. Saw his medals at her grans house, he also had the Artic Star, so had run the gauntlet up in Northern Russia.

Of my two other granddads (I have three as one was a step grandad) one was in the merchant Navy and the other in the RAF in India and Burma. (Neither of which (unjustly IMHO) get the recognition that those veterans deserve).

J

My grandfather proudly proclaimed to his dying day that every ship he sailed on during his Artic Convoy adventures sank. He fought for years (with others) to get the recognition from the UK government for Artic Convoy veterans. They all received much more recognition and medals from Moscow for their efforts. A few months before his death a commemorative whisky was released. Popped it open at his funeral.

https://www.thomsonroddick.com/catalogue/lot/fab396ddc76e66da7e87b446c5ab2dd2/234ee8408ea626887a25312564534f0c/the-edinburgh-collectors-auction-of-toys-whisky-post-lot-192/

[Keith_M]

My grandfather proudly proclaimed to his dying day that every ship he sailed on during his Artic Convoy adventures sank....


Is this him?


27964

[Lendo]

Is this him?


27964

😂😂 almost, just need to lose the beard.

[Jones28]

Watched some of the ceremony stuff last night and it was quite dull tbh, I don't usually enjoy any of these things anyway so not sure what I was expecting.

Al Murray and James Hollands podcast serial on D-Day is superb - 10 episodes all around an hour long that work through the build up, D-Day itself and then the subsequent battle(s) for Normandy.

[grunt]

Gullane beach was used to practice the Normandy landings. Didn't know that.

https://eastlothianatwar.co.uk/D-Day%20Rehearsals.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1 JuqtP0oDj_XF90ET9pvldA-INAsrP_1ehjBuh2Bnkypa0wnbKB6w9Xmk_aem_AaqE_9dGb3YU eN6YuzjWy7--dfdEu7cD--Qnfk_TKjdkN0fEH8ZxnLWZeodpxhYkUj22nsKSaejk0WmIGrjw 5Z-A#:~:text=Gullane%20Landings%3A%20Personal%20Exper iences,trucks

[Bristolhibby]

Watched some of the ceremony stuff last night and it was quite dull tbh, I don't usually enjoy any of these things anyway so not sure what I was expecting.

Al Murray and James Hollands podcast serial on D-Day is superb - 10 episodes all around an hour long that work through the build up, D-Day itself and then the subsequent battle(s) for Normandy.

Their podcast is excellent. Listen to it all the time. A wide verity of WW2 subjects are covered.

J