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Didn't know where to put this but......

Thanks Lads and Grandad for what you did 70 years ago today.

Especially for the boys who didn't make it.......

+1
Very moving to see them returning to the place of their exploit 70 years later.
And what to say about Jock Hutton's jump over Normandy yesterday

My late Uncle landed on Juno Beach with the Royal Engineers.He was hit by an incoming landing craft whilst clearing beach obstacles and had to be evacuated.We owe them all an unimaginable debt of gratitude.

My late Grandad wasn't actually at D day but was a regular Grenadier Guard fighting as part of the Guards Armoured Division and landed on the 26th June.

They were brought in for the breakout in operation Goodwood near Caen.

He was a sergeant evacuated from Dunkirk, trained up and then sent back.....

They charged 2 SS Panzer divisions apparently with dug in Panthers Panzer IV's and Tigers

1st and 12th were Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler and Hitlerjungend.

Gulp......

My Father was too young ... however my step-father missed D-day. He has the "honour" of being one of the last off the beach at Dunkirk - he went out as a Beach Master to manage the evacuation and was on the last boat to leave. He rarely spoke about that operation as he knows he had to leave some behind - there was no choice. He then ended up in N Africa before crossing the Med and was part of the force taking Italy from the south.

It's very good seeing all the veterans discuss their experiences and their reasons for returning. It's very moving at times!

It's also good to see all the coverage, crowds, royals casually chatting with veterans and the spitfires buzzing over

After Dunkirk my Dad transferred from the army to the RAF for pilot training. He was Ox & Bucks Light infantry. His company commander was Major John Howard. It is quite likely he would have been at the assault of Pegasus bridge. Ironically when he transferred back to the army he became a Glider Pilot in the Glider Pilot Regiment. Froggy mentioned Jock Hutton and his parachute descent. I saw it on the news last evening. What a man!

[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaCAmHfoSOI[/youtube]

His interview: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/vi ... on-3651063



Jenks

My Dad served with the 51st Highland Division, he was one of the men that managed to get out at Dunkirk. He later went on to fight in North Africa, Sicily and then back to the UK for training for D-Day. He more or less went through the entire war unscathed physically but was shot in the leg in June 1945 by a Yank who was messing around with his rifle a couple of hundred yanks away. At he time that happen he was only two days from being relieved and being sent home.

I remember being in dread of introducing my soon to be wife to him for the first time knowing how he felt about yanks. I need not have worried though as she charmed him and those two got on famously up until he passed away.

Blu

This has to be one of the best stories of the day:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-27735086

All those lives lost and Germany is at the helm in Europe again!
What a terrible waste.