June 6th 1944

[ChrisinHove]

I’ve just had a flight of WW2 aircraft pass low over my house, preparing to fly to France as part of the D-day commemorations, and which I must admit brought tears to my eyes.

I’ve been lucky enough to know a few veterans of that time, who are sadly no longer with us, and to visit the battlefields and cemeteries of Normandy.

I’m very grateful to them, and to the fact that such enmity is a thing of the past.

[MichaelScott]

I don’t think enmity among ideologies is a thing of the past. But that’s another story.

Decision in Normandy, Carlo D’Este.

[Doc Dan]

We need to all remember this day so that we do not repeat it and we need to honor those who fought for the good.

[bearfacedkiller]

My grandfather was in the Navy and fought in the battle of Midway. His brother stormed one of the beaches on D-day. That was a crazy time and they were a brave generation. I have strived my entire life to be half the man my grandfather was.

[Phil Wilson]

I appreciate hearing the stories about that day. My father flew C47's troop carrier squadron 49th from England. He flew on the eve of D day and also on D day +1. He was shot down over Caratan on +1 and landed the air plane in a flooded area putting out the fire. He was carring a cargo of land mines. There were 6 aboard and only 2 survived the original flak and later ground fire after the landing. He was wounded but made it to a German field hospital and later Allies came through and he made it back to England. He recovred from the wounds and flew 4 more missions before coming home. We discussed going to Normandy and visiting the area but time went by and he passed away in 2003. With the help of a customer in Normandy who is a WW2 buff I was able to locate the crash site and actually went there in 2013 and stood almost on the actual site and walked in his footsteps there. Much more to the story but this will illustrate what they did for us so that we have the freedom we enjoy today., Phil

[MichaelScott]

Thanks for posting that, Phil. June 6 was only the beginning.

[ChrisinHove]

My great uncle, a Welshman and tough little miner, went in on d+2 as a bren gunner with the Somerset Light Infantry. The battles around Caen were ferocious and no-quarter, and where he was wounded for the first time. Casualties reportedly reached 80% over that period for some units.

He was hospitalised in Scotland and held a life-long grudge because the local shopkeepers couldn’t understand his accent and assumed he was a POW trustee!

He returned to his unit and was wounded again crossing the Rhine.

As a young lad I recall him showing me the scars of his many wounds. He gave me his copy of the regimental history, but was clearly dismayed at how little was generally known about the battle for Normandy, after D Day.

He struggled with nightmares long after the war and couldn’t work down the pit after the war with his injuries, but was one of the funniest guys I have ever met.