6th June 1944

[Garry Russell]

I find the statistics staggering

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8079965.stm

It's disgusting that the modern world shows such little gratitiude for this mass sacrifice

Garry

[Nigel H-J]

Sadly Garry, Britain is not perceived as the country one can look up to nowadays, we have lost our identity as 'Great Britain' and come to think of it, no-one ever acknowledges this country in that way. It is either Britain or England, even the Queen has been snubbed by the French for the 65th anniversary celebrations but she, along with Prince Philip, both served their country during the war unlike others who will be attending. :@

As for remembering those whos lives were sacrificed, far too many people are more interested in their own lives and not of those who gave their all in the name of freedom, they are not interested.

If those who gave their lives during the first and second world wars could now see how Britain has fared through the last twenty years they will wonder whether their efforts had all been in vain.

For my part they are the unsung heroes, giving their lives so others could be free from tyranny.

Nigel.

[Tako_Kichi]

The 6th of June is always a day I stop and think of what went before. My late father was there as a Royal Marine Commando but did not actually touch French soil until the third day of the campaign. On D-Day itself he was manning anti-aircraft guns on a destroyer stationed off the French coast. On Day 2 he was using his training as an explosives specialist to blow the bottoms out of the concrete block ships used to create the temporary harbours. On Day 3 he landed on the beach and that was the last time he was aboard a ship until he had home leave immediately after the war in Europe was over. He fought his way all the way to Germany and was eventually de-mobbed in Berlin in '46.

One other point of interest (for me at least) is that he should have been at the Battle of Arnhem (of 'A Bridge Too Far' fame) as his unit was supposed to have been one of those at the spearhead of the ground forces but they got snarled up in the massive traffic jam of vehicles trying to get up the 'Arnhem Corridor' and didn't get to Arnhem until three days after the battle was over.

[speedbird591]

I find the statistics staggering

I've visited the D Day beaches and thought I had a pretty good idea of what happened. I was wrong! As Garry says - the statistics are staggering. How on earth could they manage such an unbelievably enormous operation? I thought the Somme and Paschendaele had unmatchable casualty rates but this is just horrible. I'll certainly be spending some time thinking of the guys who fought and died for my freedom.

Thanks, Garry.

[nigelb]

Everyone alive today owes a great deal of gratitude to those that participated and those who sacrificied their lives during the Normandy campaign. "Gratitude' is not a strong enough word to express the debt to those brave souls. It staggers my mind to think what the world would be today if Normandy had not succeeded.

Yes, things have changed and mostly not for the better and that is not just limited to the UK. But I will always look on Britain as "Great." Just thinking of all the British contributions to the world over the course of history - that also staggers my mind. What that little island accomplished in so many fields of human endevour is stunning. Perhaps the heat here in the Colonies has taken its toll on my mind, but I still am very proud of having come from Great Britain.

Nigel²

[Paul K]

This is rather good; a little aerial guide to various D-Day sites...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8082778.stm