General Chat

My Mum was the ATS as well. She had to be promoted so that she could work with the D Day planners.

My mother, who was rewiring damaged tanks, was put on standby with several other ATS she worked with to follow the troops onto the beaches, once the beaches were taken, to repair any tanks damaged in the landings.

They waited with their small kits ready and then were stood down. ATS did go in but mainly admin and telephonist to free the men to fight.

My paternal uncle Ralph was killed in actin Feb 17 1945. He was a stoker aboard
Corvette Bluebelle (K80) which was torpedoed and sunk. Bluebell was escorting Russian Convoys, it was a mine sweeper. Blew up, sank in a minute, one survivor.

"The Longest Day" was on TV this afternoon

Susie I think we realised that. I have seen a couple of mentions on facebook of D Day.

Just realised I should have made it clear that Harry was only joking - he has a heart of gold and wouldn't say a bad word about anyone, much less Major Tom.

BLESS THEM BOTH :-)

I think all the commemorations were cancelled, but we've just seen a lovely interview on the BBC with a friend of ours - Harry Billings. He's the 95 year old veteran who has raised a huge amount to build a memorial on the beaches at Dunkirk, and was decorated by the Queen. He's a wonderful old character, and when we asked him what he thought of Major Tom he said that he didn't know what all the fuss was about as he'd only walked around his bleedin' garden not up the beach at Dunkirk!

so was mine have you seen the poem written about the

Thanks Andysmum. Of course I knew what the date meant. It was just that there seemed to no reference to it today and I didn’t notice any reference to D Day yesterday.

Just for interest - Dad was a D Day dodger. (For those not aware that meant he was already fighting in Italy)

I find it rather ironic that the death of one person in America, as tragic as it was, can cause world wide protests, yet the thousands who died to give people that freedom to protest don't rate a mention :-(

Yes! It is significant but 76 perhaps isn't considered a 'round number'?

It's the 76th anniversary of D-Day and a lot of papers had references to it yesterday, mostly on the lines of it being the saddest ever, as all public events have been cancelled, no veterans are able to visit the beaches in Normandy and no world leaders are attending any services anywhere. :-( :-(

Too busy worrying at other bones
our forfathers sacrifices no longer seem to count :-(

Nor over here :-|

Or should that be Overlord?

I’m sure this date has some significance but there doesn’t seem to any clues to it in the media.
:-S