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75th Anniversary of the D Day landings

Holidayed in France for many years .But the saddest sight to do with the war is a little village called Oroudor- sur Glane in the Loire Valley.The Germans killed everyone in the village over 650 men ,women and children and burnt the town down.It still remains the same today as a monument to these people.There are rusty cars and sowing machines still in the houses.Its so sad
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The main addition I would make to Edifi's post is that the men were put in barns which was barricaded, the women and children also locked into the church. Then the town was set on fire. Apparently 10 people miraculously surviced.
 
View attachment 134790
The main addition I would make to Edifi's post is that the men were put in barns which was barricaded, the women and children also locked into the church. Then the town was set on fire. Apparently 10 people miraculously surviced.
Lets not blame todays Germans for the sins of their fathers. I spent 4 years in Germany & found them very polite & generous.
 
We have been to Oroudor 2 times.Its so quiet and peaceful.The last time there was a coach load ofGerman Students there
 
My Dad went over on D day+12, broke his front teeth slipping and falling onto his rifle butt on Gold beach, applied his own dentistry by pulling them out with his hands, he was held up in Normandy for weeks avoiding sniper firing, shrapnel wound to his neck which I never knew about until he told me of his exploits after Mum died, never talked about them until then, I don't think Mum ever knew of what he went through, in fact I know he never told me everything.
We went over to Normandy together in 1995 to look at the various D day museums and remains, I detected a tear in his eye when watching the film at the 360 degree film on the cliffs overlooking Arromanches.
Another moving moment was visiting his best buddies grave at one of the many small war cemeteries.
He showed me some of the villages he helped liberate, and the ditch he was held up in for days whilst liberating a village.
Unfortunatly the section of the ditch he was in he thought had disappeared as it was where a new road by pass has been built.
Whilst in Holland, he was temporarily put up in a house by a Dutch family, whom my Mum and Dad welcomed back to Yardley for a holiday in the early 50s, but they lost touch with them after that. Shame because although around I was to young to remember them. He was involved in the push right up to the Baltic.
I'm feeling emotional with a tear in my eye whilst typing this.
I'm proud of you Dad. RIP.
 
Why was there no mention of Dame Vera Lynn in the celebrations today.She was an inspiration in those years
My dad said they always preferred Ann Shelton but she seems to have been written out of the history since the mid-1950's. A case of history being written by the survivors?
 
Why was there no mention of Dame Vera Lynn in the celebrations today.She was an inspiration in those years

The day is a day to remember the everyday people who were there on the ground right in the middle of the scene of horrific events. Events that not only changed the world we live in, it changed their lives too. Many did not comeback, and left a legacy of grief, mourning and sad loss for those they left behind. Many came back changed by the horrific events they had witnessed and experienced and carried those feeling forever, silently, keeping these memories to themselves.

We have already recognised the contribution of people like Vera Lynn and many others, but these people came back and were expected to return to everyday life. Many just disappeared into history, they did not brag, they did not boast, they just got on with their lives, protecting us from their memories and experiences.

Yesterday was their day.
 
I understand what you say but you may well be surprised by the youth of today. The ones that grab the headlines are the yobs and thugs because it sells newspapers and causes sensation. The majority of young people I come into contact with are sensible, caring people. My children and their friends realise what sacrifices were made in both world wars by their ancestors and are proud of what they did. My grandchild, although perhaps a little young at the moment to fully understand what happened in the past, attends remembrance day parade with his cub scouts and proudly wears his great grandfathers medals on November 11th.

My son Lee called his son "William" after his great great grandfather who fought in the first world war.
My son was very proud of his great grandfather and my mum sent him his war medals.
Wendy
 
A solum occasion it it's only right to honor everyone involved, but I wonder what the enemy thought when they saw what must have looked like half the world on the horizon by that time most had a good idea they where on the wrong side of history, it's so sad to see all those white cross's looking like solders on a display ground and I suppose they are in some strange way
 
On the same topic, Bob, I wonder how much those German soldiers knew? Their news was probably censored to the utmost by Goebbels' Propaganda Dept in the interests of keeping up the morale of their troops. It must have been a shock when they were overrun in a seemingly invincible position!

Maurice :cool:
 
As a young child during the war these anniversaries bring back memories .... a few below.

I remember when I was dragged out of our house when a bomb hit it. A school photo below taken about that time.
Me_in_the_War.jpg

I had learnt to read newspapers by the the time the RAF sent a 1000 bombers to bomb Cologne and was rather pleased.

We had a nearby US army base and remember when american soldiers came to help and brightened up the lives of the kids in the district.

On D Day we had a full school assembly and prayed.

Then VE day came and we had a street party with a bonfire in the road.
 
Told my G/son when I was 5 one day looked up in the sky and saw loads and loads of planes in the sky.Was this the start of D Day would love to know.Why was I not at school ,was it a weekend.Would anyone know when D Day was in 1944
 
As a young child during the war these anniversaries bring back memories .... a few below.

I remember when I was dragged out of our house when a bomb hit it. A school photo below taken about that time.
View attachment 134806

I had learnt to read newspapers by the the time the RAF sent a 1000 bombers to bomb Cologne and was rather pleased.

We had a nearby US army base and remember when american soldiers came to help and brightened up the lives of the kids in the district.

On D Day we had a full school assembly and prayed.

Then VE day came and we had a street party with a bonfire in the road.

Where was the US Army base?
 
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