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D-Day 06 06 44

SuBee

master brummie
Three generations, sitting in front of the box watching the D-Day Commemorations.

My 16 year old visited Normandy last year, to see the museums and war memorials, as part of his History GCSE.

We are all quiet - partly in admiration and pride for what people gave up for us so that we had freedom, and emensely sad for the young lives that were lost.

My Mom tells me that at 18, she was working in George Masons on the Soho Road in Handsworth when D Day happened, it was top secret of course, and no one knew it was happening. She recalls that prior to D Day there was a large movement of troops and there was a sense of something 'big' was going to take place. The whole of 6/6/44 was unervely quiet, they were not aware of the invasion, but the whole of the city was quiet and people knew something was happening.

Its heartbreaking watching the 80+ men, having experienced such things at such a young age..............and carrying these memories with them through their adult lives.

My Dad and my Mom's brother, both served in the Far East, where I am led to believe condidtions were worse........so watching the D-Day recollections........all i can say is...............

LEST WE FORGET
 
Hi Sue. Today we have visited Dovedale, and had a smashing day. What has that got to do with D Day? The freedom we enjoy now was paid for with the dreadful loss of life from those very dark days. I know my wife has spent much of today in thought, her dad was rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk and then returned to fight across Europe when the landings took place all those years ago. We have a picture on the wall in our living room, of this man in his early 20's smiling along with many of his comrades just prior to their departure. I can't put my hand on my heart and say I could do what men like him did, but I am thankful that they did it. What would Europe have been like had the Nazi regime been successful :?: Would I have been enjoying a peacful walk along the banks of the river Dove......

We Must Never Forget
 
It's been heartbreaking today watching some of those men in tears. They were such young men all those summers ago. We do them a disservice if we ever forget.
Winston Churchill said it all - At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
 
Fields of White Stones.
Fields of white stones standing in hundreds of rows
These fields where nothing but our remembrance grows
The years have passed by and these stones still stand
For all the poor souls lost that never returned to our land
Fields now stand silent and peaceful for ever more
Our long lost loved ones, never to come back to our door
The moon rises and the stone shadows sink into the earth
To comfort those lying there who had proved their worth
And when the sun rises their spirits will again soar
As we look at these white stones and bless them forever more
Fields never intended to bury the loss of a terrible war
They should be growing and grazing that's what they are for
As the long years are flying past, of our lost loved ones
Our thoughts will be forever in the fields of white stones
 
:D Well said John and here in New Zealand those thoughts are echoed in abundance, for in such a small populated country, many small towns lost almost a whole generation of it's young men and every New Zealand family of the day lost a family member, or two. These young hero's traveled to a far land to help fight for world freedom and their sacrifice is well remembered and hopefully will always be here in their homeland and in the countries that they gave their lives for.
 
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