June 6th 1944 D-DAY

[Berrichonne shrimper]

The decent folk among us will, there will be many that won't pay it a passing thought.

What a terrible sweeping statment that is,making out you are better than others,i think you should name and shame these so called non-decent folk.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Not at all Tony, just a simple fact. Unfortunately it's not given the profile it should be in this country, maybe I shouldn't have said "decent folk", so apologies for that and have edited accordingly.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Not at all Tony, just a simple fact. Unfortunately it's not given the profile it should be in this country, maybe I shouldn't have said "decent folk", so apologies for that and have edited accordingly.

Tis very true about the profile of this day and the 8th of may and the 11th of nov,here the 8th and 11th are public holidays and for both days we as a family join all the others at the stone thing(cant spell cenataph)for a very moving cermony.The school kids read a peom and lay flowers then its off for wine and nibbles.The french dont move the day to fit around the shopping calander because to them it is a very important time.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Tis very true about the profile of this day and the 8th of may and the 11th of nov,here the 8th and 11th are public holidays and for both days we as a family join all the others at the stone thing(cant spell cenataph)for a very moving cermony.The school kids read a peom and lay flowers then its off for wine and nibbles.The french dont move the day to fit around the shopping calander because to them it is a very important time.

The French also probably don't try and appease so many "groups" as the British seem to, which is why they can do that. The 11th November should be a public holiday, without any shadow of a doubt. 8th May is my son's birthday so the day is always of significance to me anyway, but again, I bet there's loads of people don't know that was VE day.

 

[RobM]

My dad was involved, not in the first wave. He never spoke about it though.

 

[Perth Bambi]

Not at all Tony, just a simple fact. Unfortunately it's not given the profile it should be in this country, maybe I shouldn't have said "decent folk", so apologies for that and have edited accordingly.

Agreed, to be honest if it hadn't have been posted on here I probably wouldn't even have remembered it was today which is sad.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Watched some of the service from Normandy on the tv earlier. I think it's right they move on and pass the baton onto the cadets now, all those they interviewed spoke with dignity and pride, both vets and cadets alike. Glad the PoW went, would have been completely wrong just to leave it to the politicians - how moving was the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's triple fly past?

Interesting piece in the Mail today focusing on a vet, Don Sheppard from Basildon chair of the Southend branch of the Normandy Vets, not on the online version so can't link to it, just seeing this all from his perspective, the struggles to attend re finances and lack of funding etc, the memories. Poignant picture of him on one of the Normandy beaches, placing a cross for fallen comrades.

 

[canveyshrimper]

The French also probably don't try and appease so many "groups" as the British seem to, which is why they can do that. The 11th November should be a public holiday, without any shadow of a doubt. 8th May is my son's birthday so the day is always of significance to me anyway, but again, I bet there's loads of people don't know that was VE day.

...and I'll bet many more will not know when VJ day was.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Amazes me Harry, History GCSE teaches a lot of what went on in the lead up to WW2, yet doesn't really deal with the victory side, it's almost as if we're embarrassed by it.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Very true, I've never understood why. This something that has certainly become more apparent over the recent past.

 

[HUTTON]

Amazes me Harry, History GCSE teaches a lot of what went on in the lead up to WW2, yet doesn't really deal with the victory side, it's almost as if we're embarrassed by it.

When I took GCSE History, the WW2 section was all about Nazi Germany, nothing about the Allies.

 

[osymandus]

When I took GCSE History, the WW2 section was all about Nazi Germany, nothing about the Allies.

Technically you should , being taught as a historian see it from both sides so that in itself is not a bad thing . However it's worrying if they really are removing the teaching of a facet of history for political reason.

Right that does it im going back to uni to train as a History teacher ive had it ... kids your going to know it all and damn teh consequences (and even the weird stuff like Ian Flemming's ideas of capturing Goering )

 

[HUTTON]

Technically you should , being taught as a historian see it from both sides so that in itself is not a bad thing . However it's worrying if they really are removing the teaching of a facet of history for political reason.

Right that does it im going back to uni to train as a History teacher ive had it ... kids your going to know it all and damn teh consequences (and even the weird stuff like Ian Flemming's ideas of capturing Goering )

Not saying we shouldn't have been taught it, but surely we should have been taught it from the other side aswell

 

[osymandus]

Not saying we shouldn't have been taught it, but surely we should have been taught it from the other side aswell

The thing with being taught history is your really being taught the methods to understand and investigate historical events , so unless your taking it as a subject (after the 3rd year if they still do it like that ? ) Its got to be generalised subject matter to give examples . After that well ytou have to learn it to become objective as well . For insatnce your may detest the French but understanding the inpact Napolean had on teh shape of European history , his millitary stragety and teh type of person he was are all essential. Same goes for Churchill , Ressolvet , Hitler , and Starlin.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. George Santayana

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

My dad was involved, not in the first wave. He never spoke about it though.

My grandfather is the same about his war memories. Think he was stationed in Africa by the time of D-Day, but he was evacuated out of Dunkirk.

My grandmother will often talk about the war but my grandfather steers well clear of his war memories. He'll maybe talk about the friends he made and what they did during their down time but only once has he ever mentioned to me what it was like to see action and even then it was responding to something my grandmother said. He clearly didn't like reviving his memories of it.

Never forget?

I think my grandfather would much rather do so than be reminded.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

My grandfather is the same about his war memories. Think he was stationed in Africa by the time of D-Day, but he was evacuated out of Dunkirk.

My grandmother will often talk about the war but my grandfather steers well clear of his war memories. He'll maybe talk about the friends he made and what they did during their down time but only once has he ever mentioned to me what it was like to see action and even then it was responding to something my grandmother said. He clearly didn't like reviving his memories of it.

Never forget?

I think my grandfather would much rather do so than be reminded.

My grandfather was the same,he would say that those that talk about the war didnt really see the horrors,same as yours i suppose

 

[OldBlueLady]

Maybe that's part of the British "stiff upper lip" thing, I don't know. My grandfather was too young for WW1 and too old for WW2, but did ARP duties in Southend. His brother was killed at the Somme.

The vets shown on tv yesterday talked about their experiences, many became emotional, I think it's important for us to hear it firsthand. Of course, the modern way is to open up as much as possible, counselling and so on, but I can understand that some old soldiers prefer not to discuss it.