call me what you want, but I have just watched..

on BBC2 the 70th D-Day programme. having served the British armed forces for 30+ years... sorry guys but I wept like a child , and I am unashamed too. I was in the Falklands, and also served in the Gulf period... but to be honest .. these guys marched into a bigger hell than I could ever imagine... my respect to these men is beyond measure.

 

I find it hard to comprehend that it was only two generations above me that went through all that. Those men gave their lives for our freedom and the fact we have the lives we do.

I don't think I can ever truly grasp the enormity of what they did for us all.

 

I have had intermittent lumps in my throat and tears in my eyes, just listening to radio 2 all day.
Not ashamed one bit

Listening to the amazing stories, such heroism but full of humility.
The like of which I hope we never see again

Started me off again....

 

on now... watch the aftermath of the horrors

its amazing ... these guys are super humans.. just that.

 

Puff.

Much respect to all those who served, fought and died for a better world.

Emotional times.

 

Always gets me. Watching documentaries, films or tv series or reading the accounts of former soldiers just leaves me stunned what those guys went through. I know I couldn't do it and doubt most could or would these days.

My grandad was wounded at Dunkirk and he missed d-day, he was glad as he thought being on another French beach would be the end of him.

 

Lets also not forget

Those fighting in Italy as they often seem to get overlooked. My dad was one, in fact I still have his medals and with em are 2 special order of the day letters from Field-Marshal H R Alexander dated April and May 1945. Just reading em now - very moving.

 

Re: Lets also not forget

you can wear then tosh on the right hand side, when on parade ( it shows that you're representing someone else)

 

Re: Lets also not forget

Even as a serving soldier i still cannot truely grasp the enormity of what these guys did for us. Its imperatvie we tell these stories to our younger generation so they can understand what sacrifices these people made.

 

My respect to those men too is beyond measure as it is to you and any other person who have served in any part of our armed forces.

 

I'll echo what you say JP.
My grandad was left behind at Dunkirk, he somehow managed to get home through the help of some Belgian people. Everyone thought he was a gonner until out of the blue he showed up in the dirty rags that these wonderfull people managed to get hold of to get him out of his uniform.
We dont know we're born mate, lottery winners the lot of us.

 

Thankfully in our life time, most of us have not had to face what these brave people did for us. I heard today of a guy, ex-Para, over 90 years old parachuting into the memorial event. Another who went missing from his home on the South coast, as they said he couldn't be part of the ceremony. They found him in Normandy. They were a generation which I fear we will never emulate.

 

I only watched the highlights and it made me burst with pride as well as bringing a lump to my throat. Genuine heroes each and every one of them. As an ex soldier myself I love to see these ceremonies that show these old heroes just how much respect the nation has for them.

 

I think the care home who were not going to let that old boy go to event because quite frankly they 'couldn't be arsed' are a fooking disgrace.

respect to all these people.

hth

 

Agree absolutely. The care home got it absolutely wrong.

Sadly as we lose that heroic generation I think the significance of their bravery will be lost to time, just as we now commonly know very little about Waterloo and Trafalgar. I hope that won't be the case.

 

Care home got it wrong ?
Do you really know what happened .......no.

 

Ooh touchie. As it has been reported, the carehome told the gentleman that he couldn't go to Normandy. He put a jacket on over his uniform and snuck out. Carehome reported him missing to the police. Gentleman was found well enroute to the venue. If that is the case the carehome got it wrong - just my opinion, try to tolerate it.

 

What gets me is they down played what they did. One chap was asked what it was liked when they Beached."Well apart from the cannons trying to blow your head of it weren't too bad". Amazing.

 

As per usual I have a slightly different slant on this.

But firstly lets mention the lads and lasses that went through D Day - these were different times and people of that era were made of better stuff than what they are today.
Could you imagine some of our modern youths storming or should I say mincing up the beeches while being shot at.

As far as the celebrations go - I think it should be celebrated but the celebrations should be more sombre and include representatives of Germany that are now our allies.
The British and their allies didn't just liberate France - they liberated the German people as well.

 

Well said. Very good point.