D-Day...take a moment to reflect.

[Harrier101]

Good morning guys and gals,

Just wanted to try and be the first one to leave a post in remembrance to D-Day, June 6 1944. 60 years ago today, young men barely at the voting age, took up arms to embark on the great crusade. It was the beginning of the end for Nazi occupied Europe. I wanted to share a family storey if I could. My grandfather was an aircraft fitter at RAF Duxford. As such, it was one of the release airfields for fighter command that was tasked with recee flights over Normandy during the early days, and with transport A/C escort. For the many days after Overlord began, he would replenish mainly spits and hurricanes, repairing what damage he could from AAA fire, refuel and rearm the birds for quick turns, He would joke the engines did not even cool long enough before the pilot or replacement pilot was jumping back in to start the engine for a return flight across the channel.

I know this forum is Army.ca, and my grandfather was airforce, but I thought you may be interested at least.

Enjoy your sunday, lot's of movies on today. Maybe I will skip 'em and watch the full volume of Band of Brothers.

Martin

 

[Da_man]

My grandfather was 16 when he was a gunner on a Lancaster (he had lied about his age to get in)

 

[AlphaCharlie]

Indeed. We owe all our freedom to those brave men who landed either behind the wall the night before or that morning on the beach.

My Grandfather had 5 kids so they wouldn't let him go to war. But it's really the little people you that don't get due respect. The war wouldn't have gotten anywhere without people fueling, reloading planes, pushing paper or helping get the whole thing organized.

 

[Ranger]

I participated in a D-Day parade in Sutton, Ontario today. It was very good, I set down a candle for hte Women who served in the war. It was a very well put together parade, and I was proud to be a part of it.



60th Anniversary of D-Day
*Valour, Fidelity, Sacrifice*
For this we thank all of you whom fought for us...

 

[Gayson]

I marched through toronto with 32 CBG

Both of my grabdfathers faught in the war, one as a stretcher bearer with 5 field ambulance and the other a bomber pilot in the RAF.

 

[G3RM]

This reply is kind of late...

Spent the whole day watching Movies and Tributes. Did anyone else happen to watch IKE: Countdown to D-day and Battle of the Bulge?

 

[Figure11]

I watched the two hours of coverage on CBC. It was very impressive, with the vets being shown the respect they so richly deserve. Does anyone here remember the services from 10 years ago? I remember that Peter Mansbridge and co., were taken a little off guard by an unexpected march past of British veterans led by an elderly gentleman with a rack of gongs which included a Military Cross. One of the marchers was dressing in a monks cowl complete with all of his medals. I guess D-Day must have affected some in ways which we can't, thankfullly, imagine. If I rememer correctly, the lump in Peter Mansbridges throat was almost as big  as the one in mine. Canadian schools should have mandatory lessons on the war, including the viewing of video tapes of the ceremonies we just witnessed.

 

[AlphaCharlie]

The one thing that bugged me, though, is when they showed the ceremony in Ottawa (which was nice and all) they got the cadets to escort the dignitaries up to the wreath laying and it was HORRIBLE. I almost cried.

1. Only ONE cadet out of the whole lot saluted properly. The rest were piss poor. I don't even think they got a lesson on how to salute. It was pitiful.

2. It was disorganized. Each cadet did something different. One would wait 3 paces back (which was correct), another would wait 8 paces back, or one would go right up with the vet.

3. One of the cadets placed the wreath FOR THE VET. Ugh.

It was horrible. More practise was needed. Lots more.

 

[condor888000]

It's always like that. They have cadets escort the vets or anyone who lays a wreath. It's like that for Battle of the Atlantic/Battle of Britain/Remembrance day parades too.

Thank you all you brave men and women who fought so that we could enjoy the freedoms that we do.

 

[Spartan]

The parade here in Wpg was intense. Really moving especially with the 2 snowbirds and the f18 going from the flyby into the missing man formation. and the FGH  Ghost Sqn parading 12 vehicles including a Sherman tank - all these vehicles maintained and restored by veterans. All the veterans, the pipebands, the colour party - I read in the paper that it was something like 400-500 people who took part in the parade alone, it was awe inspiring...
Being the ic of the air cadet flight/platoon really was an amazing thing. This ceremony was my last cadet parade as I age out shortly but it really made me appreciate the veterans that much more. We were the last platoon in the parade but it really made me see everything so much more vividly.... on the marchpast we went past the Hon Lt Gov Peter Liba as well as a MGen (airforce - didn't catch the name) taking the salute as RO.   Seeing the veterans all parading together was just so amazing and so appropriate to remember those who couldn't be there to parade with their comrades.   Those vets who couldn't do the march, were still a part of the parade as they were on the vehicles. Seeing the masses of people who came out to this ceremony to support the veterans was just so moving. It really left me speechless and awe struck and really reinforced just how signigicant the D-Day campaign was and how important the efforts were during the war.

My family connections to the WWII: a relative on my moms side of the family- great uncle was if  I recall correctly- in a high position on a corvette. I don't know the details about.
My grandfather was part of the volunteer fire spotters in and around london during bombing raids.

 

[Spr.Earl]

Good morning guys and gals,

Just wanted to try and be the first one to leave a post in remembrance to D-Day, June 6 1944. 60 years ago today, young men barely at the voting age, took up arms to embark on the great crusade. It was the beginning of the end for Nazi occupied Europe. I wanted to share a family storey if I could. My grandfather was an aircraft fitter at RAF Duxford. As such, it was one of the release airfields for fighter command that was tasked with recee flights over Normandy during the early days, and with transport A/C escort. For the many days after Overlord began, he would replenish mainly spits and hurricanes, repairing what damage he could from AAA fire, refuel and rearm the birds for quick turns, He would joke the engines did not even cool long enough before the pilot or replacement pilot was jumping back in to start the engine for a return flight across the channel.

I know this forum is Army.ca, and my grandfather was airforce, but I thought you may be interested at least.

Enjoy your sunday, lot's of movies on today. Maybe I will skip 'em and watch the full volume of Band of Brothers.

Martin

Martin this site is for all especialy all our Vets and those of our Allies.

My grandfather was a Merchant Seaman (Bosun) but the Air Force grabbed him for his skill's with rope's and cable's and he ended up in charge of Barrage Balloon's in and around Liverpool.
My other grandfather was a Chief Engineer on Merchant Ships and sailed the Arctic Convoys into Northern Russia.
My second cousins served in N.Africa.

As a kid in the U.K.,the War was still evident from the bombed out buildings still around,I played in old Pill Box's amongst dragons teeth etc.When I was born (53) my perents had ration cards for me,for milk,cloths as the U.K was still suffering the economic after effects of the War.

So when it comes to posting about your families contributions in War what part of the service they were with does not matter.We all here salute them.

 

[Gayson]

A good thing to do to is when walking to or from the armoury and you pass a vet take a momount to salute them.

Yesterday on my way home from the parade through toronto I walked passed a few vets and saluting them really brought a smile to their faces.  Just giving them a respect as  basic as the salute can really make these people happy, wether they know they deserve it or not.

 

[Tpr.Orange]

I participated in the 32 brigades freedom of the city march.

I spoke with several vets that day and saluted and thanked everyone of them. Thank you to all those who served to protect our rights and freedoms. You are all brave soldiers and will always live on in our memories and hearts.

 

[AlphaCharlie]

I respect veterans from that era so much, and a lot of people ask me what my fascination with WW2 is.

I tell them this: Back then, they didn't have computers or satellites or good radios to help them. Their tanks had hydraulic systems to move the turret (most of them, at least. some early ones were hand cranks) and they had an optical sight. No computers to aim for them. Flying a plane well took IMMENSE skill. You had no computers, no lock on missiles, no smart bombs... you flew your plane well and you won. Infantry men had bolt action rifles with no body armour.... it was 100% the soldier. Skill and training won battles, not computers. They had their freedom threatend and they experienced massive war, and because of that I think they truly are the greatest generation.

 

[MP 811]

I'm really late on this but I got this out of a paper the other day and thought it is very appropriate for this thread....

Top 5 reasons to recognize the contribution of war veterans:
5.  One minute on one day in November isn't enough
4.  They lived through a horror we can only imagine
3.  Many of them sacrificed their lives
2.  They fought, so that we don't have to
1.  Valour

 

[Phillman]

I just got home from taking part in some of the ceremonies ine France. All I can say is it is one thing to read and look at pictures of the battles, but quite another to actually see them in person as a vet tells what exactly happened.

 

[Long in the tooth]

With all due respect (and gratitude) to the D Day vets, how about a ceremony and memorial to the D Day dodgers who left 5400 dead fighting up the Italian peninsula?  I suppose if our leaders substitute Norway for Normany and Vichy for Vimy the words Scicily, Ortona, Lamone and Moro will have no impact on them though.  Just a thought....