Non-motoring > D-DAY The Longest Day Miscellaneous
Thread Author: zippy Replies: 8
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New Thu 6 Jun 24 08:36 
 D-DAY The Longest Day - zippy
80 years on and only a few of those heros are still with us and of course so many were lost on the day and on the days and months that followed as well as in the years that led up to D-Day.

I saw the gravestones being individually lit up this morning and it was very moving.

We should never forget.
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New Thu 6 Jun 24 16:49 
 D-DAY The Longest Day - Bromptonaut
Mrs B, at the behest of a former colleague, drew my attention to this Obit in The Times:

www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/derek-roberts-obituary-teenage-commando-in-normandy-rfbw9bsh2

The subject was part of the D-Day landings and subsequently went into teaching. He was the first head of the Comprehensive in our village when it opened in the late sixties. When Mrs B started teaching there in 1990 he'd retired the previous year.

There are one or two portraits of him around the school and a Derek Roberts building. Those who worked with him remember hime well.
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New Thu 6 Jun 24 22:25 
 D-DAY The Longest Day - bathtub tom
Why was 'king Charles wearing a uniform and all those medals? Takes something away from those who earned them. At least Andrew and Harry served in a conflict zone (although they may have been kept safely out of harm's way) and I was pleased to see they were allowed to wear them at QE2's funeral, despite what I may think of the pair.
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New Thu 6 Jun 24 22:49 
 D-DAY The Longest Day - Fullchat
I didn't examine his medals but there are a fair few about which were issued as a milestone in the royal life to those 'serving' the Queen - Queens Jubilee for example. He'll have accrued a few of those rather than combat gongs.
Unless Nick Adderley has given him some tips :O
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New Thu 6 Jun 24 22:51 
 D-DAY The Longest Day - Zero
Because he is an Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal, and Marshal of the Royal Air Force

His medal bar has
Queen’s Service Order (New Zealand)
Coronation Medal
Silver Jubilee Medal
Golden Jubilee Medal
Diamond Jubilee Medal
Platinum Jubilee Medal
Naval Long Service Good Conduct (LSGC) with three additional service bars
Canadian Forces Decoration with three additional service bars
The New Zealand Commemorative Medal
New Zealand Armed Forces Award

All worthy medals I am sure !

Despite the fact he was lousy at all he did militarily and rose to the giddy rank of captain of a poxy little inshore minehunter for 10 months
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New Thu 6 Jun 24 23:19 
 D-DAY The Longest Day - zippy
There was a song on the radio this afternoon, sung by the Military Wives Choir, "The D-Day Dodgers".

It was very moving and I don't mind admitting, it made me well up a bit.
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New Fri 7 Jun 24 07:07 
 D-DAY The Longest Day - Bromptonaut
>> There was a song on the radio this afternoon, sung by the Military Wives Choir,
>> "The D-Day Dodgers".

Quite an interesting history:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day_Dodgers
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New Fri 7 Jun 24 08:23 
 D-DAY The Longest Day - Zero
SWMBO's was very upset when I called her late father a D Day dodger. I had to explain the ironic significance of the term.

A Gunner in a Tank, she has his Africa Star, Italian Star (was at Monte Casino) France and Germany Star, 1939-45 Star and the 1939-45 war medal. So he may have missed D-Day, but he sure was everywhere else.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 7 Jun 24 at 08:25
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New Fri 7 Jun 24 13:40 
 D-DAY The Longest Day - zippy
>>A gunner in a tank...

Exactly, heroes all.

I know I mentioned before, a lovely lady who I worked with in the '80s (now sadly passed away), had a brother who served in Italy recovering battle damaged tanks.

Understandably, he regularly witnessed horrors and never fully recovered.
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