D day

[Diflower]

The Normandy Veterans Association is disbanding in the Autumn.
I'm sure it will be 'officially' commemorated in years to come but not to the same extent; this is last the one they're involved with.

[saundra]

Saw an american war cemetery once it was heartbreaking
My dad was in Burma in the war fighting the japs with the gurkhas
It he never talked Bout it

[Dippytrout]

It's made rather emotional viewing hasn't it I was watching in the gym this morning and, being in public, had to change channels.

We have a war cemetery just up the road from us, on Cannock Chase. It's very sobering to see all of those graves and to look closer and see the young ages of the dead. I think there are around 5000 German and Austrian servicemen buried there

We've also been to the National Memorial Arboretum just outside of Lichfield, the boys have attended memorials when they were in the Sea Scouts. It's so moving and humbling to see the wall of names of all servicemen killed, year by year, and horrible to see the space on there for more names to be added

My Grandma was a midwife/village nurse and went to London during the blitz, leaving behind 3 daughters in the care of the Covent next door and her husband. When she eventually returned there were a lot of POW's housed on Cannock Chase, so she took off on her bike from Stafford to the Chase to ''inspect'' the conditions - was not happy and made them improve the lives of the POW's - very formidable woman my granny

There have always been a lot of Itialian/Poles in Stafford and the surrounding areas due to POW's/internment - which did not finish until 1958 - can you believe

My ex-husband's Father was an Italian POW brought over by boat from somewhere in Africa and was blinded in one eye from lack of vitamins on the journey and then made to work a) on a farm and b) on the railways for years Until 1958 when he brought his wife over and lived his entire life in Stafford

So what to say - not much really

Take care all

DT

[Kaz]

War is a very strange thing. My ex had a German Grandma, her brother was killed in WW1, in the trenches, on the German side of course. My English Grandma had an uncle in the trenches on our side. My Great grandfather was drowned in WW1, he was on HMS Hawk and was sunk by the first U Boat in 1914. So my children have relatives killed on both sides.....................Kind of shows the futility of war really

[Dippytrout]

Couldn't agree more
DT