FabSwingers.com > Forums > The Lounge > Anniversary of the D Day landings
Anniversary of the D Day landings
Jump to: Newest in thread
 |
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
Just coming up to the 70th anniversary. I have read many books about the subject and have visited the beaches where they landed. It just as sad walking around the German war graveyards.
The bravery of the Allied soldiers that laid down their lives is astounding.
RIP to those who laid down their lives.
Thank you to those that fought and came back
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
When I was in the Army I had the privelidge of serving in Belgium for my last posting at NATO HQ and went on a Battlefield Tour of Ypres with small Multinational contingent
Through nobodies fault, the duty driver was German which at first we thought was a bit awkward and maybe insensitive towards him. Any way while we went round all the British and Allied war cemetries he wandered off and found the German cemetry. Poor bugger was crying his eyes out when we all met up back at the bus. A moving event for all of us  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
I think people often forget that German soldiers were mainly conscripts just doing their duty like most of the allied forces. I suspect most of us, if living in Germany at the time, would have fought against the allies rather than face the consequences of standing up to those in power. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"Just coming up to the 70th anniversary. I have read many books about the subject and have visited the beaches where they landed. It just as sad walking around the German war graveyards.
The bravery of the Allied soldiers that laid down their lives is astounding.
RIP to those who laid down their lives.
Thank you to those that fought and came back
"
well said..
have also visited several of the grave sites of all 'sides' in both of these conflicts and fully echo the sense of sadness in seeing the thousands of resting places of these mainly young men..
Always make a point of thanking an old soldier for their part in what they went through..
RIP.. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I think people often forget that German soldiers were mainly conscripts just doing their duty like most of the allied forces. I suspect most of us, if living in Germany at the time, would have fought against the allies rather than face the consequences of standing up to those in power."
this..
by and large the majority of the 'enemy' are just like their counterparts, normal people with normal lives who ended up involved.. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
" I suspect most of us, if living in Germany at the time, would have fought against the allies rather than face the consequences of standing up to those in power."
And for the same reasons most of us would have supported the Nazis - Peer pressure can be a powerful tool.  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"I think people often forget that German soldiers were mainly conscripts just doing their duty like most of the allied forces. I suspect most of us, if living in Germany at the time, would have fought against the allies rather than face the consequences of standing up to those in power.
this..
by and large the majority of the 'enemy' are just like their counterparts, normal people with normal lives who ended up involved.. "
A lot of the German soldiers on the Atlantic defences were little more than boys or old men. Probably more scared of Hitler than the Allied forces!
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *eavenNhellCouple
over a year ago
carrbrook stalybridge |
"I think people often forget that German soldiers were mainly conscripts just doing their duty like most of the allied forces. I suspect most of us, if living in Germany at the time, would have fought against the allies rather than face the consequences of standing up to those in power.
this..
by and large the majority of the 'enemy' are just like their counterparts, normal people with normal lives who ended up involved..
A lot of the German soldiers on the Atlantic defences were little more than boys or old men. Probably more scared of Hitler than the Allied forces!
"
a lot were polish Hungarian and Russian vollenteers/conscripts who fought with German officers guns pointed at there back |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"I think people often forget that German soldiers were mainly conscripts just doing their duty like most of the allied forces. I suspect most of us, if living in Germany at the time, would have fought against the allies rather than face the consequences of standing up to those in power.
this..
by and large the majority of the 'enemy' are just like their counterparts, normal people with normal lives who ended up involved..
A lot of the German soldiers on the Atlantic defences were little more than boys or old men. Probably more scared of Hitler than the Allied forces!
a lot were polish Hungarian and Russian vollenteers/conscripts who fought with German officers guns pointed at there back "
Poor sods |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"Just coming up to the 70th anniversary. I have read many books about the subject and have visited the beaches where they landed. It just as sad walking around the German war graveyards.
The bravery of the Allied soldiers that laid down their lives is astounding.
RIP to those who laid down their lives.
Thank you to those that fought and came back
"
well said  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
I was a young lad at the time living in Hampshire or the County of Southampton as it was called. I well remember the three days and nights of aircraft, some with gliders, flying over nonstop with the invasion markings showing. For some time before that we were surrounded by soldiers, tanks and equipment of many nationalties, the Canadians treated us kids to a Christmas party and gave us all a present, I had a model Dakota! |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"I was a young lad at the time living in Hampshire or the County of Southampton as it was called. I well remember the three days and nights of aircraft, some with gliders, flying over nonstop with the invasion markings showing. For some time before that we were surrounded by soldiers, tanks and equipment of many nationalties, the Canadians treated us kids to a Christmas party and gave us all a present, I had a model Dakota!"
As a child that must have been extremely exciting. There are a lot of markers and plaques in this part of the world for where the landing parties practised and set off from. I can only imagine what our town was like when it was full of soldiers, I should imagine there was a mini baby boom as a consequence!  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Just coming up to the 70th anniversary. I have read many books about the subject and have visited the beaches where they landed. It just as sad walking around the German war graveyards.
The bravery of the Allied soldiers that laid down their lives is astounding.
RIP to those who laid down their lives.
Thank you to those that fought and came back
"
Very well said. Visiting the Normandy beaches in a few months.
Those who died on both sides were purely chess pieces in a brutal game. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I think people often forget that German soldiers were mainly conscripts just doing their duty like most of the allied forces. I suspect most of us, if living in Germany at the time, would have fought against the allies rather than face the consequences of standing up to those in power."
Over 10,000 germans were executed for 'resistance' activities by the german authorities, people did disagree with their leaders, but the penalty was death, fear was ever present.
We should not forget the lessons of the past or our children may have to pay the price.
Remember those that fought.... 'For our tomorrow, they gave up their today' |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
Total, and I mean TOTAL respect for all these guys and the women who were flown in to treat the wounded in the field hospitals.
I have every respect for all the war veterans and have been privileged to meet a few of them.
It is hard to imagine the bravery they exuded nor can we show enough gratitude for the sacrifice so many made for our freedom.
I have tried to put myself in the place of an infantryman squashed into a landing craft being thrust into hostile fire and the fear I imagine just can't come close to reality..... |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Just coming up to the 70th anniversary. I have read many books about the subject and have visited the beaches where they landed. It just as sad walking around the German war graveyards.
The bravery of the Allied soldiers that laid down their lives is astounding.
RIP to those who laid down their lives.
Thank you to those that fought and came back
"
Well said. All those men were already at sea this time 70 years ago, heading into an unknown hell on earth. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *xpresMan
over a year ago
Elland |
"definately......brilliant bravery against people who were basically horrible human beings.
gernans....even my nan hated them"
what a total dick..
the poor sods that were the German front line wer young lads drafted in conscription the lads wer exactly the same as the Allied squaddies following orders n trying to stay alive..
the German propaganda machine was telling the young lads that the allied soldiers wer baby killers rapists etc.. The SS Gestapo were the Nazis not the normal young lad in a trench...
people like you make me so mad |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
We owe a debt to all who took part in the D-day landings.
extraordinary circumstances often result in ordinary men and women carrying out extraordinary actions, CSM Stanley Hollis is one such man, he was the only man to be awarded the Victoria Cross on D-day, like many veterans he appears to also have been a man of great humility.
his own account of D-day is available on war-experience.org for anyone who wishes to read it.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Visited the Menin gate this year every evening the last post is played
Very moving tribute
Tyne cot cemetery has a Bose speaker in the grass lawn playing the names , ages of each soldier buried there from WW1
Never forget them |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
Have visited the US cemetery at Omaha beach..young men from the mid west who gave their lives fighting in an European war that hadn't directly affected them..respect.
Just come back from Moscow..the eternal flame outside the Kremlin commemorates the sacrifice made by the Russian people in WW 2 ..it's a sobering fact that more Russians lost their lives in the Battle of Moscow than the Allied forces lost in the whole of the war.
The D day commerations are a very timely reminder of the consequences of allowing the far right political oxygen. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"Have visited the US cemetery at Omaha beach..young men from the mid west who gave their lives fighting in an European war that hadn't directly affected them..respect.
Just come back from Moscow..the eternal flame outside the Kremlin commemorates the sacrifice made by the Russian people in WW 2 ..it's a sobering fact that more Russians lost their lives in the Battle of Moscow than the Allied forces lost in the whole of the war.
The D day commerations are a very timely reminder of the consequences of allowing the far right political oxygen."
The museum on Omaha is the saddest yet most inspiring museum I have ever visited |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
I for one send heartfelt thanks to those who liberated Europe from the vile disease that was (and still is) national socialism or the Nazi party. Their bravery and sacrifice allow me to _xpress my opinions in a free and open democracy.
Perhaps those in the recent elections across Europe who want to return to isolationism and a thinly watered down versions of national socialism should today sit and think and remember the bravery and sacrifice of those men and women who liberated Europe.
Respect and heartfelt thanks are in order. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
Just reading about a 90 year old who has parachuted in for the commemoration. He reckons 'at my age, you grab excitement whilst you can'... what a great philosophy! |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Just reading about a 90 year old who has parachuted in for the commemoration. He reckons 'at my age, you grab excitement whilst you can'... what a great philosophy! "
We have much to be grateful for, may we never forget!  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
I've been lucky enough to go to Normandy on numerous occasions. Very moving, very thought provoking, lots of questions that still need to be answered.
We've (my Regiment) have always paid respects to both sides. Germans as well as the Allies. After all they're also buried in our War Graves Cemetaries along side our own. The soldiers ie German Army, not SS, were the same as us. Just normal lads following orders. Sure some would've shared in the Nazi Ideology but most were simple serving soldiers. It was war. People die.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"definately......brilliant bravery against people who were basically horrible human beings.
gernans....even my nan hated them"
Many of! He regular German troops were under the threat of being shot if they didn't fight
Nazi party also threatened to shoot there children and wife's if they didn't give there all
I say to all that came home well done and thank you |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
Have you seen the story of a veteran who was given a travel ban by his care home from travelling to Normandy.
Only went and turned up 12 hours later in the veteran reception with world leaders. It's on sky news app I was howling.
To give us that advantage some were crafty buggers, and still are now.
Good on you, veteran |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
» Add a new message to this topic
