[rob237]

Actor Richard Todd, alias Guy Gibson VC, has passed away aged 90...
He lived near Great Ponton, just south of Grantham, for many years.

http://news.bbc.co.u...ent/8394812.stm

Cheers
Robt P.

[firbeck]

A lovely man, I met him and the real Major Howard at the Cafe Gondree at Pegasus Bridge during the 50th Anniversary of D-Day when I took my old man, a veteran of Operation Goodwood, over there.
Perhaps this will give Jackson and Fry the kick up the backside they deserve to get on with the new Dambusters Film they've been harping on about for so long and dedicate it to Richard Todds memory, he deserves to be remembered in this way.

[Beefsteak]

Just come on here to post this same story.
It's ironic , just last night I finished reading a book about "The Dambusters" and it goes into great detail, at the end, about the making of the film , and how Todd got to taxi a Lancaster himself for a scene in the film.
Another quicky, my Mum and Dad were in the Petwood Hotel (617, squadron (The Dambusters) officers mess) taking afternoon tea on their way back from a visit to the coast, when who should walk in , Yup Richard todd himself , as mum said "How Bizarre" (Pre 1990)

Very sad , RIP Richard Todd

[Stan]

The thing I found most inspiring about Richard Todd (and this was confirmed by his Para mates) he was actually first out of the leading plane .The casualties were quite horrific I remembered but I will have to look up the numbers.

Captain Richard Todd landed near Pegasus Bridge on 6 June 1944.During the Second World War, Todd joined the British Army receiving a commission in 1941. Initially, he served in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry before joining the Parachute Regiment and being assigned to the 7th (Light Infantry) Battalion as part of the British 6th Airborne Division.

On 6 June 1944, as a captain, he participated in the British Airborne Operation Tonga during the D-Day landings.^[1] Capt. Todd was among the first British officers to land in Normandy as part of Operation

As a very junior officer I too met Richard at a charity film showing of the film in London`s west end(can`t remember the charity) also had the honour of meeting Barnes Wallace,-a very stuffy man by contrast. at the same performance.
After I read of his exploits he certainly went up markedly in my estimation.

[Stan]

The casualties:-

We had dropped 610 men but by 10am we had just 200 odd left. I think 65 men were killed during fighting at the bridges alone."

Todd's battalion took most of the losses in those bloody first hours of D-Day. He recalled: "Initially there were hardly any German casualties. They were completely caught with their pants down and simply surrendered."

[Ashley]

"Todd's battalion took most of the losses in those bloody first hours of D-Day. He recalled: "Initially there were hardly any German casualties. They were completely caught with their pants down and simply surrendered."

Not wanting to cause auguments or being disrespectful, but if the last sentence true who killed the paratroopers?

[rob237]

Ashley, on 04 December 2009 - 05:48 PM, said:

...but if the last sentence true who killed the paratroopers?

Suggest he merely omitted the adverb eventually.
Cheers
Robt P.