D-Day Landing.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

Today is the 71st anniversary of the D-Day landing in Normandy. To all our fallen heroes, R.I.P.

http://www.ibtimes.com/d-day-anniversary-2015-facts-quotes-about-normandy-invasion-omaha-beach-1953422

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/06/d-day-anniversary-veterans-remember-years-living-dangerously

[FLY2 10,108]

Without them, there'd be no Nottstalgia.

[mercurydancer 1,104]

You chaps are a bit late arent you? I raised a glass at 23:16 yesterday evening and another one at 00:05. I bumped the thread from last year, where I did exactly the same thing.

See general threads "Tonight at 23:16"

[mercurydancer 1,104]

Incidentally there is a thread on a military website about the first to actually set foot on France on D Day. It appears that two gilder pilots were thrown out of their cockpit on landing and arrived most probably not on their feet. (Attitude AoT) Both pilots lived long lives afterwards and it was almost a comedy act that the two did gentle natured bickering about who got to their feet first. Most agree that SSgt Wallwork was the first.

The closest I can get to a Nottingham soldier arriving in Normandy is Cpl (later Sgt) William Bartle of Goodliffe St in Hyson Green. Arrived at 00:05 UK time, 01:05 French time. Well ahead of the Band of Brothers lot.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

mercurydancer (#3), when I log into Nottstalgia I always use the 'View New Content' facility and your post wasn't on it. I also checked 'Forums' to see if anyone had started a thread about D-Day and there was nothing there so I entered my post (#1). The important thing is that we both remembered our fallen heroes.

[mercurydancer 1,104]

Michael

Indeed. You are completely correct in that the essential thing is that we remember those who went before us. That is the most important element by any measure. It does not matter which thread, or who posted it.

I posted last year, and this year, and I will do so next year, about the D Day landings. 23:16. Will you join me next year?

[DJBrenton 738]

There's a 15 minute video analysis of the loss of life in WWII that mentions the American deaths on D Day as if they are numerically significant then goes on to put them into perspective. Watch the whole video and it really amkes you think. Just as a teaser, it mentions that 16% of the population of Poland died in the war.

http://io9.com/this-animated-data-visualization-of-world-war-ii-fatali-1709065880

It really is worth spending 15 minutes of your life on this film.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry based at Carlton were the first yeomanry to arrive on the D Day beaches 2 minutes before H Hour in Sherman DD tanks. Their recce troop were also the first British unit to enter Germany. Your local hero's.

[mercurydancer 1,104]

Numerically the number of casualties in WW2 is immense. I have seen concentration camp grave markers which estimate the numbers of dead to within the nearest thousand. Next to the marker is another slab, with another estimate, and the row of slabs goes on and on.

I know the American graveyard well. It has almost 10,000 graves and another 1500 missing. Thats almost the population of Selston. That is a lot of soldiers.

Its not about numbers it is about people. I have spent a lot of time researching the history of soldiers, mainly from Nottingham. Each one is a person, and it gives me much delight to realise who they were, from the home they left to go to war, to the graves or to their lives back in UK. I cannot change what happened to them but maybe I can shed some light on who they were.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

^^^^^^^One thing that might interest you. The SRY are the only regiment to have a picture archive of the graves of all their fallen. It's on their history web site.

[mercurydancer 1,104]

Newbasfordlad

Led by Cpt McKay.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

If you mean who organised the taking of the pictures that was all done by Ken Ewing, Ken joined at the start of WW2 and was only one of three that went all the way through the war. Unfortunately Ken died in 2010 and is missed by all the old comrades.

[benjamin1945 16,158]

Had a lovely conversation in Bulwell this morning with a D day veteran,all started with a casual comment as we passed in the Car park behind Argos,turned out he'd been over to France for the recent celebrations,he regailed me with some of his experience's of the event,as he talked i began to think i know this bloke,cut a long story short i did 40 years ago,he was a salesman for 'Cussons' and used to sell their products to Farrands,AB Gibsons and the Coop at the times i was employed there,...............His name was Aubrey and he was 91 years old and sharp as a button,.......as he drove off he shouted i'll buy you a coffee if i see you again in Bulwell,.............he made my day.

[mercurydancer 1,104]

I love threads like this. It makes me think and check all sources.

There is a war diary of 20 September 1944 of SRY which states that Capt Beaty and another Sherman tank went into Germany around the village of Beek which appears to straddle the national boundary. This is one day before Capt McKay entered Germany. It clearly states that Capt Beaty was the first to enter Germany.

It does seem that there is considerable controversy about the first Brit to enter Germany, but it seems very likely (almost certain) that it was a SRY patrol after the Market Garden operation. Its entirely possible that the reconnaissance patrols may have happened simultaneously, or very nearly so.

BBC reported that Capt Ian McKay was the first to enter Germany.

US 82 Airborne 508th were mostly barracked at Wollaton Park.

The background is that the US 82 Airborne 508th were close to the German border but being lightly armed paratroopers they could not assault and needed armour. They requested the British, and this must have meant something to the SRY, to clear the forest close to Beek. Despite some issues to do with the likelihood that SS panzer tanks were waiting, nevertheless SRY did some recce and certainly Capt Beaty and his Sgt in two tanks did a lot of mess for two tanks, and took more than 35 prisoners and loosed off as many rounds as the tanks could carry.

Maybe Capt McKay had the reporters with him, and Beaty did not.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

It is generally accepted by the regiment, that recce troop got there first, however in the fog of war who really knows. The American's often put in a request for the SRY when they needed armour, they had worked together before and knew and trusted each other.

[Oztalgian 3,291]

I'll freely admit to having a lump in my throat as I watch the D Day veterans going back to the beaches in commemoration of those that did not survive.

I then get angry at the politicians in Westminster who have sought to frustrate the will of the peoples vote on Brexit, a freedom that over the years many have given their lives for.

Come election time the voters of the UK should remember these unrepresentative swill just as we should always remember those that made the ultimates sacrifice for our freedom.