“I remember the good friends that I lost there. He was ultimately liberated after 10 months and returned to the US. Less than a month later, he was taken prisoner by the Germans. That was scary," Wallace told The Associated Press. And then whenever the guy dropped us out, we were away from where the rest of the group was. He landed 20 miles (32 kilometers) away from the town of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the first French village to be liberated from Nazi occupation. On D-Day, his plane was hit and caught fire, forcing him to jump earlier than expected. Ray Wallace, 97, a former paratrooper with the US 82nd Airborne Division will be among the dozens of World War II veterans attending the ceremony at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach in the French town of Colleville-sur-Mer. Welcomed to the sound of bagpipes at the Pegasus Memorial in the French town of Ranville, British veterans attended a ceremony commemorating a key operation in the first minutes of the Allied invasion of Normandy, when troops had to take control a strategically crucial bridge. “We’re thinking about all these poor lads who didn’t get off the beach that day, their last day, but they’re always in our minds.” And here we are still living,” he told The Associated Press. It’s a long time ago now, nearly 80 years. “The first thing I remember are the poor lads who didn’t come back. Peter Smoothy, 97, served in the British Royal Navy and landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. On the eve of the D-Day anniversary, veterans, their families and French and international visitors braved the rainy weather on Sunday to take part in series of events marking the 78th anniversary of the Normandy landings. It is the final resting place of 9,386 personnel who died fighting on D-Day and in the operations that followed. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In the French town of Colleville-sur-Mer on Monday, US Air Force aircraft are to fly over the American Cemetery during the commemoration ceremony, in the presence of Army Gen. The celebrations paying tribute to those who brought peace and freedom to the continent have a special resonance this year as war rages once again in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24. If you would like to get fully immersed into the Southwick Revival spirit and wear 1940s outfit, we are happy to recommend Hampshire Wardrobe.This year’s D-Day anniversary comes after two successive years of the Covid-19 pandemic restricted or deterred visitors. Missed out last time? Scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for our newsletter for Early Bird ticket enrolment for Southwick D-Day Revival 2024! Please note – this is a 1940s event, there is no ATM in the village and phone signal is limited to certain networks O2/Vodafone are particular poor! We also have many visitors and outdoor seating can fill up quickly, so please do bring portable seating if you have trouble standing. Over seven annual events from 2014 to 2022 an impressive total of £182,500 has been raised. Raising funds for SSAFA and other charities and funding improvements to village amenities, the Revival has gained a reputation as a quality event providing entertainment and education to several thousand visitors over the course of the weekend in early June. We are grateful to have the ongoing support of Southwick Park, Defence School of Policing and Guarding, and Southwick Estate to ensure the unique aspects of our weekend – the D-Day Map Room in Southwick House and the backdrop of the most Peculiar village!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |