Commemorating D-Day
From Mick Piggott
Friday, 6 June 2014
I believe it is right that we should commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day. We are not glorifying war by doing so: we are respecting the men and women who took part. I believe that World War 2, unlike the first 'Great' world war, was a just war. Nazism had to be stopped and destroyed.
At the same time, we should remember that to slow any German advance, the Allies bombed and destroyed many, many villages in Normandy. I have just read that 'the number of civilians killed in aerial raids in Normandy was more than twice the number of Allied soldiers who died on the five invasion beaches.' These were not military targets, as such, but they were obliterated to facilitate the Allies' advance. Innocent civilians, men, women and children, were ruthlessly mass-slaughtered in their thousands by our side. No warning was given; perhaps no warning could be given. But we should remember all the horrors of that war.
LEST WE FORGET.
From Julie C
Friday, 6 June 2014
D-day only really made sense to me when I stayed in Normandy over the years, visited the Invasion Beaches, and especially the Museum at Pegasus Bridge.
I met old Veterans on the ferry, one who went every year to the village where he had landed in his parachute, and where his brother had died. He was welcomed and looked after by the Community there, 50+ years on.
On the 60th Anniversary nearly every town, village and crossroads had a Commemoration, not just for the the moment, the actual day of its Liberation, but also to pay respects to the soldiers, resistance fighters, forced labourers and local people who died in the Occupatiion and Liberation.
The sour note in this was the Liberation of Vire, the British were on the road to take this city, it was relatively undefended at that moment, they were held back because it was on the US list to take. The City was then bombed to bits needlessly because by then it was re-inforced by the Nazis. Generally however, it was said that despite the terrible destruction of the countryside and many towns the Liberation was welcomed
From Benny M
Friday, 6 June 2014
I am a veteran as was my father and my Grandfathers and two uncles and one great uncle. Two members of my family died in service and one was wounded enough to be sent home.
I do not beat any drum in triumph. I only think of all who died both military and civilian in conflicts brought on by politicians and bergers of big business who see profits before lives.
I have felt tears role down my cheeks today through a mixture of pride and dismay at the futility of war.
But lets not forget the reason we can make comments like this openly without fear is because of the stand against the Nazi terror that threaten the free world.