D Day anniversary

[A57 the snake]

Would not 2nd September be more appropriate? As usual those who were fighting in the far East are not fully recognised or celebrated.

A date set aside just to celebrate and to remember, I had an uncle in Burma so I know where your coming from Rick.

 

[RadcliffeRick]

Anybody else watched the longest day this week?

 

[Elbow beards]

Anybody else watched the longest day this week?

What channel is it on?

 

[RadcliffeRick]

What channel is it on?

Streaming it. Need to watch it to remember what a fantastic undertaking it was.

 

[Elbow beards]

Streaming it. Need to watch it to remember what a fantastic undertaking it was.

The most accurate portrait of D Day made. Richard Todd was one of the soldiers that took Pegasus bridge in real life.

 

[i kne albert davy]

The most accurate portrait of D Day made. Richard Todd was one of the soldiers that took Pegasus bridge in real life.

Yep unlike saving bloody private Ryan it actually showed Great Britain and its Empire actually played a part.

 

[A57 the snake]

Anybody else watched the longest day this week?

That’s mad mate I did !! I don’t think there’s ever been a film made of so many stars in.
Apparently the story is that of all people, a condition of John Wayne’s appearance was that his name was first and written larger than any other actors in the credits.
Great, great film though.

 

[burning blue soul]

Am I alone in not understanding this country's obsession with ww2?
I find it almost distasteful.
It's like the country has absolutely nothing else to celebrate.
Clinging onto something nearly 5 generations ago.
I respect the sacrifices made, but look forward, ffs!!!

 

[mexico1970]

That’s mad mate I did !! I don’t think there’s ever been a film made of so many stars in.
Apparently the story is that of all people, a condition of John Wayne’s appearance was that his name was first and written larger than any other actors in the credits.
Great, great film though.

I have just downloaded it for later after this thread reminding me.

 

[A57 the snake]

I have just downloaded it for later after this thread reminding me.

Top man .

 

[levets]

Streaming it. Need to watch it to remember what a fantastic undertaking it was.

What channel is it on?

BBC IPlayer. I watched it last night. One of my favourite films of all time.

 

[Elbow beards]

BBC IPlayer. I watched it last night. One of my favourite films of all time.

Cheers for that, not seen it for years, will give it a whirl.

 

[RadcliffeRick]

Fewer and fewer of those involved every year, we need to recognise their achievements every year especially the way the world is going now.

 

[AliBobbyJ]

Posted this elsewhere before but it's a good story that I like telling.
When I taught in London many years ago I took a school party to Normandy for a week. We did Bayeux, museums, seaside resorts, etc. and spent a day at the D-Day landing grounds and the Arromanches war cemetery. Most of the kids were respectful/awed but two scrotes pissed about in the cemetery so much I sent them back to the car park to wait by the coach. When we all got back they were both upset, one with a swollen cheek and the other with a fat lip. Turns out two of the old French gardeners tending the graves had seen how they'd behaved and followed them out before giving them each a slap. They demanded I go and complain and said they'd tell their parents. I went over to give the gardeners a bottle of Calvados to say thanks.

 

[Always Ali]

Am I alone in not understanding this country's obsession with ww2?
I find it almost distasteful.
It's like the country has absolutely nothing else to celebrate.
Clinging onto something nearly 5 generations ago.
I respect the sacrifices made, but look forward, ffs!!!

I know, imagine remembering the time a lunatic from Austria became the German leader, played on raging nationalism and tried to take Europe by force, killing 100's of 1000's of people in the process. Reminding people that this happened in Europe less than 90 years ago is important (as well as, to some at least, truly fascinating).

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

I know, imagine remembering the time a lunatic from Austria became the German leader, played on raging nationalism and tried to take Europe by force, killing 100's of 1000's of people in the process. Reminding people that this happened in Europe less than 90 years ago is important (as well as, to some at least, truly fascinating).

Agree. The concept of what was done on this day in 1944 is beyond comprehension. I've read multiple books on the detail and it blows my mind. I have an interest as my grandfather was there. Not on the beach but on the command ship of gold beach. He was part of the Royal signals, a veteran of beach landings in Italy by the time d day came around and his role was in transmitting the radio messages from the beach to the commanders on board and then sending radio messages back to the beach.

He survived the war but died before I was born. My mum says he didn't talk much about it but was pretty adamant he was never going to go to italy again.

 

[Lost in space]

Posted this elsewhere before but it's a good story that I like telling.
When I taught in London many years ago I took a school party to Normandy for a week. We did Bayeux, museums, seaside resorts, etc. and spent a day at the D-Day landing grounds and the Arromanches war cemetery. Most of the kids were respectful/awed but two scrotes pissed about in the cemetery so much I sent them back to the car park to wait by the coach. When we all got back they were both upset, one with a swollen cheek and the other with a fat lip. Turns out two of the old French gardeners tending the graves had seen how they'd behaved and followed them out before giving them each a slap. They demanded I go and complain and said they'd tell their parents. I went over to give the gardeners a bottle of Calvados to say thanks.

Well done my man. I hope they learned a valuable life lesson that day.
Nobody should ever forget the sacrifices made by the brave for the sake of our freedom

 

[burning blue soul]

I know, imagine remembering the time a lunatic from Austria became the German leader, played on raging nationalism and tried to take Europe by force, killing 100's of 1000's of people in the process. Reminding people that this happened in Europe less than 90 years ago is important (as well as, to some at least, truly fascinating).

Well, it's good to see my post got an instant reaction ;)

I stand by my comment. This country is backwards looking. As long as it continues the country will decline.

Oh, and as far as remembering what that outrageous dictator did, so it doesn't happen again goes...
Just look across the Atlantic to the fascist who cherry picked the "best bits" out of Hitlers doctrine and is now running the world. From the seat of the so-called 'cradle of democracy'.

The problem with living in the past is not only do you lose sight of the future, you invite to be forgotten, and are destined to make the same mistakes.

 

[Bluesince1979]

Am I alone in not understanding this country's obsession with ww2?
I find it almost distasteful.
It's like the country has absolutely nothing else to celebrate.
Clinging onto something nearly 5 generations ago.
I respect the sacrifices made, but look forward, ffs!!!

Yes i think youll he largely alone

 

[Bluesince1979]

Just an unimaginable sacrifice that young men and the country as a whole made.

My grandad was a desert rat, so not in d-day, but fought for all 6 years of the war without coming back once.
He was a printer, not a soldier.

My mrs grandad was special forces, dropped behind enemy lines on d-day. A very dangerous mission.
He never spoke about it to anyone! Sold his medals.
She only learned this after extensive research and found the details in a book!
Thankfully his daughter, my mum in law) and sons are still alive to learn what their dad did

As someone said, all this was only a few generations ago. My nanna is 96 and lived through the war, its still in living memory.

Anyone asking why their is still an obsession with it needs to look at themselves.