D-Day 75th Anniversary

Flibster · 5 Jun 2019 at 22:06

I was over in Normandy a few years ago, for D-Day, spent June 6th itself on the Beaches and in Arromanches and it was an amazing experience, talking to the the Veterans and just taking it all in.

Couldn't make it over this year as I initially planned so instead, I spent the day at Duxford today for the Daks over Duxford event.

23 Dakotas were meant to be operating from Duxford today. Largest formation of Daks since the 10 loaded with paratroopers. Other 13 were going to be in formation, and joined with more towards Normandy.

Sadly 2 went tech (1 yesterday and 1 today), so 21 took off and made it over.

Drop was successful

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1136332386189369345

Anyway, Veterans are on the way over now on the special ferry.

Although, 2 arrived early, courtesy of the Red Devils. One of them is 94. Long video, but is the raw footage as far as I can tell. Jump happens at about 8 minutes.

Portsmouth had a ceremony, haven't seen it all, but it looks very well done.

And lets end on this. The Last Post played at Pegasus Bridge. The site of the the first infantry combat mission of D-Day.

Rroff · 5 Jun 2019 at 22:11

Something I find kind of hard to get my head around - approx. the same amount of time has past since I was born until today as passed from D-Day until I was born.

Dis86 · 5 Jun 2019 at 22:12

I still remember the 50th anniversary and meeting some of the vets. Brave brave men.

badgeruk · 5 Jun 2019 at 22:24

Boss shut the firm for a few hours today so we could all go and watch them fly over Allhallows. Was great seeing them fly past and the weather held off as well which was nice.

Liquid_Entity · 5 Jun 2019 at 22:26

I was over for the 60th and my mum and grandad are on the boat from Portsmouth today. It's a very humbling experience seeing all the graves scattered around the area and talking to the vets. My grandad never really speaks about it and I don't blame him.

rebel rebel · 5 Jun 2019 at 22:29

The Dakota's flew over my house today. They sounded amazing.

Flibster · 6 Jun 2019 at 00:03

First semi-raw photos from the paras loading up today.

If you ignore the phones and gopros and the fact that they're not carrying weapons, it could almost be 1944.

View attachment DRn3wxc.jpg

mmj_uk · 6 Jun 2019 at 00:49

We need them to come back and fight for freedom online as none of the current generations care very much about increasing online censorship.

Roar87 · 6 Jun 2019 at 00:56

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-48525818/d-day-as-the-bbc-reported-it-on-radio-news

I really liked this video. Who would've thought that we would liberate all those countries and then we'd need to liberate ourselves from them

Suicidal Ferret · 6 Jun 2019 at 00:56

Really? Censorship is on par with mass murder of millions now is it?

Have some respect. They fought to save lives, not for the freedom to post anonymous random drivel on the net.

Scania · 6 Jun 2019 at 05:53

Roar87 said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-48525818/d-day-as-the-bbc-reported-it-on-radio-news

I really liked this video. Who would've thought that we would liberate all those countries and then we'd need to liberate ourselves from them

Yes but had we all been part of a union of nations in 1939 - including Germany - it’s highly unlikely we’d even be having this discussion.

For all it’s many many flaws, the EU and it’s predecessors has successfully prevented something starting in Europe again, namely another world war, something I think many have completely overlooked.

StriderX · 6 Jun 2019 at 06:28

Here comes the disrespectful political discussion as ordered... seriously folks, just dont.

https://www.forces.net/news/wwii/more-half-public-do-not-know-what-d-day-survey-shows

When asked who the Allied Forces fighting on D-Day were, only 57% of people correctly chose Germany from a list of suggested enemies.

A poll by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and YouGov found only 49% of people questioned could select the correct term used to describe D-Day.

Awkward, seems to be an education problem here.

Azza · 6 Jun 2019 at 07:15

Bletchley Park are tweeting decrypted enigma messages as they occured.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1135932606875410432

Terminal_Boy · 6 Jun 2019 at 07:40

Scania said:
Yes but had we all been part of a union of nations in 1939 - including Germany - it’s highly unlikely we’d even be having this discussion.

For all it’s many many flaws, the EU and it’s predecessors has successfully prevented something starting in Europe again, namely another world war, something I think many have completely overlooked.

No, just no. The EU hasn’t prevented WW3 kicking off in Europe. NATO and parking 4 armies in Germany for 50 years did.

Diddums · 6 Jun 2019 at 07:45

mmj_uk said:
We need them to come back and fight for freedom online as none of the current generations care very much about increasing online censorship.

Oh just **** off already.

Hopefully we’ll never need to put people in these situations again, selflessness like this is a dying trait. True heroes.

Scania · 6 Jun 2019 at 07:47

Terminal_Boy said:
No, just no. The EU hasn’t prevented WW3 kicking off in Europe. NATO and parking 4 armies in Germany for 50 years did.

Pax Europaea (English: the European peace – after the historical Pax Romana), is the period of relative peace experienced by Europe in the period following World War II—often associated above all with the creation of the European Union (EU) and its predecessors.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pax_Europaea?wprov=sfti1

Why do you think the EU as an organisation won the Nobel Peace prize?

Terminal_Boy · 6 Jun 2019 at 07:58

Scania said:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pax_Europaea?wprov=sfti1

Why do you think the EU as an organisation won the Nobel Peace prize?

They gave that to Barry O’Bomber 3 years earlier just for not being George Bush.

RoboCod · 6 Jun 2019 at 08:34

Can't help but feel raw emotion of pride and sadness when watching the old boys and hearing their stories. Outrageous bravery.

dodg3rman · 6 Jun 2019 at 09:12

I know I will be a jibbering wreck when watching these commemorations as the emotion is just too much for me. It's the same on Remembrance Day I cry like a baby thinking of what everyone had to go through and the families torn apart.

ic1male · 6 Jun 2019 at 09:17

I've already been blubbing during BBC Breakfast when Harry Billinge was telling his story.

Do the Americans do anything special for their part? Understandably, the BBC is concentrating on the two British beaches and you never really hear anything about what happened on the US/Canadian beaches.

Bit on their evening news (12m 24s onwards)