On this date 70 years ago did the Quebecois of the Régiment de la Chaudière return to rescue their ancestral homeland from the sales Boches on the glorious shores of Juno Beach. Some other nationalities were involved as well, including my wife's Grandfather.
You go Grandpa-in-law.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi93.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fl58%2FValmy77%2FEllisMayoCleveland_zpsf4bcd7a6.jpg&hash=dca09e71610259c0f63b67068eae805e8366919b)
:thumbsup:
My grandparents didn't participate in D-Day. One was busy getting killed in Russia, the other was busy driving around SS officers.
:salute:
One grand pa was too old for service, the other was too young.
Quote from: Syt on June 06, 2014, 11:38:28 AM
My grandparents didn't participate in D-Day. One was busy getting killed in Russia, the other was busy driving around SS officers.
One of my grandfathers was busy being an aircraft spotter in Hungary (awesome soldier assignment, if you think about it, thank you lame radarless WW2 Hungary), the other was busy being a teenager, soon to be bossed around by various German and Soviet units at various parts in the county, as a civilian caught between frontlines.
http://www.economist.com/node/16885894?fsrc=scn%2Ftw%2Fte%2Fpe%2Fed%2Fbagpiper
(from 2010, but appropriate for today)
QuoteBill Millin, piper at the D-Day landings, died on August 17th, aged 88
Aug 26th 2010 | From the print edition
ANY reasonable observer might have thought Bill Millin was unarmed as he jumped off the landing ramp at Sword Beach, in Normandy, on June 6th 1944. Unlike his colleagues, the pale 21-year-old held no rifle in his hands. Of course, in full Highland rig as he was, he had his trusty skean dhu, his little dirk, tucked in his right sock. But that was soon under three feet of water as he waded ashore, a weary soldier still smelling his own vomit from a night in a close boat on a choppy sea, and whose kilt in the freezing water was floating prettily round him like a ballerina's skirt.
But Mr Millin was not unarmed; far from it. He held his pipes, high over his head at first to keep them from the wet (for while whisky was said to be good for the bag, salt water wasn't), then cradled in his arms to play. And bagpipes, by long tradition, counted as instruments of war. An English judge had said so after the Scots' great defeat at Culloden in 1746; a piper was a fighter like the rest, and his music was his weapon. The whining skirl of the pipes had struck dread into the Germans on the Somme, who had called the kilted pipers "Ladies from Hell". And it raised the hearts and minds of the home side, so much so that when Mr Millin played on June 5th, as the troops left for France past the Isle of Wight and he was standing on the bowsprit just about keeping his balance above the waves getting rougher, the wild cheers of the crowd drowned out the sound of his pipes even to himself.
His playing had been planned as part of the operation. On commando training near Fort William he had struck up a friendship with Lord Lovat, the officer in charge of the 1st Special Service Brigade. Not that they had much in common. Mr Millin was short, with a broad cheeky face, the son of a Glasgow policeman; his sharpest childhood memory was of being one of the "poor", sleeping on deck, on the family's return in 1925 from Canada to Scotland. Lovat was tall, lanky, outrageously handsome and romantic, with a castle towering above the river at Beauly, near Inverness. He had asked Mr Millin to be his personal piper: not a feudal but a military arrangement. The War Office in London now forbade pipers to play in battle, but Mr Millin and Lord Lovat, as Scots, plotted rebellion. In this "greatest invasion in history", Lovat wanted pipes to lead the way.
He was ordering now, as they waded up Sword Beach, in that drawly voice of his: "Give us a tune, piper." Mr Millin thought him a mad bastard. The man beside him, on the point of jumping off, had taken a bullet in the face and gone under. But there was Lovat, strolling through fire quite calmly in his aristocratic way, allegedly wearing a monogrammed white pullover under his jacket and carrying an ancient Winchester rifle, so if he was mad Mr Millin thought he might as well be ridiculous too, and struck up "Hielan' Laddie". Lovat approved it with a thumbs-up, and asked for "The Road to the Isles". Mr Millin inquired, half-joking, whether he should walk up and down in the traditional way of pipers. "Oh, yes. That would be lovely."
Three times therefore he walked up and down at the edge of the sea. He remembered the sand shaking under his feet from mortar fire and the dead bodies rolling in the surf, against his legs. For the rest of the day, whenever required, he played. He piped the advancing troops along the raised road by the Caen canal, seeing the flashes from the rifle of a sniper about 100 yards ahead, noticing only after a minute or so that everyone behind him had hit the deck in the dust. When Lovat had dispatched the sniper, he struck up again. He led the company down the main street of Bénouville playing "Blue Bonnets over the Border", refusing to run when the commander of 6 Commando urged him to; pipers walked as they played.
He took them across two bridges, one (later renamed the Pegasus Bridge) ringing and banging as shrapnel hit the metal sides, one merely with railings which bullets whistled through: "the longest bridge I ever piped across." Those two crossings marked their successful rendezvous with the troops who had preceded them. All the way, he learned later, German snipers had had him in their sights but, out of pity for this madman, had not fired. That was their story. Mr Millin himself knew he wasn't going to die. Piping was too enjoyable, as he had discovered in the Boys' Brigade band and all through his short army career. And piping protected him.
The Nut-Brown Maiden
The pipes themselves were less lucky, injured by shrapnel as he dived into a ditch. He could still play them, but four days later they took a direct hit on the chanter and the drone when he had laid them down in the grass, and that was that. The last tune they had piped on D-Day was "The Nut-Brown Maiden", played for a small red-haired French girl who, with her folks cowering behind her, had asked him for music as he passed their farm.
He gave the pipes later to the museum at the Pegasus Bridge, which he often revisited, and sometimes piped across, during his long and quiet post-war career as a mental nurse at Dawlish in Devon. On one such visit, in full Highland rig with his pipes in his arms, he was approached by a smartly dressed woman of a certain age, with faded red hair, who planted a joyous kiss of remembrance on his cheek.
One of my grandfather's brothers fell in France (or at least "the West") in 1944, so I guess he could have been involved.
Flanby delivered some banal, boring speeches along with a common barbarism among (wannabe) pedants, un faux imparfait du subjonctif.
My granddad was fueling up bombers at Wright-Patt when all this was going on. Never stepped foot outside the US.
One of my grandfathers was a minister so escaped wartime service by being exempt, but the other was in the USAAF and started off as a radioman on B-24s. By the time D-Day rolled around however he was doing some sort of radio work on the ground at RAF Sheffield so didn't participate.
My cousin's wife's grandfather however did land at Utah Beach. He is still among the living. :cool:
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on June 06, 2014, 11:46:44 AM
Flanby delivered some banal, boring speeches along with a common barbarism among (wannabe) pedants, un faux imparfait du subjonctif.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
The Nazis lost, stop it.
QuoteThose two crossings marked their successful rendezvous with the troops who had preceded them. All the way, he learned later, German snipers had had him in their sights but, out of pity for this madman, had not fired. That was their story. Mr Millin himself knew he wasn't going to die. Piping was too enjoyable, as he had discovered in the Boys' Brigade band and all through his short army career. And piping protected him.
Cool story, especially about meeting that French girl, then a woman, later after the war during a visit to the memorials.
My father and two of his brothers served in Europe in the artillery, combat infantry, and OSS working with Italian partisans since at least one uncle was pretty fluent in Italian. Other great uncles served in the pacific, army, navy and marines. Some of them saw a lot of combat. I was glad that they talked about their experiences even though some of the stuff they went through was extremely rugged. It was good to let their kids and families know, IMO.
Quote from: Caliga on June 06, 2014, 12:00:01 PM
One of my grandfathers was a minister so escaped wartime service by being exempt, but the other was in the USAAF and started off as a radioman on B-24s. By the time D-Day rolled around however he was doing some sort of radio work on the ground at RAF Sheffield so didn't participate.
My granddad had some cool WWII-related stories to tell but it was all second-hand or home front stuff. When I joined Odd (should be "Old") Fellows in the early 90s we had quite a few WWII vets in the lodge and had all sorts of cool stories to tell. I think three of them were fighter pilots (two Navy, one USAAF).
The most interesting stories were from a guy who was an Army field artillery sergeant (forget what unit) and he was involved in a lot of the heavy fighting in Western Europe 1944-45. He said he saw a few "impressive" tank battles.
QuoteMy cousin's wife's grandfather however did land at Utah Beach. He is still among the living. :cool:
Sad that we're losing so many. What makes me feel old is that I remember when there were still quite a few WWI veterans.
My paternal grandfather was too old to be in the military in 1944. His youngest brother was an officer in the Finnish army, so he was fighting the Russian hordes at the time.
My maternal grandfather was an officer in the Swedish army.
My Grandfather fought with Patton's Third Army in France/Germany. He was a company cook IIRC.
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 06, 2014, 12:02:26 PM
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on June 06, 2014, 11:46:44 AM
Flanby delivered some banal, boring speeches along with a common barbarism among (wannabe) pedants, un faux imparfait du subjonctif.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
The Nazis lost, stop it.
Well, that's not the way I would describe Merkel (among others) falling nearly asleep during the speech but then the temperature was hot for Normandy, the chair comfy and the eyes closed.
Sarkozy was laughing at times OTOH
That's Hollande's nickname? That's awesome. :lol:
Quote from: Valmy on June 06, 2014, 12:27:47 PM
That's Hollande's nickname? That's awesome. :lol:
That's Caramel pudding (Flanby is a famous brand) for the non-Francophones. Given by Fabius, no less.
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on June 06, 2014, 12:26:15 PM
Well, that's not the way I would describe Merkel (among others) falling nearly asleep during the speech but then the temperature was hot for Normandy, the chair comfy and the eyes closed.
At least she seems to have brought Putin and Poroshenko together. That's her job and more important than listening to some festive speeches.
Well, I'm glad the invasion happened. Otherwise we might all be speaking Russian. :P
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on June 06, 2014, 12:26:15 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 06, 2014, 12:02:26 PM
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on June 06, 2014, 11:46:44 AM
Flanby delivered some banal, boring speeches along with a common barbarism among (wannabe) pedants, un faux imparfait du subjonctif.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
The Nazis lost, stop it.
Well, that's not the way I would describe Merkel (among others) falling nearly asleep during the speech but then the temperature was hot for Normandy, the chair comfy and the eyes closed.
Sarkozy was laughing at times OTOH
I miss Sarko.
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on June 06, 2014, 12:30:50 PM
Quote from: Valmy on June 06, 2014, 12:27:47 PM
That's Hollande's nickname? That's awesome. :lol:
That's Caramel pudding (Flanby is a famous brand) for the non-Francophones. Given by Fabius, no less.
Is it similar to flan?
Being just under 100 miles north of Utah beach and the rest of normandy landing sites, there are airfields built and used in the invasion in all directions hereabouts. As well as other military structures disappearing back into the landscape.
So I'm often reminded of D-day on a weekly basis.
Quote from: derspiess on June 06, 2014, 12:15:52 PM
My granddad had some cool WWII-related stories to tell but it was all second-hand or home front stuff. When I joined Odd (should be "Old") Fellows in the early 90s we had quite a few WWII vets in the lodge and had all sorts of cool stories to tell. I think three of them were fighter pilots (two Navy, one USAAF).
The most interesting stories were from a guy who was an Army field artillery sergeant (forget what unit) and he was involved in a lot of the heavy fighting in Western Europe 1944-45. He said he saw a few "impressive" tank battles.
You're in the Odd Fellows? I didn't know there even were any of those anymore... :hmm:
My grandfather didn't like to talk about the war. He was on at least one bombing run where his plane got shot up and some of the other crewmen were killed. It was after that he somehow managed to get transferred to a ground job. His twin brother, OTOH, loved to talk about the war, and it's not like his experience wasn't traumatic either... he was a PBY Catalina pilot in the USN and was shot down off the New Guinea coast at one point.
Quote from: derspiess on June 06, 2014, 12:39:43 PM
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on June 06, 2014, 12:30:50 PM
Quote from: Valmy on June 06, 2014, 12:27:47 PM
That's Hollande's nickname? That's awesome. :lol:
That's Caramel pudding (Flanby is a famous brand) for the non-Francophones. Given by Fabius, no less.
Is it similar to flan?
Yes.
For you, its the same thing.
For Duque, Flans have flour, Caramel Pudding doesn't.
Quote from: Caliga on June 06, 2014, 12:43:08 PM
You're in the Odd Fellows? I didn't know there even were any of those anymore... :hmm:
Considerably fewer than there were a generation or two ago, but we're still kickin'. Some lodges have closed down or consolidated, and some are quite active. The upside is that most lodges' investments and assets have remained intact or have grown. So there are a lot of funds available for member benefits, dinners/social activities, and sponsorship/charity.
IOOF used to be huge, rivaling (at times surpassing) membership in Masonic lodges. But we're a shell of what we used to be.
Is that the one that's basically just a closed social club for drinking, or am I thinking of the Elks? I know they all do some charity work on the side, but I thought there was one that didn't have degrees, ritual, shit like that.
Quote from: Caliga on June 06, 2014, 01:33:22 PM
Is that the one that's basically just a closed social club for drinking, or am I thinking of the Elks? I know they all do some charity work on the side, but I thought there was one that didn't have degrees, ritual, shit like that.
That might be Elks, dunno. We don't have any official prohibition against alcohol but I've never seen any in the Lodge. Maybe when we go out to eat some of us will order a beer or two with our meal (which is apparently frowned on by some members but whatever).
And we have a ton of rituals. Only three degrees for the basic level, but there are other internal IOOF groups you can join that have their own degrees & ranks (including the official "semi-military" wing, the concept of which is hilarious).
What is: Elks?
Quote from: The Brain on June 06, 2014, 02:09:47 PM
What is: Elks?
A benevolent and protective order: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benevolent_and_Protective_Order_of_Elks
Also, an animal:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Feofdreams.com%2Fdata_images%2Fdreams%2Felk%2Felk-06.jpg&hash=d350962a552c51e3b6ca75b67be28c7befb9b9ec)
Quote from: Caliga on June 06, 2014, 01:33:22 PM
Is that the one that's basically just a closed social club for drinking, or am I thinking of the Elks? I know they all do some charity work on the side, but I thought there was one that didn't have degrees, ritual, shit like that.
You're thinking of the Moose Lodge.
Ah, ok. Founded right here in Louisville. :cool:
This cannot be proper etiquette. :bowler:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbcimg.co.uk%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2F75351000%2Fjpg%2F_75351623_obama_queen.jpg&hash=c6409c4520f5350814bd5bba9a5a419d7d4a37db)
Damn Obama has exotic tastes. Prime Ministers and Monarchs only.
Also from the ceremony:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FfPpNdmD.jpg&hash=cdbf0e69745bf54120a1d8c02393d07cb917f650)
Good summary of East / West current relations.
Actually I am surprised Putin showed up, Russia had no direct involvement. Though I guess Obama would be expected to turn up for Stalingrad ceremonies.
The next such celebration would be the victory parade in Moscow on 9th May next year.
Well the Russians are moving back from the eastern border of Ukraine so maybe the "You can't eat at our lunch table", politics is working. :hmm:
Quote from: Razgovory on June 06, 2014, 03:08:13 PM
Well the Russians are moving back from the eastern border of Ukraine so maybe the "You can't eat at our lunch table", politics is working. :hmm:
That policy may need some more work as Putin did in fact eat at their lunch table...
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2Fi%2Fpix%2F2014%2F06%2F06%2Farticle-2650417-1E86F6FE00000578-438_964x644.jpg&hash=b451f1bf969b8e839431e74a81b8be0bf761103a)
Jeez, maybe it's time to stop wheeling the poor queen out for public events. :(
Anyone else catch the translation of what Hollande and the war veteran were discussing at the main ceremony?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 06, 2014, 03:17:32 PM
Jeez, maybe it's time to stop wheeling the poor queen out for public events. :(
I'd guess this was one of those that she particularly wanted to attend, she was certainly animated and talkative enough.
I'm guessing she's had a lifetime of sitting through some dreadfully dull functions, those should be cut back first.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 06, 2014, 03:17:32 PM
Jeez, maybe it's time to stop wheeling the poor queen out for public events. :(
I'm under the impression that it's her call when to stop wheeling.
She's probably the only one there that actually remembers D-Day.
Quote from: Razgovory on June 06, 2014, 03:50:28 PM
She's probably the only one there that actually remembers D-Day.
Yeah she was a teenager wasn't she? Woah.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 06, 2014, 03:17:32 PM
Jeez, maybe it's time to stop wheeling the poor queen out for public events. :(
There is nothing poor about her.
I am quite happy our Queen is attending this event.
Quote from: Valmy on June 06, 2014, 03:52:25 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on June 06, 2014, 03:50:28 PM
She's probably the only one there that actually remembers D-Day.
Yeah she was a teenager wasn't she? Woah.
She is the last surviving head of state to have actually served in uniform in WW2.
Also, she was very cute back in the day!
http://long-may-she-rain.blogspot.ca/2012/03/international-womens-day-2012.html
Her health might be a bit poor, but I guess not considering her age. I am a big fan of your Queen. :)
Quote from: Malthus on June 06, 2014, 04:01:12 PM
She is the last surviving head of state to have actually served in uniform in WW2.
Also, she was very cute back in the day!
http://long-may-she-rain.blogspot.ca/2012/03/international-womens-day-2012.html (http://long-may-she-rain.blogspot.ca/2012/03/international-womens-day-2012.html)
And she's a trained truck mechanic!
Methinks her mechanic skills might be a bit rusty at this point.
Quote from: Razgovory on June 06, 2014, 04:05:08 PM
And she's a trained truck mechanic!
Always handy to have a skill to fall back on.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 06, 2014, 03:17:32 PM
Jeez, maybe it's time to stop wheeling the poor queen out for public events. :(
She's checking her Twitter feed.
Quote from: Caliga on June 06, 2014, 04:07:22 PM
Methinks her mechanic skills might be a bit rusty at this point.
I bet she can still do lube jobs.
Giorgio Napolitano was there as well, so she wasn't the only one who would remember D-Day. He may not have fought in uniform, but he was active in the resistance against the Italian fascists.
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 06, 2014, 12:46:39 PM
Quote from: derspiess on June 06, 2014, 12:39:43 PM
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on June 06, 2014, 12:30:50 PM
Quote from: Valmy on June 06, 2014, 12:27:47 PM
That's Hollande's nickname? That's awesome. :lol:
That's Caramel pudding (Flanby is a famous brand) for the non-Francophones. Given by Fabius, no less.
Is it similar to flan?
Yes.
For you, its the same thing.
For Duque, Flans have flour, Caramel Pudding doesn't.
I never thought I'd see the day Grey Fox would be a purist about language and food like a true Frenchman. :) Victoire !
Btw, I said for the non-Francophone ;)
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 06, 2014, 03:17:32 PM
Jeez, maybe it's time to stop wheeling the poor queen out for public events. :(
There's no way she'd miss this. They're her generation.
She's getting the younger generation to do lots of things now, but I imagine Remembrance Sunday and things like this will be the last thing she'll give up.
Some pictures from the day:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27727856
Also my favourite story:
QuoteD-Day: Hove veteran disappears for Normandy trip
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbcimg.co.uk%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2F75366000%2Fjpg%2F_75366979_cam00113.jpg&hash=23d06fb11b413fc0fc2d081af8d09f16fa756cb7)
Bernard Jordan was described as "a game old boy" by ferry staff, who met him on his way to France
A World War Two veteran who disappeared from his nursing home to attend the D-Day commemorations in France is on his way back to the UK.
Bernard Jordan, 89, left the home in Hove unannounced at 10:30 BST on Thursday and was reported missing to Sussex Police that evening.
Staff later discovered he had joined other veterans in France.
The former Royal Navy officer said he hoped his trip would not land him in trouble.
On Friday evening, it was confirmed Mr Jordan was on an overnight ferry and had been given a cabin, meals and a transfer back to his nursing home.
Prior to embarking, Mr Jordan told ITV News: "I have been here last year and I have been here obviously this time... but if I am still about I shall try next year's as well."
Asked if he would be in trouble when he returned home, he added: "I might be, but I hope not."
Ship's liaison officer Sonia Pittam, who met Mr Jordan on his way to France, said: "I knew he was a game old boy.
"He certainly has his wits about him, he didn't say much about the landings, just how pleased he was to be on board and couldn't believe how everyone was looking after them [veterans] and all the people waving on the route to the harbour entrance.
"He kept saying, 'All this for us'."
Peter Curtis, chief executive of Gracewell Care Homes, said he had spoken to Mr Jordan's guide and added: "He found it all very emotional - much more than he was expecting, which is why he wants to come home early."
He said he thought Mr Jordan wanted to be back at the care home with his wife Irene, and added that he would be meeting the veteran when he disembarks the ferry.
Mr Jordan, who was mayor of Hove from 1995-96, is a resident of The Pines nursing home in Hove.
'Missing with medals'
Hundreds of veterans marked the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France, with events on the beaches of Normandy.
The landings were the first stage of the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe.
Earlier, it was believed care home staff stopped Mr Jordan from going to the events.
Brighton and Hove police had tweeted: "90 year old veteran reported missing from care home. Turns out they'd said no to him going to #DDay70 but he went anyway #fightingspirit"
The pensioner had gone out wearing a grey raincoat and a jacket underneath with his war medals on, Sussex Police said.
A police spokesman earlier said: "We have spoken to the veteran who called the home today and are satisfied that the pensioner is fine and that his friends are going to ensure he gets back to Hove safely over the next couple of days after the D-Day celebrations finish.
"Once the pensioner is home, we will go and have a chat with him to check he is OK."
Nev Kemp, the police commander for the City of Brighton & Hove, tweeted: "Love this: 89yr old veteran reported missing by care home who said he can't go to Normandy for #DDay70 remembrance. We've found him there!"
But Mr Curtis said it was "definitely not the case" that Mr Jordan was banned from attending the D-Day commemorations.
He said: "Mr Jordan has full capacity, which means that he can come and go from the home as he pleases, which he does on most days.
"At no stage was he banned from going to the commemorations."
'Disappointment over tour'
Staff had in fact tried to get Mr Jordan on to an accredited tour with the Royal British Legion, he added, but it had not been possible because of the last-minute nature of the request.
Mr Curtis said: "Mr Jordan was reported missing to the police yesterday evening as a matter of caution because he did not return from his normal trip to town.
"When he left, [he] had not told us he was still intent on trying to get to Normandy."
And he said staff at the company were "in awe" of the part Mr Jordan had played in the D-Day invasion.
According to the company's blog, Mr Jordan has lived in Hove all his life and at the home since January.
It said: "He served in the Second World War in the Royal Navy and upon returning married his sweetheart, Irene."
Brighton councillor Les Hamilton, who preceded Mr Jordan as mayor of Hove said the 89-year-old veteran had previously attended the 50th and 60th memorial services in Normandy.
"The memorial services meant a lot to him. He clearly didn't want to miss what might be his last one."
Also the Telegraph did a minute-by-minute of D-Day:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/10878674/D-Day-6th-June-1944-as-it-happened-live.html
And I loved the way the FT reported D-Day:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpbtfTtIgAAHuRg.jpg)
The invasion's impact on European markets has been underexplored by historians I think
Quote from: Razgovory on June 06, 2014, 03:50:28 PM
She's probably the only one there that actually remembers D-Day.
Do you mean just among the heads of state and the like? 'Cause there were certainly a lnumber of actual D-Day veterans there. Like the 93 year old guy who parachuted in with the 101st Airborne and jumped in again today.
Quote from: dps on June 06, 2014, 10:22:35 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on June 06, 2014, 03:50:28 PM
She's probably the only one there that actually remembers D-Day.
Do you mean just among the heads of state and the like? 'Cause there were certainly a lnumber of actual D-Day veterans there. Like the 93 year old guy who parachuted in with the 101st Airborne and jumped in again today.
I meant in that picture.
Quote from: derspiess on June 06, 2014, 04:19:19 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 06, 2014, 03:17:32 PM
Jeez, maybe it's time to stop wheeling the poor queen out for public events. :(
She's checking her Twitter feed.
#Putinsmells
My grandpa. He spent the war tromping across the Alpine and cisalpine mountains with no boots on. He finally got a purple heart because his toes fell off from frostbite.
But he still served until there was no need.
See...My family is one of railroad riders. Bums. We hitched. Grandpa had been to Chicago and San Antonio a dozen times before he told us about his crazy exploits. No US Army would take him right now.
But those guys won. My grandfather charged a German bunker at Anzio and won a star pushing a grenade through a hole.
He never told me anything about the war until I bought an Anzio playset and he disappointed me with the news that he was the guy on his knees.
I remember my grandfather mostly for this.
He picked up a crawling guy and with tears in his eyes said this was me.
This was me.
Crawling.
The fighting in Italy doesn't nearly get the credit it should get. Monte Cassino and Anzio cost a lot.
In Garth Ennis' War Stories anthology he pays due credit to the tough guys in Italy who some at the time considered to be "D-Day Dodgers".
Lovely climate, great food and hot women. Italy must have been tough.
Quote from: The Brain on June 07, 2014, 06:10:38 AM
Lovely climate, great food and hot women. Italy must have been tough.
I'm sure being pinned down in a marsh while under a hail of German shells was lovely.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 07, 2014, 06:26:49 AM
Quote from: The Brain on June 07, 2014, 06:10:38 AM
Lovely climate, great food and hot women. Italy must have been tough.
I'm sure being pinned down in a marsh while under a hail of German shells was lovely.
Freak.
Quote from: The Brain on June 07, 2014, 06:10:38 AM
Lovely climate, great food and hot women. Italy must have been tough.
Next time you enjoy your pasta, make sure someone drives you forward against deeply entrenched enemies up a hill.
I heard a lot of time was spent in a casino on the Italian front.
They always upped the monte.
Was it the full monte?