D-Day: before and after

This one is really interesting.

Neat.

I saw a really touching show on CBC. A Canadian woman stationed in London married a Canadian man stationed there on May 11, 1944. They had a brief honeymoon and then he went off to land on Juno beach. He survived the initial attack, but was killed on June 11. So she only had that brief time with him. She said he wanted to go, that he saw it as his job and one that had to be done. He told her something like "we're going there to die." She's going back this year to visit his grave at Bény-sur-Mer - he was the first soldier buried there.

Also is brother was best man at the wedding, and wasn't in the initial assault. He survived, is in his 90's I think, and was still moved to tears talking about it. He and the widow of his brother have stayed in touch all these years.

Here's the rest of the beaches, damn interesting.

Very interesting.

I had done something when I was there with this picture. This tank was taken out by the Regina Rifle's close to their Battalion Headquarters in Bretteville.......only I can't find it to post.

Tanks for trying.

__

Here is a group that you don't hear about very often:

Personnel of Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando "W" land on Mike Beach sector of Juno Beach, 6 June 1944

There's a guy in the US who passed away and had one of the biggest private tank collections in the World which are now for sale.

That was a pretty cool bit on CBC - looks they are going all out for the 70th anniversary of D-Day - saw an ad last night.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/community/d-day- ... -1.2658959

There's a guy in the US who passed away and had one of the biggest private tank collections in the World which are now for sale.


Yeah, there's a thread on it...

jibber-jabber-f9/rare-sale-of-200-wwii-era-military-vehicles-offers-tanks-t108940.html

The 3rd picture, John N. Paterson is a friend of mine's father who I've posted about before. From the Paterson Elevators and Paterson Shipping family. He purchased a Spitfire after the war and restored it to flying condition. He flew it all around the area and local airshows for years before donating it to the National Aviation Museum in Ottawa........where it is prominently displayed to this day.

Very cool!