D-Day Commemorations

British trrops landing on Gold Beach 6th June 1944

Last month in an attempt to avoid the June rush, a friend and I made the trip over to the Normandy beaches, to generally explore the landing sites, monuments and bunkers in the area of Caen. More specifically, I went to see first hand (and for the first time) the places where my Grandfather first experienced the war at the sharp end.

I do not intend to post information specific to L/Cpl Heath until 25^th June which coincides with his own D-Day when he landed with the 59^th (Staffordshire) Division. Nevertheless, it is wholly appropriate that I post other D-Day material here, much of which predates his arrival in France. Whilst he missed the slaughter of the first assault, the SS Panzer Divisions, which the 59^th came up against one month later, were kind enough to hold back plenty of ordinance in reserve to make their reception very lively indeed…… but more of that later.