Ode To D-day

[PFire23]

I am posting this on behalf of Malahat27 as he was having trouble getting the image accepted.


MalahatTwo7 here:

I found this little poem on the Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters website this morning. This was written by the Father of a member who is currently serving at Land Forces Central Area Headquarters, in Toronto, a unit that I also have the distinction having seved with in the past.

After reading through it I felt that it was appropriate to post up, as many persons from around the world will be making a pilgrimage to Normandy in the next few days to give Honour to their Fallen Comrads.

I found that this poem was applicable not only to those who have family who were involved with the D-Day invasions, but also for those with friends or family who have fallen in peacetime, and not only those on military service.



Here's a link to a site about the author and his family, it's very impressive.

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/GaryQuann/page4.html

[ThNozzleman]

That's very nice. I had a Great Uncle who was a Major in the Marine Corps during D-day. I have to say he was one of the most outstanding individuals I have ever known.

[MalahatTwo7]

D-DAY 6 JUNE 2003

Thank you to Pfire who was able to make the presentation work for me.... I am sometimes technically challenged

Today marks the 56th Anniversary of the Beginning of the End for the German War Machine, and Hitler's visions of Grandeur.

May we all in some way remember the sacirfices made of those men who stormed the beaches that morning, and the sacrifices of the families who supported those men.

I am eternally grateful for their efforts, each time I look around at my family, and know that it was not in vain.

[firefighter26]

I am willing to bet that almost every one of use has a family member who was in action with the armed services that day.

I had a great grand father who landed with the first wave on Juno Beach on D-day. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Electrical/Mechanical Engineers. It was his job to clear the beaches of whatever obstacles he could find. However, he lost all of his equipment while landing. Somehow he ended up against the sea wall where a Sgt. gave him a rifle. He spent the rest of the day as an infantrymen.

It was the first time he had been on French soil since the Dieppe Raid, where he was one of twelve men from his company who made it back to England without being wounded.

He landed in Normandy on this, the 6th day of June, 1944 and helped breach Hilter's Atlantic Wall, which ultimately brought the downfall of the world's most notorious tyrant and regime that he was head of. He fought in France, Belgium and Holland. He spent more than a year fighting in Europe, and more than 4 years training in England.

Somehow, today I will find my own way of paying my respects to him, and the many of thousands of other fighting men, and woman, who where in action on D-day, and also to the fighting men and woman of today's armed forces who are still toiling on far away beaches, and in unknown fields for the freedom that was gallantly defended on this day, the 6th of June: D-day + 59 years.


Lest we forget

[ff7134]

I had several members of my family serving that day. My great-grandfather served in the 503rd PIR of the 101st Airborne. I also had other family jumping with the 82nd. They all jumped into Normandy that nght and helped shape history.

I had the honor of serving many years later in the 101st, that was very special for me.