Jack Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Like Ron Picken, Bob Stokes had also been undergoing some special training with the 6th Airborne. His arrival in Normandy would not be by sea and landing craft, he was going in by glider. A biscuit tin filled with sand and petrol was used for brewing up. The picture was taken 11 weeks after D Day. 'We had been studying those maps for the week before the landings and we expected to land in a field with a hedge around it. We did, but the farmer had ploughed the field the day before so the landing was hard. The terrible thing of course was that the glider pilot, as so often happened, was killed on landing, especially as we landed nose down.' 'The glider was towed by a Halifax bomber. The bomber took off from an airfield in Oxfordshire with us in tow. We were released about a mile from the target area. The tow rope was a connecting tube through which the pilots could speak to each other. It wasn't an intercom. There was no option once you were released and it was all determined by the bomber pilot. As soon as it was released it all went quiet and your ears started to pop. We were taught to shout to keep our ears open. I'm sure some of the shouting would have frightened the Germans to death. They probably thought we were mad. Perhaps we were.' 'Glider pilots must rank amongst the bravest of all the blokes of the last war because for so many of them it was almost certain death, either because of the nose first landing or the intense fire from the ground that they had to fly into.' 'We landed nose down and slap bang in the middle of tracer bullets. Most of the fire was coming from an Ack Ack gun. Anyway, it was put out of action and we got the stuff out of the glider and the tail off. I had to get the jeep and trailer out because I was on a Vickers machine gun. As luck would have it, the primed hand grenades which we all had strapped to our belts did not go off, despite all the buffeting of the landing.' 'We were ordered out of the field by Sergeant Major Crewe and set off for our rendezvous point. It still had something of the training manoeuvre about it until we came across a pile of Commando bodies. They must have died when they landed. It was then that we realised this was not Salisbury Plain! Anyway, we reached the rendezvous point.' 'We were supposed to take a small village called Ampreville but we never made it. It was about two hours after we arrived that we discovered that Sergeant Major Crewe had been killed, and so had the Company Commander. By the end of the day we had had three different Company Commanders as a result of the fighting.' 'We reached our position late afternoon on the 6th. We were about a mile and a half from Pegasus Bridge. The local cafe owner had dug a hole some time before the landings and buried his champagne. The cafe became the First Aid post and I think we all must have had something wrong with us, some were genuine, just to taste the wine. Georges, his wife and his daughter Ariette, made us all very welcome. In fact, Ariette is the patron of the Birmingham Branch of the NVA and she still attends many of the branch functions.' 'We dug in our positions and could hear the German tanks, the Panzers, rumbling up. It was as soon as night fell that they really began their bombardment of us. We were to stay there on the left flank for eleven weeks. We were originally meant to be there for two days to create a bridgehead and then we would be back in Britain. It didn't turn out that way. Even the glider pilots who had survived had to stay and wear our red berets. Most of them were marvellous soldiers.' 'We stayed there until the heavy bombing of Caen. A week later it was decided to advance, this meant we would be doing something at last. It was mined every inch of the way. We had to keep stopping and feeling our way ahead. We actually finished up on the Seine.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Jack. I will be making a donation as well. If you set this up properly you will be eligible for gift aid. This means that for every £1 donated you can get an extra 26p. PM me if you want some guidance on how to do this. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 Any updates on this yet Jack???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Just gets better! Thanks everyone and thanks Tim. I have to call NVA Tuesday at midday and will report back!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 Any news then Jack????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 On the phone right now :-D:shocked: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Ok - you are going to like Mary's response Neil. Just have some work in the office to do and will post up a debrief. Well done everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Jack, I have eight pairs of the 50p VC commeration coins. If you would like to auction them I'll bring down to MM. Saved them for a good cause, can't think of better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 Ok - you are going to like Mary's response Neil. Just have some work in the office to do and will post up a debrief. Well done everyone! Intriguing! Looking forwards to that Jack!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Neil - just waiting from an email from Mary as her pc crashed today and will post up but basically would be over the moon with our help and more than happy for us to combine our logo with theirs and to support our imput and to recognise our campaign..... Bodge - need to talk with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 Thats good news mate! Now we can really go for it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Just to keep you up to date guys - just in from Mary: Dear Jack, At last my email is back up! Very frustrating 24 hours. I will take a good look at the website (had a quick look and it looks great). Will show to George Batts of the NVA and must work on your case studies. I will be in touch again asap and thanks very much for the offer of help - it will make a big difference to these veterans and you will enjoy D-Day immensely knowing that you helped many of them return. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 Looking good Jack! Let us know when the arrangements are in place for sending in the monies and we'll see what we can do mate. If any assistance is needed with any of this feel free to ask!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Will do Neil and just waiting to hear from Mary how best to recieve donations - would like it sent direct to the NVA or cheques made payable to them etc etc. I will make an official/formal post once all is in place and as said to Mary - our target is £4000 which = 10 veterans being able to return to Normandy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 £4 a member? Lets hope we can do better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 Call it £10/member - then we could get about 25 over there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I'm with you. :-D Say 20 miles per person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosie Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Excellent news Jack, this is going to be a brilliant thing. Cant wait to meet the Vets, are we allowed to take them home afterwards? :shocked: Joking apart it would be great to sit with those who are willing to share their stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Donations can be done on line through gift aid. That basically means for every £10 donated we get £2 back from the Government (and i pay enough tax as it is and have little ability to direct how it is spent). Therfore if we can collect enough to send 10 veterans back (£4,000) then the Government will pay for two more. Worth doing Jack. Read all about it here: http://www.justgiving.com/ Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STRIKE AND RETURN 460 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Just returned from France. Count me in Jack as the words in the letter say it all for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Moving Words, 460. Thanks for posting them. I'm in for this, Jack;............least I can do. Let me know how, and cash will be there. Thanks Neil, for posting this in the first place. All the best, Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 No probs Andy - it's something that has got to be done & I reckoned most, if not all, here would likely feel the same. I'm glad I was right!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted September 3, 2008 Author Share Posted September 3, 2008 Hey Jack, any updates on this yet mate??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les freathy Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I have just been watching our local Meridian TV and the MODs attitude to the old guys return to Normandy next year, i think unbelievable is the word i will have to choose, i can can think of a much more appropiate word for them. They as it was reported have refused to support these guys next year but have offered to provide finance for the 100th anniversary Jesus Christ none will be around then one chap said well thanks i will 124 years old then so that will make it interesting, as i have said elsewhere on this site when it comes to the UK defence its ever forwards and down wards. Jack i am not in a very good position financially due a bad road accident 3 years ago which put the mockers on working but will contribute what i can , i notice some people placing items for auction to raise money would any body be interested if i made a model to be auctioned it would be mounted on a suitable base and a subject that is open to discussion let me know your thoughts cheers Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowtracdave Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Having seen the quality and detail of your dioramas I think that there would be quite a few of the HMVF family ready and willing to bid on one of your excellent models . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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