Perhaps this is why we do what we do - Don Burgett

[Jack]

To Neil Stevens, Clive, and the entire Group that came to Aldbourne,

 

 

We had a blast. René, Clark, Bob and myself, we had the time of our lives. Our English cousins outdid themselves in hospitality and friendship that will be remembered to the end of our days. Thank you one and all. I have told every one back home of the two young girls jitterbugging in ankle deep rainwater, having a splashing good time, real people. I also like to tell of the young girl in camouflage carrying an American carbine in the Crown Pub she was pointing it every which way. “Watch where you’re pointing that muzzle I warned her.” She said, “Oh, it’s been deactivated.” “So have I, but I’m still dangerous.” I replied. Just wistful bragging.

 

The Stable area brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye; I didn’t want anyone to see or notice. My minds eye could see the one hundred plus young Americans of Able Company standing at attention before the large manor house at roll call in the morning. Capt. Davis presiding over the military formality never asked for an accounting of the “All present, ‘or accounted for,’ Sir.” ‘Accounted for,’ may mean the individual may be AWOL in Edinburgh, but he is accounted for.

 

The friends we made in Aldbourne and throughout the British Isles during WWII is something we will take to the grave. There was a young girl in Swindon who had volunteered to work in the American Red Cross that I was very fond of. We dated and went to the show (cinema) whenever I could get to Swindon and had fish and chips at the sidewalk vender served in newspaper cones with malt vinegar. My friends don’t believe me to this day but ours was a very plutonic relationship, we went places or just talked while sitting on the grass. She was to me the girl next door back home, some one very close, wholesome and special. Anything else would have destroyed a dream that helped a nineteen-year-old American make it through a war.

 

When I was wounded in Normandy and returned by LST I walked down the gangway to the dock where we loaded aboard busses that took us to US hospitals, I looked over a sea of elderly and a few young faces and saw tears running down every face. These elderly people took their time and walked, some quite a ways just to welcome us home. There weren’t as many young in the groups, for the young were all away serving, just as we were, in the military, the ATS girls, etc. all doing whatever it takes to win a war. When I walked off that LST, I was home. One of my fondest memories.

 

My Division Fought alongside the British for 72 days in Holland in 1944. I was among the detail that brought the unwounded back from the north side of the Rhine on a dark rainy night with the Rhine as black as ink, it was during our last days there. Only the wounded stayed, the rest of the first Red devil British Airborne, along with the Free Poles under General Sosabowsky never surrendered, to this day.

 

I returned 2003 to Holland and walked the British Cemetery in Arnhem for over two hours, all the while fighting battles in my soul. I read the headstones: 17 yrs, 18 yrs, 17 yrs, 19 yrs. 20 yrs,; one read 25 yrs, an officer. War is the burden of the young.

 

I think often now, more so than in the past when I think of the Normandy Invasion. How did England stand alone in that half of the world against such oppression and aggression? Hitler and his Nazi hordes brutalized the world and Europe. They conquered Europe and would have had the world, if it had not been for one small defiant island standing alone in a battle of survival.

 

It was a tough nut to crack going from England across the channel to Normandy. Even then we came close to losing. How could we have possibly made it from New York to Normandy? We could never have done it at that time. Thank you Brits for holding; you saved the world with little but courage to work with, I’m glad we could help.

 

God bless you every one and thank you for welcoming us again. The first time when Able Company arrived in Aldbourne Stables. The second time when I walked down the gangway from Normandy. And again when we returned in 2006, my daughter René, son-in law Clark, Bob, our good friend and photographer.

 

From my very soul, thank you and God Bless.

 

 

Donald R. Burgett,

 

WWII, Sgt.,

 

Able Company,

 

506 PIR,

 

101st Airborne Division.

 

[Bodge Deep]

Nice one Jack, cheers for sharing

[cripp]

Great reading, Emotional too.

[Jack]

Yes it pretty well stuffed me too. Stories like this are a great leveler in life and for me, puts my own life into perspective....

 

Neil Stevens sent it on over this morning, thanks Neil.

 

Jack.

[Degsy]

Emotional is right and so humble, a great pity that the efforts of this gentleman and so many of his generation are now ignored or even belittled by so many people today.

[Enigma]

A BIG reason for me to drive a WW2 MV is to say thanks to those who fought and died for our freedom.

[Jack]

A BIG reason for me to drive a WW2 MV is to say thanks to those who fought and died for our freedom.

 

 

Yes in total agreement, we all must get something sorted for every D-Day like we did this year, we mustn't lose momentum on that.

[Joris]

A BIG reason for me to drive a WW2 MV is to say thanks to those who fought and died for our freedom.

 

 

Aye on that!