The Great Crusade

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have
striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The
hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.
In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world……

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

SIGNED: Dwight D. Eisenhower

With these words the dice was cast. The success or failure of this enterprise was to decide whether War in Europe was to finish quickly or was to grumble on indefinitely. 64 years on it is impossible to imagine what was going through the minds of those waiting aboard ship, or on airfields waiting to board their gliders and Dakotas, of the RAF and USAAF aircrew who were to play so many different parts in support of the invasion, of the crews of the submarines lying in wait to mark the beaches.

The population, particularly in the South, knew invasion was close. The constant build up of men and materiel led to the standing joke that it was only the Barrage Balloons that were keeping the South Coast from sinking into the sea. The people knew from the middle of May that it was close as Servicemen gradually moved from their long term bases to staging areas leaving pubs and dance halls empty. Courtships and dalliances entered a new phase as the men left for embarkation. Parents worried about sons, and for a number of reasons they worried about their daughters too.

Even as far North as Walsall the people knew. The Americans had left as much as two weeks before. The fear and the anticipation were great. Surely nothing could go wrong.

My uncle was aboard one of His Majesty’s cruisers when the bombardment of the Normandy coast began. He said it was nice to be “dishing it out” but he was glad he got no nearer than a couple of miles off shore.

This far North there was no sign of the massive aerial armada heading for Normandy. Some of the older generation talk about a stream of bombers heading South in the early hours. Otherwise it was a quiet summer night.

As I sit here writing these thoughts down, I realise that I am, and will forever remain, in awe of those who go to War. Conscript or volunteer, it makes no difference. As I sit here in comfort I cannot comprehend the simple act of courage which drove Seamen to take their LCT’s and LCI’s inshore in the face of such devastating fire, or saw Infantrymen and tank crews leaving their landing craft and making their way inexorably up the beaches, or saw Airborne troops hurling themselves out of the aircraft into the dark unknown. Could I have done it? I really don’t think so. Which magnifies the size of the debt we owe a thousandfold. I once spoke to an Airborne Veteran who had done both D-Day and Arnhem. he felt he had done his bit and no more. That he had done nothing out of the ordinary. It was always the other chap who was brave.

On the night of the 5th of June I think of those who were ready to take that massive step into the unknown. I think of the families who waited unaware that the following was to be the ‘Day of Days.’ On the night of the 6th, I think of those who remained in Normandy.

Tomorrow, there is a Service of Remembrance and a Concert being held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas. I think I might try and go, just to say thank you and to let some of the Veterans know that their effort, their courage and their sacrifice was, is and always will be appreciated.

Regards,

kev35