Last week I had the pleasure of being an assistant companion to my grandfather on a 4 day "Back to the Beaches" trip for the 73rd anniversary of D-Day. It was tiring, yet inspiring, to take 95 WW2 veterans from the Army, Navy and RAF back to Normandy and hear the many stories they have to tell. Here is just a sample of the hundreds of pictures I took. If you see any of the veterans at a London tube station collecting for the Taxi Charity, please give generously. These veterans have so much history, so much character, so much more life to give, yet most are sitting alone with no visitors or friends. It is trips like this that raise their spirits, and give them something to look forward to. @TaxiCharity https://www.flickr.com/photos/roderickj/albums/72157682004377323
Great photos. I had the pleasure of meeting British Veterans in Arnhem when they did the Taxi transit. Stolpi was my host. Perhaps he recognizes a few faces?
I took my Dad back independently. Quite a lot of driving as I'm on the Continent before I start. It certainly raised his spirits (calvados I think). He's already looking forward to next year.
Great photos of these wonderful men! Going to Normandy together with my brother every 5 years since 1994 (and sometimes in between). And I hope I will continue doing so at least until my own 73rd anniversary! Regarding the nearer future I am now looking forward very much to a visit I will be paying to a Normandy veteran (8th Rifle Brigade, 11th Armoured Div.) in London next month! Any good questions to ask on such a for me rare occasion, or other advice, are welcomed by the way!
Speaking of men in the above post, I just remembered talking some years ago not only with the men, but also with a few of the women of the men, and their anxieties over the fate of their boyfriends and husbands (most of them conscripts), and their own worries at home. That also really impressed me and is I think not often given much thought...