War is stupid says pacifist Normandy veteran

Discussion in 'Veteran Accounts' started by CL1, Jun 7, 2019.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Wellington's George Evans, who turns 96 later this month , fought in the grim campaign in the wake of the landings, and is these days is a leading light in a different campaign – the campaign for peace.
    George was a Private in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and landed on D-Day plus 20, but his whole division was soon broken up because it had suffered so many casualties.

    His wartime experiences affected him deeply. He became a Quaker and a pacifist, campaigning to end war, and was the instigator of Wellington's Peace Garden.

    "My memories of the landings (on D +20) include having to jump, loaded with machine gun and ammunition, include having to jump from a ship to a landing craft while both were riding waves.


    "One slip and I would have been dead. Then, in a tracked gun carrier, we drove through the waves and up the beach.

    "There was the stench of rotting body parts – arms, legs, heads, hands, being eaten by blow-flies, and a bullet whistled overhead telling us that there was a sniper firing at us. I suppose he must have been a very brave man.


    War is stupid says pacifist Normandy veteran

    War is stupid says pacifist Normandy veteran
     
    Lindele and Chris C like this.

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