Posted on 06/06/2009 8:27:58 PM PDT by naturalman1975
Sixty-five years after Hitler failed to make Britains D-Day effort a footnote in world history, France and America finally realised his dream yesterday.
As thousands of British veterans paid their final respects to the men they left behind on Normandys beaches, President Nicolas Sarkozy and President Barack Obama presented D-Day the turning point of the Second World War as a Franco-American affair
Despite months of diplomatic wrangling between London, Paris and Washington, the Queen remained absent from the official commemoration of the 65th anniversary, held at the American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach at Colleville-sur-Mer. And Prince Charles, without the Duchess of Cornwall by his side, made only a token appearance, laying a wreath in honour of the war dead just moments before the end of the 90-minute ceremony.
Earlier in the day he had been lost for words when Ernest Townsend, 86, a Royal Artillery gunner at the Normandy landings, asked him: Why isnt your mother here?
Mr Townsend was one of about 800 Second World War ex-servicemen who met the Prince while paying their respects at a Commonwealth cemetery in Bayeux, the final resting place of more than 4,000 Commonwealth and other soldiers.
About 5,000 family, friends and well-wishers from Britain, France and other European countries applauded as the men marched under regimental banners.
Though clearly happy to see the Prince after his 11th-hour invitation, the French governments perceived snub to the Queen continued to anger Mr Townsend and his comrades.
I told him how pleased I was to see him, but Im a plain-speaking man and I also asked why his mother wasnt here, he said.
He just smiled at me and gave me a shrug which I took to mean, You know why, and I know why, but I cant say.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Australian ANZAC Day March 1981
The English Queen wasn’t the only one who didn’t get invited. Norwegian veterans of D-day were not either. Not inviting the guys who were actually there on the day, now *that* is petty...
Those charming Frenchies...
Did the French NOT invite the Queen? How gauche!
That's right! She was a driver and mechanic in the Army, and she and her sister, and the King and Queen remained in London rather than evacuate. I believe that's in large part, the reason they were so beloved. They shared in the dangers of all Londoners as the rockets were dropped on them.
What am I missing, several have their left foot forward so I’m puzzled, lol.
If you're in black tie formal, you can wear half-size medals on the left breast. We used to go to the Highland Games here quite a bit, and the older guys with WWII decorations would wear the miniature medals on their formal coatees at the Tartan Ball.
It can be either the current uniform for the appropriate rank or the one in use at the time one served (if one can still fit into it!).
All the uniforms have been completely changed since my husband served. He still has his old Army Greens (Class As, the dull forest green with the black braid down the pants) and the olive drab fatigues (five sets of them!) I had to starch and iron those things until you could lean them up in the corner!
LOL! Musta made the old soldier's day!!
You know, we kinda have a habit around here of abusing the French in general, but they DO produce some VERY brave men.
Yeah, the French Foreign Legion comes to mind, not to mention their more recent Special Forces.
Individually extremely brave men, very gallant as well, but poorly led and poorly supplied.
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