Thursday, June 6, 2013

The 69th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings 6th June 1944


On the 6th June 1944 the Normandy Landings commenced. We know it better as D-Day and on the 6th June 1944 Thousands of British and Canadian troops embarked from Stokes Bay at Gosport as part of the Normandy Landings I was only 7 months  old at the time but I can remember the story,s mum told as we were growing up of how she used to push me in the pram around the streets surrounding Fareham where all the canadian, British, and American troops were Gathered, weeks before the invasion took place, Mums Canadian cousins were with the "Canadian Black watch" and stayed with them at my Grandfathers house in Western road, Here are some of the Photographs she had.
My Grandfather Frederick Hubbard Centre with some of the canadians
Patrick Hubbard (Canadian Black watch) second from left back
Mum( Edith Smith Nee Hubbard) and Auntie Maud (Hubbard)
Behave yourself Girls
There are many Photographs of the family with the Canadians over here in 1943/44 and there is also a service being held today at the Canadian Memorial at Stokes Bay where the canadian troops embarked from on the way to "Juno" Beach
Canadian Memorial at Stokes bay
  There were also events to mark the 69th Anniversary of the Normandy landing being held at the D-Day museum in Portsmouth.
D-Day Museum at Southsea,
We must also remember that there were also a lot of American troops billeted at fareham along with the Canadian and British troops and also to think of those that went and fought but did not return. Also the Royal marines were actively involved in the d-day landing, My Father in law "Robert Clark"  was on a Landing craft taking American troops across the channel to the D day Beaches at Utah
Map of The Normandie Landing Beaches
So that is what today is all about in the Portsmouth and the South coast of England today

My day has been pretty good so far, I had a good nights sleep last night and the weather today has been really good. the morning went as usual with texts to Pauline to arrange the time to go shopping and also had my breakfast and checked out emails and facebook before getting Washed, shaved and dressed ready for when Pauline came with the Taxi at 11.10.
Pauline arrives with the Taxi
 As you can see Pauline has got the red bag with my clean laundry in it, she is an angel, anyway we get the laundry indoors, get the wheelchair, Pauline and me into the Taxi and off we go to the city centre.

Once at the city centre I need to go into the Nationwide Building society and then into Boots the chemist to get some Strawberry Complan, I do enjoy making the milk drinks with the complan as it is a good source of supplementing a lot of the vitamins that I may be low on, anyway once we have got that we then make our way to Morrisons, I am in the wheelchair now as I have done a bit of walking but the leg muscles are playing up today as iyt is a non Prednisolone day today, I am so much better on the alternate days that I take the Prednisolone, anyway on the way to morrisons, I need to go into Sainsburys to get some Gluten Free Bread and Biscuits, they have a far greater range than Morrisons.
Sainsburys, Commercial Road, Portsmouth
  well It does not take long in there to get the Gluten Free Items and then we carry on to Morrisons in the Victory retail park
You ain't forgot where you left me again Pauline 
Here I am, over here.
well we get a trolley and then we get the shopping done and have a coffee and a Sandwich before getting a taxi back Home.
You can't take the trolley home Pauline.
While we were in Morrisons, gordon rang to say he was just leaving Salisbury and that he would pick Pauline up at my house anyway once the taxi gets to morrisons we get everything in and off we go home, as we get home we have just got out the Taxi when Gordon arrives so that was good timing, anyway once indoors we get the shopping put away and have a coffee and a chat before Pauline sorts out some of my laundry to take home and do for me and then Her and Gordon make there way home.

I get a text from Pauline to say that she has a pre-op assessment on the 17th June and her Thyroid op on the 2nd july so that is good news, she will be pleased to get it all over and done with.
Well that is about it today apart from to say that the other big event going on in Portsmouth today is that they are filming the BBC Antiques road show in Portsmouth at the Royal Marine Museum so that is drawing a lot of interest, not sure when it will be screened but will let you know when I know.
Royal Marines Museum, Southsea
so that is it for today, so until tomorrow I will say Bye Bye.

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