One man’s mission to honour D-Day heroes
FOR the first time in decades the beaches of Normandy should be all but deserted tomorrow for the anniversary of the greatest amphibious invasion in history – D-Day.
But 76 years after more than 150,000 British, American, Canadian and Allied troops poured into Normandy, British expat Steven Oldrid will mount a personal mission to remember them.
Normally the anniversary sees thousands of veterans, their families, history buffs, military re-enactors and well-wishers descend on Normandy from around the world.
But this year coronavirus means virtually all the official commemorations have been scrapped and there is a strict limit of 10 people allowed to attend.
But Mr Oldrid, 66, is planning a marathon 13 ceremonies in two days starting today at the scene of the first landings – the Horsa and Pegasus Bridges which were captured just after midnight on June 6 1944 by British troops who caught the Germans by surprise by landing in flimsy balsa wood gliders.
Wreaths
He plans to lay nine wreaths and 47 crosses at monuments from Pegasus Bridge to Arromanches which overlooks one of the five beaches where the troops poured ashore.
Steven has become the go-to man for veterans, their families and military organisations wanting to ensure that despite not being able to attend they honour the pledge recited at every commemoration: “We will remember them.”
At Benouville Cemetery he will read out the 23 names of the men who died in the liberation of the town in first 48 hours of the campaign.
The retired civil servant who is originally from Portland, Dorset, has lived just a short walk from Pegasus Bridge for about 20 years. He said: “Over the years I have got to know many vets and their families but none of them can come this year so I am representing them. “I have been asked to lay wreaths and crosses and I will be videoing it so they can watch it at home.
“I am doing it for veterans including Reg Charles of the Ox & Bucks, Cyril Banks who was on the minesweeper HMS Ready, clearing mines for the invasion, and Patrick Thomas who was on landing craft LCH 185 when it hit a mine and sank off Sword Beach on D-Day.
He has asked me to lay a cross for his friend Jack Barringer who drowned in front of him when the landing craft sank.
“We have to remember these men and their incredible courage.
“At Pegasus Bridge the men had to crash-land in gliders at 80mph, get out and, despite being dazed, rush a German machine-gun to capture the bridge. It is really important to pass this on. This was a golden generation. I’m not doing this for my glory but to ensure we remember them.”
Among the families of veterans who are grateful to him is Glider Pilot Regiment Society Chairman, Jane Barkway-Harney.
Her father, Staff Sergeant Geoff Barkway, flew the third Horsa glider in at Pegasus Bridge to
deliver men from the Ox & Bucks under Major John Howard on what looked like a suicide mission.
Jane, 57, who is in the coronavirus frontline as a carer in Horsham in Sussex, said: “I always think he had the toughest job. Two gliders had already landed on an area the size of a football pitch and he really had to land on a postage stamp. He and his co-pilot, Staff Sgt Peter Boyle, landed in a marsh and were catapulted through the perspex cockpit window and woke up under water. Dad came to and got out and then released Peter’s harness and pulled him out.”
“Then they had to unload the glider and fight with the infantry. Peter went off to check something and heard Dad shouting and when he came back his right wrist was hanging on by a couple of threads. Dad remembers being put on a stretcher laid over a jeep before being evacuated to the beaches.”
Jane, added: “I go to Normandy every year to commemorate the troops. This is the first year I haven’t been able to go back and I feel physically sick about it. But I have known Steven for many years and he is the answer to our prayers.
For him to offer to lay the wreaths and crosses on our behalf is overwhelming. He is planning to livestream the events so the veterans can watch.
“Some of the crews chalked on their gliders: ‘The Channel stopped Hitler but it won’t stop us’.We feel that coronavirus has stopped us but it has not stopped the Glider Pilot Regiment Society.”