Page 14 - QARANC Vol 17 No 2 2019

12 The Gazette QARANC Association
D-Day 75 Celebrations
This year seven personnel from JHG North had the privilege of attending the 75th anniversary of D-Day celebrations in Portsmouth and Normandy. The charity D-Day Revisited, run by the Phipps family, asked us to accompany the D-Day veterans. It was a privilege to attend this year especially, due to the 75th anniversary celebrations.
The celebrations started on 1 June when we arrived at the Queens Hotel in Portsmouth and this was the first opportunity to get to know and meet the veterans. One of the first veterans we got to know well that night was a Royal Navy veteran called George Chandler. This was his first trip with D-Day Revisited and he was attending on his own. He was greeted by some fellow Royal Navy personnel and we then had the pleasure of accompanying him to dinner. This led to a late night, listening to all his war stories, when he spoke about them as if they were yesterday.
On 2 June we headed to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Lieutenant Colonel Fletcher with QA veteran Vera Hay
where there was a huge welcome for the veterans when we arrived, with members of the public applauding and thanking them. We headed to the docks where there was a service of welcome and thanks for the veterans. The MASB 27 (Motor Anti-Submarine Boat) that John Phipps has restored was also at the docks for its maiden voyage.
We then headed to the boathouse where we had a chance to socialise with the veterans over lunch. Dinner was at Southwick House, where planning for the D-Day landings took place. We had the opportunity to visit the infamous map room and hear some more stories from the veterans who were able to show us on the map the
routes they followed to the beaches. At the end of the meal, it was time for the speeches. Sergeant Blakemore organised for us to stand and read a list of names for all the veterans who had celebrated with the charity over the years; those who were present, those who could not attend and those who are no longer with us. This was a very emotional experience for all.
The following morning, we all headed to the D-Day Story Museum in Portsmouth before boarding the ferry to travel over to Normandy. The ferry set sail with a Royal Navy frigate and a flotilla of Dunkirk small boats including the MASB 27 as our escorts out of port. The Dunkirk boats and the MASB 27 then carried on their journey
The statue of Bill Pendell MM in the D-Day garden at Arromanches
Private Adcock and Corporal Needham with veteran George Chandler