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Post Info TOPIC: Arromanches


PWSTS UK Director

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Arromanches
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Info from the Kent MNA

Forthcoming Events:-
M.N. War Memorial in Arromanches, Normandy, France.
A Commemorative Service will be held for the 65th anniversary of D-Day at Arromanche M.N. Memorial site in the afternoon on Saturday 6th June 2009.
Details will be given at a later date on this website:

http://www.cheap-websites4u.co.uk/navy/index.html


You may like to make a note: The Kent Branch MNA meet on the second Saturday of every month at 2:30pm at St. Radigund Church Hall, Albany Road, Capel-Le-Ferne, Dover - our new venue from Feb 14th until further notice.

Now to deal with your email concerning Arromanches.

I will be very pleased to see your members in Arromanches on the 6th June this year for the 65th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings. I will of course be there, as I was on D-day June 6th 1944 serving as a Radio Officer on a LSI (Infantry Landing Ship). I am travelling with a party of the few fellow surviving D-Day veterans of my association - the Normandy Veterans' Association from Canterbury. Full details concerning our wreath laying service at our Merchant Navy Memorial will be posted on my website as soon as I have the details. It will probably be at approx. 4pm, but until I can have details from the Services (Army & RN) what their plans are at Arromanches in the afternoon of 6th I cannot give an exact time & details, in order to liaison with the other events also taking place. But I am glad you contacted me because I particularly wish to hear of Merchant Navy groups interested on taking part, so please stay in touch and watch my website. As soon as I hear from the other I can then formulate my plans. This 65th Anniversary is particularly important while we still have some D-Day veterans left (including myself).

Kind regards, Don Hunter
donald@hunter93.freeserve.co.uk


PWSTS note Roger Head is to attend complete with new PWSTS Standard



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Update from Don Hunter MNA:

Merchant Navy Memorial Plaque at Arromanches, Normandy, France.
Service of Commemoration for the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings
 on 6th June 1944.

Issued 9th February 2009.
(Details as of this date)

Merchant Navy veterans' together with other veterans' association to assemble outside the Hotel De La Marine (seaward entrance) at 3:15 pm on Saturday the 6th June 2009.

This hotel entrance is quite near to the Place du 6 Juin 1944 where the main Service of Commemoration and the French Presentation will start at 4 pm on the square facing the 6th June D-Day Museum.

Merchant Navy Standards will be most welcome, together with the wreath layers, but please assemble at the Hotel La Marine at 3:15 pm (as given above) prior to the event.

Also please notify the Merchant Navy organizer by e-mailing this website with full details as soon as possible.

Please monitor this website  www.merchantnavymemorials.co.uk  for future updates.

All are welcome.



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PWSTS UK Director

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Parade in Arromanches, Normandy. Veterans on parade in the streets of Arromanches 6 June 2004.



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Just a thought, the photos here http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=8217&p=3&topicID=26009973 are outside and by the beach of the new museum.

Really should should be on this post.........Andy

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PWSTS UK Director

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news clip on mail online:

Britain's D-Day veterans will receive the respect and support they deserve during this summer's 65th anniversary after Gordon Brown finally threw the full weight of Government behind the 'great generation of heroes'.

In a resounding victory for the Daily Mail's campaign, Downing Street tacitly admitted ministers had misjudged the public mood in refusing to help.

The Royal Family is now expected to play a full part in this year's events both in France and Britain, while Mr Brown will travel to Normandy on June 6 where he will be joined by other ministers and military service chiefs.

For more click below...

Victory for D-Day veterans: A ceremony fit for heroes, and the cash to send them there



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Latest update via MNA newsletter:

And Lastly, this came in from Don Hunter via Tim Brant just as I was about to press the SEND button.

Forthcoming Events:-
Merchant Navy Memorial Plaque at Arromanches , Normandy , France .
Service of Commemoration for the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings on 6th June 2009.
Issued 6th April 09. (Details as of this date)

Saturday 6th June 2009 at Arromanches.Merchant Navy veterans together with veterans of the L.S.T & Landing Craft Association to assemble outside the Hotel De La Marine (on the sea front) Arromanches at 1530 hrs on Saturday, 6th June 2009, for briefing on arrangements for wreath laying ceremony at our two Memorial Plaques to take place during the Final Parade which starts at 1800 hrs.

Merchant Navy Standard Bearers and wreath layers please notify the Merchant Navy organizer by e-mailing this website with full details as soon as possible - see website:
www.merchantnavymemorials.co.uk

The Hotel De La Marine's entrance is quite near to the Place du 6 Juin 1944 where the Final Parade of Commemoration and the French Medal Presentation will take place at these times.

1600 hrs  Presentation of veteran medals by the French.
1800 hrs Final Parade (and wreath laying).

Friday 5th June 2009 at the Caen, Peace Memorial - to commemorate the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings.

1600 hrs   3rd Division (British Army) Parade and  Service/wreath laying ceremony in the British Garden of Remembrance at approx. 1630 hrs.

1900 hrs.   Beating Retreat

Please monitor website
www.merchantnavymemorials.co.uk regularly for future updates.



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A huge thank you to Roger Head who plans to travel to Arromanches and Caen to represent the Prince of Wales Sea Training School Staff and Boys.

roger2008.jpg




-- Edited by Windy on Saturday 11th of April 2009 10:09:38 PM

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Update from Don Hunter:

As you already know my website details the latest information on our arrangements for the 5/6th, so if there is any alterations to this I will update a.s.a.p. The French are in overall charge so we are in their hands re major changes to the programme, but I do not anticipate there will be any - but you never know.
 
It would appear that it is developing into a major event and very large crowds are expected, security will be high as U.S and French Presidents will attend as will also German Chancellor and World Leader Gordon Brown (a last minutes decision on his part). Accommodation will be hard to get as there is a large force coming from America & Canada. Be also aware of heavy traffic and security checks around the major event sites.


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Prince of Wales Sea Training School

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Bernard Ashton PWSTS 1939 has got himself a lottery grant so he will be there as well Roger.

dov01.jpg



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update from Don Hunter ...

You will be pleased to hear you will be joined at Arromanches by our National MNA Standard Bearer 'Wings' Barry and our National MNA President Vivien Foster. The National Vice-President (myself) will lay the wreath at our Merchant Navy War Memorial in Arromanches during the Commemoration Service which starts at 6 pm (briefing at 3.15 pm as programme on website). Also I have a standard bar for you, this is my "Thank You" to all those Standard Bearers who attended the Dover Merchant Navy War Memorial on 3rd September 2008 (MN Day).
I can either give it to you at Arromanches or if you wish me to send it please let me have your address and phone number. My number is 01233 503365. You will also be pleased to know that the Dover M.N. War Memorial is now registered on the Government database as an official war memorial.

If you go to "Home" page on my website
www.merchantnavymemorials.co.uk  and 'click on Link ukniwm' it is a direct link to the entry page on the database and will give all the information.

Regards, Don Hunter


-- Edited by Windy on Friday 8th of May 2009 06:00:11 PM

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Update from Roger Head PWSTS Official Standard Bearer

Please find attached some photos taken on the 5th. at Caen Peace Memorial, where the MN Memorial is in the British Garden of remembrance.  

The whole thing was so badly organised that the Parade Marshal almost gave up, as the order of service was changed every 5 minutes in a battle between the army, the RBL and the Normandy Veterans!

A stand had been erected for the public to view the parade, but placed behind an 8 foot hedge!  The day was so hot that the standard bearers around me were gasping for air and the parade had to wait for 2 hours in the heat while somebody made up their minds as to what was to happen.  The VIP's were in an air-conditioned building all this time!

Along with the public, Carol could only wait in the sun, but nobody was allowed through the hedge to take photos.  Hence we could not get a single photo of the parade.

The weather forcast had been for heavy rain, and Carol and I had gone dressed for this, but the temperature was so high that a lot of onlookers were seen to be in difficulties.

The new Standard looked really good up against the 30 or so Standards at the Friday parade.  
 
Roger


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PWSTS UK Director

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more photographs from Roger ..............

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Roger I really feel it for you, I have personaly had experience of the RBL, never met so many little barrack room Sgt Majors in my life, I,  once has an adjutant and Parade marshall  (Through my RSM) had to order some off a parade for there total lack of respect for the Navy being senior service they could not understand who took presedence in the parade, boy how they created such a  fuss, I know that the majority are not troublesome, but a small click just want the limelight for themselves, full of there own self importance.......................very sad really.

I don't know the circumstances here, but I will take a guess that some grumpy old group thought it they were to be first in line.



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Hi ya Sax!

It was not too bad really, but at the time, and in sweltering temperatures, I got my blood boiled again!  It was afterall, the MN Memorial, and "Wings Barry" the national MNA Standard bearer and I were positioned next to the Memorial, but we allowed the French Navy Standard bearer pride of place out of courtesy, when some RBL type brought up 4 of their Standards up, and told us all to move away!  "Wings" told him to P*** off, and that set the tone for the day.

We were told to fall in behind the band that was 1/2 a mile away, and the parade would march onto the parade area, then told to form up at the Memorial back where I started from, and the band would lead the Standards off after the parade.  It was so hot that several members of the band fainted, and were unable to lead anywhere! 

The next day D-Day, Obama's secutity had closed off the road fron Caen to Arromanches, and I never got to the beaches.

However, Carol and I met some great French people and Saturday night ended after midnight in a resteraunt in Caen on the wrong end of far too many toasts in wine of various vintages and colours, with the sounds of our new freind's farewells ringing down the road.

All's well as they say!

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