Show your recognition on Social Media #DDAY79

We've created some new badges for you to 'wear' on Social Media for the month of June. Simply right-click, Save As.

Show your recognition by wearing your stripes on your phone. 

https://www.redbubble.com/people/gmpphotography/collections/797307-d-day-stripes

Show your recognition on Social Media. #DDAY72

Just over a month to D-Day and we have gathered together a collection of Social Media 'Stripes' so you can show your recognition for Veterans, and those who fell in Normandy in 1944. 

Feel free to use them on Twitter, FB, Pinterest, Instagram and whatever else you kids are using these days - just click on the Pegasus image below to go to the page. 

We're sorry - Google in their wisdom are not allowing us to reply to people's comments - on our own Blog!!... 

Yes, we're still here - we plan to do something for DDAY80 in June 2024 

Happy Birthday to 6th Airborne, D-Day veteran Cedric.

Notes from interview with Cedric McCarthy, 225th Parachute Field Ambulance: 30th May 2014 and 30th July 2014

Cedric McCarthy had his 21st birthday just days before the D-Day landings commenced, and  was the youngest in his troop. 

He was part of the 225th Parachute Field Ambulance a unit of the Royal Army Medical Corps - attached to 6th Airborne Division. 

(The unit was raised almost a year to the day before D-Day - the 7th of June 1943).

Having completed 8 training jumps at Ringway in Manchester (3 of these were from balloons and the rest from old bombers) Cedric then went on to do a 3 week ‘toughening up’ course at Hardwick Hall. Prior to D-Day they spent 3 weeks closed in at Keevil aerodrome, in Wiltshire.

Pic > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Keevil

D-Day

Cedric was one of the first out of the plane just after midnight, and had to drop through a hole in the floor. (He said they had Dakota’s but the door was too small). He remembers being told they were part of, “two long lines of planes over the Channel, about 7 miles long.”

Part of his equipment was a ‘musette’ leg bag which was tied to the leg and lowered on a rope once their chutes had opened. To prevent blistering from the rope, they were issued with white silk gloves for the jump. Each musette bag weighed 50 to 60lbs and they carried a backpack which weighed the same. The bags were filled with medical equipment, needles, medicine and the like.

Cedric landed with a comrade, John Shirley and reached a road near to the village of Ranville. Whilst waiting in a trench by the roadside he was hit in the face by something and was bleeding. They thought nothing of it and made their way into the village to link up. Upon taking his helmet off, Cedric noticed a lot more blood and found that his lower lip was hanging down onto his chin, and had only been held in place by the chinstrap! He said he was one of the first to be stitched up by the company surgeon, Major Ferguson

General Richard Gale

The company heard a rumour that General Richard ‘Windy’ Gale found a horse the night of the drop and rode it to his rendezvous point. Cedric also said one of his comrades, a young lad who was blind in one eye, got his parachute caught in a tree and was left suspended in mid air. not knowing how far the drop was, he hung there until first light when he realised he was only a foot or two from the ground.

They waited for hours for the resupply gliders to come in but only 6 out of the 12 arrived. Cedric’s mate, Ernie Lynne, landed a fair way away and had to sneak past German troops into Ranville. Another comrade, a full Colonel, set off to check on the state of play in Caen and had one of his fingers blow off.

Once his treatment had finished, Cedric and his pals were put to work straightaway from Tuesday through until Friday without a rest. When he was allowed a sleep break he fell asleep on a parachute in the corner of a room in the chateau they had ‘obtained’ for use as an aid station. PICTURE

Within the chateau, were 2 bathrooms side by side. After a short while, the Germans, realising the Allies had landed and taken over Ranville, cut off the water supply so, with the last of the water from the taps, they filled both baths to the top. (Upon returning to Normandy for a commemoration, Cedric visited the chateau. He said that the gates were closed and that 2 large black dogs stood guard. However, the owner of the house came out and, when Cedric mentioned he was a veteran, welcomed them in. The layout of the house had changed somewhat and one of the bathrooms had been removed. The owner was amazed to learn there had been two bathrooms previously and seemed to doubt it at first. So, Cedric walked towards the entrance door and pointed to the floor where there was a large rug covering up some of the floorboards. The owner pulled back the rug to reveal a dark stain across the boards. Cedric told him that this was the place where they laid the injured before they were operated on. The collected blood had stained the wood so much that it had never washed out. He also pointed to the corner of the room where he had taken his first rest in nearly 4 days, wrapped in the parachute).

[Image from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chateau_de_Guernon-Ranville]

Grave of Major R R Maitland, Ranville, Normandy

During the time that the 225th Field Ambulance were in Ranvile, they were never further than 1000 yards from enemy troops. Casualties, both Allied and German, came in steady streams and were either patched up and sent back to their units, shipped back for return to England, or buried in temporary graves in Ranville. Cedric recalled the death of Major Maitland and his ‘batman’ Ronald Russell, both killed on the 7th June 1944 - now buried in Ranville. He said they were both killed at the same time as were pretty inseparable.

http://www.fallenheroesofnormandy.org/Servicemen/Detail/24124 Russell

http://www.fallenheroesofnormandy.org/Servicemen/Detail/24113 - Maitland

Cedric reports that once they linked up with the land forces, no serious casualties came through Ranville and they moved to a quarry East of the River Orne. The Engineers had built an operating theatre out of wood allowing them to treat serious injuries before sending them back to be evacuated.

Once the 225th had finished their work in Normandy, they made the journey to Trouville then Deauville and walked across wooden planks onto the Mulberry harbour out to the waiting ships.

Back in England the 225th were sent for more training at Bulford near Andover. They had to go for a run each morning at 6:30AM to keep them in shape then perform squad drills and P.T. They also spent time at Beacon Hill and Longford Castle.

During Operation Market Garden the 225th were on a months leave. However, on the morning of the first drop into Arnhem, they were called back to Bulford. During this period of waiting, a general order went around to British personnel to ensure they saluted American officers - as apparently, they hadn’t been doing so!

During the crossing of the Rhine, the 225th  were dropped from Dakotas in the area of Wesel. Cedric said he met his first Russian troops there, a group of aircrew who were very pleased to meet them.

When asked if he remembered where he was on VE-Day, he replied, "Think I went canoeing on the lake nearby. Seem to recall I fell in!"

Cedric McCarthy.

Happy Birthday, Cedric. From all of us at D-Day Stripes.

Wear your D-Day Stripes on Social Media

Please Show your Recognition by wearing your D-Day Stripes on 6th June, on Social Media.

Simply choose an image, right click and save it. Then use it as your Twitter/Facebook/Social Media profile pic.

*We have been given permission for you to use these images as Social Media profile pics from the respective creators. 

Thank you in advance all.

KOSB 1st Bttn War Diary - summary

Using the official War Diary of the 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderors, I have put together a brief summary of their movements in Normandy from D-Day, 6th June 1944, onwards. 

(Work in progress) 

Pipes and drums of 1st KOSB in Selkirk, Scotland prior to Normandy Invasion, D-Day. 

*Prior to departure for Normandy, 1st KOSB stayed in Denmead, Hampshire near the South Coast of England. 

*UPDATE -  1 KOSB sailed for France, on the 4th of June, 1944 from Cosham, near Portsmouth. They came ashore at approx. 11am, which would make them the 2nd wave. (Credit: D Kane, UK)

6th June - Queen Beach SWORD 

Came ashore as part of 2nd wave with folded bicycles. Pipes played the companies ashore.  

Turned right off the beach along the road to Lion Sur Mer. Commandoes were still dealing with snipers. Passed through the lines of 2nd Bttn Lincolnshire Regt.

Snipers in the tower at Hermanville. Heavy shelling dislodged them.  

Bttn dug in at St Aubin D'Arquenay. At sunset they watched the reserve brigade of 6th Airborne land their gliders in the East.  Orders were issued for an early hours attack on Cazelle the next morning.  

7th June-  Le Mesnil Woods 

After attacking Cazelle, they dug in at Le Mesnil Woods. Whilst digging they were mortared and took heavy casualties in B and C companies. At twilight, they were attacked by friendly tanks who mistook them for Germans. They attempted a break out and the Pipe Major played 'Blue Bonnets' just before.  

Stayed in the woods until June 9th, working alongside the 2nd Bttn Royal Ulster Rifles, laying minefields and returning mortar fire.  

9th June - Cambes 

Brigade ordered to capture St Coutes but met opposition in Cambes. 2nd RUR attacked first but met heavy opposition from 12 SS Hitlerjugend panzers. KOSB crossed a wheat field and attacked the flanks at bayonet point.  

20th June - Cambes 

Bttn withdrawn and relieved by 2ND RUR.  

(Conflicting. Relieved by 5th Bttn South Staff Reg (58th Infantry Division) at Cambes then marched to Benouville to prepare for attack on Caen).  

6th July - Benouville 

Prepare for Caen offensive.  

9th July - Caen 

Attack on Caen. 1st KOSB were some of 1st troops to enter Caen. 

11th July - Caen 

Handed over their sector to Canadian troops and marched out to the sound of the pipes. Climbed aboard carriers to go to Plumetot.  

12th July - Plumetot 

Day off R&R. Football, swimming and going to the cinema. Pipers played The Retreat for first time on French soil.  

15th July - Plumetot to Ranville 

Left in lorries in the evening to relieve the 6th Airborne around Ranville.  

Arrived under cover of darkness and told to dig in. Ground was hard and full of flints (gliders also reported sparks from skids/ground when landing).  

18th July AM - Escoville 

Start of Operation Goodwood. At 8:15, after watching the bombers flatten the enemy positions, they set off through the fields to Escoville. They lay in the orchards surrounding the village then up a slope towards Sannerville. Upon arrival, they dug in on a slope towards cornfields. D company passed through the town but ran into heavy mortar fire as they passed through the Eastern exits. When the rest of the Bttn moved in, they were pounded by 88s and sniper fire.  

In the evening, they were held up on outskirts of Troarn (where the two roads split). Remained dug in until 31st July.  

31st July -  Bieville 

R&R 

1st August - Longraye 

4th August - Foret L'Eveque 

5th August - Montisenger 

Lovely Sunday morning. Prelim preparation for an attack.  

Attack on the Vire-Vassy Road started at 6:30PM 

9th August - Vire 

Met up with US 42nd Infantry, Rainbow Division.  

12th August - Viessoix 

Spent 3 days here.  

15th August - Flers/Landisacq 

Spent 10 days here.  

Unknown date: La Chappelle Au Moine. Paid tribute to American bomber crew (killed by SS?) Played pipes.  

3rd Sept - Les Andelys 

Crossed the Seine.  Went to Hacqueville.  

6th Sept - Etrepagny.  

Spent 10 days here before moving on to Belgium. Pipes and drums played.  

More info:

Photos of 1st KOSB 1944-1950 > https://www.pinterest.com/ddaystripes/kings-own-scottish-borderors-kosb/

Google Map to accompany the above  > https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z1uvU7Q3nGy0.kDQjNG0r7AQE (WIP)

Link to Memorial page for 1st Bttn KOSB on Fallen Heroes of Normandy > http://www.fallenheroesofnormandy.org/Servicemen/UnitShipSquadron/5945

If you have any further information, photos or stories from this period of the Battalion's history, please do get in touch. 

***