Arromanches, Normandy

The significance of this series of photograph will be wholly lost on some self appointed representatives. Let me illuminate. The place is the Commando landing stages at Arromanches, where, on the 6th June 1944 true Heroes from all parts of the Free World fought side by side to free Europe and the world from tyranny.

In the foreground (left) is the trail of the 5.5 Medium Artillery piece guarding representatives of the RAF ground support units being honoured and remembered. The French were represented by the local Mayor and the Chief of Police and dipping standards were former regular members of the Royal Marines.
A plaque to the airmen was dedicated and a lone Spitfire circled overhead, much to the cheers and delight of the hosts (the Nederlanders of the Normandie Veterans Association) and the French people, a preponderance of whom were the local schoolchildren - Merci, les enfants.

Most fitting, to the rear and in the centre of the third picture are the remnants of the legendary mulberry landing platforms. Only recently the French had a special ceremony to the civilian seamen who took the mulberries ashore under intense attack from the enemy. Some Blackpool residents would have attended those celebrations had the FESLC been up to scratch. Resident in the town is the son of one of the original heroes, a Scottish tug boat captain who was amongst the first on the deadly beach. His son, a former regular Royal Marine, and friends, would have loved to have gone, but it appears that only a few within the cabal of the FESLC knew of this moving event. The invitation appears never to have been extended to those with attachment to this historic occasion. It is that very same cabal that told Mr Derek Coyle, a survivor and injured veteran of D-Day and a former regular Royal Marine Commando that despite having been informed by a national charity that everything was paid for and his place was secured, who then appeared not to have had the courage or decency to tell Derek that he would not be going. I wonder if that local Councillor with the dubious history, went in his stead? Not the place or time to ask what happened to the charity money, that's for another time.

It is therefore fitting that the Spitfire should fly over the ground where my father aboard LCI 112 would repeated discharge their care, because my step father had been at the Battle of Britain and had been ground crew to 'Sailor' Malan from Biggin Hill. Had I not received a last minute invite from the secretary of the Green Beret Royal Marine Commando Association in far distant Deal, Kent, I would never had the opportunity to say farewell and thank you to my parents.

So when the Gasjet writes about the Hero Marine Major of the Paint Ball Regiment let them acknowledge this, it is a gross and vile insult to the real heroes and their families who gave much and receive barely a thank you in return. As a regular, the instant that the FESLC is relegated to the confines of a very not so impressive history the better. AND GOOD RIDDANCE.