06-Nov-2024

Remembrance 2024: Stories of the Fallen

Always Remembered

Remembrance of the fallen in war has many facets to it. For the veterans it is about a comrade-in-arms whom they fought alongside. For families it is about a loved one they never got to see again. And for those of us who come after, it is about discovering, valuing, remembering and reflecting on the sacrifices made.

In these times, it is also a reminder of the cost of war and the impact it has on people close to, as well as far from, the battle front. We have been sent many stories about those who were killed in the Battle of Normandy, each one a reminder of their sacrifice and how their families continue to remember them.

Here are a few of the more recent stories we have been sent.

Henry (Harry) Cyril Langford – Royal Navy

Always Remembered. For many families, finding out about their relative’s circumstances of death was an important way of helping deal with their loss and honour their sacrifice. Robert Langford’s father, Harry Langford, was serving in the Royal Navy, when his ship, HMS Nith, was hit on 24th June by a new weapon that the Germans had developed, the Mistel, a weapon which we know nowadays as a drone. Later on in life, his son began to research the background to the loss of his father. It revealed the life Harry experienced on board a Royal Navy ship, the early days of the Battle of Normandy and how Harry became one of the many casualties.

More on Harry’s story

 

Douglas Belcher – Royal Navy

 

Always Remembered. Some stories reveal unexpected connections with other events in the Battle of Normandy. Douglas Belcher was serving in 522 LCA Flotilla, Royal Navy. On D-Day, their flotilla was transported across the English Channel by SS Amsterdam and Douglas was part of the crew of LCA 858 which landed men of the 2nd Rangers onto Omaha Beach. But Douglas was fatally wounded during the landings and died the next day in the UK.

SS Amsterdam was converted into a Hospital Ship shortly after D-Day. On July 7th she struck a mine off Juno beach and sank with the loss of many lives, including the only two women to be commemorated on the memorial, Sister Mollie Evershed and Sister Anyta Field.

More on Douglas’ story

Frank Sidney Bushnell – Army

Always Remembered. Frank Bushnell died of his wounds on the 28th June 1944, just a few days after his 18th birthday. He was remembered by his family as a loving, kind-hearted boy and his parents were inconsolable when they got news of his death. The family have never forgotten him. As part of D-Day 80 they commissioned a tribute plaque to him which was placed at the British Normandy Memorial, inscribed with the following words:

“In Loving Memory
Frank Sidney Bushnell
23.06.1926 – 28.06.1944
‘Our Fallen hero Uncle Frank who was taken too young
And will forever be in our heats’
Lest We Forget
With love the Payne Family

 More on Frank’s story

Thomas Edmund Aitken – Army

 

Always Remembered. Remembrance of a family member who served and survived can lead to the discovery of others who weren’t so lucky. Marc Dyos was researching the service of his grandfather, Edward Dyos, but as he found out more he began to understand and appreciate the full extent of the sacrifices made by those men he knew. One of the stories his research revealed was that for Thomas Aitken, who was killed on D-Day. A former member of their unit would return to Normandy many times after the war to remember both him and one of his other comrades who had been killed in the first few days of the battle.

More on Thomas’ story

 

Jack Skingley – Royal Air Force

 

Always Remembered. In the story sent to us by Jack Skingley’s daughter, it shows the many forms of remembrance undertaken by those connected to a story.

For the family, she told us about how her mother was determined to keep his memory alive and would often talk about Jack with her children, who were incredibly young when their father died. Former comrades also keep remembrance alive as shown by an extract from a letter written by Eric Rimmington, who served alongside Jack.

When I do look back into the past and think of the men I flew with, I am the last surviving member, I think of your father and remember him as being a very thoughtful man and his family would always come into the conversation. Prior to take-off when we were on Ops, we had to be out at the aircraft an hour before take-off time, this was to check everything, we then had to wait around for what seemed ages, that is when I enjoyed talking to your father, not all about the target, but about life in general, we always steered clear of the task ahead which was good, but it was with these conversations that I got to know Jack very well.

The story also reveals the way in which those living in France continue to honour the memory of their liberators.

More on Jack’s story