Arthur Blerkom

This story and photos are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Doreen Walton (née Blerkom), daughter of Arthur Blerkom

My father, Arthur Blerkom, 5th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, aged 28, landed on Gold Beach on the morning of 6th June, 1944. He never got off the beach. He had been through the war, in North Africa and Italy before coming back to UK to group for Operation Overlord.

My mum never got over his death and I've been told that the fateful telegram that arrived made her world fall apart. I was 2 at the time.

He was a Cockney born and bred in the east end of London but ended up in the East Yorkshire Regiment as they were filling the great losses happening from all parts of the UK. I never knew him but have visited his grave in Bayeux Cemetery three times.

Sorry I can't tell you any more as my mother couldn't bear to talk about it but she did say that when he came home for leave after North Africa she didn't recognise him as he was this thin, sun tanned man who had aged so much and lost most of his hair.

Thank you for keeping their memories alive. Forever grateful to the men and women who fought for our freedom.