D-Day memories are unearthed for 80th anniversary of the Landings
East Midlanders’ D-Day memories have been unearthed by the University of Leicester to mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings.
Thursday 6 June marks 80 years since the historic operation, which saw the Allied Forces mount a large-scale invasion of Nazi-occupied France that ultimately tipped the course of the Second World War in the Allies’ favour.
To mark the occasion, Colin Hyde from the East Midlands Oral History Archive, which is based at the University, has revisited an audio interview he conducted in 2005 with a Normandy Landings veteran.
You can read Colin’s blog and listen to the audio interviews on the Library and Learning Services website.
The interview saw David Carey, from the Leicestershire Regiment, describe his feelings when he landed on the beach and how he took cover from incoming fire by hiding behind the carcases of cattle that had perished in the conflict.
The blog also links to a conversation with George Langton, who describes his time working for the Home Guard in Leicester, including his memories of France-bound planes flying over the city.
Colin said: “To have spent time with David Carey was a real privilege, particularly because it can sometimes be the case that veterans prefer not to speak about their experiences of conflict.
“To hear his account of the Normandy Landings was something I will never forget. The bravery he and his peers showed during the Second World War is something that could be taken for granted, but hearing the account, first hand, of the extreme circumstances they were thrown into really brought it home to me.”
The oral history recordings are being catalogued and preserved as part of the Sounds for the Future project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Leicester Cathedral will be the focal point for the city’s commemoration of D-Day, with a service held at 5.30pm on Thursday 6 June.