My story begins four years earlier. My mother (Thelma) was walking home from school one day in 1940 and passed several lorries full of dirty, ragged, exhausted men – she assumed they were French (sic) but was shocked to find they were British troops from Dunkirk. Our town (Taunton) was the HQ of the Somerset Light Infantry – who always looked very smart, so this was upsetting for her.
By early June 1944 it was clear that the invasion of Northern Europe was coming as there were suddenly no troops in Taunton – no Brits, no US, even the Poles had taken their eagle flag from their rooms above the local post office and gone. 70 years ago today Thelma was sitting an exam at school. Afterwards the girls gathered in the playground and planes were heard. There were a number of bomber airfields near Taunton – so Thelma was used to hearing them taking off. But this was different – it seemed that the entire RAF was going overhead and lots were pulling gliders.
Thelma didn’t sleep well that night. Neighbours, friends and family members were on active service and clearly a lot of them were going to be involved – and Thelma remembered those men of 1940……..
By early June 1944 it was clear that the invasion of Northern Europe was coming as there were suddenly no troops in Taunton – no Brits, no US, even the Poles had taken their eagle flag from their rooms above the local post office and gone. 70 years ago today Thelma was sitting an exam at school. Afterwards the girls gathered in the playground and planes were heard. There were a number of bomber airfields near Taunton – so Thelma was used to hearing them taking off. But this was different – it seemed that the entire RAF was going overhead and lots were pulling gliders.
Thelma didn’t sleep well that night. Neighbours, friends and family members were on active service and clearly a lot of them were going to be involved – and Thelma remembered those men of 1940……..
