British veterans parachute over Normandy 75 years after making D-Day jump

 

D-Day veteran Harry Read makes his final preparations with members of the Army Parachute Display Team before flying to Normandy in France where he will make a parachute jump as part of the 75th D-Day commemorations, in Duxford, Britain, June 5, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

 

SANNERVILLE, France (Reuters) - Two British war veterans in their mid-nineties parachuted over the fields of Normandy, northern France, on Wednesday, 75 years after they jumped behind German defences on D-Day in an operation that helped turn the tide of World War Two against Adolf Hitler.

 

Dressed in red jumpsuits, 95-year-old Harry Read and 94-year-old John Hutton performed tandem jumps with the British Parachute Regiment’s freefall display team, the Red Devils.

 

Against a pinkish evening sky blanketed in dark clouds, the parachuters left swirling crimson smoke trails as one carried a giant Union Jack. Both veterans landed safely and looked up as the sky was filled with dozens of domed, khaki chutes, now as then.

 

Paratroopers in World War II uniforms walk to their Dakota aircraft prior to take-off from Duxford airfield as they head to Normandy in France to take part in the 75th anniversary of D-Day commemorations, Britain, June 5, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

 

Read was just 20-years old and Hutton, known to his friends as Jock, was still a teenager when they leapt out of their transport aircraft under cover of dark with the British 6th Airborne Division in the early hours of June 6, 1944.

 

"It was a different world then. It was a world that requires young men like myself to be prepared to die for a civilisation that was worth living in," Read said.

 

"So there was a very heavy necessity for young men like me to put my life on the line. My life wasn’t on the line today,” he added, describing the jump as "thoroughly enjoyable".

 

They were among more than 8,000 soldiers who were tasked with protecting the Allied left flank from counter-attack as the biggest seaborne invasion in history landed ashore and advanced inland.

 

Earlier, some 280 British and French paratroopers re-enacted the D-Day airdrops near the Norman town of Sannerville in honour of the airborne assaults 75 years ago.

 

Representing the U.S. airborne forces, American veteran Tom Ride parachuted, too, in nearby Carentan, France.

 

"It went perfect, perfect jump," the 97-year-old D-Day veteran said. "I feel great. I'd go up and do it all again."

 

The commemorations brought together the greatest number of Douglas C-47 Dakota aircraft since the Second World War, flying the same route as they did 75 years ago.

 

The drop zone for the events in Sannerville was one of four used by the division on D-Day.

 

Just past midnight that night, the 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion landed in the very same fields, then codenamed Drop Zone 'K'.

 

Their objective: destroy three German-held bridges to cut off nearby reinforcements from responding to the Allied invasion, then set up a defensive barrier in nearby woods.

 

But bad visibility and missed drops meant the battalion was scattered across a wide area and faced a perilous trek to the rendezvous point through ground dominated by a German tank division. They maintained their defensive front for 10 days.

 

(Reporting and writing by Rachel Joyner; editing by Richard Lough)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-06

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Quote

"It was a different world then. It was a world that requires young men like myself to be prepared to die for a civilisation that was worth living in," Read said.

 

It was this breed of men that made the British Empire once great.

 

Same is said for the same generation in USA.

 

 

40 minutes ago, JimmyTheMook said:

 

It was this breed of men that made the British Empire once great.

 

Same is said for the same generation in USA.

 

 

Agreed. This WAS the greatest generation indeed. It'll never again be matched for loyalty and commitment to their country no matter the cost.

 

My father was in World War II and I asked him once what he did in the war. His response was "I didn't do much". I never asked again yet after he passed away I found his military papers that placed him at Normandy. He was such a great man. Very unassuming. He was the finest man I'll ever know and I was blessed to tell him that a few hours before he passed away.

Edited June 5, 20197 yr by HuskerDo

So true mr Bert don’t sully thease brave men thankyou and love the old jents parachuting in at 94 !

32 minutes ago, HuskerDo said:

Agreed. This WAS the greatest generation indeed. It'll never again be matched by loyalty and commitment to their country no matter the cost.

 

My father was in World War II and I asked him once what he did in the war. His response was "I didn't do much". I never asked again yet after he passed away I found his military papers that placed him at Normandy. He was such a great man. Very unassuming. He was the finest man I'll ever know and I was blessed to tell him that a few hours before he passed away.

  

All respect for your father, but they didn't ask him to go in and clear out weapons of mass destruction on behalf of Halliburton.

 

Loyalty and commitment has to go both ways.  Or it doesn't work.

 

Edit:  The USA and UK faced existential threats at the time of D-Day.  Offer up an existential threat to either country today and you'd get the same loyalty, commitment, and bravery.  Not so much to keep the price of oil down and to keep markets open for multi-national corporations.

 

Edited June 5, 20197 yr by impulse

Baiting, bickering, troll posts and replies removed.   Keep it civil and on topic or face a suspension.  

 

1 hour ago, impulse said:

  

All respect for your father, but they didn't ask him to go in and clear out weapons of mass destruction on behalf of Halliburton.

 

Loyalty and commitment has to go both ways.  Or it doesn't work.

 

Edit:  The USA and UK faced existential threats at the time of D-Day.  Offer up an existential threat to either country today and you'd get the same loyalty, commitment, and bravery.  Not so much to keep the price of oil down and to keep markets open for multi-national corporations.

 

Your comments are insulting to not only my father but all of those that gave their lives to possibly allow your existence today. Please be respectful of their bravery , commitment and love of their countries.

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

 

 

 

Edit:  The USA and UK faced existential threats at the time of D-Day.  Offer up an existential threat to either country today and you'd get the same loyalty, commitment, and bravery.  Not so much to keep the price of oil down and to keep markets open for multi-national corporations.

 

I’m in agreement with you the problem is today’s weapons something like that would be over in days not years

1 hour ago, impulse said:

  

All respect for your father, but they didn't ask him to go in and clear out weapons of mass destruction on behalf of Halliburton.

 

Loyalty and commitment has to go both ways.  Or it doesn't work.

 

Edit:  The USA and UK faced existential threats at the time of D-Day.  Offer up an existential threat to either country today and you'd get the same loyalty, commitment, and bravery.  Not so much to keep the price of oil down and to keep markets open for multi-national corporations.

 

"Offer up an existential threat to either country today and you'd get the same loyalty, commitment, and bravery."..

 

This is something you and I will never agree on tho I respect your opinion. 

3 minutes ago, HuskerDo said:

Your comments are insulting to not only my father but all of those that gave their lives to possibly allow your existence today. Please be respectful of their bravery , commitment and love of their countries.

With deep respect mr husker I think you are misunderstanding impluse he and I don’t mean any disrespect we are showing respect to our current and future generations

3 minutes ago, Tug said:

With deep respect mr husker I think you are misunderstanding impluse he and I don’t mean any disrespect we are showing respect to our current and future generations

Thanks Tug. Misunderstand is easy on a msg board at times. I appreciate your earlier comments. 

Footage of the drop (all sticks/several waves):

 

& Inside the Dakota during a training jump in authentic rig:

 

'lest we forget'

What extremely brave men , parachuting in on D day, and again in their 90s.  Gentlemen i salute you, thank you for your service.......Respect.

Absolutely lovely, it must have been a moving - no pun intended, experience.

 

Soooo Colin, you gonna have a go?

 

Yes, same thought as me.....

 

 

 

1 minute ago, faraday said:

 

 

Soooo Colin, you gonna have a go?

 

Yes, same thought as me.....

Me have a go....You are joking surely, i used to get a nose bleed cleaning the upstairs windows.

8 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Me have a go....You are joking surely, i used to get a nose bleed cleaning the upstairs windows.

Knowing you it was probably cleaning them from the inside, with your nose pressed against the glass watching the next door neighbour sunbathing topless...

This clip features the Red Devils (Parachute Regt) and other Regimental display teams (starts around 8.30. The first Normandy veteran lands at 13 mins) :

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-vote-d-day-anniversary-veterans-ww2-eu-europe-a8946046.html

 

......Dont take peace for granted.