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Watched this tonight at 9pm on BBC2. Absolutely fascinating. The story of the ship the old American destroyer they disguised as a German destroyer was incredible. The courage these soldiers has was unlimited. Hats off to every single one of them.

 

I was there in 1997 as a wee 15 year old and took no notice of it and regret it now. The older gersnetters will know where St Nazaire is and what it's about but for the younger users here's a link to it....

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nazaire

 

My Grandpa fought against the Germans as a rear gunner in the RAF. Makes me proud as punch having him as a grandpa. He fought to save this country from being under German invasion. He sat at the back of a plane with only a gun to protect him against enemy fire. Takes a lot of guts. A former Commando in the programme tonight said "I think the youths of today would do the same as we did all those years ago, infact I know they would". Sadly I had to disagree, I think the youth of today would run a mile.

 

It also got me thinking about the plastic paddys who occupy our country. If it wasn't for the likes of my grandpa and the thousands of other soldiers, Navy and RAF recruits they wouldn't have a country like this to live in yet they still wave the tricolour and think it's right to do so.

 

Rant over!

 

St Nazaire is a place I'd love to visit again and really take in the history.

 

I remember Cammy (I think it was him) who made a thread about Rememberance Sunday and how more people on Gersnet were more interested in talking about totty and what not rather than remember the war veterans of this country. I was one of them, but from now I'll remember what my grandpa and the others who fought to save this country did for us.

 

:thup:

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You are going to make me cry Gav....

 

Seriously though, my Grandad won some medals from the war, sadly I can't even remember which medals they were.

 

Every one of them that put themselves into the forces back in those days knew there was a fair chance they would never come back - yet they did it to save our country from an evil dictator.

 

I just recently read a book called "Secret Germany" which was about the resistance against Hitler from within Germany and although it was quite a heavy read the Germans also had many who were heroes as they were trying to fight the same fight as the Allies.

 

Apparently there was a meeting between Hitler and the Allies heads of state and the German resistance had a plan to overthrow Hitler when he backed off after being warned not to go into Czech Rep (I think it was Czech Rep). Sadly the Allied leaders allowed Hitler to invade Czech Rep and the rest is sadly, as they say, history.

 

I also am inclined to agree with you about the youth of today - they aren't the heroes in making that people think they are.

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they wouldn't have a country like this to live in

 

Thats the only bit of your thread I could pick a fault with Gav. The UK society has went miles backwards in the last 25 years and the likes of your Grandad would agree that most youths are mobs now and national service should be brought back to discipline them. Your right most youths would run a mile these days and TBH i wouldnt be confident giving them a water pistol never mind guns to defend themselves.

 

The ignorance of some youths these days is shocking. These people did fight to free up the country only for most people to take advantage of it now without appreciating it.

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I would just like to add a piece for the Dutch, French, Polish and all other underground movements that were also putting their life on the line. Most of my wife's uncle's and Aunties who were in the Dutch underground are slowly dying off but it was unbelievable the stories i heard at birthday parties(etc) how they put their lives on the line just to steal a chicken for dinner or to pass a message on. It is funny how you hear an old auntie, a frail woman, telling you how she slipped passed German soldiers to steal what they could just to stay alive or help the cause. God bless them all.

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Sadly, your all right about the youngsters of today not paying enough attention or showing enough gratitude to the older generations who fought in the wars.

 

I've been to places like dachau and bergen belsen, seen the ovens and "showers" - and ultimately it makes me acknowledge how much effort and dedication it must have taken our forefathers to travel to countries and fight in the name of freedom.

 

You'll notice in central station around the time of rememberance sunday there's always an old gent standing beside the war memorial - dressed in his full 1st parachute infantry uniform complete with red beret collecting money for their charity.

 

At RUSH HOUR only about 3/4 people out of hundreds actually stop and give this hero their spare change, and for every person who gives he smiles and says "thank you, thank you SO much."

 

My generation and the generations after me are the ones who should be thanking him.

 

As pete said. God bless them all and lets not let anyone forget what the generations before us did for us.

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