“Rest now for we have remembered”
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1. Memorial tablet, Normandy Veterans Association
(West Cumbria Branch No. 51)
[St Nicholas’ Church Gardens, Whitehaven,
Cumbria] |
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2. Poppy wreath with a personal dedication
[St Nicholas’ Church Gardens, Whitehaven,
Cumbria] |
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| 3. Floral tribute in memory of all Normandy Veterans
“In Loving Memory” |
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| 4. N.V.A. Memorial (West Cumbria Branch No. 51)
[St
Nicholas’ Church Gardens, Whitehaven, Cumbria]
[Dedicated 6 June 2000 and restored November
2015] |
(The photographs seen above were taken on 6 June 2015).
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For additional information click on 'Comments' below.
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posted by ritsonvaljos at 5:23 pm
3 Comments:
Additional information
Remembering D-Day in Normandy
The long-awaited Allied invasion of N.W. Europe in WW2 took place on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Over the years since then the anniversary has been marked by commemorative events in Normandy and in most other Allied countries whose troops took part in the invasion.
With the passage of time the number of wartime veterans and civilians who have personal memories of the invasion and fighting in Normandy during the summer of 1944 has inevitably diminished. In the United Kingdom all local branches of the Normandy Veterans Association and the national association ‘stood down’ and the branch standards laid up following the 2014 commemorations.
After 70 years, it was time for the commemorations of D-Day and the Normandy Landings to move on to a different phase of remembrance, mainly by the post-war generations. Nevertheless, many surviving veterans of the campaign and civilians continue to remember the anniversary. For example, on Saturday 6 June 2015 at Bayeux War Cemetery, Calvados (Normandy) the Royal British Legion organised an event attended by about 150 veterans of the Normandy campaign, relatives and friends. During the service the R.B.L.’s chaplain to Normandy addressed the surviving veterans in the following way:
“Your historic achievements will remain as one of the defining moments in the history of the last century. It’s for successive generations not to betray this trust.”
To read ‘The Guardian’ newspaper report of this event, click here.
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West Cumbria remembers the Normandy Landings
A more low-key commemoration of the Normandy Landings took place in front of the Normandy Veterans Association (West Cumbria Branch) memorial plaque at St Nicholas’ Church Gardens, Whitehaven, Cumbria. The branch standard was laid up in 2009 although a commemorative service with the surviving Normandy Veterans continued to be held at the branch’s memorial plaque until 2014. It was then agreed that year would be the last ‘official’ service.
However, on Saturday 6 June 2015 a number of people unable to attend the services in Normandy still found time to visit the N.V.A. West Cumbria Branch memorial plaque to pay their respects. A number of personal tributes were placed in front of the memorial plaque [Photograph No. 1]. One of the poppy wreaths placed at the memorial plaque was placed there by a former Armed Forces veteran and his wife [Photograph No. 2]. Another of the tributes was bunch of flowers [Photograph No. 3].
The handwritten dedication on the R.B.L. poppy wreath was as follows:
“I will never forget all you have done for us and our country. As a veteran myself and for the regiment we still and always will carry on the fight against evil. Rest now, for we have remembered. Bless you all. Bill and Kitty (240). In Remembrance.”
Facing the N.V.A. West Cumbria Branch memorial plaque in St Nicholas’ Gardens, Whitehaven is a memorial seat dedicated on 6 June 2000 [Photograph No. 4]. To read the BBC “People’s War” article of that occasion, click here.
Due to weathering over the years since, the bench was restored in 2014 and unveiled on 11 November of that year.
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Dedication
This article is dedicated to the memory of all who took part in the Battle of Normandy (June – August 1944) and especially to those who lost their lives as a result of that campaign.
“Rest now, for we have remembered.”
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This was the prayer that was usually said at gatherings of the Normandy Veterans:
“O Eternal Lord God, who has united together all Veterans of the Normandy Campaign. Grant we beseech you, your Blessing and give strength to carry on our work to aid and bring Comradeship to all Normandy Veterans, and joy and common purpose throughout our Association. We ask this in the name of JESUS CHRIST whose courage never failed. AMEN.”
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