Today I met a hero

[Alte Hase]

Hi All,

Today,I was truely priviledged to have met a genuine hero. This gentleman, now 87 years of age, joined the British 6th Airborne at the age of 16, jumped on D-Day,then again into Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden, along with also completing a number of covert drops into German occupied France before D-Day, most notably to sabotage power stations and infrastructure.

I was honoured enough to hold his original "Red Devils" beret, and spend a bit of time listening to his stories.

Sadly, this amazing hero of World War 2 now lives alone, a widower in an old age home.His body is now very frail, but his memories live on as a monument to the massive sacrifices that so many gave so that we all may live in peace and freedom today.

I guess what I'm saying is that I feel so lucky to have met a living hero, as much as I'm sure he wouldn't describe himself as such.It made a huge impact on me.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Man, that's awesome!

 

[mikewint]

It is really great to meet such living history. His fate today is pretty common for old soldiers. An old career master sargent once told me: "Son, the government treats soldiers like condoms".
Been lots of welcome home parades here and honoring returning soldiers which is great but in the meantime about 5,000 active military have had their family homes forclosed by our "government-bailed-out" banks. The feds are "looking in to it"

 

[evangilder]

Cherish times like those when you can hear them talk. Sadly, we are losing a lot of those old veterans every day. I have been very blessed to have spoken with many an old veteran who has now gone west.

 

[Shinpachi]

 

[Wayne Little]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

What an honour.

 

[rochie]

a great honour for sure

 

[Readie]

It is an honour and very special to be able to meet a WW2 vet.
John

 

[Gnomey]

It is always a great honour to meet people like him and hear their stories.

 

[Wurger]

Ditto...