80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings

Grandad Dennis in 1943

I know it's only been 8 years since my last post here (OUCH!!) but I felt this was an important one to share

6th June 1944 D-Day Landings, 80 years ago

My grandfather, Dennis Sutcliffe, at the age of 18 very early in the morning was on one of the first landing craft to land on Gold Beach with the Green Howard's. It was a day he rarely spoke of and clearly brought with it painful memories, as well as the physical pain of the injuries he sustained on that day. I do remember at the 60th Anniversary celebrations asking him some questions but I wish I had recorded what he had said to me!

It was his first experience of war, but he had been in training for a number of months specifically for this operation. He was a lucky survivor as 180 Green Howards lost their lives on this day.

I am hoping to visit Gold Beach later in the summer with my children to see where my grandfather landed, as well as to visit The Green Howards Memorial in Crepon.