Thread: Guards

Actually, I don't think I have ever known for certain which beach my Dad landed on. I will send my brother an e-mail and ask him.

Mike:

Per an e-mail just in from my sister-in-law indicating that the Guards Division came in on the Mulberry Harbours.

Hi Greta,

The one that your Dad would of landed on was at Gold Beach at Arromanches-les-Bains. The American Mulberry was wrecked by a storm 10 days after it was installed and that one was at Omaha beach. The British one became known as Port Winston which was used for over 8 months even though it was meant to be used for only 3 months. Your Dad would of been one of 2.5 million men that landed on the harbour along with 4 million tonnes of supplies and 500,000 vehicles.
Hope that helps and i hope that when you make the trip over there you will visit Gold beach where i believe that some of the Mulberry Harbour is still visible.

Regards
Sniper [Mike]

Hello Mike:

Thank you for your update and the helpful information. I have bits and pieces of info that I have learned over the years but really have not put it all together yet. I find a lot of Americans are quite fascinated when I talk about the Guards Armoured during WWII in north-west Europe; however, it makes one feel better knowing that one has the correct information. Well, I tend to tell those that are interested and even those who are not.

Cheers.

Greta

Hi Greta

Its always fun to tell people if they are not interested because sometimes they suddenly sit up and take notice that they are not the only persons in the world that have had family killed or maimed in the wars that have ravaged this world in the last century. Its even more satisfying when they ask you how to find out more information of their family. So where was your Dad from? And how did you come to be in the US?

Cheers
Mike

My Father grew up in Consett in County Durham as did my brother and myself. I emmigrated to the U.S. in 1970 after having married a U.S. serviceman I met in London of that same year. Obviously, I am well settled here but still like to visit the U.K. from time to time. I always find it interesting to see all the changes
in the U.K. Although, after all these years I feel more like a tourist whilst there.
Cheers.

Greta

Hi Greta
My Uncle Steve Cheall was in the Coldstream Guards but not sure what he did. Paul

Hello Paul:

I believe my Father drove a Sherman Tank. He also had knowledge of Rolls Royce engines and received the training whilst in the army. Before the Guards went to Wiltshire Plains, he was a Guardsman at Windsor Castle protecting this current Queen and her sister when they were still princesses.

Cheers.

Greta