Normandy veteran remembers landings

Antipodean Andy · Nov 5, 2008

Second World War veteran recalls D-Day landings

IT is over 65 years since thousands of allied troops landed on the coast of Northern France in what became known as D-Day.
One of Grimsby's heroes has been recalling his experience of June 6, 1944.
Walter Clarke (85) was a private in the South Lancashire regiment that landed at Lion Sur Mer, near Caen.
Walter, a regular at Cartergate's British Legion Club said: "The landing was bit of a blur, there was too much to take in. I remember our colonel getting injured on the beach and calling for a medic.
"Then, a small chap, who was in Army uniform, but had naval badges, joined us as we were pinned down under a German bunker.
"They were cutting us to bits with machine guns, cannons, the works. Then the Navy guy told us to bury our heads in the sand and he relayed co-ordinates to a ship.
"The next thing I knew, a huge shell took out the bunker.
"It was demolished, the noise was unreal.
"I remember looking back down the beach, and there were bodies everywhere.
"After the bunker was destroyed we managed to find a path up the bank.
"At the top we found a Polish soldier, who had been conscripted by the Germans.
"We made him strip to his underwear to make sure he had no other weapons and sent him down the beach to our officers.
"He was lucky, he nearly got shot, nobody would have known."
Walter, Of Spring Bank, Grimsby, moved to the town in 1961, with his wife Marcia, where he worked as fireman until his retirement.
Walter said: "We marched, unopposed, to the crossroads at Hermanville. That was when I looked around and realised only 20 of us were left.
"I couldn't believe it.
"I also realised that I was carrying lots of weapons that I had picked up along the way – my rifle, a bren gun and a PIAT.
"We kept on going, and walked through a cornfield. We were amazed at how easy it was to march on without any resistance. Then, one of the company hit a trip wire, which ignited the field.
"We had to get out quick, it was ablaze in seconds, as high as your head, it was terrifying."
Walter added: "I'd like to go to France to see the beach where I landed, the memorial in Hermanville and the chateaux we besieged, or what is left of it.
"I can't really afford it, but you never know, with the Legion, I may get there one day."
To read our interview with Walter in full, make sure you pick up your copy of Lest We Forget. Out at all good newsagents now, and priced £1, 25p from every copy sold will be donated to the Royal British Legion.
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