D-Day 80
For the 80th Anniversary of D-Day we have added information on a few local people who served in the run up to the Normandy invasion, on the actual invasion days and afterwards.
D Day was on 6th June 1944 but the days after this were known as D Day + 1 D Day + 2 etc, so if you see these references, that's what we mean.
The event was the invasion of combined forces from the British coast crossing over the English Channel to the Normandy beaches. These were the 'Normandy Landings'. The 6th June was the first day known as 'D Day' (the D just stands for 'Day') The military name for the event was 'Operation Overlord' so you'll see references to all three when you read about it.
On Thursday 6th June 2024 it is 80 years since the event, hence the commemoration.
Those who served:
From the Keighley News archives at Keighley Library we have looked at a few of the men who served on D Day. Much of this was found in the WW2 Scrapbook of news clippings from the time.
Over time we will add information on them and link their names to biography pages on our blog. If a name has a link then if you visit their page, there will be something to read about that individual.
Jack Hepworth (survived the war) Account written by his friend Jim, who was on the beach on D Day with Jack.
Trooper John Henry Hird
Sgt Joseph Scott
Pte Vernon Northrop
Sapper Joseph Thompson
Pte Harry Davies
Trooper William Mitchell
Royal Navy Cook William Ratcliffe
Pte David Feather
Pte Charles Robinson
Capt Geoffrey Newsholme
Capt Keith Wright
Trooper Cyril Clayton
Pte Arthur Helliwell
Pte John W Archer
Gunner Sam Watson
Pte George Henry Frankland
Pte George Bernard Shaw
Gunner Geoffrey Curtis
Pte William Milns
Pte Ronald Finch
Rifleman Fred Burgess
Pte Kenneth Roper
Pte Clifford Milnes (his father was also serving)
Gunner Clifford Austin Preece
Lance Cpl Jack Town
Gunner Frederick George Lee
Wounded/killed in France:
Sapper Alfred Moore
Driver James William Orton
Pte Frank Longbottom
Pte Fred Pickles
Pte Horace Smith
Pte Frank Scattergood
Sgt Harold Bates
Gunner Frank Lewis
Lance Cpl Herbert Heath - brother - wounded
Lance Cpl Harold Heath - brother - killed