NORMANDY INVASION SIGNING EVENT - 31st JULY
To commemorate the historic events of D-Day, we delighted to be joined at the UK Gallery by veterans who took part in one of the most critical periods of British history – the Allied invasions of occupied Europe.
Our special guests include:
Fuselier JOHN DOUGLAS Ld’H - before he was even 18, John joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers 49th Division and went on to land at Sword beach two weeks after D-Day. He served throughout the Allied advance through France and helped capture Le Havre with the 51st Division where they took over 600 prisoners. He continued all the way through to Germany where he ended up at Oldenburg near Bremerhaven.
Rifleman SYDNEY GOLDING Ld’H - he joined the Royal Ulster Rifles before the unit transferred to form part of the 6th Airborne Division prior to the Invasion. On D-Day he landed by glider close to Ranville with the 1st (Airborne) Battalion who were tasked with extending the sector around Pegasus Bridge and he later took part in the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity crossing the Rhine as the Allies advanced towards the Baltic coast.
Sergeant FRANK ASHLEIGH - on the day of his 18th birthday Frank volunteered to join the Army Air Corps and upon receiving his wings joined the Glider Pilot Regiment. Serving with A Squadron he took part in the second air lift into Arnhem on 18th September 1944 during the Battle of Arnhem but landed off course and hid in a church before being captured and held 9 months as a Prisoner of War.
Craftsman RAY DETTLE-HILLS - he served as part of the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers assigned to various British regiments tasked with keeping their vehicles operational as they advanced through France following D-Day. He worked on a range of vehicles from tanks, jeeps, and heavy articulated vehicles all the way through France to the Rhine in Germany.
Sergeant MIKE BROWN Ld’H - Mike transferred to the GPR from the Royal Armoured Corps in October 1943. He towed a glider into Normandy on the evening of D-Day, carrying a detachment of the Ulster Rifles. He took a glider into Arnhem and fought throughout the battle being wounded in the leg and captured. As a POW he was in Stalag Luft VIIIc before walking more than 300 miles across Germany early in 1945.
Our guests are happy to sign items for customers and entry is FREE but STRICTLY by ticket only. We are currently taking bookings so please contact us now to reserve your place.
