Posts by Ian Reed
Trois jours avant Noël 1944 (version française) J-P Churet
Au plus fort de la guerre, les Français loin de leurs familles ont pensé au Noël des petits Anglais malades. Contexte Historique Après la libération de l’Afrique du Nord par les Alliés, en 1943 le personnel de l’armée de l’air française libéré se rendit par bateau en Grande-Bretagne pour constituer des…
Read MoreA Polish Corporal’s Journey to Monte Cassino – Christopher Cytera.
The despoilation of Poland, and a young soldier’s extraordinary journey to join the Allies and General Anders Army in Italy. Ludwik Cytera was born on 16th July 1913 in Rudka, 80km north of Lwów in pre-war Poland, now western Ukraine. Ludwik Cytera – Polish II Corps – 22nd March 1943 He was…
Read MoreWhy We Remember Remembrance – – – Ian Reed
A brief look at the history, symbols and the relevance of Remembrance and why it is still important today. Version francais cliquez ici: francais Stopping the Cycle of War In 1859 Austria invaded Sardinia and fought against France (11 weeks), in 1864 Prussia and Austria invaded Denmark (9 months), in 1866 Prussia…
Read MorePlumetot 1944 – Return of the Polish Air Force to Europe – Richard Kornicki
(In English and en francais). Restablishment of the Polish Air Force within the RAF and their return to the continent of Europe – 1944. The Return of the Polish Air Force to the Mainland of Europe By Richard Kornicki CBE, DL, Chairman, Polish Air Force Memorial Committee (Traduction en français à la fin de…
Read MoreA Letter from Paris 1944 – Mme Hélène Sergejew
Recently discovered letter from Occupied France – How civilians risked their lives protecting allied servicemen – in her own words. A Letter from Paris – 1944. Recently discovered letter by a brave Russian lady and her family who saved a young British airmen from enemy hands at the risk of their own safety. …
Read MoreChâteau de Lantheuil – “V.E.” Day Memorial – Baron Durandy de Naurois-Turgot
A proposed new memorial for a classical French Château with a unique wartime past near the D-Day beaches of Normandy. NB: Traduction en français à la fin de cette page……….. Château Lantheuil in Normandy has a significant historic past. French troops on parade In the mid 17th century Jacques Turgot de St…
Read MoreResearching Trouan’s Lancasters – Jean Oddou & Pascal Pierre
Another deadly night for Bomber Command – two Frenchmen search for two of the 42 Lancasters lost over their town on one night. On the night of 3/4 May 1944 two RAF bombers were shot down and crashed at the village of Trouan le Petit in the Department of Aube, France. The aircraft were…
Read MoreThe Battle of Britain – 80th Anniversary – Never has so much been owed…
The Battle of Britain Speech by Ian Reed at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Paris on 15 September 2020. Guests included: the Ambassadors of Britain, Belgium, New Zealand and Ireland; Chief of Staff of the French Air Force and senior diplomatic representatives from Poland, Canada, Slovakia, Australia, South Africa, Germany, Eire, U.S.A., France, Czech…
Read MoreLuc sur Mer – D Day and the Commandos – Simon Horsington
A mission to secure the memory of 46th Royal Marine Commando on D-Day and the part played by his father. Monument to 46th Royal Commando, Luc sur Mer, Normandy The Mayor of Luc sur Mer, M. Philippe Chanu, June 2019 Three years before D-Day, a discrete landing took place at Luc-sur-Mer, named “Operation Chopper”, on…
Read More“L for Love” Part I – The Man Who Fell from the Sky – – André Guédez
80 years ago, an extraordinary but true story about the crew of a special aircraft, which continues to this day. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Approaching Christmas 1944 and the Allies had made great advances across France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland. The huge logistical problems of supplying the troops 340 miles (540km) ahead from the landing beaches…
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