Derek Farrant, Chevalier Legion d'Honneur

"One of Britain's youngest D-Day veterans has died aged 98.
Derek Farrant, 98, from Shoreham, West Sussex, celebrated his 19th birthday as he steamed towards Normandy with the largest invasion fleet in history in June 1944.
He had hoped he would be fit to attend the landmark 80th anniversary commemoration in less than two months to remember his fallen comrades.
Unfortunately, Mr Farrant fell over and broke a hip in January before passing away last month.
At 7.15am on June 6, 1944, Mr Farrant, who was in the Royal Engineers, was approaching Gold Beach alongside his two friends Big and Little Jock.
As the ramp of the landing craft opened a German shell struck and men were thrown into the water.
Under heavy fire, the Royal Engineers, each carrying 29lbs of high explosives, were tasked with clearing a way for the invasion.
They had to clear obstacles, destroy barbed wire obstructions and take out land mines – all the time being pounded by heavily fortified German machine gun posts.
The Engineers had been training alongside the Royal Marine Commandos who had been tasked with taking Port-en-Bessin.
Mr Farrant was so young that he had to sign a waiver to take part in D-Day.
Despite his youth, he was already a highly experienced bomb disposal expert and his officers needed his skills."
One of Britain's youngest D-Day veterans who stormed Gold Beach at 19, dies aged 98 | Daily Mail Online

 

Very interesting, thanks for that

 

Reminds me of the Australian classic Khe sanh...

"left my heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh
And I sold my soul with my cigarettes to the blackmarket man"

 

Didn't know there were Anzacs at Khe Sanh?

 

We have about 5 unofficial national anthems…One is Khe Sanh by Cold Chisel…Anti Vietnam song from the vets point of view…It’s as Australian as ‘Scotland the Brave’…And a great song by a great Australian band…



https://live-production.wcms.abc-cd...cropW=512&xPos=0&yPos=10&width=862&height=485



PS: Jimmy Barnes is the singer in Cold Chisel…Born in Scotland and still has his accent to this day…Ironically he is considered as Australian as it gets…And is known as Barnsey …




Cold Chisel is truly a classic Australian band with many classic songs…if you haven’t heard them before Gordon…Do yourself a favour and try them…
Bow River…Cold Chisel live.

 

Ah, Glesca chiel. Emigrated down under a few years before my eldest brother did with his first wife. He's now Stateside with his fourth.
I'll have a listen on youtube later, cheers.