FIFTEEN second world war veterans who served with the US Army's 29th Infantry Division made a return visit to Tavistock last Friday — 60 years after they left the town to fight on the beaches of Normandy, writes Alison Stephenson.
The D-Day veterans visited Abbotsfield Hall, which was the headquarters of the division prior to the invasion, as part of a commemoration tour which will end at Omaha beach on the anniversary of D-Day, June 6.
Family members and present infantrymen from the division made up the remainder of the 45-strong party, who were treated to a tea party, a sing-a-long session of wartime songs and a chance to meet the residents of Abbotsfield, which is now a nursing home.
Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor, where the division trained in the run-up to the fighting, were also on the tour itinerary. Prior to their visit to Abbotsfield the men completed a five-mile hike on Dartmoor.
Glenwood Hankins, 84, who was stationed at Bridestowe, said he had fond memories of the area which he last visited 20 years ago.
'Tavistock has got a lot bigger in 60 years but it has brought back a lot of memories — we had a pleasant time here,' he said.
Mr Hankins was injured twice during the war but escaped injury at Omaha. He said when he and his colleagues arrived in Normandy they just got on with the job.
'We did not know what we were getting into but we soon found out —we never had any combat experience but we just followed what we did in training,' he said.
Ray Moon was 18 when he was posted to France: 'I was brought up in a military family, the sixth generation to serve in the army, and after two years' training here I was full of beans and raring to go.
'It was terrible here for the British — they had been at war for four years and the first time I saw Plymouth I could not believe what had happened with all the bombing. Exeter was pretty bad too.'
Austin Cox, who celebrated 60 years married to his wartime English bride last year, said he had taken part in the 50th anniversary of D-Day on Omaha Beach ten years ago and the experience was extremely emotional.
'My memories are of a sea of bodies on the beach and the noise of gunfire, but now we go there and it is so peaceful.
'It is a very moving experience to go to the cemeteries and see the gravestones of all your buddies.'