My D-Day dad: Eastbourne veteran’s son shares his experience 76 years on

Mac Hobbs’ 97-year-old dad Ken lives in a nursing home now, but at about 7.30am on June 6, 1944, he was landing on the beaches of Normandy.

Mac said, “He landed on Sword Beach with many others and changed the course of World War II.

“He called me on Saturday, and was clearly very upset as he remembered this terrible time and only now is he able to talk about the experiences they all had to endure on both sides of the battle. I am, only now, really starting to understand how horrific it was for all those involved on both sides of the conflict.

“He told me he was required to transport POWs and, when I asked him how he felt, his response was that he felt sorry for them as they were in a terrible state.

“These were all ordinary people thrown into extraordinary situations who had very little choice other than to literally fight for their lives. The trauma has stayed with them and will never leave them and we can only guess how that must have felt at the age of 21.

“For 76 years my dad and many others have carried this burden with great dignity and they should all be remembered for the way they carried on after the conflict and mostly led ordinary lives but as extraordinary people.

“So, on behalf of my family, thanks dad.”

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