My father, William Alexander Kay, served with the 15 Adv BOD RAOC in Normandy (no. 10584966), and although he didn't come home with a distinguished service medal, he was one of thousands of men who 'did their bit'. He rarely talked about his experiences, he felt he hadn't done anything significant that warrented heroic tales, and what he had experienced haunted him for many years. He died in 1977 when I was young, taking his memories to the grave with him. I'd like to find out more about him as a young man, where he served and who he served with. He was from Glasgow, and a medical student when he joined up. I suspect he landed around Arromanches, as we visited there and Bayeux in the late 1960s.
My mother also played her part. At 17, when war broke out, Joyce Grant worked for the Admiralty as a short hand typist. She went to Dover Castle to work during the Dunkirk evacuations, and only now, at 83 yrs old, is she beginning to talk about her experiences. She worked for the Admiralty for most of the war, living in London (Perivale/Ealing).
When I was 5 yrs old we visited Normandy and I clearly remember my dad standing at a grave in one of the many cemeteries we visited, with tears rolling down his face. It was the only time I ever saw him cry. Whose grave was he crying over? I don't suppose I'll ever know, but I owe it to him and the thousands of other men and women who served to try and keep the memories alive.
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