A 17-year-old Isle of Wight College student has returned from France after attending the 82nd anniversary D-Day commemorations, where he met a 100-year-old veteran who revealed he spent 4 days waiting off Ryde Pier before the historic landings.
Christopher Drucker, from Ventnor and a student in the Isle of Wight College Media Department, travelled to the British Normandy Memorial for the commemorations, where he met veteran Ken Hay MBE.
Mr Hay, aged 100, took part in the formal ceremony by reading the Exhortation before a minute’s silence was observed in memory of those who lost their lives.
Speaking with Christopher after the commemoration, Mr Hay learned the young photographer was from the Isle of Wight and recalled his own connection to the Island.
He explained that immediately before taking part in the D-Day landings, he spent 4 days aboard a landing craft waiting off Ryde Pier.
Ken Hay said:
“ I pray each night for these guys, but we also have to come back and say hello and salute them, and say our prayers for them.”
The trip also held personal significance for Christopher, whose great-uncle, Lieutenant Commander Roy Baker-Falkner DSO DSC RN, played a role in diversionary attacks on Norway around the time of D-Day.
Lieutenant Commander Baker-Falkner was later killed in action in July 1944.
Christopher’s great-aunt, Leslie, now aged 101, still remembers her brother every day and continues to pray for him nightly.
This is why the younger generation should respect the elderly population.
If it was not for such brave persons we would not be here today.
“NEVEF FORGET”
Schools need to teach RESPECT
It is shocking the amount of things you see thesedays.
Hold doors open for people, give up seats if you see vulnerable
frail persons need them.
all these good deeds use to happen in the old days, nowdays no one
gives a fcuk, that is where it all went wrong.
National service is a good thing it teaches many persons
discipline and respect.