Foreword:

In the year of the 80^th Anniversary of D–Day, the Parish Council has set aside space on its website to provide an opportunity for residents to remember/mark their relatives’ involvement in the D-Day Landings of WWII and the liberation of Europe and beyond which followed.

The Parish Council recognises and thanks all those that served with the British Armed Forces and its Allies, at such a critical time in world history. That remarkable war time generation must not only be recognised and celebrated, but remembered for their combined sacrifice no matter in which area of conflict around the world they served.

It is with a great sense of gratitude that we continue to remember them and all who served at such a critical time, bringing the peace so long anticipated during that period.

• Mr Charles Gordon Cock known as Gordon … of Hayle was involved in the D-Day Landings.

He was on Sword Beach with the 8th Army, alongside the 21st Army on D Day. Prior to this he saw action in EL-Alamein, Sicily and through France. He was a tank loader. Before D Day he was hospitalised in Holland with shell shock, but got better and found himself on the way to Sword Beach.

I am writing this on behalf of Malcolm Cock, about his father Gordon Cock.

Information supplied Lyn Oxborough.

• Julie Richards would like to pay tribute to her 98 year old father, “James Thomas Howard Prisk (Likes to be called or best known as Tom!)”

‘Tom’ served in the Royal Air Force in Burma with 52 squadron.

I would love to find out more of dad’s time spent in the air force, but he rarely talks about it these days. 

(Photos used with kind permission of ‘Tom’ and Julie).

• I would like to pay tribute to my father Arthur Gill, who was called up at 19 years of age. He served in the RAF between July 1942 and December 1945, though his official release authorisation is dated March 1946. He was posted from a UK RAF base to serve in Burma in 1945, as a Leading Aircraftsman – Fitter/Armourer. He, as many others, was awarded the Defence Medal and Burma Star.

He was never keen on talking about his service, but I can remember him briefly talking about arming the planes and an enemy infiltration one night into his base.

He was stationed there when the Japanese surrendered and received from his Commanding Officer, a Japanese Officers’ Sword. Though not an Officer himself, Arthur was chosen to receive a sword, as the surrendering Japanese Officers outnumbered the British Officers present. He was given clearance to bring the sword home.

(Information and photo supplied by Carl Gill)