D-Day Commemorative - Why isn't Southampton's part being acknowledged.

[the colonel]

Why is Southampton receiving very little mention so far on all the commemorative broadcasts. I understand why Portsmouth is the centre of attention as this was command centre. 

Southampton was the main deportation port with approx'  2/3rds of the British, American and Canadian troops left from Southampton. About 150k troops landed on D-day on the first day. Only about a 1/6th departed from Portsmouth.

From D-Day to the end of WWII an estimated 3.5million troops went through Southampton. 

There were of course other ports also used on D-Day which also receiving very little coverage. 

[Guided Missile]

My Uncle was in Number 4 Commando, that left, together with the rest of his Brigade, from Warsash. They were under the command of Lord Lovat, famous for ordering his piper to pipe them ashore, then across Pegasus Bridge.

I was lucky enough to take him to the embarkation point, outside the Rising Sun, for the 50th anniversary event. A very brave man and we talked a lot about his experiences that day, over the years. This was truly the golden generation. My Dad wounded at Monte Cassino, another Uncle sunk on the N. Atlantic convoy, very proud of all of them. They came home, but many didn't and I'll be shedding a tear or two tomorrow.

Worth watching this video featuring Southampton's part in D Day. 

[Guided Missile]

Major General Sir Nigel Holmes in 1945 said 'Without Southampton we could not have done D-Day'. In his report Admiral Ramsay C-in-C of Operation Neptune, crossing of English Channel, said that to direct the thousands of ships the allies needed 'close and continuous' control which was impossible from Southwick House north of Portsdown Hill. The actual headquarters for the US Army on D-Day was in a wing of the Civic Centre and the British and Commonwealth Army was in South Western Hotel (HMS Shrapnel). 

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

You're right, it's usually glossed over on these anniversaries much like how many documentaries about Titanic neglects to mention the impact on Southampton other than the point it set sail from. Of the 1,500 lives lost, around half were crew working below decks with the vast majority coming from here, Having been built there, Belfast is usually the focus of attention but it was far more devastating for many Southampton families.

We should shout louder about our city.

[badgerx16]

22 minutes ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

You're right, it's usually glossed over on these anniversaries much like how many documentaries about Titanic neglects to mention the impact on Southampton other than the point it set sail from. Of the 1,500 lives lost, around half were crew working below decks with the vast majority coming from here, Having been built there, Belfast is usually the focus of attention but it was far more devastating for many Southampton families.

We should shout louder about our city.

Don't forget the Mayflower, which only went to Plymouth because after leaving Southampton one of the ships sprung a leak, or Henry V sailing for the campaign in France that culminated at Agincourt.

As regards D-Day, never forget those that were fighting elsewhere on that day, in Italy and Burma.

Edited June 5 by badgerx16

[aintforever]

Good article on the role of Southampton here:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/04/d-day-little-mark-key-port-southampton

[the colonel]

Thanks all for the above. 

Why doesn't the city council stand up more for these these historical events?! Costs money I suppose.

There is so much for us to be proud of our city and as AlehouseBrawlers said above 'we should shout louder about our city. 

I live in London and no one knows (or cares to be honest) anything about Southampton, other than they think a few 'boats' leave from there. 

I'm always proud to tell people I'm from Southampton and often bore them with by abbreviated history of Southampton.

 

 

 

[Guided Missile]

The role of Woolston in the design and manufacturing of the Spitfire should never be forgotten. Many people worked at the factory on Hazel Road and were killed there, when it was bombed. Despite this, the Germans were never able to stop the production of the plane that protected the troops when they landed on D-Day. Take a quick look at this and remember what non-combat workers from Southampton did and suffered for all of us. Unheralded, but not forgotten.

I'm now going to start work, whilst wiping my eyes.

Edited June 6 by Guided Missile

[Whitey Grandad]

27 minutes ago, Guided Missile said:

The role of Woolston in the design and manufacturing of the Spitfire should never be forgotten. Many people worked at the factory on Hazel Road and were killed there, when it was bombed. Despite this, the Germans were never able to stop the production of the plane that protected the troops when they landed on D-Day. Take a quick look at this and remember what non-combat workers from Southampton did and suffered for all of us. Unheralded, but not forgotten.

I'm now going to start work, whilst wiping my eyes.

Thanks for this, very interesting.

No. 38  Chessel Avenue in Bitterness bears a blue plaque commemorating Roy Chadwick who was the chief designer for Avro and lived there from 1922 to 1929. Remembered for the Lancaster and the initial designs for the Vulcan.

And of course we cannot forget R.J. Mitchell,

“He first lived in Radstock Road, Woolston, and then with his wife Florence and son Gordon in a house built to his own design in Russell Place in Highfield. His ashes were interred at South Stoneham Cemetery. There are blue plaques in his memory at 2 Russell Place and Hazel Road.“

His ashes are interred in South Stoneham Cemetery together with the body of his wife, Florence.

 

[badgerx16]

12 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Thanks for this, very interesting.

No. 38  Chessel Avenue in Bitterness bears a blue plaque commemorating Roy Chadwick who was the chief designer for Avro and lived there from 1922 to 1929. Remembered for the Lancaster and the initial designs for the Vulcan.

And of course we cannot forget R.J. Mitchell,

 

 

The main AVRO production line at Ringway, now Manchester Airport, used to have a fake farm on the roof to camouflage it, and they would send people up onto the roof to move the fake cows around to enure German reconnaissance didn't spot anything fishy.

[Whitey Grandad]

50 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

The main AVRO production line at Ringway, now Manchester Airport, used to have a fake farm on the roof to camouflage it, and they would send people up onto the roof to move the fake cows around to enure German reconnaissance didn't spot anything fishy.

The grave of Sir Edwin Alliott Verdon Roe himself is in the graveyard of St Andrew Parish Church in Hamble. From 1928 to 1940 he lived nearby at Hamble House.

He and his son Geoffrey Verdon-Roe formed Vero Precision Engineering Ltd, manufacturers of Veroboard and other electronics supplies. Several associated companies used to de dotted around our area.

[Fan The Flames]

22 hours ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

You're right, it's usually glossed over on these anniversaries much like how many documentaries about Titanic neglects to mention the impact on Southampton other than the point it set sail from. Of the 1,500 lives lost, around half were crew working below decks with the vast majority coming from here, Having been built there, Belfast is usually the focus of attention but it was far more devastating for many Southampton families.

We should shout louder about our city.

The map on the floor of the exhibition at the SeaCity museum https://southamptonmuseumsandgallery.co.uk/exhibitions/southamptons-titanic-story/ shows where the homes were of people who died, it's very moving.

[Whitey Grandad]

Some D-Day evidence close to me. Chandlers Ford was a large staging area for troops in the days leadng up to the invasion itself. These kerbstones at a corner of Lakewood Road display damage caused by the sprocket wheels of tanks as the cut the corner too closely.

The beech tree is along Hiltingbury Road and some American soldiers had carved their initials and some sort of badge into the bark. I sometimes wonder what happended to these brave lads.

 

 

[badgerx16]

Not Southampton related but my favourite factoid about D-Day is that the American general Mark Clark was furious about the timing. He was commanding the US 5th Army in Italy and having disobeyed orders to pursue the retreating Germans he instead chased glory and liberated Rome on June 4th, but the invasion on June 6th kept his news off the front pages of all the newspaper.

Edited June 6 by badgerx16

[Gloucester Saint]

Apologies for posting on a different WW2 thread - hadn’t twigged straight away that there was two - but this one seemed more active on the experiences of those at the time. Thought the experiences of my own grandfathers in WW2 and some Southampton connections might be of interest. Maybe, maybe not!

 

Edited June 6 by Gloucester Saint