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BROMLEY: Pipe band to lead D-Day commemorations
12:52pm Monday 1st June 2009
A BAG PIPE band are preparing to travel to Normandy to lead war veterans in their 65th D-Day commemorations.
Bromley-based Schiehallion Pipes and Drums band, will be travelling to Gold Beach in Arromanches in Normandy to lead Second World War veterans on June 6.
The band, which is made up of around 20 members has been together for six years and is led by drum major Jim Gibb of Croydon Road in Hayes.
The trip is of particular importance to Mr Gibb, who is an ex servicemen of the first Battalion The Parachute Regiment.
Not only will Mr Gibb be wearing his own service medals earned during his years in the army, but he will get the opportunity to pay respect to his uncle, William Moran, who was killed during battle in 1944 at the age of 19.
The 58-year-old said: “I think I will have a lot of mixed feelings on the day.
“It will be a mixture of sadness and pride because so many young people lost their lives in that battle.”
The special needs teacher tracked down his uncle’s grave about 10 years ago and was the first member of the family to visit the cemetery at Banneville La Campagne, near Caen.
Mr Gibb said: “My family did not know where he was buried, we only knew it was somewhere in France.”
Before taking part in the war, his uncle was a ship yard apprentice but had a military background as his father was a sergeant major in the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment).
On the day, Mr Gibb will wear his uncle’s medals and also lay a tribute on his grave.
Mr Moran landed on Sword Beach with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders on the first day of battle.
The soldiers fought their way foot by foot across the beach and onto Caen, where Mr Moran was killed, just a few weeks before the battle for that town ended.
The D-Day commemorations are to mark June 6 in 1944 - when the invasion of Normandy began, to help liberate Europe from Nazi occupation during the war.
The landings took place along a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast which was divided into five beaches: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
For more information about the band, call Mr Gibb on 07762 555208.
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BROMLEY: Bag pipe band to lead D-Day commemorations
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