A GWENT RAF reservist returning from Normandy has told of his emotion at seeing the beaches where his grandfather landed on D-Day.
Air Specialist (Class 1) (AS1) Jack Pritchard, 27, from Cwmbran works in transport for Torfaen council in civilian life and as a driver with the RAF.
His grandfather served with the 3rd Infantry Division and landed with them on D-Day.
Mr Pritchard said: “It’s an extremely humbling experience to stand where my grandfather landed on D-Day.
"To think that he was almost ten years younger than me at the time, it’s incredible really.”
Also a former Argus paperboy, Mr Pritchard joined colleagues from Cardiff-based Number 614 (County of Glamorgan) Squadron in late April, where they visited the D-Day invasion beaches and battlefields of Normandy to learn about the sacrifices made by the those who fought there.
In the months of planning ahead of the exercise, the participants immersed themselves in the history of D-Day, retracing the footsteps of those who fought in northern France.
Armed with this research, they assessed how the events fitted into modern UK military operations and explored the military tactics used during the Normandy campaign to gain insight into the strategies used by UK forces then and today.
Among the operations they learned about were the daring airborne raid to take the vital Pegasus Bridge and the harrowing attack on Omaha Beach famously depicted in the film Saving Private Ryan.
Officer Commanding Number 614 Squadron, Wing Commander Olly Walker said: “I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to visit the invasion beaches as a squadron and learn some big lessons about this great operation and how it fits with the UK military today.
"Those lessons will help them be better aviators who are proud of their heritage and mindful of the sacrifices of those who went before.”
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