In Chapel, our Chaplain spoke to pupils about the 80th Anniversary of D-Day...

The 80^th Anniversary of D-Day - when allied forces from America, Britain, our Commonwealth and Allies delivered a naval assault on the beaches of Normandy, in France to liberate it and much of Europe from the evils of Nazi rule. 7000 ships. 195,000 naval personnel. 133,000 troops. Landing on beaches into a swarm of German machine gun fire. Seeking to capture huge fortified concrete structures, climb cliffs, and escape air assaults. For many it was pretty much a suicide mission. Yet ultimately, it led to the liberation of France and Europe - and towards the peace and freedoms we enjoy today.

But it came at a great cost. 410,000 casualties. 37,000 ground forces deaths. 16,000 air forces deaths. In the King’s Bruton side chapel of St Mary’s - and you’ll see the war memorials to the men who fought and died in the two World Wars, Korean War, and War in Afghanistan. If you were to go through the names from the second world war, you’d come across two who died as part of the ongoing D-Day Operation and Battle of Normandy. Lieutenant Colonel John Winn Atherton - he was killed in action in Normandy on 27^th June 1944 aged 37, and Captain John Charles Bailey Davies killed in action near Caen in Normandy on 2^nd July 1944 aged just 23. They would have sat in the same pews we sit in now. Their sacrifice and the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of others has led to the freedoms we are blessed with today.

There are lots of lessons we can learn from D Day. Here are four P’s - four lessons:

1. Planning 
   D Day required vast amounts of planning. Practice invasions were carried out on the Devon Coast. It is interesting to research ‘Exercise Tiger’ - arguably the biggest military practice and planning exercise of its day.
    
2. Psychology
   We were very crafty at misleading the Nazis into thinking that we were going to be invading elsewhere. We tricked them. Look up ‘Operation Fortitude’ online to discover the intricacies of what we did to help make D-Day possible.
    
3. Purpose
   Every man landing on the beaches had a purpose bigger than themselves that enabled them to face the enemy. They knew what they were fighting for, the evil they were seeking to destroy.
    
4. Prayer
   Both President Roosevelt of the USA, and our King George 6^th called for their nations to pray. President Roosevelt went on the radio to address the nation and said these words: "My fellow Americans, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer: Almighty God…” King George VI similarly said in his D-Day address to the nation, “At this historic moment surely not one of us is too busy, too young or too old to play a part in a nationwide, perchance a worldwide, vigil of prayer as the great crusade sets forth. If from every place of worship, from home and factory, from men and women of all ages and many races and occupations, our intercessions rise, then, please God, both now and in a future not remote, the predictions of an ancient Psalm may be fulfilled: "The Lord will give strength unto his people: the Lord will give his people the blessing of peace."

Planning, Psychology, Purpose and Prayer. Below is a prayer specially written for the D Day Anniversary by the Church of England. We will pray seeking to remember and honour the sacrifice of so many, including all those Old Brutonians involved in D Day.

God our refuge and strength,
as we remember those
who faced danger and death in Normandy,
eighty years ago,
grant us courage to pursue what is right,
the will to work with others,
and strength to overcome tyranny and oppression,
through Jesus Christ,
to whom belong dominion and glory,
now and for ever.
Amen.

Rev'd George Beverly - Foundation Chaplain

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