By Tulip Radio business manager Jan Whitbourn
Chris Carter and myself travelled from Spalding to France in a very rare 1942 Austin K2 ambulance.
Local farmers AH Carter Farms have owned it for over 55 years.
It saw service with the Navy and it’s believed there are only two other Austin Navy K2s still in existence out of many thousands constructed – most of which went to Army, Air Force and other Allied Services. This particular ambulance is still clad in its original canvas and wood.
Chris went in it to France in 1994 to commemorate the 50th anniversary and felt it would be a wonderful experience to do the same for the 70th anniversary this year.
It is especially poignant that this year is probably the final time that many veterans will have been able to make this unique trip since the youngest of them is likely to be 88 years old.
Several thousand British people made this pilgrimage, intent on either being there or commemorating brave deeds of members of their family, some of whom gave their lives during that campaign 70 years ago.
Everyone felt immense respect for our forebears who were part of this huge operation and this respect is tinged with some pride that the British effort was pivotal in this operation.
Chris and I travelled first to Pegasus Beach which was the scene of the very first landings by members of the Parachute Regiment. Their actions prevented German Forces blowing the vital bridge across the Caen Canal. The site now houses a very moving museum dedicated to that battle.
HRH Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attended a small ceremony at Pegasus Bridge which also involved a stunning flypast by almost all the aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which is based at RAF Coningsby.
We travelled to all the British sector beaches, including Arromanches, where Chris fulfilled his lifelong ambition to drive his ambulance along the beach, just like many thousands of similar vehicles did 70 years ago.
We also visited the American Cemetery at Colville, which overlooks Omaha Beach, as well as the Omaha Memorial on the beach itself. Several very moving services were held on all these sites over this period and as many veterans as possible were invited to all of them.
At Omaha Beach particularly there were Willys Jeeps as far as the eye could see, as well as a huge variety of other American Military Vehicles. The Austin K2 certainly stood out amongst the US Militaria.
The American cemetery was extremely moving with all graves in geometrically straight lines all facing West, towards the land of their birth.
The British cemetery at Bayeux and other British cemeteries visited are all run by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, their pristine layout and fastidious maintenance aptly indicates the esteem in which the victims of the campaign are held.
Walking through the British cemetery and seeing the extreme youth of some of the heroes’ headstones is a truly emotional experience.
It was a huge privilege to be there enjoying a unique atmosphere that will probably never be celebrated in that manner again in our lifetime and to do it all in a 72-year-old vehicle, manufactured at that time, making the journey there and back without incident, is a testament to the durability and the memory of that time.
Chris and I were extremely moved, not only by the occasion itself, but also by the immense respect and kindness shown to the Veterans of that campaign by local people. This respect was extended not only by adults but also by many young people. It was heart rending to see so many veterans engaged in earnest conversation with those young people who, in many cases, were young enough to have been great-grandchildren of these brave men.
- Jan thanks the chairman of the Spalding branch of the Royal Naval Association, Keith Crawford MBE and his wife Yvonne, for kindly issuing a RNA uniform.
