介绍:
Seventy years have passed, but Frank Rosier still vividly remembers the atrocious waves across the English Channel. He was 18 years old, a boy soldier who's going to be part of the most important piece of Second World War history. And yet, all he can think about was the nauseating feeling of seasickness.
"I and I think many, many of us were very, very seasick. And when I got to Normandy, I only wanted to do one thing. GET OFF THAT BOAT!"
On the eve of June 6, 1944, thousands of young soldiers like Frank, left Portsmouth in southern England and began their epic landing mission onto five beaches in Normandy, France. What met them was the ruthless reality of warfare.
"When we came ashore, now what they can train you for was everything, but what they can't train you for is what was on that beach--carnage. Horrible; wounded, dead men, I won't even try to describe it to you. It was pretty horrific. D-day, I would like to forget it, please--it was among the worst hours of my life."
It is estimated that over four-thousand Allied troops, airmen or sailors died on D-day, of whom over 1,000 were British. Frank's elder brothers, Phil and Wally, were both killed in action.
Three months after landing in Normandy, Frank was severely wounded in battle and lost his right eye. He was then sent back to Britain, hospitalized for quite a long period. Still, he called himself lucky.
"I'll always remember 18, 19, 20 year-old boys, who were still laying in Normandy,laying wherever they fought."
Frank is now a member of the Normandy Veterans Association. Of the 61-thousand British soldiers who arrived on the beaches of Normandy, fewer than 500 are still alive.
Frank and other members of the veteran association are in hot demand for schools and various organizations dedicated to World War history education. As the 70th anniversary of D-Day is being commemorated worldwide, veterans like Frank are also wooed by journalists from home and abroad. Reflecting on his own experiences, Frank would often say there's at least one good thing about war.
"Russia, America, China, Britain, we're all on the same side, why can't we do it today? "
As to the special commemorations taking place in Britain and across the world, Frank obviously holds a slightly different opinion from the public.
"For me, the 70th anniversary of D-day is no more than the 69th anniversary of D-day or the 68th anniversary or the 71th anniversary, we will always be in Portsmouth, known as D-day son. We are here, all of us, every 6th of June, whatever year it is."
For CRI, I'm Duan Xuelian, reporting from Portsmouth.
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