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This is the latest bulletin from Eddy O’Sullivan
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The following link is a very interesting story about a famous Italian cyclist’s exploits during WWII.
Below is a recording of an interview with Sue Hughes on British Forces Radio about our forthcoming battlefield tour of the River Sangro campaign.
Attached is an interview Jessica Hayward had with Tim Humphries of Forces Radio BFBS straight after the parade on Remembrance Day. It was a special opportunity to share her thoughts on the importance of participating in the parade.
Link to Summary of events to mark the 80th anniversary of Cassino battles. We have uploaded film of the entire Liberation of Rome conference in Anzio on 31 May-1 June. This is the film of the excellent summary of events in Cassino in May delivered by Michele di Lonardo. A lot of attention is paid to the Commonwealth event and New Zealand commemoration on 19 May. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKK5F9aJZUc&t=89s
Youtube link to the Shropshire Yeomanry commemoration for the 80th Anniversary of the battle of Monte Cassino, held in Shrewsbury. Shropshire Yeomanry | 2024 (youtube.com)
Wotjek the Bear The full version of the animated story of Wojtek the Bear can now be seen on BBC iPlayer. As it was broadcast by BBC Alba, the dialogue is in Scottish Gaelic but there are English sub-titles. BBC iPlayer – Mathan Leis an Ainm Wojtek/A Bear named Wojtek
Link to the 80th Anniversary Commemoration of the Amazon Bridge, May 13th 2024.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNM1ofl_1bI
Article in Catholic Weekly about the service in Aldershot marking the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Rome.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission »
Established by Royal Charter in 1917, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission pays tribute to the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the two world wars. It is a non-profit-making organisation that was founded by Sir Fabian Ware. Since its inception, the Commission has constructed 2,500 war cemeteries and plots, erecting headstones over graves and, in instances where the remains are missing, inscribing the names of the dead on permanent memorials. Over one million casualties are now commemorated at military and civil sites in some 150 countries.
Imperial War Museum, London, England »
The Imperial War Museum is unique in its coverage of conflicts, especially those involving Britain and the Commonwealth, from the First World War to the present day. It seeks to provide for, and to encourage, the study and understanding of the history of modern war and ‘war-time experience’. It is proud to be regarded as one of the essential sights of London.
www.cassinobattlefields.co.uk » For those looking for a guided tour of the battlefields on the Italian Campaign. We cover Cassino, Salerno, Anzio, the Sangro, the Gothic Line at Rimini and the Final Offensive at Bologna.
The Salamander Oasis Trust »
The Salamander Oasis Trust was set up after the Second World War to collect, edit and publish poems written by servicemen of all nations during the 1939-1945 War. Since its inception, the Trust has collected more than 17,000 poems and published five anthologies of poetry.
The War Graves Photographic Project »
The aim of The War Graves Photographic Project is to photograph every war grave, individual memorial, MoD grave, and family memorial of serving military personnel from WWI to the present day and make these available within a searchable database.
Second World War Experience Center »
The Centre is becoming a Mecca for authors working on Second World War books, for TV research, for Post-Graduate and Undergraduate researchers as well as for visitors, many of whom have Second World War life experience. In the Visitors’ Book men and women have listed as their individual background, for example, Dunkirk, El Alamein, Cassino, D-Day, Arctic Convoys, SOE, the Liverpool Blitz, Munitions work, School evacuation, Bomber Command raids over the Ruhr, Far East POW captivity or perhaps, even more soberingly, Auschwitz
History of the New Zealanders in the Italian Campaign »
This feature tells the stories of these men through an overview of the main events, a campaign map and particularly through the memories of those who were there.
The Gurkha Welfare Trust »
The Gurkha Welfare Trust was established in England in 1969. Its remit is to provide financial, medical and community aid to alleviate hardship and distress among Gurkha ex-servcemen of the British Crown and their dependants after they have returned to their homeland of Nepal.
This week in the Italian Campaign
https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekintheItalianCampaign
This is the link to the Youtube programme which Eddy O’Sullivan and his brother Richard have created.
The aim is to distil chronologically and concisely as many details as possible of events in the Italian campaign as their 80th anniversaries occur. There is always at least one guest per episode and they are particularly interested in people with a close family connection. For example, They have interviewed several children of Italian campaign veterans who have provided information about the people who served, including about what they were doing before, and if they survived what happened after.