Thanks for staying with me Guys and Dolls, now we move onto a display which was held in the grounds of the Royal Gunpower Mills, Waltham Abbey, Essex, England. These buildings date back before Jack Benny !! The big secret kept was that 30 or more US Veterans also attended, wow, that really was a bonus for those reenacters lucky enough to have been invited.

The 1st photo shows the Veterans joining in with SEHLG singing the cadance ' Jody', which we sing ( and sang by the 506th P.I.R. ) when marching . IF you can enlarge this photo take a look at the expressions on the faces of 506th troopers Ed Tipper and Jim Beam ( both 506th D-Day Veterans ). The years have rolled away. Ed is 2nd from the right and JIM is 6th from the right.

MOOSE MEETS ED TIPPER.

P.F.C. EDWARD TIPPER, US ARMY 101st DIVISION, 506th P.I.R. ' EASY COMPANY', D-DAY VETERAN, MEMBER OF THE BAND OF BROTHERS.

Quote... ' After clearing the house ( in Carentan, Normandy, France ) as Tipper was passing out the front door, " A locomotive hit me, driving me far back inside the house. I heard no noise, felt no pain, and was somehow unsteadily standing and in possession of my M-1."

Lt. Welsh came up and got some morphine into Tipper, who insisted that he could walk. That was nonsense, both his legs were broken, and he had a serious head wound. Ed was half dragged into the street, where " I remember lying at the base of a wall with explosions in the street and shrapnel zinging against the wall above my head." ( Stephen E. Ambrose, ' Band of Brothers'.)

Staff Sgt. Jim BEAM, US ARMY 101st DIVISION 501st P.I.R. H.Q. COMPANY, 3rd PLATOON, 2nd SQUAD. ( D-DAY VETERAN)

This lovely, fragile, Veteran was a joy to be with. So much information is still remembered by these wonderful guys.

Ed Tipper tells the guys thanks, and keep up the good work keeping the flame of 'Easy' burning.

I can't begin to tell you all the immense thrill it gives us when a Vertan tells you this. At the end of the evening we sit around our camp fire, with a can of in beer in hand, and drink a toast to these amazing men and let their compliments sink in. We were sorry that Ed's had to go and continue his journey, we learnt so much about the men we were portraying.

HI Stan....

This Veteran is a man featured in one of WW11 most famous photos, he is the trooper on the right hand side helping to drag another half drowned trooper up that shingle beach at Omaha.

Cpl. Stanley Tuhoski ( POW), US ARMY 106th DIVISION, 423rd REG. 1st PLATOON. CREW CHIEF, 60mm LIGHT MORTOR, M1 SHARPSHOOTER 3 BARS.

Another gem, what a man, Stanley was a joy to behold, his stories had us spellbound.

( Marion, when I posted this onto WILD BILL'S Forum I thought I going to get my my ' family jewels' chewed off !!)

Here's Stanley saying his kind remarks to the guys, from left to right..Moonshine, Mailman, Wobbley, Carlsberg ( hidden ), Moose, Lucky ( hidden ) and Granny.

Danged if ole Moose ani't got both his boots in his ther' Hollar Hole'

Moose was asked by this Veteran if he knew his arms drill, ' YES SIR'. After somehow struggling through it Moose asked the Veteran if he would like a shot at it. ' Been 40 years since I held a M-1, but lets go for it ' he repiled. Moose called him to attention, ' Right shoulder arms', Moose ordered, the Veteran put the M-1 on his left shoulder, ' Don't you know your left from your right, you sad sack' barked Moose.The Veteran got himself sorted out and was quickly into his stride. His buddies were laughing all through this exchange. At the end the Veteran said ' Thanks son, I enjoyed that it's been a long time'.As he walked away, with his buddies still laughing with him, the last Veteran stopped besides Moose and told him ' There's not been too many inlisted men who have told a Two Star General that he was a sad sack' !!!!!

MAJ. GENERAL LINDSEY FREEMAN, COMMANDER, 100TH DIVISION

The GENERAL SHARES THE LAUGHTER WITH MOONSHINE.

( Marion, when I posted this onto WILD BILL'S Forum I thought I going to get my my ' family jewels' chewed off !!)

What was up with that?? Somebody picking on "my Moose" and his buddies!? Let me at 'em honey!

Moose love the photos. Wish they were bigger so we could see more detail, but happy to see all of them nonetheless. Thanks. It's great that you got some veteran photos in there too with you guys.

Danged if ole Moose ani't got both his boots in his ther' Hollar Hole'

 

Moose was asked by this Veteran if he knew his arms drill, ' YES SIR'. After somehow struggling through it Moose asked the Veteran if he would like a shot at it. ' Been 40 years since I held a M-1, but lets go for it ' he repiled. Moose called him to attention, ' Right shoulder arms', Moose ordered, the Veteran put the M-1 on his left shoulder, ' Don't you know your left from your right, you sad sack' barked Moose.The Veteran got himself sorted out and was quickly into his stride. His buddies were laughing all through this exchange. At the end the Veteran said ' Thanks son, I enjoyed that it's been a long time'.As he walked away, with his buddies still laughing with him, the last Veteran stopped besides Moose and told him ' There's not been too many inlisted men who have told a Two Star General that he was a sad sack' !!!!!

Oh Moose! I can hear the laughter all the way over here!