D-DAY RECOLLECTIONS

During the past week, I received several calls from veteran soldiers serving with the Essex Regiment during World War II. Not many local soldiers who took part in D-Day remain! Some appreciated last week's feature on the D-Day commemoration in France last weekend. Had been invited to cover this memorable event, but conflicting diary dates made this impossible. However, gave readers of the Weekly News a few memories of Brentwood around the time of this top secret 'Overlord' operation. Few pics used are linked to Jimmy Reddell - first Freeman of our Borough. He died in 2007 aged 97 but lived for the last few years of his life at the Royal Chelsea Hospital where I used to visit monthly. Here he is at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2006 pictured with a few of his pals from the Hospital. Jimmy wrote his memoirs of D-Day and his life as a soldier and we do miss this lovely man.