War without end

Life on the Frontline

The Second World War may have ended over 70 years ago but for our veterans the battle never truly ends.

By Brett Blacker.

Despite the First World War finishing 100 years ago and 73 years after the second, the war is still raging in the minds of some veterans. Ken Smith or “Smudge” as his brothers in arms would recognise him as, served for five years as a conscript from 1943 to 1948 as an infantryman which is a soldier on the front line. During the Second World War enlisting to serve was a rarity as in most cases you were called up with a letter being posted through your letterbox. It is something that many of us would not be able to imagine. The fear of the unknown is a fear that rules all because we do not understand it, so to be called up to serve your country would be incomprehensible for most of us. Ken says that “In those days you didn’t know much about anything, I barely knew what was happening, all I was told that there was a man named Hitler and he had to be stopped.”

Ken was on the front line during the biggest sea invasion in history, which saw British armed forces storm the beaches of Normandy as part of Operation Overlord on June 6th, 1944 – D-Day. “I was one of 150,000 which sounds like a lot, but when you are facing several million opposition it’s not at all.” With D-Day being one of the most historic affairs from the war Ken says that “there is too much concentration on the day, the war went on for another 11 months in Europe. The documentaries and films that were made on it were even worse, the mistakes made we can pick out.”

After all the harrowing experiences that soldiers have witnessed, it would be impossible to fully discard such events and images from the mind. “You find half a body up a tree, you’d be talking to somebody next to you and the next minute he’s gone, and you’re holding his head” Ken describes. Many veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and struggle to familiarise themselves with normal life. Ken is no different. “I didn’t adjust when I came back, I have a Remembrance Day every day of my life.” Ken’s wife Gloria, explains how difficult it has been for him throughout his life, suffering flashbacks even 70 years on. “He still has nights where he wakes up terrified shouting with his arms flailing, it can be quite scary.”

The physical and emotional trauma obviously follows a soldier back home as most arrive back with parts of their life missing, whether it be a body part or a best friend. The war had soldiers side by side in the trenches who only a year before were side by side in a classroom. “When I go back to Normandy I always go back to Bayeux War cemetery and when you’re walking through there’s rows of names who are people I’ve gone dancing with, drinking with, trained and landed on the beaches with. I’m still here whilst they have never left Normandy,” he says. It leaves a soldier with a constant reminder that themselves and normal life will never be the same again.

When I was demobbed in York, I called in at the first church and took an oath that I would not handle another weapon, not even a child’s toy. I have kept to this oath. Using that Bren gun every night, you’re hearing the screams, the cries, you know that you are hitting people.

After talking war with Ken, I spoke to Gloria about what life has been like for them and how he still provides services in the community through his veteran status. A few years ago, they had discovered that York was not doing anything for Armistice Day, so they held their own event. “It was brilliant, we brought a community together, children wrote poems for the veterans, we even received television coverage from the event.”

“It just didn’t feel right not to celebrate this day, veterans should always be acknowledged and remembered as we wouldn’t have our freedom without them. So, seeing everyone come to celebrate with us was special.” Gloria said.

Unfortunately, not everybody shows as much respect to those who fought for our freedom. Ken has experienced extremely distasteful gestures and blindingly ignorant remarks that have been shown towards him. Gloria tells me they had faced some men who had noticed Ken wearing his medal decorated uniform and proceeded to demonstrate the Nazi salute towards him.

“It was disrespectful and horrible but there was nothing we could do about it, if the police were around we could have told them, but we had to leave it.” she says.

You would think that fighting in a World War would ultimately earn you the highest level of respect from people and that soldiers would be proud to wear their uniform everywhere, however this isn’t the case. Gloria says: “He doesn’t like to show his uniform in public because he assumes people think he’s trying to show off. I tell him to leave his coat off and be proud to wear it.” In some sense, it feels like our veterans are underappreciated in our communities with Ken saying “We don’t even get offered a cup of coffee when we hand out poppies.”

I often wonder how a greater understanding and respect of what soldiers like Ken experienced and what they are still going through could be achieved. So, if you see a veteran in your local area or working in the community, take a minute to say hello and a thank you for what they did and still continue to do for us.

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS AND WOUNDING OF SEVERAL THOUSAND OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS.