AFTER apologies and news of members, Bill Underwood launched his rant of the week. Apparently a new pill is now available for those with dementia to enable them to go shopping. I think he said he was going shopping after the meeting.

We then welcomed Ron Gallivan, the Chairman of the Mercian Military History Society of Redditch. He described the taking of the Caen Canal Bridge in the early hours of D-Day, 6 June 1944, which was a major triumph for the Allies. The bridge was later named Pegasus Bridge in honour of the cap badge of the 6th Airborne Division.

By using gliders, the British landed with a degree of surprise and the bridge was captured with relative ease after a 10 minute fire-fight. Control of the Bridge gave the Allies the opportunity to disrupt the Germans ability to bring in re-enforcements to the Normandy beaches, especially those that the British and Canadians were landing at – Gold, Juno and Sword.

Ron described the extensive night training that the Allied troops, led by Major John Howard, had undergone. He explained that the Horsa gliders that the paratroops had been transported in, experienced a hard landing – which we would describe as a crash! – with several breaking up on impact.

The Germans had mined the bridge to prevent it being captured, but to our amusement, Ron explained that the bridge commander removed the explosives each night so that the French resistance wouldn’t steal it!

Brian Ireland, saying that he had been to Caen several times, thanked Ron for reminding us of the sacrifices that had been made to enable us to live the lives we do today.

Appropriately, we will hear about the Gunpowder Plot on November 5 and will then enjoy our annual lunch on November 12 at the Kings Court Hotel.

CHRIS DONOUGH