On the early morning of June 6th 1944, the largest landing operation in History took place on the Normandy beaches, involving more than 150,000 men, including around 62,000 British troops.

Eamonn Forde's uncle, Lance Corporal John Sharkey of 16 Poplar Street, Gibbshill, Greenock, parishioner of St Mungo's, "was shot and wounded in Normandy on D-Day. As the ambulance was taking him away, it was struck by a shell and he incurred further injuries. He survived to the age of 91 and died in the Erskine Care Home for Army Veterans in 2014."

Agnes Bonnar's uncle, Robert Devenney, who was called up in 1942, also participated to the D-Day landings. Agnes shares: "He went right through to Germany. He didn't talk about it until the 50th anniversary and then he told us about being put on trains and taken to the coast, they didn't know where they were. On the trains they threw letters out the windows and people posted them for them. My mum's family received his telling them he didn't know where he was going and he was saying goodbye in case he didn't come back. He said they had to sit in the small boats waiting to disembark onto the beach until it cleared and they were feeling sick sitting there."

Fr Ferdinand Tritschler, of German descent, was assisting the soldiers on the beaches as a chaplain. His role was crucial. Not only was he providing an essential moral and spiritual support to the soldiers but he had to perform sacraments on the wounded and dying. Chaplains, as non-combatants, did not carry weapons and wore Red Cross on their helmets and uniforms to indicate their role. They were, therefore, not primary targets. However, their proximity to the troops on the front meant that their lives were in danger.

Picture showing (left to right): Fr Benedict O'Keeffe, Mgr Daniel McGlinchey, Canon Ferdinand Tritschler, Fr William McDade, Fr Vincent Grace. Both Canon Ferdinand Tritschler and Fr Vincent Grace served as chaplains during WW2: Canon Tritschler from April 1942 to October 1946, and Fr Grace from 1941 to 1946. After four years serving as an assistant priest in the Diocese of Paisley, Fr Vincent Grace became chaplain again in 1950, but this time as a chaplain for the RAF, until 1953.
Picture courtesy of Mgr. Andrew Canon McFadden.