In the Footsteps of The 6th Airborne at Ranville Church and War Cemetery | WW2 Walking The Ground

The first paratroopers to land on D-Day were those 22nd Independent Company of the British 6th Airborne Division, the legendary Pathfinders. In this episode, James Holland and Al Murray share historical insights and surprising facts as they follow in the footsteps of the Pathfinders sent to the Normandy village of Ranville, near Drop Zone N. They explore the evidence of fierce fighting that remains on and around Ranville Church and the experiences of Sergeant Herb Fussell, who had an interesting encounter with a German soldier, the results of which can still be seen to this day. They also search for the grave of Lieutenant Brotheridge, the first Allied soldier to be fatally wounded on D-Day. They take time to reflect on the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought during the Allied invasion of Normandy invasion and pay their respects to the fallen at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

[csjrogerson]

The CWGC do magnificent work looking after the graves of the fallen. Thank you.
James and Al do fantastic work researching and producing these videos. Great stuff.

[frostyrobot]

I love the way you guys are keeping these stories alive.

[rumoursofwar]

So glad the chaps are doing a video series. I took my Mrs here just a few days after they filmed and told her about the toilet anecdote. She wept at the airborne graves around the fringe of the civilian cemetery which always helps bring me away from the stories and back to the people. I think the para dog and its owner are also in the CWGC cemetery next door, I cant remember. It was a nice short walk from Pegasus Bridge to Ranville, hard to imagine what it must have been like. I'm always struck by how similar the people who lived on our islands during WW2 are to us and the very personal messages left by family on their graves is a clear indication of that. They liked dancing, pop music, sports, they lived in our houses and walked our streets and lanes ... and now they rest there. I remember my grandparents. It was not long ago.

[jjrider]

About 15 years ago when I first visited Ranville Cemetery looking for a group of graves from my county regiment I saw a grave just behind the vegetation covered walkway to James' front/left of a soldier of a Scottish regiment (The Black Watch I think..) called 'Mann' - It was the family inscription at the base of the headstone that has stuck in my mind ever since that moment, at least in part because I had my two young sons standing with me at the time.. I'm not ashamed to admit that I immediately welled up.. That inscription reads - 'Sleep now Daddy and take your rest, we miss you most who loved you best'..

[paulbradford]

It's nice that the first graves have been left in the churchyard and not moved to the communal cemetery. It's so much more personal and lovely for the families to visit and know they are still resting where they were originally buried, possibly by someone that knew them, or more likely by the villagers they had liberated.

[neilfound]

Such an unassuming little gate to walk through, fools you into thinking it’s going to be one of those little memorials to units or individuals dotted about Normandy. But then it opens up into the mass grave, makes you catch your breath seeing how many young men had to forever lie under the ground we walk on, especially when the journey now costs us so little.

[darrenwilson]

back in the 80's I was on a lads holiday on Crete. A couple of us hired a car to take in the island outside Ag Nic ( that car would be a post on its own ) but we drove past Suda Bay which struck a chord with me so we stopped and went into the CWWG cemetery. God that was something. as two 20-odd year old lads we were struck by how many were our age or younger. The thing that struck me though then and for some time after - that was the only place on the island where there was no birdsong and the feeling of a weight on your shoulders was so heavy. Young lads lost and they probably never knew the wider picture - so so sad.

[DDDD-pvfw]

Wow lots of emotions showing the gravesites of these great Men! My Grandfather was killed in Burma it was a brutal
campaign. God Bless all who served!!

[InTheFootstepsofHeroes]

Very good, gents. I like your candid and gently simplistic approach. It’s like walking the ground with two (very) knowledgable mates.

[frankhall]

This is a fascinating series, you are certainly giving plenty of ideas for when I get chance to head to Normandy this winter.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK LADS!!!

[pointermom]

I’ve been to Normandy twice. This includes a visit for the 70th anniversary. I’ve been to all the cemeteries. I’ve been to all the sites of battles like Omaha Beach and Pegasus Bridge but what moved me the most were the family inscriptions on the graves at the British cemetery in Bayeaux. My husband and I spent several hours just walking from grave to grave reading these inscriptions and by the end I was literally in tears.

[freeminerz]

This ep strikes a wonderful tone for what is ultimately an incredibly sad story on many levels. Nicely adjusted when compared with the excitement of others in the series.

[SWR]

Listen to these guys on the podcast when out and about but these clips are brilliant. I visit one of these graves the white forces ones near my home of family. Unbelievably the person in question died 1941 enemy action Aberdeen ( grave in Glasgow next to his father) he was 39 so in the service core or whatever it was being too old for action. He was Suppprt staff at a air base in Aberdeen and a German bomber dropped one single bomb on the airfield being chased . No one else was killed and when he was found there was not a mark on him but the blast had killed him. We were always told as kids that the air was sucked out of him. As his grave is close I pay my respects on the passing or making a point of visiting on the date of his death. We can’t forget the sacrifices made.

[Harmonca]

I really like the conversations that are recorded from behind as they walk. It’s such a refreshingly new thing to me; to have relevant and detailed discussions that aren’t rehearsed set pieces to camera in a static location. It shows the enthusiasm, knowledge, and similar conversations you have with your other afflicted friends. Someone knows a bit about that, another about something related, and then someone else will chime in with an aside about Burma when seeing that grave.

This is more walking and talking the ground than anything else and I’m throughly enjoying it. Purists might bemoan the conversational manner, but the alternative is the nonsense that Al and James poke fun at. The overly dramatic “scars of war” and same 5 minutes of a hurricane firing and a Panzer I going through a pond nonsense.

[feeleary]

Loving it all so far - such great info & so well filmed. Great banter - could listen to you all day & then some, James... it's all so very interesting. The whole project is instilled with such passion it's infectious.

[nickmartin]

I just came back from a Royal British Legion Normandy Beaches cycle challenge and after Pegasus Bridge we stopped at Ranville cemetery. Our historian took us round to Den Brotheridge's grave but didn't mention the bullet holes so I missed them. I will be going back soon.

[hackmodular]

Brilliant series, thanks. Like the pace and the almost one shot way it's filmed, feels like I'm walking with you. What can be done when quality broadcasters discard the silly rules of TV

[davidmunnery]

This is great stuff. Fantastic production, banter and tunics.

[chrisdavies]

Excellent stuff, fellas. Long overdue a series like this. Looking forward to seeing Al in Chester and James in Warwick over the next few weeks 👍

[barbaradunn]

So glad I found your channel. Love the history in all your chats!