Residents remember D Day landings

Memories of the war years came flooding back for the residents of a care home who marked the D Day landings with an old-fashioned performance.

The residents of Westgate House in Forest Gate were treated to entertainment provided by the staff of the Brick Lance Music Hall who visited the home. The home was decorated with Union Jacks and bore the names of the five sections of the Normandy beaches were Allied troops landed as part of Operation Overlord: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

Five of the home’s residents including some from its Memory Lane unit were presented with Veterans Badges from HM Armed Forces Service Personnel with compliments from the Ministry of Defence. They were Corporal David Triphook of the Royal Military Police, William Derek Adams R.E.M.E. Fred Shepherd of the Royal Engineers, PTE Henry Hawkesworth from the Royal Corp of Signals and Lance Corporal George Lee from the Royal Ordnance Corp.

The entertainment was made possible thanks to the proceeds of the will of Ms Joan Tullett, a former resident of Westgate House so enjoyed home’s Activities Programme that she instructed her closest friend Linda Stone to provide three performances of The Brick Lane music Hall Show. She wanted her former friends at the home to enjoy themselves as much as she used to.

Linda Stone and Brinah Nyamugure, home manager led by the Brick Lane Music Hall Team demonstrated a popular war time dance called ‘ Ballin’ The Jack for residents to enjoy.

More than three million service Allied personnel were involved in the D Day landings on the beaches of Normandy in what was the largest amphibian invasion.