- Contributed by听
- 大象传媒 Cumbria Volunteer Story Gatherers
- People in story:听
- Patrick Kelly 'Pat', James Kelly, Isabel Kelly (n茅e McAlay), Pauline Kelly (n茅e Bowman).
- Location of story:听
- Whitehaven (Cumbria / Cumberland)
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A4404034
- Contributed on:听
- 08 July 2005
T/10662621 Driver Patrick Kelly, Royal Army Service Corps, from Whitehaven, Cumberland (now Cumbria). This photograph shows Pat during a happy moment during the war 鈥榮omewhere in Europe鈥. [Use of photograph courtesy of Mr Pat Kelly]
This article has been submitted on behalf of Mr Pat Kelly from Whitehaven, Cumbria. It has been written by Joseph Ritson a volunteer for the Radio Cumbria CSV Action Desk volunteers at the Whitehaven Maritime Festival on 25 鈥 26 June 2005. The Festival incorporated the official county of Cumbria commemorations for the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War Two. The terms of the 鈥淧eople鈥檚 War鈥 website have been understood.
Accounts about some of Pat鈥檚 wartime experiences have previously been submitted to the 大象传媒 鈥淧eople鈥檚 War鈥 Project (Article IDs: A3838845 and A3838999). Pat was one of five siblings who served in the Armed Forces during World War Two. His parents were James and Isabel Kelly, who lived on George Street, Whitehaven, Cumberland (now Cumbria).
Pat served with the colours in the Royal Army Service Corps between 31 October 1941 and 26 May 1946. He was advised to come out of the army on a 鈥楤-Release鈥 and went into construction work. This meant Pat missed being entitled to another medal (Defence Medal) by a few weeks.
Pat took part in the Normandy Landings as part of the 11th Armoured Division and has been Treasurer of the West Cumbria Branch of the Normandy Veterans Association since 1989. During World War Two Pat was also in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
Pat married his wife Pauline in 1952. Over the years, Pat and Pauline have taken part in many commemorative services and parades in Europe including the 60th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy in 2004. On 26 June 2005 Pat took part in the official Cumbria 鈥榁ictory Parade鈥 at Whitehaven. Pauline cheered all those veterans who were marching.
I spoke with Pat and Pauline immediately after the Parade at St Nicholas鈥 Church Gardens. Pat said it was a momentous occasion and he was really proud to have taken part. He continued by saying:
"We'll probably never see a day quite like it in Cumbria ever again. All the veterans and many of their wives have done really well to come here today!"
After speaking to me, Pat and Pauline enjoyed some entertainment with a wartime theme organised by the British Legion. It was a marvellous day for both of them!
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