大象传媒

(This story was contributed by Gerald Bradley,74,of Portstewart.)

My brother Desmond served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles.
He was killed at the Battle of Cambes Wood in Normandy just 19 years of age.(See Story 'The Letter')

In later years a member of his regiment Paddy Murphy paid a visit and was shocked to see that there was not any kind of memorial. He wrote a very moving poem to commemorate his comrades;

'Cambes Woods'

I gazed upon a foreign field
Where British blood was shed
And there I placed a poppy,
In remembrance of our dead.

My heart was full of sorrow
And my tears began to flow
When came those misty memories
Of that day so long ago.

I saw the woods of Cambes appear
In the light of early morn
And riflemen waiting to advance
Across the fields of growing corn.

When came the thunder of the guns
Lines of riflemen arose as one,
And over the field into enemy fire
They advanced at a steady run.

They stormed and took the wood
And Cambes village fell by noon
The cost was the blood of the riflemen,
On the field on that day of June.

I bow my head in solemn prayer,
My words are firm and true
Rest in peace you Ulster Rifles
For we still remember you.

A memorial now stands there
In remembrance of those who died
But regarding of the passing years
We still speak of them with pride.

It was not until 50 years later that I was able to pay a visit to Normandy and stand beside my brother Desmond's grave in La-Deliverande cemetery and look at all those headstones and graves so lovingly kept.

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