I have used this site to place my father's brief notes on his war service on to what I hope will be a permanent archive. Like many people of his generation he didn't want to talk about those years. He described his DSM as being the only reward he ever had for losing his temper. He was involved in all stages of the invasion of Italy.
He was paid off from LCG19 on his birthday 4th July 1945 in Falmouth. There were celebrations going on there which were only interrupted by the train journey to his home in St Ives, an hour away. It was his own Independence Day, he said, not just the Americans'. At that point normal service was resumed.
He was always happy to see any of his old comrades and friends from RN and RM.
I've also placed my poem The Beach-head Anzio on this site in English and Cornish as it describes the action around the Hospital Ship St Davids which led to Ken Paynter's DSM.
MICK PAYNTER ST IVES 2005
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