GB5OD

COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY

HISTORY OF THE EVENT

Early in 1992 I had a packet radio message from Jim, the sysop of the local BBS GB7SIG at Blandford to say that he had noticed a bulletin from a US station looking for contacts in the Weymouth area. Jim asked if I would be interested in replying. The station was Jack, KA4NCE from Merritt Island Florida and little could I have known then what was to develop from my decision to do so!

During the summer of 1944 Jack was serving on the USS Melville moored in Portland Harbour preparing for the imminent invasion of France when he met his wife Doris at the Dorothy Cafe on Weymouth Esplanade. At that time Doris was stationed at the Ringstead Bay Radar station, part of what was then known as the 'Chain Home' system. 1994, the 50th anniversary of D-Day was also to be the year of their 50th wedding anniversary! Using Packet Radio and later HF SSB, regular contact was established and soon other stations from both sides of the ‘pond’ joined in. Locally they include brothers David, G3OEW and Derek, G3OWE, Mike, G0NEV, George, G3DLG, Ray, G1YRS (sadly now silent key) and XYL Irene G7EIS as well as Gerry, G7JEZ in Bournemouth and our dear departed ‘Mayor of Chickerell’ Bill, G0NRQ.

Another station from the US who was to become a firm friend of us all was Doug, K8APD from Franklin, West Virginia. Doug, also a WW2 veteran had been stationed at Piddlehinton and Chickerell Camps with the US Army's "Big Red One", the 1st Infantry Division of V Corps. As part of ‘Force O’ he took part in the assault on Omaha Beach on D-Day the 6th June 1944. In the year 2004 we are all still in contact although e-mail and the Internet have been added to our means of communication.

The events leading up to D-Day and the invasion of Europe was to be commemorated nationally during 1994. Weymouth and Portland had played a vital role in Operation Overlord and The South Dorset Radio Society decided that it would play its part in the commemorations by running a special event station from the Nothe Fort at the entrance to Weymouth Harbour. The Fort overlooks the embarkation jettys used by over 30,000 US troops who had departed for the Normandy beaches 50 years before.

The major part of the American assault force which landed on the shores of France on D-Day 1944 was launched from Weymouth and Portland harbours and from June 6 1944 to May 7 1945 418,585 troops and 144,093 vehicles were embarked.

The special event station was to be a huge success! GB5OD (GB5 force ‘O’ on ‘D’ day) operated from the 28th of May to the 6th June 1994. Among the many hundreds of visitors to the station were veterans of WWII from all over the world including Jack, KA4NCE with his XYL Doris and Doug, K8APD with XYL Lillian.

GARDEN PARTY

In addition to the Radio Station at the Nothe Fort my XYL Mary and I hosted a Garden Party at our home where our US visitors were able to meet members of the South Dorset Radio Society including most of those who had been in contact with them. A Devon Cream Tea and home baked fare was provided for the visitors that included a specially baked anniversary cake for the occasion!