Touching impressions from a Canadian Army Major July 8, 1944

cimeranrose · ‎03-10-2010

Hugh B. Brown was a Major in the Canadian Army during WWII. On July 8, 1944 he wrote of his impressions from London, England about D-Day:

“On the morning of June 6, just after the announcement was made that the invasion had indeed started, I went into the city, to Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Trafalgar, down White Hall, past Downing Street and on to Parliament Buildings and Westminster. There was no shouting or noise, no strutting or boasting, no evidence of a sudden release of suppressed excitement, no crowds or knots of people on the streets, in fact nothing out of the usual every day business-as-usual attitude. But as I approached Westminster and later St. Martins in the Lane and St. Paul’s Cathedral I found that great crowds had assembled, crowds from all classes of society and upon going into these historic places of ancient worship I found thousands on their knees in silent supplication. The attitude of our men in the forces testifies to the fundamental soundness of the homes from which they come and provides an inspiring report from the laboratories where they have been tested."

“One seems to sense a gentle minor chord of humility harmonizing with a major chord of faith and he himself is lifted up, and strengthened. Although the troops have been provided with the best equipment current science could produce, our greatest assurance is based upon the fact that from general to private, from admiral to seaman, from king and president to the man in the street, the allies undertake this task with a prayer on their lips, with trust in their hearts and with a firm conviction that they fight for freedom and not for conquest.

“‘D-Day’ in Britain as in America was a day of prayer and intercession. When victory comes let us remember on whom we relied and as nations try to be worthy of that victory. Let us pray that in the peace which follows there may be ‘charity for all and malice toward none.’”