Grahame Frederick Bridges – Legion D’Honneur

Regiment – Army Ambulance Services.

A recipient of the Légion d’Honneur, the highest and most prestigious French order of merit, Grahame wrote down some of his wartime experiences in Normandy two of which are noted below.

“At once the ramp came down and I could see the scene ahead. We had anchored about the length of a swimming pool from the beach. Beyond the surf the beach rose up to a point where two French  cottages stood. It was covered with anti-tank defences, broken and bombed vehicles including tanks lorries and guns. The first two ambulances went down the ramp, one sunk without trace, then it was my turn. I was now entering the water which reached almost to my waist in the ambulance. The engine would be completely covered. I hoped that the waterproofing that I had carried out would last. I reached the beach and zigzagged up avoiding the obstacles. I was guided to the lane that ran along the top of the beach.”

“I should explain that my duties were not what you might expect of a soldier, although I was subject to army discipline, I worked under the authority of the Geneva Convention driving a military ambulance. My duty was to save the lives of anyone injured on the battlefields, irrespective of rank or nationality they became our responsibility. I had mostly British patients, but many Canadians and Americans some Poles and Germans. They were all treated with respect and compassion. I probably had over two thousand boys and men pass through my hands. About 90% survived, the other 10% died of their wounds.”