The Forgotten Men

The town was emptied
For the manoeuvre
The conscripts waited
For the order

The boats spread out
Across the bay
The big rehearsal
Had begun

Slapton Sands would be the venue
Testing guns and armour untried and new
Intelligence so sadly sparse
Until the German E-Boats showed their face
Torpedoes snaking through

So many dying
Floundering
Drowning
Burning
Crying
Screaming for their Mothers
And their lovers

The Forgotten Men
Became the spoiled war
Swept aside
Ignored for years
Until the files were revealed
The documents unsealed
How many innocents died that day
In that rehearsal for D-Day?

The Forgotten Men

Artist's Description

I was touched by a book called ‘The Forgotten Dead’ by Ken Small. Read it!!!

Artwork Comments

TRACY BAGNALL over 9 years ago

So there is something we didn’t know, well done ,
Andrew Price over 9 years ago

Neither did I but my mum reads a lot and put me on to this.Its a sad reality isn’t it?
Blueriddle8 over 9 years ago

well done-sad.. is the book a historical account?
Andrew Price over 9 years ago

Oh yes, it actually happened just before the D-Day landings. You may be able to get a copy from your local library.
littlestmonkey over 9 years ago

Yes very sad……if only we knew, but I’m glad someone has recorded some of the events.
Lets hope we never repeat any of it.
Andrew Price over 9 years ago

It was a travesty and no one knew about it for decades, The Yanks and the Brits tried to shut Ken small up, it broke up his marriage