In memoriam: Charles Boyer

Remembering Charles Boyer, who passed away in September 2020, age 94. A D-Day veteran and a huge supporter of RBLI, some of you may recognise Charles from his lovely photo featured in our Tommy Champion Silver packs.

Charles Boyer was perhaps better placed than anyone to remember the moment that marked VE Day. Having fought on the landing grounds of D-Day before going on to get injured in Belgium, Charles witnessed the German surrender at Luneburg Heath in May 1945, “It was a great relief,” he said. ”A huge sigh of relief all around - including the Germans.”

Charles signed up in 1942, joining the Royal Norfolk Regiment by lying about his age. He soon found himself training for Operation Overlord.

“You couldn’t believe the noise – 4,000 ships going over and however many aeroplanes,” said Charles when recounting D-Day.

All we could see was beach and hill. We thought we were going to swim ashore, but the water was only knee high. We were told to run. Just run across the beach as fast as you can.”

Ever pragmatic, Charles said: “We were quite happy to get on with the job, no problem.”

Charles kept a copy of a message sent down by General Bernard Law Montgomery, Commander-in-Chief of the 21 Army Group. The rousing message read:

The time has come to deal with the enemy a terrible blow in Western Europe. To us is given the honour of striking a blow for freedom which will live in history; and in the better days that lie ahead men will speak with pride of our doings.

Operation Overlord was the code name for The Battle of Normandy, which resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. The battle began on June 6 1944, also known as D-Day, and was one of the bloodiest days of the Second World War. More than 4,400 combined allied troops died, with some 9,000 missing or wounded.