D-Day Veteran Fred Bates' moving story. 

Now there's 27 wastes of oxygen.. Thanks Fred for your humanity..

Now 28. 28 morons. Let's hope this nation never goes to war again. Thank you Fred. Be at peace.

Such an articulate, humble, interesting, honest and and genuinely good man. At the time of writing we are now up to 29 oxygen thieves. Funny how thumbs-downers never explain their reasons for voting thusly.

As i write THIS there are now 30 waste off oxygen who gave a thumbs down MY FATHER WAS RAF SEAC 1943 - 1946 RIP Fred AND DAD

@@jamesgriggs9863 My Father served on HMS Tuna - T-class Submarine 43 to demob. My respect for the war generation at home and serving is off the chart. Bless them all.

You should be proud of your grandma too. To lose her husband and bring up your dad takes tremendous courage too.

Those men and their fathers of ww1 are far braver than any of the melts that walk the earth today 18 yo today loading dancing videos on TikTok for likes and subscribes Over going to war like they did back then 🤦‍♂️

@@j0nnyism Absolutely correct!

You may be right about that. Except for Hitler and Stalin.

Dave, your damn right. This generation is in bad shape compared to them.

The last generation before drugs, contraception and the welfare state destroyed the morality and responsibility of those in the western world and paved their way to hell.

@@markcynic808 bollocks. Drugs, contraception and a welfare state system have all been available since the Romans ruled the Mediterranean. Hell, the modern welfare state system was created before the first world war, so this idea that people that fought in WW2 were "the last generation... Blah blah blah" is complete and utter fucking nonsense.

@@macgonzo Yeah? That's why all these war veterans talk about being out of work bums or the children of single parents. Except none of them ever does. The modern welfare state started in the years immediately after WW2 and included the forming of the NHS. In the 1960s the introduction of the contraceptive pill changed the western world and its demographics forever. Nowadays it's so lucractive a lifestyle on welfare that many choose to become and remain career single mothers until age and "mental health" problems allow them to become lifelong sickness benefit recipients; their offspring accounting for the majority of jailed criminals in the UK and over 75% of jailed criminals in the USA. Not that living this lifestyle has increased the birthrates. In the early 1970s birthrates were at 2.2 - 2.3 in the UK. The average age of first time mother's being 23 years. Now those figures have fallen to 1.7 and 31 years - 30% of which are born to mothers who were not born in the UK. Now, not only are we not able to sustain our populations, but we've had to bring in ever increasing numbers of immigrants to fill the void. A generation being 23 years then meant you'd be a grandparent before you were 70 years old, now you'll need to live to 93. Not only a decreasing birth rate, but three generations now take 93 instead of 69 years. Do you believe that the absence of children playing outdoors is down to them hiding away on their computer games? How ridiculous. It's due to them not existing. Thanks for expletive ridden, willfully ignorant rant. I'll look forward to laughing and talking down to you in future. Take care, schmuck.

sorry for your loss my friend

Thank you for your service sir and god bless you. I hope one day you will see your friends and your brother again I also hope you know that no matter what they will always be with you at your side as guardian angels.

Credit to you too though for your service.

Thats it, tell the story, incredible story too.

Absolutely incredible to to see this comment from a Vietnam vet thank you Sir, I've always wondered how the two generations would compare their war experiences, although I'm sure you also had a lot of experiences to be in a war for 10 years is something in itself

They all gave so much, didn't they. Very special people.

He may not think so but he's a damn hero he was the best of us he sacrificed so much and it will never be forgotten I promise you.

Absolutely. This made me cry as well. Looking around at Britain these days and the people in it just breaks my heart. The sacrifice these sort of men made (and women and children back at home) seems like a million miles away from what we are now.

Yep!! Totally agree!!

Very well said

WELL SAID

Well said ! This is exactly what the younger generations don’t get or care for 😞

@@dazz180 Cute generalisation, just isn't true.

@@lawenda2099 and you must be the font of knowledge Please do tell as my opinion is mine but you must know the exact answer

They are ignorant asses...

Are you all new to YT? Every god damn video in this place has thumbs down, complaining about it doesn't make any difference.

@@jeffsmith2022 howihmhgmgnorantwe were. norabn

How ignorant we were

You're embarrassing yourself.

25126699.

Or his weapon number. I could remember mine from 1967 up until a few years ago.

Thank you for your service BROTHER!

Me too mate.

Never underestimate contribution, no matter how small. Be proud.

Uh huh

You’re a lucky man, real life hero he is

@@naui_diver9290 spacka

“Had” .. he passed away?

@@matoska4744 yes

That's amazing. 16 years old was so young.

Wow! He saw some action then. Amazing breed of men.

@@nathanportlock-allan5891 thanks for your dad and your uncle for their freedom my uncle serve in world war 2 and Vietnam

I salute your dad..... A real American.

My uncle landed on the first wave on Sword Beach. He also took part in the Battle of Nijmegen (Market Garden) and the liberation of Bergen Belson death camp.

My dad was with the North Staffs and got as far as Holland before being wounded and sent back.In the 80s we would chat over a few beers and he told me some of what happened If I asked him,tough times.

He didn't die, he was called up to protect the heavens with the rest of the brave souls who guaranteed our futures. Nollaig Shona🎄💚

Your using a wrong emoji

It’s suppose to be like this 😔

But he was a legend, he protected us until he died to give us freedom And he fought to give you and your parents freedom

My Dad was 19 when he landed on Gold Beach on D-day, he was in the first wave. He was sent out to sea everyday for 6 weeks in a landing craft to attack a beach in Norfolk (training). One day he said to me while I was digging a hole "you'd be surprised how fast you can dig in sand when people are shooting at you"

The training was more than adequate along with lots of practice landings.

@@borisjohnson1473 ......... My Dad did 6 months combat training then 6 weeks landing craft training. A third of the troops in the landing craft were very hardened combat troops and the rest were trained like my Dad. He never complained of insufficient training.

@@borisjohnson1473 that was what I thought as well, just not what this vet remembers. Thrown into that situation for real, training may have been thrown out the window.

Fred said they were mixed with experienced veterans.

Thank you, Philippe. You are completely right, it really puts the current problems into perspective. I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

Hitler would have supported the EU

You’re totally missing the point about the “anger, hatred and fear”. You should probably think about this more in a totally different context instead of what you’re being spoon fed.

Turn off the news. Open your ears. And stop being such a lemming.

A good and decent man rip old fella and god bless you

Even the WW1 generation felt that they had fought for nothing At the least that they weren't appreciated

Well said, he truly was. Look out for my next film in the next few days. It has a section on the liberation of Belsen.

Thank you, well said Tim.

@@nathanportlock-allan5891 It's an honor knowing these guys thanks for the 'grunt' work.

how can anybody give a thumbs down to these brave guys to which we owe our freedom

Anyone who gave a thumbs down is a halfwited peasant.

I completely agree with you. It is so important to record these stories. We all grew up hearing these men and women speaking about their wartime experiences and now, sadly, there are very few left. That is what spurred me on to record as many of these as possible. I am pleased that you enjoyed Fred's story.

WW2 vets always had nice lawns. There were several in my road when I was a kid in the 1970s, and their lawns were always conspicuously immaculate. My war veteran grandfathers were also into gardens and gardening; I think they must just have found the peacefulness therapeutic after the mayhem they went through during the war.

when i was 16 yrs old about 40 yrs back ,i got my ass kicked by a ww2 pacific island hopper . he was cool enough to dust me off and split a 12pk with me . i found a great friend that day and learned how to scrap from a great American . i still miss the old fella

He should not have sworn at you, WW2 vet or not. Sounds like a grumpy bugger! 😂

Your sense of perspective - and of history - speaks volumes about your wisdom and character. I've long made it my life hobby to seek out and speak with WW2 vets, to hear their stories; and through that I've learned that many lived with incredible anguish, horror, recurring nightmares, survivor's guilt, etc. Some never really mentally and emotionally recovered. Knowing that, I've learned to forgive the kinds of interactions you had, recognizing that these men are heroes, though forever wounded.

@@poforeman I forgive him for yelling. He simply didn't want people on his grass and I was a child without a father and mother so I had no guidance. I wasn't a good child. So I respect him for yelling because it made me never want to walk on anyone's grass. Still to this day I avoid walking in someone's grass.

A real example of a great human being thats for sure. May he rest in peace.

He was a decent person, one of the best. A true kind soul.

@@nathanportlock-allan5891 Yes i could tell he was. Hes an inspiration. Thanks for sharing. Subbed to your channel

@@tonydean2541 That's great, thank you. Keep your eyes on it as I have the next in this series being uploaded in the next week.

@@nathanportlock-allan5891Ok will do, thanks. 👍