"It’s fabulous", "They're all heroes": Poignant Standing With Giants tribute strikes chord with D-Day veterans

Brave personnel who served our country got up close to the Standing With Giants commemorative memorial at Fort Nelson today (October 22). A total of 1,475 figures were set up across the site as part of the ‘For Your Tomorrow - The People’s Tribute’ display.

Able Seaman Alec Penstone, aged 100, served on D-Day and said the installation was “absolutely marvellous”. He told The News: “It’s a real credit to the people who thought about it and put them up. It’s a wonderful idea and I’m so grateful to them. The people of my generation know what it’s all about, and these are all here to show the present generation what can be done. Thank you so much.”

AB Penstone served on HMS Boadicea during his stint in the Royal Navy. He was commemorated for carrying four people out of a burning building when he was 15. The Isle of Wight native has never forgotten his service, continuing his support for the nation via the Poppy Appeal by being the oldest and longest-serving poppy seller.

“The more you show them, the better it will be for all of us. There’s not many of us now. Last year when I went back to Normandy, I realised the amount of people we killed unintentionally from our bombing and shelling. It hurt me.”

Speaking about the soldiers represented in the silhouettes, he added: “They were all heroes, everyone of them. They called us heroes, but that’s not right. We were the lucky ones who came back. I’m so pleased these are being shown all over the country.”

“Blown away”

The figures have struck a chord with the public and has previously been on display at the British Normandy Memorial in France, seen by more than 200,000 visitors. The figures show the servicemen who gave their lives on D-Day, as well as 50 French resistance fighters. A return to Fort Nelson is a symbolic homecoming for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

D-Day veteran Henry Rice, 99 - a Royal Navy signalman who served on HMS Eastway - described them as theatrical and a fabulous tribute.

“I just can’t think of what else they could have done,” the London native said. “It speaks for itself. I’ll shed a couple of tears, not here though. I suppose it’s like getting hurt somewhere and then paying them the compliment of bringing them home again. All the time, they must be thinking ‘we’re coming home’.

“When we came through here, I was blown away. It makes me think of pride for my ship and true, but at the same time, embarrassment that my ship could be responsible for bringing a number of these gentlemen onto the beaches. Whereas I just sat on the ship and said ‘bye and godbless’, and returned to Portsmouth.”

More than 300 volunteers worked day and night to have the tribute installed. Fort Nelson stepped in to host it at short notice after plans fell through at another site. This made sure the memorial was on display for remembrance day, 80 years since the end of the Second World War.

Volunteer Andy Gatherer, who served as a Chief Petty Officer aboard HMS Glamorgan in 1982, got involved after seeing the Falklands War commemoration. “We left 13 shipmates in the South Atlantic,” the 63-year-dol Gosport resident said. “We couldn’t bring them back and had to bury them at sea.”

“Thirteen of these silhouettes to me are my shipmates, so seeing this brings it back to the sacrifice of those made by the D-Day veterans. When I saw them for the first time, they took my breath away. I was reduced to tears. It’s so thought provoking and took me back to 1982.

“It’s the People’s Tribute and it’s to remember the sacrifice so we can live today. The reaction when the D-Day veterans came round the corner was fabulous. We did it for them. It was hard work on the ramparts when the wind got up, but seeing them see it makes it worthwhile. You’ve got to keep these memories alive.”

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Standing With Giants founder and chair of trustees, Dan Barton, said it was a moving experience to meet the D-Day veterans. Support for the charity is growing, with a recent callout for volunteers having to be closed in eight hours due to the demand.

“We’ve made some amazing friends and so many great veterans have joined us,” he added. “Some of their stories are heart breaking. For me and my wife, it’s a 24/7 cause. War is still going on around the world unfortunately, with many saying we’re still not learning our lessons.

“ It’s difficult to describe the emotion within people who might be standing there and sobbing. Their heartfelt reaction we get is the driving force for why we do this.”

Standing With Giants is calling for more fundraising support. Further information can be found online.