War veteran is one of the soldiers whose stories are part of a war memories project: Giving a voice to those who served

A war veteran whose foot was saved by surgeons after he was injured 12 days into the retaking of Europe is one of the soldiers whose stories are part of a war memories project.

Bill Gladden, from Welling, was shot while defending the strategically crucial Pegasus Bridge in France, and spent the next three years in hospital.

His foot was held on by just a single tendon, his Achilles, but medics managed to rescue it by careful reconstruction and a long rehabilitation.

“All the front of my ankle was shot away – just the Achilles holding my foot on,” he said.

“They were gonna take my foot off at first but they didn’t – I’ve still got my foot.”

To mark Remembrance, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is sharing remarkable stories from its online audio archive – Voices of Liberation.

Bill’s story of being injured behind enemy lines is one of those being preserved for posterity by the CWGC – which is calling on the British public to share their stories.

His reminiscences have been released for the first time via CWGC’s online audio archive – Voices of Liberation – which preserves veterans’ and the public’s memories of the Second World War.

The 95-year-old joined the Airborne Armoured Corps after training, transporting tanks across to France by glider.

Once in France his main duty was reconnaissance work on motorcycle, attempting to establish the position of the Germans. Not long after arriving in France, Bill was injured by enemy fire.

He said: “I remember going over on D-Day and taking part in the big operation. We had to go up to the Pegasus Bridge and we had to dig in there the first night in case Jerry tried to take that back. We had to have those bridges to get the people off the beaches.

“I didn’t last long. I went over on June 6, 1944, and was wounded there on June 18, 1944 – and I didn’t come out of hospital until 1947. Three years in hospital.”

He is one of the surviving veterans taken over to Normandy every year by the London Taxi Benevolent Association For War Disabled to visit the graves of their former comrades.

He said: “The London taxis take us over to Normandy every year. I visit the war cemetery at Ranville, near Pegasus Bridge, where I was during the war.

I landed just behind the church at Ranville and two of my dear friends rest in the graveyard at Ranville. I like to visit them every year.

We go back to pay respects to the people who never came back like we did. We were lucky we came back.

“It’s lovely to go back [to France] and receive their thanks. They’re so appreciative of what was done for [them] – in fact, one of the taxi drivers, he was given a lot of Christmas cards from people in Holland.

“I got one, and I sent a letter back to say perhaps you don’t want a reply because I didn’t serve in Holland because I was the 6th Airborne Division.

“I got a really nice letter back to say if it wasn’t for D-Day there wouldn’t have been a liberation of Arnhem, and so she put me at my ease.”

Andrew Fetherston, Chief Archivist at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said: “We believe that by capturing these stories from the public we are creating an archive of international importance and a lasting legacy for those who died for our today.

“We want people to share their connections to the war and our cemeteries to ensure that as Commonwealth nations we have not forgotten their sacrifice”.

This November, the CWGC is urging the public to contribute to the archive and share their connections to the Second World War.

Commonwealth servicemen and women are commemorated in CWGC war cemeteries and memorials across the world and today.

These iconic sites of remembrance remain places of pilgrimage for veterans and descendants.

The archive aims to pay tribute to those who gave their lives and shine a light upon these places of remembrance.

You can listen and contribute to Voices of Liberation: liberation.cwgc.org

For more information, images and recordings please contact: Emily McGhie on emily.mcghie@cwgc.org or 07742667504. You can contribute and listen to the Voices of Liberation here: liberation.cwgc.org

For more information, images and recordings please contact: Emily McGhie on 01628 507126 or emily.mcghie@cwgc.org