17 April 2019 19:00
Jim Radford (WW2 Veteran)
Subject: Wartime experiences with a 'rescue tug' in Nomandy and folk songs
Jim, 92, was just fifteen-years-old and a Galley Boy abroad the Rescue Tug ‘Empire Larch’ on 6th June 1944 when the landings took place. Tasked with towing parts of the famous ‘mulberry harbours’ across the channel to the Gold Beach sector, Jim and his comrades remained off the Normandy coast for several months after the landings, serving as a rescue tug, saving seaman from sinking vessels on several occasions.
After the war Jim became nationally known as a folk singer and even performed for the Queen at the Royal Albert Hall for the 70th anniversary of D-Day. He was one of three brothers to serve as teenagers in the Merchant Navy in the Second World war, his older brother Jack was killed in 1940 when his ship was torpedoed and sunk.
Jim will be speaking and performing some of his wartime songs on Wednesday 17th At the University’s De Havilland Campus from 7.30pm. The event is entirely free and all are welcome.
Jim’s most famous song ‘the Shores of Normandy’, which describes his experiences in 1944 can be seen and heard here.