Stan Rymer

Branch Member Mr Stan Rymer, has been honoured by the French President with the rank of Chevalier in the Ordre national de la Legion d'honneur.

The letter of citation from the French Ambassador in London reads:

16 March 2016

"I have the pleasure in informing you that the President of the Republic has appointed you to the rank of Chevalier in the Ordre national de la Legion d' honneur.

I offer you my warmest congratulations on this high honour in recognition of your acknowledged military engagement and your steadfast involvment in the Liberation of France during the Second World War.

As we contemplate this Europe of peace, we must never forget the heroes like you, who came from Britain and the Commonwealth to begin the liberation of Europe by liberating France. We owe our freedom and security to your dedication, because you were ready to risk your life."

Stan Rymer's military career.

Stan volunteered for the Royal Navy in February 1943 when he was 17 and a half years old. Following 10 weeks training as a seaman and then one weeks leave, he was posted to "Combined Operations".

Combined Operations was the preparation for the allies invasion of Europe which took place some 14 months later.

His ship was an LCT (Landing Craft Tank) No 502, which had been especially constructed for the sole purpose of landing 8 or so tanks directly onto the beachhead in France.

He embarked on his ship in Belfast and started intensive training for what would come later on D-Day. The training complete with tanks, was onto the beaches of islands off the west coast of Scotland.

With the approach of D-Day, LCT502 was loaded with tanks on 5 June at Portsmouth and left port so as to arrive on 6 June.

At 08.30 on D-Day, 6 June 1944, Stan on board LCT502 arrived at their designated position on Sword Beach in Normandy. After safely offloading their tanks, it was back to the UK for reloading - Stan can not remember how many such trips he did delivering tanks and other motorised transports, between D-Day and November 1944.

Back in barracks, he met his wife Eileen and they married in 1947.

However, the war being unfinished, Stan was posted to LCI 378 (Landing Craft Infantry), again another purpose built ship constructed in the US specifically for troop movement. In between Allied troop rotations to France, they sometimes brought back enemy POW's, mainly Volksturm. (Older men silmilar to our Home Guard). As the allies advanced across Europe, they also took back POW's to work in the newly overrun mines in the Ruhr.

The Branch is delighted to record the honour awarded to Mr Stan Rymer.

Mr Stan Rymer died on 22 September 2017 aged 92. Stan was cremated at Elland Parkwood on 4 October 2017. His coffin was led in by The Branch Standard Bearer under a Guard of Honour provided by the Branch.

                                            *          *          *          *