This year major commemorations are planned to commemorate the landing of the Allies in Normandy. On June 6th, it will have been 75 years ago that the impetus was given for the destruction of the totalitarian Nazi regime.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary commemoration in 1994, members of the NNV and GBN departments of the UBA, Royal Belgian Amateur Radio Union, started out with an annual expedition to Ranville on the historic Pegasus bridge. Corporal Tappenden landed there with the paratroopers of the British 6th Airborne on the night of 5 to 6 June 1944 near two bridges. Under the leadership of Major Howard, Tappenden sent the historic "Ham and Jam" to England with his WS 38 radio station. This meant that they had taken possession of the intact bridges. This was the start for the Normandy landing on 6 June. The GBN and NNV departments donated to the museum a WS 38 radio similar to the one with which corporal Tappenden sent this message. During the 2004 remembrance, it was the son of Corporal Tappenden who once again sent the message with this radio station. In 2019 the expedition is scheduled to start from Belgium on Friday 31 May and to return on 7 June. UBA members Xavier ON4ALY, Fernand ON6UF and Hans ON3HBB will participate, working together with RSGB sections that operate from the places where the ships left for the Normandy landing.
Do you want to know more or cooperate with the special radio station F/ON6JUN/P that broadcasts from this unique location? Please send an email to xavier [dot] goddaer [at] gmail [dot] com.