My father's service as a Morse Code operator in 53rd Welch Division

Father, Charles Edward Barkett Dixon, called up for National Service at 20 years of age.

He served in the Devon Home Guard before he joined up - lived in Plymouth, and kept a diary from 1941 which recorded the Blitz. During this time, he catalogued 650 slides of Dartmoor. There are some items including personal insignia and a cooking pot.

Served in Royal Corps of Signals - attached to 53rd Welch Division. He was trained in Morse Code. Took part in D-Day landings with the division - served in Normandy in mobile communication van - sealed in the back, partitioned off from drivers.

After Normandy, went through France and up through Belgium and Holland - was part of group that liberated Hertogenbosch (den Bosch, for short). Stayed friends with Dutch people he met in Holland in 1944-45.

Received Legion d'Honneur for service in France in 1944.

Contributor accompanied father for 70th anniversary in Normandy.

While her father was in the Army, contributors mother served in the WRENs. Based at (Thorndon... Thurlston???) - took Thurlston Hotel as a training corps. Didn't talk about it with her, but she did tell contributors father.

Want it to be public.