posted on 2024-06-05, 19:20authored byTheir Finest Hour Project Team
<p dir="ltr">Grandfather was a doctor and moved down to Luton where he had his own practice. He had models of bi-planes and he used to stay in that bedroom and I would pick things up and he would talk about them.</p><p>Major Bailey was on my Dad's side - he served in the desert and did Belsen. John Fisher was a Surgeon Lieutenant and was on my mother's side - he was on board a torpedo boat. I've visited the D-Day beaches several times and took my brother to Arromanche. </p><p>Dad took us when we were younger and told me that my Grandfather had served. John Fisher was a doctor and volunteered to join the Royal Navy for the D-Day landings in 1944; he was married to a woman nine years older than him. Born about 1923/4 and died about 1991 after a series of strokes.</p><p>He did a painting of the ship he served on board (pictured), HMS Anthony, and developed a love of painting and was fascinated by ships. His wife was a nurse and midwife. Major George Denis Bailey born 1902, died 1989 approx. There was a big family business and he was sucked into the business and he went to manage a factory in Stockport. He was up for it and saw action in Europe, and possibly under Montgomery in the desert.</p><p>He was involved in the liberation of Belsen, but I don't have his memories of that; he wouldn't talk abut it to his son (Duncan's father). He was very strict and a more strident nationalist, was very military looking with the moustache. They lived in a cottage in a village in Hampshire and the village kids used to take the mickey. Mum and Dad left the house on a couple of occasions due to the way he spoke to us and treated us, he was fearsome. </p>