Meetings In Normandy from the Bacup Times August 1944
An unexpected meeting on the Normandy beachhead was recently the happy experience of two Bacup brothers, Driver James Stevenson 23 R.A.S.C., and A.B. Stevenson 19 Naval Command. Sons of Mr and Mrs Stevenson 16, Co-operation Street. Speaking of the reunion, the younger of the two. At present home on leave said they were able to spend a few hours together on two consecutive days. It was, he added, an incident in both their lives that they were never likely to forget. A.B.Stevenson who crossed to France by landing craft on D-Day joined the Navy eighteen months ago. His brother, who has been in the Army for three and half years, proceeded to France ten days after the invasion. Previous to encountering him, Alec had met on the beachhead a Stacksteads sailor, A.B. Martin Cunniff (L.C.T), whilst in a letter to his parents, Dvr. Stevenson states he has seen a number of local boys “on the other side”, though was denied the opportunity of exchanging reminisces. Before joining the Forces both brothers worked as slipper operatives. James being employed at Hargreaves and Crowther’s Mill, Bacup and Alec at the Bacup Show Companys, Stacksteads Mill.
Two more local brothers have met while serving with the Forces overseas. They are Gunner Jack White 31 R.A., and Corporal Vic White 24 R.A.S.C., sons of Mrs A. White, 2 Ash Street, Bacup and their meeting took place recently in Normandy. According to a letter Mrs White received from her younger son, he and his brother had the pleasure of spending the day together. Gnr White, who went over to Normandy on D-Day, is the proprietor of a grocery business at 34, Burnley Road, Bacup. He joined the army just over three years ago. Cpl White, who has been in the forces for nearly 3 and half years, has been in Normandy since June 12th. In civilian life, he was employed by his uncle, Mr Albery White, pork butcher, 31 St James Street, Bacup. They are both connected with Wesley Place Methodist Church and previously were identified, up to its closure with North Street Methodist Church.