Heroes

When you go home,
Tell them of us and say,
For your tomorrow,
We gave our today.

A trip down memory lane tonight.

These medals belong to my late grandfather (Papa) Ronald Donald Peffers - top right on the photo.

He was called up during World War Two to serve with the 8th (Machine-Gun) Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. On 24th January 1943, his regiment went overseas, landing in Bombay on 17th March, with their pipes and drums playing into the harbour.

In April 1944 the regiment was sent to the Assam region of Eastern India and went into action in the vicinity of Kohima where it experienced heavy fighting in support of the infantry. During the next two years the regiment assisted in the liberation of Burma, the capture of Mandalay and were involved in the sea-borne expedition to capture Rangoon.

From left to right his medals are:
1939-1945 Star (operational overseas service)
Burma Star (operational service in Burma)
Defence Medal (shows the uncrowned head of King George VI)
War Medal (shows the crowned head of King George VI)

The lines above are embedded on the Kohima Epitaph and are probably the most moving lines written about war veterans who indeed gave all of us 'our tomorrows'.