Remembrance award honours oldest surviving D-Day brother veterans

Johnny Dale, Nick Mottershead (representing the Lest We Forget Charity Association and The Bradford Exchange) and Ernest Dale

Veteran D-Day brothers Johnny Dale, 94 and Ernest Dale, 90 who were stationed on HMS Frobisher, have been honoured and commemorated by receiving an exclusive award from the national remembrance charity, The Lest We Forget Association and the Bradford Exchange, who support the charity by raising vital funds.

The brothers, who were born and bred in Silvertown, East London were stationed permanently on HMS Frobisher during D-Day, which scored a direct hit on the major bunker that guarded Sword Beach.

HMS Frobisher was adopted by Rochdale during Warship Week in 1942 as the people of Rochdale raised over £1 million in National Savings – a vast sum in those days. Today, Rochdale Sea Cadets still use its name and Frobisher’s battle ensign resides in Rochdale Town Hall.

Johnny and Ernest remember visiting Rochdale 17 years ago for a dedication ceremony regarding the ship. For the ceremony, 150 members of the Rochdale Branch of the RNA and of the HMS Frobisher Association joined Royal Navy personnel from HMS Caledonia on parade to welcome home the battle ensign of the wartime cruiser.

Outside of Rochdale Town Hall the salute was taken by the Commanding Officer of Caledonia, CDR Quentin Banting and the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Susan Emmott. Wreaths were laid at the cenotaph and the Mayor accepted the ensign from CDR Banting. A reception was then held at the Broadfield Hotel.

Johnny and Ernest, now based in Orpington and Ditton, were awarded the exclusive 'Lest We Forget Bradford Exchange Award' to honour contributions and sacrifices made by them and their fellow servicemen during the momentous D-Day Landings. The exclusive award that Johnny and Ernest Dale are pictured with, features the entire Bradford Exchange Golden Crown D-Day Landing collection, specifically released to commemorate D-Day's 70th anniversary.

On being presented with the 'Lest We Forget Bradford Exchange Award,' Mr Johnny Dale said: “This award given on this 70th anniversary year helps us pay our respects to fellow and fallen comrades. We honour those no longer with us who selflessly gave their lives so we could have our freedom today.

“My brother and I have good and bad memories from the war, and being able to commemorate 70 years since D-Day is a very special thing.”

HMS Frobisher, stationed off the notorious Sword Beach, fought perilously to open the gateway to victory for the British and allied forces. Her specific targets, precisely the destruction of German gun batteries was the overall mission and she was allocated to Support Force D off Sword Beach on D-Day to give covering fire to landing troops.

The ship's motto, ‘Semper Triuaphans’, meaning 'Ever Triumphant', lived up to its Latin battle cry. The heavy cruiser scored a direct hit on the Grand Bunker situated at Ouistreham on Sword Beach. This became a major success for the allied mission as a whole and helped Sword Beach being taken.

Describing how close the men came to death, Ernest said: “There were coloured buoys in the water which the Germans put there as range finders. If you found yourself near any of these you could expect to be fired upon or hit.”

Whilst off the coast of Normandy HMS Frobisher suffered a direct hit from a German bomb and the ship lost nine crew members. However it was a German e-boat torpedo that ended their tour, creating a hole the size of two double-decker London buses in the ship's hull, forcing HMS Frobisher to limp to The Historic Dockyard Chatham for a major repair. Thankfully the brothers safely returned on board.

Nick Mottershead, representing the Lest We Forget Charity Association and The Bradford Exchange, said: “Honouring these incredible brothers and the momentous sacrifices their fellow servicemen made, is vital not just for the individuals involved, but for maintaining awareness of the sacrifice and support given by UK servicemen, whether over the past 100 years or in the current day.

“2014 is a milestone year to honour the momentous contribution and sacrifices made by all serving UK military personnel throughout the past century and this award commemorates and honours the selfless sacrifices made by so many during the momentous D-Day landings that led to the liberation of war-torn Europe.”