'We must keep war veterans' stories alive'

Taff Gillingham is trying to keep war stories alive in the modern world

A historian is hoping to keep a regiment's story alive as Europe marks D-Day.

Military historian Taff Gillingham owns Great War Huts in Hawstead, near Bury St Edmunds.

He has a vast collection of military paraphernalia - much of which is linked to the First Battalion Suffolk Regiment that fought during the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944.

Mr Gillingham said it was important to share war stories to remember those who served and lost their lives.

"Now that the veterans have nearly all gone, and very shortly the landings in Normandy and the rest of the Second World War will pass from history and out of living memory, it becomes more important," he explained.

"As the veterans go, and their voices go with them, it becomes even more important to keep those stories alive and find different or interesting ways of telling it."

D-Day marked the start of the allies' long campaign in north-west Europe against the German army.

The First Battalion on this day had to break the in-land defences including a gun battery which they managed without firing a single shot, Mr Gillingham said.

They went on to attack a main German headquarters, which Mr Gillingham described as "a real scrap - before further subsequent fighting in Europe".

Mr Gillingham has amassed a large collection of war items

Mr Gillingham said he was "very lucky" to have met many of the veterans of the First Battalion over the years who shared their stories.

"All that time ago most people weren't that interested and I think the fellas were just pleased to find someone who was interested in their stories and prepared to listen to them, and they thought it was a good home to give their souvenirs to," he said.

"Hopefully all these years later the fact that I'm able to use their uniforms, maps and medals to help tell their story, I hope that faith was justified."