As contestants on X-Factor are liable to say, it\u2019s certainly been quite a journey.<\/p>\n
My only sadness is that more of the veterans who helped me almost 20 years ago aren\u2019t alive to see the conclusion of the project. Men like Don Thomas, who was living in faraway Australia, and Neil Patrick, in Scotland, were great supporters. Neil, in particular, gave tremendous assistance, supplying a wonderfully vivid account of an action in which his own heroism was deservedly recognised with the award of a Military Medal. Two men I would dearly like to have seen the finished book were Bobby Cory, the officer whose life Eric helped to save at the cost of his own, and Johnny Haville, who, along with Dickie Mason, assisted him in his selfless exploit and merited far more than the measly mention in despatches that he was given. Sadly, both passed away during the book\u2019s prolonged gestation. I hope that their families will feel I have done their memory justice.<\/p>\n
At least I was able to thank, in person, two of the \u2018old stagers\u2019 who helped me \u2013 Fred \u2018Cabbie\u2019 Harris and Derrick \u2018Cakes\u2019 Cakebread. Not only were they able to tell me their own stories, but they were able to guide me through 45\u2019s long struggle from the training grounds of Scotland and southern England, via the beaches of Normandy through to Eric\u2019s final battle in the snow-covered potato fields of Holland.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stephensnelling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/cabbie_cakes.jpg\" "\\"Salute")
<\/a>Salute to my heroes: Derrick ‘Cakes’ Cakebread and Fred ‘Cabbie’ Harris<\/p><\/div>\n
Their assistance has been invaluable and their companionship is something I shall always treasure. Their devotion to honouring the memory of their fallen comrades and \u2018Doc\u2019 Harden, in particular, has been an inspiration and is worthy of a book in itself.<\/p>\n
For details of the book and to read an example chapter visit my website<\/a>. To order a copy, click on the link to Amazon<\/a> or check out The History Press website<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a while coming. Looking back on my correspondence I can trace the roots of my interest in Eric \u2018Doc\u2019 Harden VC to the mid-1990s. It was around that time I began contacting veterans of 45 Royal Marine Commando … Continue reading