…CHARITY CORNER
D-DAY LANDINGS SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS LEGION OF HONOUR
A former switch- board operator at the communications headquarters for the D-Day landings is being awarded the highest French dec- oration. The Express and Star reports that Marie Scott was 17 when she was in- volved in listening to and collating mes- sages for Operation Overlord at Fort Southwick in Ports- mouth. Now the 92-year-old from New Malden, London,
is being
presented with the Legion d’Honneur for her role in the
World War veterans. She will be officially presented with the Legion d’Honneur by a French general at
the Memorial
Pegasus Museum in Normandy on 5 June. She said: “I am truly overwhelmed
to
Former switchboard operator Marie Scott
invasion to liberate western
Europe
from the Nazis. As part of the 75th anniversary of D-
Day in June, Ms Scott will travel with the Taxi Charity to Normandy with a group of 30 Second
receive the Legion of Honour for the part we played in the D-Day landings. “Very few women have received this medal and it is a true honour. Being officially presented with the medal at the Pegasus Muse- um on June 5 surrounded by a group of World War
was formed in Ful- ham in 1948 and arranges trips for veterans from all conflicts. A spokeswoman for the charity said: “Working on the switchboard in Fort Southwick, Marie would pass mes- sages
continent
Ms Scott will travel to Normandy
Two veterans will be a very moving expe- rience.” The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans
CHELSEA PENSIONER TO COMPLETE HIS ONE HUNDRETH PARACHUTE JUMP
On 1st May 2019 Chelsea Pensioner Mike Smith will be attempting his one hundreth parachute jump at an event to raise funds for a charity that is very close to his heart, The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans. Mike will be joined by two Taxi Charity committee mem- bers’ wives, Susy Goodwin and Anne Parsons. The wives are being sponsored to sky- dive for the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, to raise funds
for trips,
including this year’s 75th anniversary D- Day visit in June, when the charity
MAY 2019
to be joined by first timers Susy Good- win
and Anne
Parsons who are raising funds for this amazing
charity, Mike Smith at Old Sarum Airfield
will take 30 veter- ans, in London black cabs, to Normandy. It will be the first tandem skydive for both Susy and Anne who will be in the capable hands of the famous Red Devils and their
jumping hero Mike Smith. Mike Smith, says, “I can’t wait to com- plete my
one
hundreth jump on 1 May. It doesn’t seem two minutes since I was doing my first one! I am delighted
that does so much to support veterans from all conflicts. My advice to them is to enjoy every second and breathe.” The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans was formed in Ful- ham in 1948, to work for the benefit, com- fort and enjoyment of military veterans and arranges many trips every year for veterans from all conflicts. The charity offers international trips to Holland, Belgium and France, UK day
from the to the
leaders of Operation Overlord, General Eisenhower
and
Field Marshall Mont- gomery. “One of her most vivid memories is that when the beaches transmitted she could hear the gunfire.”
Susy Goodwin and Anne Parsons with a Taxi Charity veteran
trips to concerts or museums, transport to attend fundrais- ing events, as well as special days out to catch up with friends and com- rades. To fund and facilitate these outings, the
charity is wholly reliant on generous donations
from
members of the pub- lic, businesses and trusts and the amaz- ing group of London licensed taxi drivers who offer their time and vehicles free.
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