My book is 'Dedicated to Peace - which sadly can only be achieved through War.'

It tells the true story of my father, Wally Parr, who took part in the famous raid to capture Pegasus Bridge in Normandy on the eve of D-Day in 1944. It not only covers his war years but also his latter life when, at the 40th anniversary of D-Day, the author Stephen Ambrose wrote 'Pegasus Bridge' a book that told the intimate story of the raid and reunited many of my father's comrades for the first time since the war.

After my mother's death my father retired to Normandy and became actively involved in preserving the old bridge when it was replaced with a new one. He was also involved in the team that was responsible for the building of a new museum in Benouville that housed the old bridge and a full scale replica of a Horsa Glider. He met Prince Charles when he opened the museum in the year 2000.

The purpose of this book is to preserve and honour the memory of these fine men and to pass on to the next generation the importance of what they did. My family story is similar to thousands of others from all over the world - my hope is that this book may inspire others to record their own history for their children and their children's children.

This is not your basic war history book - far better equipped authors have covered the ground more than adequately, instead it is a first-hand account given to me personally. There will be people out there who will demand to see my credentials, others will ask what qualifications I have - to those people my answer is simple: I have only one - I am my father's son.


My book is based on a poem I wrote for my Father for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day in 1994.

The poem is now on display in the foyer of the Pegasus Memorial Museum in Normandy and the photo above is of my Father and I seated below it.

To read my poem click here.

You can obtain a signed copy of my book at the reduced price of £10, including UK post and packing, by contacting me here.

Alternatively you can order a copy directly from my publishers, Trafford or through all major booksellers or internet distributors by quoting ISBN number 1-4251-1073.

Read some of the comments that I has received since the publication of my book here.

2009 - The 65th approached and passed by !

A great weekend at Pegasus Bridge - below you will find a link to some images of a very moving occasion.

In the mean time let me tell you about the Project65 runners - nearly 200 completed the run of 65 miles from Tarant Rushton to Pegasus Bridge, although some are convinced it was nearer to 100 miles after some of today's youth decided to 'play' with the route pointer signs in Southampton !

Each runner carried the name of one of the guys from the six gliders on their shirt and the most moving time for me was meeting John Maher who had proudly worn my Dad's name on his back.

Here his is with the shirt:-



Many thanks John.

Each year is unique for different reasons. This year, for me, it had to be the effort put in by the Project65 team and the part played by Penny and George Bates, solid and dependable as always.

Again I see the number of veterans diminish, yet the passion of the increasing crowds grows more intense.

More than ever I missed the camaraderie of the old crowd - Ted Tappenden, Charlie Gardner, Billy Gray, Jack 'Bill' Bailey, David Wood, Tom Packwood, my Dad and John Howard - all giving each other that special banter that only they could muster.

No more hangovers - just the memories that live on forever.

Click here for a few images taken during my days in Normandy for the 65th Anniversary and here to watch the 'BBC South Today' report on The Project65 run - including a brief glimpse of John wearing THE Parr shirt !

'Up the Ox and Bucks!'

Ham and Jam.

Barry Parr
June 2009

2009 - The 65th Anniversary !

This year the nation will reach another milestone when we commemorate the 65th Anniversary of D-Day.

My own personal memories of the 50th and 60th still abound and are well documented in my book.

This year will have an added interest thanks to the brain-child of Barry Tappenden, son of 'D' Company's radio operator Ted 'Ham and Jam' Tappenden.

Barry has come up with the idea of raising funds to commission a memorial to the 180 men who flew in the six gliders that took part in the historic raid to capture the two bridges over the Caen Canal and Orne River at dawn on D-Day.

The unveiling will be in the grounds of the Pegasus Memorial Museum on June 6th this year. Any surplus funds will go to various Veterans' charities both past and present.

Barry is aiming to to get at least 180 people to run/walk the 65 miles from Tarrant Rushton, the take-off site for the gliders, to Pegasus Bridge in Normandy - the Channel section will be by ferry!

To date, Jan 2009, 128 people have signed up to be sponsored....there is still time for you to take up the challenge! For further details go to Project65.net or if you would like to make a donation go to Justgiving.com.

I have been involved in various Project65 events in the second half of last year and look forward to joining my friends at a family fund raising day at Woburn Abbey on May 10th. Please also see my Bedford River section, below.

I will be in Normandy this June signing books, being present at the usual events and attending the special unveiling of the Project65 memorial.

As less and less veterans appear due to their passing or ill health it is vital that we as families and friends continue to honour the memories of these brave men and women.

Here's to a momentous 65th!

'Ham and Jam'

Barry Parr

January 2009

Remembrance Sunday...one year on

This time last year serving RAF soldiers were being told not to wear their uniforms in Peterborough for fear of abuse and assualts ... while, in other parts of the country, mortally wounded soldiers were being brought back home to be paraded past near deserted streets showing little interest.

Yet a year on things have changed ... our modern day War Heroes are making the national news, the streets are full of people paying their respect, the X Factor programme has made history by making the fastest selling record honouring 'Help the Heroes' and TV personalities are telling the nation about their great-grandfathers who served so bravely 90 years ago in the First World War.

Once again people are starting to wear their poppies with pride ... hopefully Remberance Sunday 2008 could be the highest profile one ever!

Click here for an extract from my book when I attended the 50th Anniversary ceremony of D-Day, an event that has had a lasting effect on me to this day.

Barry Parr
November 2008.

Bedford River Festival and Project 65

Over the weekend of 12/13th July my wife, Diane, and I travelled to Bedford for the town's Annual River Festival.

We joined the team from Project 65 in promoting the charity run planned for the 65th anniversary of D-Day in June 2009.

The display was of a very high standard and included Geoff Baulk's 1940's jeep, various weapons, including a genuine Piat gun, and my friend Dean Croucher's model of Pegasus Bridge.

I spent a hectic two days sharing the story of the D-Day raid and signing my book while also pointing many people in the direction of the various exhibits and merchandise that is Project 65.

Over the two days, veteran Tich Raynor was present and he was joined by fellow comrade Bill Gray on Sunday. Both veterans gave an interview to Three Counties Radio around lunch time on Sunday. Before that Danny Greeno and General Sir Robert Pascoe had spent the previous hour on-air flying the flag for Project 65.

One of the highlights of the weekend, for me, was meeting Ben Parkinson, a modern day veteran and hero who has received terrible injuries in Afghanistan and will hopefully be helped by funds raised by Project 65.

One of the people that bought my book was a woman who was born on D-Day, not surprisingly her name is June!

You can see some pictures of my visit to the River Festival by clicking here.

Barry Parr
July 2008.

Teaching our Children's Children

On the 8th of July I was invited to give two 45 minute talks on the subject of D-Day at my grandson, Jack's, school - Alexandra Junior, Beckenham, Kent.

Jack is in year 5, (aged 10) and for the summer term they have been studying World War Two. I asked my good friend Dean Croucher to accompany me and he brought with him a large scale model of Pegasus Bridge.

We were both amazed at the amount of knowledge the children had acquired over the past few weeks and at the end of each session we had a question and answer time. Not only were we asked many interesting questions but many shared there own relatives wartime experiences which were as diverse as paratrooping into Germany and being POWs in Japan.

The day reinforced my belief that this generation is still keen to preserve the memory of the fine men and women that did so much for them and there own relatives in the not too distant past.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the class teachers, Miss Tomkins and Miss Worlledge, for the thank-you cards and Headmistress, Mrs. Jarvis, for the kind invitation.

You can see some pictures of the Pegasus Bridge model and my time with the children at Alexandra School by clicking here.

Barry Parr
July 2008.

64th Anniversary visit to Pegasus Bridge.

My wife and I have just returned from our annual visit to Normandy.

This year the same three veterans, Tich Raynor, Johnny Johnson and Stan Watson, attended and as always they flew the flag for their absent comrades who were either unfit to travel or had passed away.

I was greatly saddened to hear of the recent passing of Denis Edwards, my Dad's old sniping partner. Denis was a constant encouragment to me when I was writing my book and gave me access to much of his material and archives. To me he was the man who had kept all the veterans informed and together over the past two decades and his passing will leave a deep void to fill. I understand from his daughters, Jill and Nicky, that there will be a memorial service at sometime in the future.

The usual events and services took place overseen again by Penny and George Bates. As an added bonus the Pegasus Memorial team allowed the foyer to be used by the Project 65 team and I to promote their project and for me to sign some books. It was good to catch up with old friends and to meet people that I had been sharing emails with since they bought my book last year.

Project 65 will be attending the Bedford River Festival on July 12th/13th as they continue to promote their vision - they have asked me to join them on their display and I will be signing some more books and bringing lots of my Father's memorablia with me. If you are able to attend, look out for a model of the bridge and a certain Piat gun!

I have just heard that Tich Raynor will be joined by Billy Gray at Bedford. That's at least two beers I will be having!

One of my highlights of the trip to Normandy was meeting the artist Malcolm Winter who had just completed a painting of my Dad's 'No 1 Gun' with a quotation from my book inscribed on the frame.

To see some of the photos of my trip click here.

Harry 'Nobby' Clark

I was deeply saddened to hear the news that my Father's old friend and comrade, 'Nobby' Clark, passed away on March 5th this year.

Nobby was the last member of 'D' company to visit my Father in Lewisham Hospital before he died. You can read about his war exploits and his wounding on page 72 of my book - there is also two pictures of him on pages 257 and 263.

Again, this is another reminder that as "less and less appear at each year's roll" we, the relatives and friends, continue to preserve the memory of these brave men.

Project 65

Project 65 is the brain-child of Barry Tappenden, son of 'Ham & Bloody Jam' Ted.

Barry has a vision to raise funds for a memorial to the boys of 'D' Company and to give donations to various military organisations.

He aims to do this by encouraging as many people as possible to run 65 miles between Tarrant Rushton and Pegasus Bridge in June 2009.

The memorial will be unveiled in the grounds of the Pegasus Memorial Museum.

For all the latest information go to Project65.net

Pegasus Memorial Team visit London

Details of the Pegasus Memorial Team visit to London can be found here.

Role Models

We are only half way through March and the celebrity obsessed public has already learnt that a world renowned young actor has tragically died from an accidental overdose of anti-depressants, an American pop diva has been sectioned in order to protect herself and closer to home one of our top singers has received several Emmy awards while in and out of rehab - we will not discuss divorce settlements!

Moving from the 'arts' to 'sport', most of us are still reeling in the realisation that this summer all four national football team players will be sunbathing in luxury somewhere in the world while the cream of European teams will be battling it out for the European Championships. But then again we are used to it, not since 1966 have we tasted footballing success on a national level. But as we continue our love/hate relationship with our over-paid and over-pampered footballing 'heroes' I feel there is hope. A new boy is in town, Fabio Cappello, a man that looks like he will install the three 'D's', Desire, Dedication and Discipline into our squad.

My immediate thought is that a 'next generation John Howard' has taken over and is about to lick a modern- day 'D' Company into shape!

Click here for an extract from my book where I compare the 'Coup de Main' boys of '44 with the 'World Cup Squad' of '66.

We will remember them

At all times we must remember the stirling work done by the Royal British Legion in supporting countless veterans and their families. In my book I mentioned Dean Croucher and his work colleauges who did a sponsored march for the Legion at the 60th Anniversary of D-Day click here to read about his march. Recently I have also heard from a guy called Tim Burling who contacted me on my comments page after reading my book. He too has recently completed a march for the British Legion in Normandy, he and Dean not only share the same passion for D-Day but they are also Police Officers with the motivation to encourage fellow work mates to join in. You can read Tim's account of his march by clicking here.

Regular book extracts....

for the benefit of first time visitors to this website and also for people who have read my book but would like a recap here are some extracts from my book with some additional thoughts and comments.

The Next Generation -

I was recently contacted by Barbara Barnes, Head of History, at Clayesmore Prep School, which is in Blandford, Dorset. The 12 to 13 year old students, as part of their D-Day studies, recently visited nearby Tarrant Rushton to see where the gliders took off on the night of June 5th 1944. They continued their studies by making a trip to Normandy to visit many sites including Pegasus Bridge. Some of the children were deeply moved by what they saw and were inspired to write some poetry. If you click here and follow the link to 'D-Day poetry' you will see poems by James Gill and poetry by Clayesmore Prep School.

It is so encouraging to see the next generation embracing the magnitude of what happened in June 1944.

Normandy 2007 -

Some details of our trip to Normandy, in June 2007, can be found here.

Raymond 'Tich' Rayner -

Some details of a visit to see Tich Rayner can be found here.

The News Shopper -

The May 10th edition of my local newspaper 'The News Shopper' had an article in it's history section about my book and my Father's war story.

If you missed the article, it is available here.

'Wally Parr of Catford' listens to Prince Charles at the unveiling of the glider'

Wally Parr's London -

Some details of a recent walking tour of Wally Parr's London can be found here.

This site always being updated so please visit again soon.

You can contact Barry Parr here for further information.