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A veteran interview with

Vic Blake

Vic Blake served with the B Squadron in the 43rd Wessex Reconnaissance Regiment. Despite being injured, he considers himself a lucky soldier.

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About Vic Blake

Gosport born Vic Blake recounts his memories of D-Day, fighting in the 43rd Reconnaissance regiment of the Wessex Division. For most of his time, he drove and maintained a light wrecking Daimler vehicle across patrols of Normandy. Through eerie nights and countless close shave encounters with German soldiers, Vic considers himself a lucky man as a part of the B squadron who made it onto French shores. Sadly, his other comrades from A and C squadrons were not so lucky and Vic shares the story of how they lost 188 men after tragically hitting a sea mine off the coast of Juno beach.

Sadly, Vic’s luck ran out and he didn’t make it home unscathed. He recalls waking up in a stretcher surrounded by other injured soldiers after being injured from getting too close to a mortar. In his civilian life, he lived as if he was never in the war, however now in his older age, the memories have returned; one of those being when a German soldier surrender himself to his team and, with no animosity, they offered him tea and a cigarette.

This interview truly shows the bravery and understanding nature of Vic Blake.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Brig. C Elderton
Reviewed by:
Brooke Piper

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

Copyright:
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Home | Veterans | Vic Blake

A veteran interview with

Vic Blake

Vic-Blake---frame-grab

Vic Blake served with the B Squadron in the 43rd Wessex Reconnaissance Regiment. Despite being injured, he considers himself a lucky soldier.

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https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/vic-blake/

Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Blake, Vic. A Veteran Interview with Vic Blake. Interview by Brig. C Elderton. Legasee, 26 Nov. 2013 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/vic-blake/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
APA Style:
Blake, V. (2013, November 26). A Veteran Interview with Vic Blake [Interview by Brig. C Elderton]. Legasee. Retrieved February 14, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/vic-blake/
Chicago Style:
Blake, Vic. 2013. A Veteran Interview with Vic Blake. Interview by Brig. C Elderton. Legasee, November 26. Accessed February 14, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/vic-blake/
Harvard Style:
Blake, V. (2013). A Veteran Interview with Vic Blake. [Interviewed by Brig. C Elderton]. Legasee, 26 November. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/vic-blake/ (Accessed: 14 February 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Blake, V. A Veteran Interview with Vic Blake [Internet]. Interview by B. Elderton. Legasee; 2013 Nov 26 [cited 2026 Feb 14]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/vic-blake/
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