06/06/2026
A Tribute to Charles Napier,
I would like to pay a tribute to this amazing Man
Charles Napier 50th Infantry ( Desert Rat ), who’s Regiment were summoned back from the deserts in preparation to be on the Normandy landings on Gold beach 82yrs ago, to what I’m sure was a horrific mind blowing sight to them all that day,
most of us will never be able to imagine im sure !!,
I was lucky enough to sit beside this man as a teenager and roll ci******es for him and with him and listen to some amazing stories from his desert rat days, about firing blanks to scare off the enemy to save real amo, but mainly hand to hand fights, not to heavy stories though, he was a super Husband to his wife Kit, katherline, a great strong Man and role model to their Daughter Christine Powell and grandchildren David Powell, Tracey Powell and my ex wife Tina Powell,
I remember them days very clearly and thinking, wow that cigarette case is amazing, very lucky to have known him for a few years until his funeral with military honours and sending off in Harlow Essex,
What a Great Man indeed, what so many of them would have seen and gone through like ( Nap ) his Knick name, the ones that survived were extremely lucky to go back to their families or go on to have families of their own afterwards,
We can only salute these former heroes Men and Women that made the ultimate sacrifice and thank them every year for what they endured and did for us all,
God Bless them all,
A proud Grandson Dave Powells words below said to me earlier, who has kept all his medals and War time records safe and sound for future handing down to his children,
These pictures showing his books , pay booklet , release papers , his cigarette case that went with him from start to finish of the war , cap badge and the trench art lighter he had made out of a casing,
I love to see honour given to the greatest man I ever had in my life , these items will never leave my side while I’m breathing and I’ll make sure there kept after that he will never be forgotten 🫶🏻
He was a front line bayonet fighter with blanks to scare them but was mostly hand to hand with his bayonet on his rifle…
He was in the desert so long and so many years he became brown skinned for rest of his life too !
Very quite unassuming man with the strength of a hundred is wot he was to me Doug, and his family,
Forever Remembered Dave, Chris, Tina & Trace for sure.
