We need your WWII photos

THE untold stories of brave soldiers who died at Normandy will be told for the first time in a poignant new book - as a tribute to those who DIDN'T come home to tell the tale.

Fallen Heroes of Normandy 1944, The Commonwealth War Cemeteries: A Photographic Remembrance will be published next year - picturing the graves of British soldiers and telling their stories.

Detailed maps of the cemeteries and previously unpublished photographs will provide the backdrop to amazing stories of some of the men who now rest in the region's 18 Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries.

The book, backed by the CWGC and The British Legion, and published by Pen & Sword, is being compiled by Carl Shilleto - and he needs YOUR help. He is appealing for families of all nationalities to come forward with images of their fallen relatives.

Carl - who has 14 years experience as a professional military historian, photographer, author and battlefield guide - said: "About 10 years ago the CWGC gave me a copy of their database of the cemeteries.

"Since then I've been acting as a battlefield guide and people who came over would have pictures of their lost relatives or former comrades. It seemed a shame that they had never been collated. So I started photographing the headstones and a year ago got to a point where I felt able to put out appeals to people send in those photographs.

"Now I want to make a wider appeal for people to pass on information and photographs that they have of people in the cemeteries.

"I think it's important for posterity. As the years go by these photos will get lost or damaged and the individuals forgotten.

"We must never let this happen - and that's what this book aims to do."

On the centenary of the CWGC in 2017 Carl plans to hand the project archives over to the Commission and make it accessible online for future generations.

* You can contact Carl on fallenheroes@btinternet.com or C/O The Regimental Museum, 3 Tower Street, York, YO1 9SB.

• Bullets zipped by as I jumped. I hit the ground 6 seconds later and came under intense fire..

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