N.V.A
The Beginning

A group of ex-Servicemen talking together in a club in Grimsby, all claiming to have won the war

( as usual),when a chance remark about the Landings in Normandy,Tuesday, 6th June 1944,led

to four of the men deciding to form an association based on service in Normandy.

A letter in the local Grimsby press led to an Inaugural Meeting in the Central Hall, Grimsby on 

the 8th April 1981 when 29 men attended. All had been involved on the sea,on the land,or in

the air at Normandy during the landings or in subsequent battle to free that department of 

Northern France from Nazi Occupation.This as we all know led to the Liberation of Western 

Europe, V.E. Day 8th May 1945.

At the Inaugural Meeting it was decided to form The Normandy Association and full members
would be anyone who served with the Royal Navy,The Army,The Royal Air Force, The Merchant Navy,
Any of the Imperial Nursing Services,any of the ancillary bodies like NAFFI, ENSA etc..,
Provided they met the requirements, that was, that they must have served in the Normandy Campaign
Between 6th June - 20 August 1944.

Offices were elected, one Arthur Flodman, elected as P.R. of the Association, Wrote to every local
Newspaper in Britain. form the immense number replies  was it obvious that Branches in other part
of the Country should be encouraged. so this was done, with Grimsby Branch No: .1.  or Founder
Branch and Considered as H.Q. By 1985,35 Branches had been formed and at a  meeting in
Sloane Square, London, the Association was put on a National  and International Level.

The first National conference was held at Bristol in October 1985. National Officials were elected,
General Sir John Mogg G.C.B.,K.C.B.,C.B.E.,D.S.O.,D.L. was elected president, Mr Vic Britton
M.B.E. was elected Chairman and Arthur Flodham was elected Nation Secretary.Later H.R.H.
The Duke of Gloucester KCVO was made National Patron.

Tragically, Arthur Flodman died in November 1985 so did not live to see the results of his early
groundwork. The Number of the branches increased rapidly, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
Belgium, Holland and France,Branches these became part of the Association.Each  year since
1985 The Association has had an Annual parade on House Guards in London and a wreath laying
ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall on the second Sunday in June.

The Association Branches marched past The Queen at Arromanches, Gold Beach, 6th June 1984,
On the occasion 40th Anniversary of the landings.Again on the 6th June 1989 the 45th Anniversary
was observed with a service in the commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Bayeux and march at Arromanches.

We go from Strength to Strength.!