Eddie Hannath MBE

[Steve Bramley]

Firstly I apologise for posting in this section but I would like as many people to see this as possible.

Eddie Showler Hannath was the General Secretary of the Normandy Veterans Association which has it's No1 branch in Grimsby. He received his MBE from the Queen. Eddie devoted many years to the NVA and I know he worked ceaselessly helping other members and arranging the affairs of the association. He actually lived in Normandy Road in Cleethorpes!

I first met Eddie several years ago. My wife was working at at gent's outfitters in Cleethorpes and managed to order some berrets for Eddie. We spoke on several occassions after this. He was a very charming man and although I did not know him very well, I am proud and glad that I did.

Eddie and some other veterans were invited to the premiere in London of 'Saving Private Ryan'. Eddie told me that he actually met and spoke to Steven Spielberg. Mr Spielberg asked Eddie what he thought about the film. He said he really enjoyed it and it was probably the most authentic depiction of events. He had only one critism however and this was about Mr Spielberg's choice of cast, which in his opinion was wrong. Somewhat taken aback, Spielberg asked him why this was. Eddie replied that the main characters were too old...we were only boys he said.

Eddie told me that his middle name was given to him in memory of his uncle CSM George Robert Showler of the 1/5th Lincolnshire Regiment who was killed in action on 13.10.1915 at the Hohenzollern Redoubt aged 39, CSM Showler was also a Cleethorpes man.

Eddie was 84 years old when he passed away after a short illness at the Diana Princes of Wales hospital in Grimsby last week.

I think Eddie was a good man and a very good soldier right until the end.

I feel very sad writing this, Farewell Eddie.

Thanks for sharing,

Regards,

Steve.

[Papineau]

Sad now to see the WW2 generation begin to 'fade away'. Notices like this hopefully make people realise it is increasingly important to speak to these gentleman before it is too late. What will the cyber generation 20 years hence make of us if we hadn't?

[Guest lingarde]

Eddie was a truly remarkable man. I was fortunate to have interviewed him on a number of occasions for the local TV and he had some stories to tell about life in the war.

I interviewed him recently and was very saddened to have learnt about his death but pleased that I had the honour of getting his memories on film.

Emma L

[Steve Bramley]