Bedford pacifist served as D-Day medic
A 96-year-old former school master, who served on the beaches of Normandy as a medic during the D-Day landings, but refused to fight or even carry a man, has revealed his story to BBC Look East.
David Briggs, who lives in Bedford, was one of 60,000 people in Britain who were known as a conscientious objectors.
Mr Brigg had a strong Christian faith and from the age of 16 years believed this meant he should not take up arms.
But as a medic in the army, he chose to be in the teeth of the battle.
So in June 1944 , with his medic's armband his only means of defence, Mr Briggs disgorged onto a beach in Normandy.
06 Jun 2014