Former Royal Navy Engineer Takes Fish and Chip Van to Historic Sword Beach in Honor of D-Day Landings
Tuesday 28 May, 2024 – As the nation prepares to commemorate the brave soldiers who participated in the D-Day landings in Normandy, a former Royal Navy Engineer has embarked on a meaningful journey. Calum Richardson, aged 51 and born in Aberdeen, has taken his fish and chip van to the historic Sword beach, where visitors from around the world gather to pay their respects to the fallen and witness the site of one of the most significant battles of World War II.
Having joined the Royal Navy at the young age of 16, Calum has always maintained a strong connection with the armed forces. His passion and dedication to honoring those involved in the D-Day landings led him to collaborate with National Fish and Chip Day, an event that celebrates the nation’s favorite dish and pays tribute to the largest naval, land, and air operation in history. As a result, National Fish and Chip Day will be moving from its traditional Friday slot in 2024 and will instead be celebrated on Thursday 6th June to coincide with the D-Day anniversary.
The humble meal of fish and chips has a remarkable connection to WWII and D-Day in particular. In fact, it was even called the “Good Companions” by Winston Churchill. The British government ensured that fish and potatoes were not rationed during the war as it was believed that this dish would boost the morale of the nation. Today, fish and chips are considered to be the British national dish, but during the First and Second World Wars, it played a vital role in the war effort.
A lesser-known fact is that during the D-Day landings, soldiers who found themselves behind enemy lines at night needed a way to identify whether someone nearby was a friend or foe. To do so, they came up with a two-word code – one would call out “fish” and the other would respond with “chips”!
Sword Beach was one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the Operation Overlord campaign. Thousands of British, French, and Allied troops landed on this beach, marking the first phase of the liberation of France. Visitors to the beach were treated to traditional fish and chips, which were of immense importance, not just during WWII, but on D-Day in particular.
In keeping with the alliance of WWII, the British fish and chip van worked with local French suppliers and cooked fish from a nearby French fish market, using Normandy potatoes to create the chips. This collaboration was made possible by the Normandy Tourist Board and their colleagues at Ouistreham Town Council, who kindly granted permission for the van to be on the beach. Speaking of the event, Normandy Tourism expressed their delight at welcoming a traditional fish and chip truck to Normandy for National Fish and Chip Day. They also highlighted the strong historical, cultural, and friendship ties between Normandy and the UK, and their warm welcome to the team on Sword Beach.
DFDS and Brittany Ferries played a crucial role in transporting the van and personnel to France. The Bay Fish and Chips also deserves recognition for bringing their award-winning van to the beach and cooking the fish and chips. Owner of the van, Calum Richardson, an ex-Navy sailor himself, was thrilled to be part of this event.
Gary Lewis, President of the National Edible Oil Distributors Association (NEODA), founders of National Fish and Chip Day, expressed his excitement about the event. “National Fish and Chip Day has always brought the nation together to celebrate this iconic dish, and because of the intrinsic links it has always had with the world wars and D-Day, we knew we wanted to be as involved as possible. We moved the date to show our support and were delighted to work with our French colleagues to get a fish and chip van over to Sword Beach.”
National Fish and Chip Day is a tribute to everyone involved in bringing fish and chips to the center of every community. From the fishers who brave all weathers to catch the delicious fish, to the farmers who grow and harvest the perfect potatoes and peas, and finally, to the fish and chip shops and restaurants that create our beloved family favorite.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.