On VE day, along with celebrations of the peace accord, which ended years of bloody conflict, it is a time of reflection from families about the personal sacrifices made by so many.

One local Westfield family will doubtless be remembering their beloved father and grandfather, one of those who did come home.

While so many of us are complaining about our lack of freedom under coronavirus, it is poignant to remember how many local soldiers were never given the opportunity to enjoy those freedoms. They did not dance in the streets 75 years ago, because they were one of the hundreds of thousands who paid for that freedom with their lives.

This tragic Midsomer Norton story is about two young men, friends, one of whom came back from war, and one who did not.

Lawrence Hambleton, a young man from Midsomer Norton, did just what he was told in the D Day Landings.He was just 19 when he landed on the beaches in Normandy.

It was June 9, 1944 and as Lawrence Hambleton's boots touched the sand, what he would not have known is that his friend, also from Midsomer Norton, had perished during the same offensive just three days earlier.

Trooper Albert Matthews died on 6th June 1944 - he was just 20.

His name is inscribed on the Midsomer Norton War Memorial, and back in 2004, Lawrence with his daughter Sandra revisited Normandy to find his friend's grave.

Sandra Hedley recalls: " It was a privilege to go with him back to Normandy and it was an emotional time but was important to him that he went back, as so many of them were in those war cemeteries."

The D Day landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history and resulted in a huge loss of life. Over 425,000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded or went missing during the Battle of Normandy. Of those there were over 209,000 Allied casualties, with nearly 37,000 dead amongst the ground forces and a further 16,714 deaths amongst the Allied air forces.

So in so many respects Lawrence was lucky.

He survived and returned to Midsomer Norton where his story could continue.

Lawrence was born on the 20th July 1924 at Burlington Road, Midsomer Norton. He was an apprentice carpenter before joining up 3rd December 1942, serving in the 15th Scottish Division, Royal Artillery.

Sandra told Nub News: " Dad told us about landing on the beaches and that his unit went on to Caen and then on down to support the battle for Falaise.

"He was so young, but told us they were all the same, it was frightening. But they were all in it together and just did what they had to do. We all owe them so much."

Lawrence was lucky, he came home and left the army in 1947 to finish his apprenticeship

and spent most of his working life at F.Pratten & Co.

He got married, and with his wife Enid moved to ElmTree Avenue where Sandra and her sister Karen grew up. Then when the couple retired they moved to Willow Close in Radstock.

Enid passed away on the 21st of December 2010, while Lawrence, once that young and scared soldier doing what he had to do, died just ten days later on New Year's Day 2011.

This has been his story.

As his daughter Sandra said: " It is important for us to remember all those who gave so much for us all."