Last surviving D-Day veterans heading to Normandy for eightieth anniversary
The last of the surviving D-Day veterans are heading to Normandy for the 80th anniversary commemorations but dwindling numbers mean this year is the last major milestone for those who fought in 1944.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will be among those in attendance to remember more than 150,000 British, Canadian and American troops who landed in a combined naval, air and ground assault on Nazi-occupied France on June 6.
But the number of those who will travel to Normandy has decreased due to many now being too old to make the journey.
Five years ago, 75 veterans attended Southwick House, near Portsmouth, for the anniversary – but many of these men are no longer alive.
Victor Walker, 98, is among a number of veterans unable to travel to France this year as he told The Telegraph: ‘Age has finally caught up with me.’
Mr Walker worked on board a destroyer which transported troops to the shores of France.
He travelled to Normandy for the 65th, 70th and 75th commemorations, but his declining health meant he could not make the trip for this anniversary.
D-Day veteran Albert Keir (right), 98, from Bakewell, Derbyshire, watches from the deck of the Brittany Ferries ship Mont St Michel as it sails out of Portsmouth Harbour in the UK to Ouistreham, in Caen, France
Normandy veteran Jimmy Justice waves from the deck of the Brittany Ferries ship Mont St Michel
D-Day veteran Harry Birdsall, 98, from Wakefield, gets emotional as he travels on the ship
Royal Navy Commander Glen Hickson, D-Day veteran Jim Grant, Royal Navy Commodore John Voyce, and D-Day veteran Charles Horne, on board the Brittany Ferries ship
D-Day veteran Richard Aldred (centre) salutes from the deck of the ship
Royal Navy Commander Glen Hickson, D-Day veteran Jim Grant, and Royal Navy Commodore John Voyce, on board the Brittany Ferries ship
Victor Walker, 98, is among a number of veterans unable to travel to France this year due to his declining health
‘I have been very lucky to have visited Normandy several times in previous years to remember. However, this year I am unable to make the trip due to mobility and other health problems,’ he said.
This year only 12 veterans of the Battle of Normandy were present for afternoon tea at Southwick House, compared to 75 five years ago.
Les Underwood, 98, who was a Royal Navy gunner, is one of the youngest remaining veterans as he lied about his age to join up.
‘All the memories come back,’ Underwood told The Times. ‘Guns going everywhere, screaming from the men, some of them getting off the landing craft and some even drowned.’
He added: ‘My father always said men and boys don’t cry, but they do,’ he said. ‘I’ve cried at the thoughts of the men not coming back.’
Veteran Ken Cooke, 98, said the 80th anniversary commemorations this week will be the last time he revisits Gold Beach where he landed as an 18-year-old on June 6, 1944.
D-Day veteran Jim Grant (centre) on board the ship today
D-Day veteran Albert Keir (right), 98, from Bakewell, Derbyshire, smiles from the deck
D-Day veteran Jim Kelly, from Sutton Coldfield, looks out onto the water
100-year-old D-Day veteran Bernard Morgan, from Crewe, salutes on board the ship
D-Day veteran Bernard Morgan (left), 100, from Crewe, salutes as veteran Harry Birdsall, 98, from Wakefield, gets emotional
D-Day veteran Albert Keir (left), 98, from Bakewell, Derbyshire, and Charlie Horne, 98, wave as they take a group photo
D-Day veteran Harry Birdsall, 98, from Wakefield, looks emotional on the ship
D-Day veteran Arnie Salter, 98, from Warwickshire, on board the Brittany Ferry ship Mont St Michel
D-Day veteran Ronald Hendrey, 98, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, speaks on board the Brittany Ferry ship
Appearing on Antiques Roadshow’s D-Day special this week, Mr Cooke recalled how he stepped onto the beach and straight into battle.
‘We set off for [Gold] Beach. I can’t describe the noise. You can’t describe the noise. It was that horrendous,’ he said.
‘I stepped off into six inches of water. There were explosions going off and what have you, but all I was bothered about was my wet socks.’
He added: ‘There were bodies rolling about in the water. But we didn’t have time to look round or anything. The sergeants and the officers [said] ”right lads, get off the beach as soon as you can. If anybody gets hit, don’t stop.”
‘And that’s what we did. We got away off the beach as quick as possible.
‘It was the following day that it all struck home what was happening. And as you were having breakfast, you’d look round and you’d say, ”where’s blondie? Where’s Harry?” And somebody would say, ”well remember that tank that got blown up on the beach? They were standing next to it”.
‘That’s when it sank in here, that these bullets coming towards you were real.’
