A female Second World War veteran has revealed how she stuffed cardboard in her shoes in order to get around height restrictions and serve her country.
Dorothea Barron, now 99, was only 15 when the conflict erupted, but volunteered as soon as she was able to – joining the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS).
But she told Good Morning Britain earlier that at ‘five-feet-two-and-a-bit’, she needed to ‘put cardboard in her shoes’ in order to reach the 5’3″ minimum height.
She added that she also ‘brushed my hair up just to look tall’, in the charming interview on ITV ahead of the D-Day commemorations.
Trained as a signaller, she went on to provide crucial training to troops involved in D-Day, so they knew how to communicate if their radios failed.
Mrs Barron went on to provide crucial training in communications to troops involved in D-Day
She has been feted ahead of the 80th anniversary of D-Day and Battle of Normandy on June 6
She added that she also ‘brushed her hair up just to look tall’, in the charming interview on ITV.
The heroine earlier told Forces News: ‘I put things under my heels and cut cardboard shapes and wore them inside my shoes and I put my hair up and stood up very tall, as tall as I could.
‘I really shouldn’t have been in the services. I was supposed to be 5ft 3in and there is no way I was ever 5ft 3in.
‘I think they took pity on me and thought “poor thing she’s so keen to come we will let her in even if she isn’t 5ft 3in”.’
Mrs Barron’s husband, Andrew, was also a war hero, serving with Bomber Command.
She told Good Morning Britain that her sister also trained as a Wren, and that her uncle was wounded in the Great War.
Ahead of the celebrations, French President Emmanuel Macron revealed he will greet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky along with other world leaders in Normandy for the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day.
US President Joe Biden is also scheduled to attend this year’s commemorations of the landings which led to the liberation of France and Europe from Nazi Germany’s occupation.
Dozens of Second World War veterans are expected to return, many perhaps for the last time, to Normandy’s beaches.
An international ceremony at Omaha Beach will honour the nearly 160,000 troops from the UK, the US, Canada and other nations that landed in Normandy on June 6 1944.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also to attend the D-Day commemorations.
King Charles also plans to travel to France for the British ceremonies, while skipping the international ceremony.
The Prince of Wales will stand in for the King at Omaha Beach.