Battle of Arnhem veteran becomes MBE days before 100th birthday
Geoffrey Roberts, from Peterborough, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem and to charity by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
Mr Roberts, who turns 100 on Saturday told the PA news agency: 'I'm surprised actually, I don't know what I got it for, I didn't do anything.
'When I saw the letter I thought someone was kidding me, I didn't have a clue, it was the last thing on my mind. I was very shocked and very overwhelmed.'
Asked how important it is that veterans continue to be recognised, he said: 'It's very important, there's not many of us left, so it's very important especially for the ones who didn't come home.
'The heroes are lying in a cemetery, I was lucky, I turned left when I should have turned right so I'm still here.'
Mr Roberts, who was born in the Chelsea Barracks in London in 1925, signed up in 1942.
On September 17 1944, he flew into the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden – depicted in the 1977 Hollywood film A Bridge Too Far – which saw 35,000 British, American and Polish troops parachute or glide behind German lines.
Mr Roberts was captured on September 26, with a German officer giving him some cigarettes and telling him, 'for you, the war is over'.
He was sent to a prisoner of war camp and put to work in a coal mine until the end of the war.
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Scottish Sun
24 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
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Made a mess of [my] neighbour's fence.' Alongside pictures of his neighbour's side of the fence, he then confessed: 'I recently painted/stained my fence with the paint dripping over to my neighbours side of the fence. 'Has anyone come across this nightmare or has any idea on how to remove this stain?' In an attempt to clean up his error, he shared: 'I've tried using a sander and paint stripper was of little help.' Desperate to fix the issue, he begged: 'Any product or idea will be highly welcomed and appreciated.' Reddit users were left stunned by the man's paint error and many eagerly flocked to the comments to share their advice. One person said: 'Offer to paint their side the same colour.' Another added: 'Oops. That won't be coming out any time soon! I'm sorry but you must surely have noticed what was happening whilst you were undertaking this work? DIY Privacy Fences: Affordable Garden Solutions 'There's literally nothing that will get that out, so it's either stain their side too, cover it somehow, or replace the fence.' Whilst a third commented: 'Only option is to bite the bullet and paint their fence as well.' 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Overhanging Branches: You are entitled to trim branches that overhang into your property, but only up to the boundary line. The cut branches should be offered back to the tree owner. You are entitled to trim branches that overhang into your property, but only up to the boundary line. The cut branches should be offered back to the tree owner. Protected Trees: Some trees are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). Check with your local council before undertaking any work on a tree, as unauthorised work can result in fines. Some trees are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). Check with your local council before undertaking any work on a tree, as unauthorised work can result in fines. Roots: If tree roots from a neighbour's tree cause damage to your property, you have the right to remove the roots. However, it is advisable to discuss this with your neighbour first to avoid disputes. Always consult your local council or a legal adviser for specific regulations and advice. In response to the comments, the Reddit author later wrote: 'I made a mistake hence I wanna fix it to have a good relationship with my neighbour. '[The] neighbour doesn't want to paint his fence so I might have to cover the mess. 'Thanks for the help and I don't think I'm touching a brush anytime soon.' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Brits issued Asian Hornets warning - How to keep home safe
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BBC News
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- BBC News
NI education: 'Native' language assistants valuable for schools
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