Moment 9 WW2 heroes mark 81st anniversary of D-Day with emotional trip to Normandy
The veterans describe some of the horrific things they witnessed on D-Day
THE LAST OF THE VALIANT
THE LAST OF THE VALIANT Moment 9 WW2 heroes mark 81st anniversary of D-Day with emotional trip to Normandy
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
FOUR World War Two heroes flew by private jet to France yesterday to mark the 81st anniversary of D-Day.
They joined five other veterans who were well enough to attend a moving service at the British Normandy Memorial.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
5
Nine veterans mark D-Day at the British Normandy Memorial
Credit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
5
Four of the World War Two heroes flew by private jet to France to mark the 81st anniversary
Credit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
5
The veterans watch a flyover at the memorial
Credit: AFP
Last year more than 40 heroes were there for the landmark 80th anniversary of the day Allied troops stormed Normandy's beaches to liberate Europe.
Yesterday, The Sun was given exclusive access to fly with a quartet of veterans — all of them aged 99 and over — on a sleek 50-seat Embraer jet from Warton Aerodrome, Lancs.
Among them were Sergeant Richard Brock, now 101, and Able Seaman Ken Benbow, who turns 100 next week.
They were both at Normandy on June 6, 1944.
Ken was off the north French coast on HMS Crane, and saw men die in the water all around him.
Richard, a driver with the East Lancashire Regiment, came ashore with 130 comrades — only 19 returned home.
He was honoured to pay tribute to the fallen yesterday.
The retired master butcher, from Lancaster, said: 'When I landed on the beach just below where the Normandy Memorial stands now I was a young man of 20 who thought every day might be my last.
'I cannot believe here I am at 101. The heroes are the ones who died, some of them in terrible circumstances.
"We are just their spokesmen. Hopefully we will be able to come here one more time.'
Iconic RAF Red Arrows jets in danger of being replaced by Russian planes loved by Putin in move slammed as 'unthinkable'
The jet was provided by BAE Systems, which employs 12,000 people in Preston.
Also on board the flight to Caen Airport were former Fleet Air Arm Petty Officer George Boothby, 100, and Marjorie Hanson, 102.
She, like the late Queen Elizabeth II, served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service and helped supply the D-Day landings.
The nine veterans were joined by Defence Secretary John Healey for an emotional ceremony at the memorial, inscribed with the names of more than 4,000 soldiers under UK command who were killed on D-Day.
Mr Healey listened in awe to the veterans' stories.
He later told The Sun at the Bayeux War Cemetery: 'The lesson to draw from the Second World War is never again can we contemplate the huge human and economic cost that it inflicted.
"We see that in the darkest, strongest terms in these cemeteries.
'What it says to me is that with the allies that we forged in the Second World War, we must band together and we must be strong enough to deter any adversary, any aggression that might be directed at us in the future.'
5
Among the heroes were Sergeant Richard Brock, now 101, and Marjorie Hanson, 102, who served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service
Credit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I turned my bald, muddy, patchy lawn into a luscious garden with a £10 buy – it's so full and green in a matter of weeks
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A HOMEOWNER shared the DIY transformation she gave her lawn ahead of summer. The garden went from muddy sparse patches to luscious green grass in a matter of weeks. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 A homeowner shared her impressive lawn transformation over six weeks Credit: Facebook The woman shared a before and after comparison of her lawn in a post on the Facebook group Garden Makeover Ideas On A Budget. She revealed that the dramatic transformation happened just six weeks apart. "Can enjoy the garden again now," she told her fellow gardening enthusiasts. "Wow, that looks amazing to have achieved that in a relatively short period of time, I'm a very new gardener and seeing this has given me even more encouragement," said one person. "Depressing to amazing. What different colour actually makes to the eye, mind, and mood," agreed another commenter. "Absolutely fantastic!. Such a good feeling to fix a lawn to this. Very well done!" commended a third Facebook user. Another person described the switch up as "incredible" while someone else summed it up as "goals". The original poster was also plagued with requests to "spill the secrets". She revealed that she used "grass seed, lots of it" to tackle her sparse lawn. The Facebook user explained that the experience was a learning process, as she tried a variety of brands before settling on a favourite. My garden was a mud patch - I transformed it to a lush, thick lawn with a Poundland buy & I'm shocked at the difference "Gro-Sure Smart Lawn Seed Fast Start, was probably the best one," she shared. You can pick up a kilo box of Gro-Sure Smart Lawn Seed Fast Start from B&Q for just £10. The green-fingered pro went on to say that she used "a bit of topsoil" alongside compost. "Our soil is pure clay so it's a battle, we scarified it to within an inch of its life," she continued. "It was essentially a lawn made entirely of weeds and moss." Seasonal lawn care schedule Lawn care varies from season to season, with some tasks helping to encourage growth and root development whilst others help maintain the soil quality. Claire Baglin, landscaping category manager from Toolstation has shared lawn care tasks and tips for each season: Spring (March, April, May) Start to mow the grass bi-weekly in March when the soil and air temperatures typically reach above 6C. Fertilise the lawn for the first time during March using some quick-release fertiliser that is rich in nitrogen to help promote shoot growth. Scarify the lawn for the first time during April to remove any built-up moss or thatch that can accumulate throughout the winter. Aerate the lawn during April by spiking holes into the soil surface. This will help to loosen the soil and encourage growth. Overseeding can also be carried out throughout April to patch up any thin or bare areas of grass. Summer (June, July, August) From June start to cut your grass once a week - apart from in periods of extreme heat and droughts. Increase the cutting height to protect the lawn from any possible droughts. In June make sure to treat the lawn for any weeds - this can either be manual removal for individual weeds or using weed killer for larger clusters. During July and August make sure to water the lawn at least once a week by giving it a soak for 5-10 minutes. Autumn (September, October, November) From September reduce the lawn mowing frequency back to once every two weeks and conduct the last mow of the year in November. Fertilise the lawn for a second time during October using a slow-release fertiliser that is rich in phosphorous and potassium to strengthen the lawn. Throughout October and November remove any fallen leaves and other debris from the lawn surface. Winter (December, January, February) From December to the end of February leave the lawn alone. Grass typically does not grow in the colder winter temperatures. Winter is the perfect time of the year to conduct any lawnmower maintenance including checking over the blades and filters. She revealed that she even mixed in "a bit of sand" to the mix at one point. "Once down, we then walked all over it to compact it down, then watered a couple of times a day in the hot weather, less if cloudy," she said. "We also bought Miracle Gro liquid lawn food fast green and a spray attachment for the hose pipe and have fed it once a week." You can pick up a litre bottle of Miracle-Gro Fast Green Liquid Fertiliser for just £8.50 from B&Q. The Facebook user further emphasised how she has no experience with lawns. "Honestly I just wing it and hope for the best, we don't really know what we're doing half the time," she admitted.
South Wales Guardian
6 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Veterans attend Normandy commemorations on 81st anniversary of D-Day
Along the coastline and near the D-Day landing beaches, tens of thousands of onlookers attended the commemorations, which included parachute jumps, flyovers, remembrance ceremonies, parades and historical re-enactments. Many were there to cheer the ever-dwindling number of surviving veterans in their late 90s and older. All remembered the thousands who died. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth commemorated the anniversary of the D-Day landings, in which American soldiers played a leading role, with veterans at the American cemetery overlooking the shore in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer. The June 6 1944 invasion of Nazi-occupied France used the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to breach Hitler's defences in western Europe. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle – and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities – killed around 20,000 French civilians between June and August 1944. The exact German casualties are unknown but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. 'The heroism, honour and sacrifice of the Allied forces on D-Day will always resonate with the US armed forces and our allies and partners across Europe,' said Lieutenant General Jason T Hinds, deputy commander of US Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. 'Let us remember those who flew and fell. Let us honour those who survived and came home to build a better world. 'Let us ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain by meeting today's challenges with the same resolve, the same clarity of purpose and the same commitment to freedom.' Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on D-Day. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with General Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces. More than two million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day.
South Wales Guardian
6 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
D-Day veterans mark anniversary to ‘remember our friends who never came home'
The Rev Simon d'Albertanson, a Royal Navy chaplain and the chaplain for the Spirit of Normandy Trust, led a memorial service at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, describing D-Day as a 'seminal moment in history'. He reminded veterans, officials and members of the public that the legacy of D-Day was vitally important given the conflict and 'troubled times that we live in'. The Normandy landings took place on June 6 1944, when Allied forces opened a Second Front by invading Nazi-occupied France. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. Mr d'Albertanson said: 'This was a seminal moment in history, and we forget it at our peril. 'There's a legacy that builds from the different conflicts, and we live in very troubled times right now, and we need men and women who are fighting for peace. 'As a Christian, one of the lines in the Bible is 'Blessed are the peacemakers'. 'We're called to make peace and sometimes that means we have to bring violence, but that's the last resort. 'We want to be peacemakers.' Two of the chaplain's own relatives fought during the Second World War. His grandfather, Fred Hawker, joined the Royal Marines in 1942 and served on a number of ships including HMS Ark Royal, while his great-uncle, a Royal Navy sailor, lost his life during the Battle of the Denmark Strait. Mr d'Albertanson said: 'It's an absolute honour and a privilege to be a part of this. 'This is all about the veterans and honouring the fallen, those who gave their lives, for our freedom. 'Being here brings it to life. 'It makes you realise what you're involved in, the men and women of the armed forces today – and as chaplains we go with them.' One veteran in attendance, Ken Hay MBE, 99, was just 18 when he landed at Courseulles-sur-Mer on D-Day +5. He was captured on the night of July 7-8 and was taken to Zabrze in Poland where he worked as a prisoner of war in a coal mine. As the Russians approached, the prisoners were taken to a new location, approximately 1,000 miles away, during which many of them died. Eventually they were liberated by American troops and Mr Hay returned to the UK via Reims, arriving on May 4. He laid a wreath at the memorial service in Ver-sur-Mer alongside other veterans. Mr Hay said: 'Even though the 80th anniversary has passed, we veterans still feel it is our duty to come back here and remember all our friends who never came home. 'We get applauded, even though they are the ones who gave it all. 'Sharing my stories with children in the UK and France is something I am very passionate about. 'We are the age of their great-grandparents – we experienced it, understand it and know that it should never happen again.' Defence Secretary John Healey also attended events commemorating D-Day, alongside politicians from the United States and France. He said: 'We forever owe an enormous debt to the British and Allied forces who landed in Normandy 81 years ago today, determined to defeat Nazi tyranny and restore peace to western Europe. 'As we reset the nation's contract with our armed forces, we will continue to remember all those who served to defend our values.' Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in France on D-Day. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with General Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces.
