Latest news with #DDay
Sky News
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
D-Day veteran "Papa Jake" Larson who became TikTok star dies aged 102
A D-Day veteran who became a social media star in his later years has died at the age of 102. "Papa Jake" Larson survived German gunfire in the June 1944 landings and then garnered 1.2million followers sharing stories on TikTok to commemorate Second World War and his fallen comrades. Sharing the news of his death on the platform that found his legions of new fans, 'Story time with Papa Jake', his granddaughter McKaela Larson said he "went peacefully and was even cracking jokes 'til the very end". "I am so thankful to have shared my Papa Jake with you all," she continued. "You meant the world to him. "When the time is right, I will continue to share Papa Jake's stories and keep his memory alive. We appreciate all the kind words and posts. As Papa would say, love you all the mostest." Born on 20 December 1922 in Minnesota, US, Larson enlisted in the National Guard in 1938, lying about his age as he was only 15 at the time. In 1942, four years later, he was sent overseas and was stationed in Northern Ireland. He became operations sergeant and assembled the planning books for the invasion of Normandy. He was among the nearly 160,000 Allied troops who stormed the Normandy shore on D-Day, surviving machine-gun fire when he landed on Omaha Beach. "We are the lucky ones," Larson told The Associated Press (AP) on the 81st anniversary of D-Day in June, speaking amid the immaculate rows of graves at the American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach. "We are their family. We have the responsibility to honour these guys who gave us a chance to be alive." His service during the war earned him a Bronze Star and a French Legion of Honour award. In his TikTok posts and interviews, Larson combined humorous anecdotes with sombre reminders about the horrors of war. In the wake of his death, small-town museums and groups around Normandy that work to honour D-Day heroes shared tributes to Larson, one of their most loyal visitors. "He came every year to the museum, with his smile, his humility and his tales that touched all generations," the Overlord Museum posted on Facebook.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How a wall in Surrey helped the Allies on D-Day
Just a short drive from the Surrey town of Farnham lies the Hankley Common woodland, which hides a fascinating piece of World War Two history. Dozens stroll past the huge wall that runs through the wood each day, but few will know of the key role it played in the D-Day landings. By the end of 1942, German-occupied Europe stretched from the Atlantic coast of France in the west to the Russian Ural Mountains in the east. But Hitler felt the coastline to the west was vulnerable to invasion, so ordered forts be built on 2,000 miles (3,218km) of shoreline along France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and the northern tip of Norway. The defence system would inevitably fail, thanks in part to the tests carried out hundreds of miles away in Surrey in 1943. Royal Canadian Engineers based in the area built a replica section of wall in the woodland using plans smuggled from France, which showed how the real wall was built. The Army then began blowing the wall to pieces using two new armoured test vehicles. One of the vehicles was the AVRE mortar-firing tank, which was then used to break through the real Atlantic Wall during the D-Day landings. "It was about creating new armoured vehicles, vehicles that would be able to breach this wall," said military historian Paul McCue. "The people who built this went ashore during the invasion of France and many lost their lives. "There's a plaque on it but it's quite a modest one and it's tucked away, so people will walk past it and not see it." Today, it is clear to see the chasms that were blown out of the wall during tests, with metal rods still poking from moss-covered rubble. Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook or X. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. More on this story D-Day veteran says friends' sacrifice a 'waste of life' Why has a knitted tank rolled into Llandudno?
BBC News
20-07-2025
- BBC News
How a quiet Surrey woodland helped the Allies on D-Day
Just a short drive from the Surrey town of Farnham lies the Hankley Common woodland, which hides a fascinating piece of World War Two stroll past the huge wall that runs through the wood each day, but few will know of the key role it played in the D-Day the end of 1942, German-occupied Europe stretched from the Atlantic coast of France in the west to the Russian Ural Mountains in the Hitler felt the coastline to the west was vulnerable to invasion, so ordered forts be built on 2,000 miles (3,218km) of shoreline along France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and the northern tip of Norway. The defence system would inevitably fail, thanks in part to the tests carried out hundreds of miles away in Surrey in 1943. Royal Canadian Engineers based in the area built a replica section of wall in the woodland using plans smuggled from France, which showed how the real wall was Army then began blowing the wall to pieces using two new armoured test vehicles. One of the vehicles was the AVRE mortar-firing tank, which was then used to break through the real Atlantic Wall during the D-Day landings."It was about creating new armoured vehicles, vehicles that would be able to breach this wall," said military historian Paul McCue."The people who built this went ashore during the invasion of France and many lost their lives."There's a plaque on it but it's quite a modest one and it's tucked away, so people will walk past it and not see it."Today, it is clear to see the chasms that were blown out of the wall during tests, with metal rods still poking from moss-covered rubble.
Washington Post
12-07-2025
- General
- Washington Post
UK's oldest WWII veteran, Donald Rose, dies at 110
LONDON — Britain's oldest World War II veteran, Donald Rose, has died at the age of 110. Rose participated in the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, and was part of the division that liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in northern Germany. In a statement Friday, the leader of the Erewash Borough Council in the north of England, James Dawson, announced Rose's death, calling him a 'war hero.'
Al Arabiya
12-07-2025
- General
- Al Arabiya
Uk's oldest man and wwii veteran, donald rose, dies at 110
Britain's oldest World War II veteran, Donald Rose, has died at the age of 110. Rose participated in the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, and was part of the division that liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in northern Germany. In a statement Friday, the leader of the Erewash Borough Council in the north of England, James Dawson, announced Rose's death, calling him a war hero. 'Erewash was privileged to count him as a resident,' he added. In May, Rose joined 45 other veterans as guests of honor at a tea party celebration hosted by the Royal British Legion at the National Memorial Arboretum to mark 80 years since Victory in Europe Day. Rose, who was born on Christmas Eve in 1914 following the outbreak of hostilities in World War I, said at the event that he did not celebrate VE Day at the time. 'When I heard that the armistice had been signed 80 years ago, I was in Germany at Belsen and like most active soldiers I didn't get to celebrate at that time,' he said. 'We just did what we thought was right, and it was a relief when it was over.' Originally from the village of Westcott, southwest of London, Rose joined the army aged 23 and served in North Africa, Italy, and France, according to the Royal British Legion. He received a number of medals and was awarded France's highest honor, the Legion d'Honneur. Rose is also believed to have been the UK's oldest man.
