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.
Just over 30 veterans made the trip via ferry this year – compared to more than 200 in 2019.
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.
‘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, near Portsmouth, 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.
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.’