D-Day veterans wanted for commemoration
D-Day veterans from across the Midlands are being invited to join the Royal British Legion for a return trip to northern France in June.
The trip, to mark 75 years since the Second World War landings, is being offered free of charge to servicemen who took part in the campaign.
It is being financed by fines imposed on the banking industry for attempting to rig the Libor lending rate.
The Royal British Legion Midlands section is calling on D-Day veterans to join the trip.
The charity has chartered a ship to take up to 300 veterans back to Normandy to mark 75 years since the original landings.
Gina Edwards, of the Royal British Legion in the Midlands, said almost 200 veterans had already signed up to travel on the MV Boudicca, but there was still the opportunity for more to join them.
The deadline for applications had now been extended until March 4, she added. If there were any places left over, the trip may be extended to other Normandy veterans.
The Royal British Legion’s assistant director for commemorative events, Bob Gamble said:
“We believe it’s important that all veterans who contributed to the liberation of France who want to attend the commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Portsmouth and Normandy are able to do so.
"We are delighted at the response we have received so far but we still have space for more veterans to join their comrades who shared in those challenging wartime experiences in 1944.
"Most importantly, we don’t want anyone who wants to take part to be left behind."
He urged friends and family of D-Day veterans to get in touch.
The ship departs from Dover on June 2, taking in events in Poole and Portsmouth, before crossing the English Channel for the commemorations in Normandy on June 6.
Cedric Wasser, a West Midland veteran who landed on Sword Beach, said: “I am so happy to be attending this unique opportunity to voyage across the channel and mark this milestone year with it being the 75th anniversary.
"I look forward to spending time meeting and mixing with fellow veterans and paying my respects to all those who took part in such an historic operation.”
Veterans interested in travelling on the ship are invited to contact the Legion for an application form, which can also be downloaded from the Legion’s website britishlegion.org.uk/community/d-day-75
