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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Treetotal on Friday 06 June 14 18:58 BST (UK)
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I just want to salute the WW2 pensioner who went missing from a care home in Hove to attend the D-Day celebrations after being told he couldn't go...Good on you ;D
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dday-70th-anniversary-veteran-89-found-in-normandy-after-he-was-reported-missing-from-care-home-9501638.html
It's this fighting spirit that led us to victory to ensure our freedom.
Cheers!...Whoever you are 8)
Carol
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Good for him!
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Yes - thank goodness he had all his faculties, to enable him to 'Stand up for himself' - its so easy for people who 'care' to overtake others lives all for their 'own good' Great news. I hope he really enjoys his time of freedom.
xin
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Thank you for mentioning it. I could not help but smile when I heard the story. All the other residents will be green with envy. They will keep a closer eye on him in 10 yrs time!
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They mentioned his name on the TV news and it's available on line, but I guess as Rootschat doesn't like us to mention living people, I can't tell you who he is. However, I can say he was Mayor of Hove 1995-1996.
Well done to him, how dare the people in the home tell him he couldn't go to Normandy (if they did, naturally they dispute this), it's obvious he's perfectly capable of looking after himself. Good on him, it was men (and women) like him that helped us win the war.
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Yes I heard this on the tv too - we've been watching the coverage all day. Was just wondering how much he would have got to see as they said that the security was very strict and of course he wouldn't have had any of the necessary passes to get to the main places. Hope he has a wonderful time out there.
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If it was up to me...all remaining WW1 veterans would automatically get an all expenses annual trip to the WW2 battlefields.
RESPECT!
Carol
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They said on tv that the veterans who were there today got funding for themselves and one other person from the Lottery.
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If it was up to me...all remaining WW1 veterans would automatically get an all expenses annual trip to the WW1 battlefields.
RESPECT!
CArol
I second that.
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To show proper respect for his proud accomplishment then and now, his name is Mr. Bernard Jordon
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I avoided naming the gentleman in order to comply with Rootschat policy of not naming living people.
Carol
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I thought that was funny him going AWOL at this time!
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What a brilliant story, it has been the top story on the local radio here all day. I wonder if he went alone or had help.
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I absolutely love this story, what a bloke! good for him.
Wonder if he was hidden by a French family ;D
Absolute respect to him and all of those brave men.
Frank.
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My son who is RAF Air Crew said he would like to meet the man and buy him a pint..and so would I :D
Carol
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Bit more to that story on the local Sussex radio station today where they spoke to him. Apparently the Care Home didn't stop him from going, they just told him that they couldn't manage to get him on to an organised trip as he'd left it too late. So he decided to take matters into his own hands.
He is now back in England and the Home sent a car to collect him from Portsmouth and take him back to the Care Home where he lives with his wife. He said that if he is still around next year, when he will be 91, he will go to Normandy again.
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Good morning,
I think many of us would like to buy him a pint. However that is not likely to happen unless we meet him. There is however no reason why we can't all go to our local, ask if there are any D-Day vets there and buy them one. After all, they all deserve it for what they did for all of us.
If it was up to me...all remaining WW1 veterans would automatically get an all expenses annual trip to the WW2 battlefields.
RESPECT!
Carol
Carol, did you mean WW2 vets, all WW1 vets have now died as of last year. But I fully agree with your sentiment.
Finally, when reporting stories like this, why why why can't the media get it right. I have read and listened to several different versions of this story. Even on radio Sussex different newsreaders told it differently yesterday.
John915
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all remaining WW1 veterans
I don't think there are any remaining WW1 veterans
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_last_surviving_World_War_I_veterans_by_country
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Slip of the fingers...I meant WW2...I'm well aware that the last WW1 Veteran Harry Patch the last fighting Tommy died age 111 years in 2009 :-\
I have now amended the title....but thanks for pointing it out.
Carol
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Latest on this story, the Mayor of Brighton and Hove has put forward a proposal for the Normandy veteran to be given the Freedom of the City.
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Excellent...Thanks for the update Jan :D
Carol
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He's just had his 90th birthday and overwhelmed by the number of cards he received. Good on him
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-27874035
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Aw...how lovely..thanks for that...and Happy Birthday Bernard :-*
Carolb
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Don't you just love these "Warm Feeling Inside" threads :)
Frank.
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Yes Frank....Spreading a bit of happiness and making someone feel special reminds us of how little it costs...and how much it means!!!
Carol
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totally agree
:) :)
xin