News & Events
D-DAY TO REMEMBER FOR NI VETERANS
16 June 2009
Eleven Northern Ireland veterans of the 1944 Normandy landings returned to France today to revisit scenes of the conflict.
The men, aged from 83 to 90 and from several parts of Northern Ireland, flew from Belfast International Airport to Paris on
The tour is part of the international commemoration of the 65th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June 1944... the enormous operation that was the beginning of the end of the Second World War, involving thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen.
Some of the veterans landed on D-Day: others on the following days. Today, they wore their wartime medals and were taken down memory lane before checking in for their flight...
A musical note was struck by a piper from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, and a restored Second World War Jeep - with veterans and Fields of Conflict tour leader Norman McNarry on board - arrived at the entrance to the airport building.
The Jeep, with a deactivated heavy machinegun and a Bren gun mounted, was driven by David McCallion of War Years Remembered, the mobile museum that has visited a number of schools and other centres.
For the occasion, David was dressed in the uniform of a soldier in the 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles.
Fields of Conflict's Norman McNarry has 35 years of public service with the Royal Navy, British South Africa Police in Rhodesia and the Royal Irish Regiment. He has led tours to the Somme, Ypres, Normandy, Germany, Italy and South Africa.
Norman, brother-in-law of the late football legend George Best, said: "We are privileged to be able to take the veterans back to the scenes of landmark moments in their lives.
"Despite their advanced years, some of them have incredibly vivid memories of their wartime experiences. They are thankful for victory in the Second World War, but at the same time they still mourn the loss of comrades."
The National Lottery's Big Lottery Fund has provided funding for the veterans and their carers to go on the tour.
The veterans are:
- William Cooke (83), Craigavon. Telegraphist, Royal Navy
- Henry Francis (90), Dunmurry. Corporal, Royal Army Service Corps
- Thomas Fulton (84), Belfast. Marine, Royal Navy.
- Des Gregg (89), Craigavon. Lieutenant, Durham Light Infantry
- Neville Henshaw (84), Rostrevor. Sergeant, Royal Signals
- Hamilton Lawrence (85), Belfast. Corporal, Royal Ulster Rifles
- John Leishnan (89), Dundonald. Sergeant, Royal Army Ordinance Corps
- John May (86), Portrush. Able Seaman, Royal Navy
- Robert Steele (87), Larne. Private, Royal Ulster Rifles
- Raymond Stewart (85), Newtownabbey. Leading Aircraftsman, RAF
- George Thompson (82 - 83 on 12 June), Donaghadee. Telegraphist, Royal Navy
The Fields of Conflict party will be based in Caen, scene of a famous Second World War battle.
During their stay the party will travel by coach to several landmark locations, including the Royal Ulster Rifles Memorial; the Bayeaux War Cemetery, the largest British military cemetery of the Second World War in France; the American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach featured in the film "Saving Private Ryan"; and the German cemetery at La Cambe, where the bodies of 21,500 German soldiers are buried.
Operation Overlord was the code name for the invasion of north-west Europe that began with the Normandy landings on D-Day - 6 June 1944. It was among the largest amphibious assaults ever conducted. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on 6 June, and more than three million troops had landed by the end of August.
Fields of Conflict can be contacted on 028 9043 7019 or 07738-997559; email info@fieldsofconflict.co.uk ; website www.fieldsofconflict.co.uk
Fields of Conflict is planning another Normandy tour, as well as visits to the Somme, Gallipoli, Monte Cassino and South Africa. Details will be released later.
For further information please contact Nicky Petrie at Pagoda PR on 07960-586654