It's a long time since 1944, but for these old soldiers events of that summer are life-defining, writes
GERRY MORIARITY,Northern Editor, at Belfast International Airport
ELEVEN OLD soldiers trooped behind a piper into Belfast International Airport yesterday morning, one in a wheelchair, another on a Zimmer frame, en route to Normandy to remember D-Day 65 years ago, and to reflect on fallen comrades.
Aged from 82 to 90, they wore their British army blazers and berets and displayed their medals proudly.
George Thompson from Donaghadee, Co Down - at 82, the baby of the crew - was 17 when he landed at Normandy on June 6th, 1944, turning 18 four days later as he sailed back to England, badly injured.
In the Royal navy he was in the first wave on to Sword Beach, suffering shrapnel injuries to his "rear end" and knees on the third day. "I was being sent home, but our landing craft drifted into a minefield. It hit a mine and we were blown up. There were four of us sitting on a gun turret which was blown into the water. We were the only ones to survive. The crew were gone, all our men were gone, close to 100 in all," George recalled.
They were rescued by an amphibious craft from an American ship. Several weeks later, after recovering in hospital, he arrived at his family home on brief leave and knocked on the door, to be answered by his sister, who promptly fainted. He had been declared missing - and she had assumed the worst.
George had a busy time during the war, later serving in the Pacific, pushing towards Japan. "I saw the atomic bomb [ blast]. We thought it was the aurora borealis . . . we would have gone on the landing to Japan, but the bomb saved us."
After the war he joined the RUC. He took an IRA bullet "in the belly" in 1973, and was invalided out of the police.
How will he feel when he returns to Normandy? "I don't know till I get there. You remember some things. Some things you don't remember and some things you don't want to remember."
What did he think of President Sarkozy's apparent snub to Queen Elizabeth by not inviting her to the commemorations in France, even though belatedly Prince Charles is to attend? It was the height of bad manners, he felt, but then laughing and added: "If de Gaulle had been there it wouldn't have been any different."
Des Gregg (89), originally from east Belfast and now living in Craigavon, Co Armagh, landed at Gold Beach the day after D-Day. In the Durham Light Infantry, his job was to help hold ground taken by the landing forces. He was injured near Caen and that was the end of his invasion. As for President Sarkozy? "It was a disgrace. I wouldn't stand in the same street as him."
John Leishnan (89), lived most of his life in Moira, Co Antrim. A Scot, he served with the Highland Infantry Brigade, seeing action with Montgomery at El Alamein and at the invasion of Sicily, arriving on the Normandy beaches six days after D-day. "I had a busy war, but I am still here to tell the tale. I am not a hero. The heroes were left behind and we are going back now to respect them."
Donny May (86), from Portrush, Co Antrim, was in the Royal navy during the landings. His visit too would be a pilgrimage of remembrance. He joined up to fight with four of his friends from Clady, Co Antrim. "I was the only one to come back."
Neville Henshaw (84), a Liverpudlian who ended up in Rostrevor, Co Down, was in the Royal Signals during the landings. "We have an opportunity to pay our respects to our fallen comrades, and that's important," he said. "And what's also important is that we will visit the German cemetery - they were young fellows as well."
The five-day tour is organised by the Fields of Conflict organisation. Member Norman McNarry, brother-in-law of George Best, said the group was dedicated to bringing second World War veterans from all over Ireland on such trips. He hoped old soldiers from the South would make contact so they could travel on future visits.