by "Svend" (svend)
Published 12/27/2017 at 03:46
by "Svend" (svend)
Published 12/27/2017 at 03:46
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STARS: 7
I’m watching an episode of Motorway Cops, Duty of Care.
An elderly man (Bill, 91) has been stopped after an accident which has left his vehicle unroadworthy. The gentleman is a former para in the second world war. He has outlived his wife and children with no family left.
He wants to get to Holland for a final meet up as there are so few of his comrades left.
The two police officers pull out all the stops to find him a hire car for five weeks for the elderly gent to make his ferry to Holland.
They manage to in the end and he makes the ferry.
Regretfully he never made it back to the U.K. as he passed away, but he passed in the company of good friends.
Rest in peace Bill.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
12/27/2017 at 04:08, STARS: 1
that’s sad to hear.
but he made it to see his mates hopefully
"Svend" (svend)
12/27/2017 at 04:40, STARS: 1
Ye’, he made it.
He passed a couple of weeks after arriving in Holland according to news.
You’ve got to love some of these old guys who won’t be told no, or feel they need to make the journey one last time.
Another guy ‘escaped’ his care home to make it to
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Veteran Bernard Jordan, 89, sneaked out of The Pines care home in Hove Donning war medals under a raincoat, he joined his comrades on a coach Police listed former mayor as missing person - until he turned up in France Today he returned to hero’s welcome in Portsmouth on cross-channel ferry He said: ‘I will be in some trouble with the care home, but it was worth it’
The 89-year-old D-Day veteran who sneaked out of his care home to Normandy has returned to a hero’s welcome and declared: ‘I would do it again tomorrow.’
Hiding his war medals under a raincoat, Bernard Jordan told carers he was going for a walk before boarding a coach to France for the 70th anniversary - sparking a frantic missing person search.
The former Royal Navy officer arrived into Portsmouth on a cross-channel ferry this morning, where he said: ‘I expect I will be in some trouble with the care home, but it was worth it.’
Hero’s welcome: D-Day veteran Bernard Jordan, 89, returned to Britain on a ferry after sneaking onto a coach to Normandy, declaring: ‘I expect I will be in some trouble with the care home, but it was worth it’
Beloved: Bernard Jordan waves on deck with Captain Olivier Macoin (left) and ship duty manager Jim Crilley
‘I just wanted to go over and join in with the commemorations,’ he said. ‘Being a veteran myself this was important to me and it meant the world. I met some great characters from old veterans to dancing girls’
Mr Jordan summoned the spirit and determination of June 6, 1944, when he hatched his cunning plan to join old comrades and world leaders in remembering the assault that cost more than 4,000 Allied lives.
By the time staff at the care home in Hove realised he was missing on Thursday evening, the veteran had already checked into a hotel in Ouistreham, Normandy.
The alarm was raised at 7.15pm and police began searching the area around The Pines care home, checking with hospitals, bus firms and taxi companies.
Eventually the care home breathed a sigh of relief when they received a phone call from another veteran, who said he had met the former Mayor of Hove on the coach - and he would come home when he was ready.
Today the Royal Navy veteran, who staff treated as the guest of honour on a ferry from Caen, said it ‘meant the world’ to be part of the anniversary.
‘I just wanted to go over and join in with the commemorations,’ he said.
‘Being a veteran myself this was important to me and it meant the world to be there. I met some great characters - from old veterans to dancing girls - and I loved every minute.
‘It was such an exciting experience - it was a smashing event but it is marvellous to be back. I will have to face the music at the care home now but that is just one of those things in life.
‘You have good and bad things - you just get on with it and do your best.’
Staff from Brittany Ferries said Mr Jordan was a pleasure to have on board and called him a ‘charmer’ with the ladies.
He arrived back in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on the Brittany Ferry ‘The Normandie’ at 6.45am today.
Mr Jordan stepped out to wave to onlookers from the front of the vessel with Captain Olivier Macoin as it approached British soil.
His wife Irene is still at the care home in Hove, and the veteran said she knew about his adventure in advance.
He said: ‘My wife knew I was going - she supported me. I’m really pleased I did it and I’ll do it again next year if I’m still here.’
When told his journey had been labelled ‘the Great Escape’, Mr Jordan simply laughed, before he was driven away by Brittany Ferries staff.
Steve Tuckwell, director of communications at Portsmouth Port Operations, said the veteran’s appetite for breakfast matched his appetite for life.