D-Day veteran to celebrate 80 years of freedom

John Dennett said it was important to remember the thousands of lads "who gave their life for our freedom"

A D-Day veteran has said returning to the beaches of Normandy will be a chance to remember his comrades and celebrate the "80 years of freedom" they fought for.

The famous D-Day landings, also known as Operation Overlord, on 6 June 1944 saw 156,000 Allied troops arrive for a combined naval, air and land assault on Nazi-occupied France.

John Dennett, of Wallasey, Merseyside, was a Royal Navy anti-aircraft gunner on one of the 7,000 ships taking soldiers on to Normandy beaches, making sure they did not get shot from overhead.

The 99-year-old said it was important for him to travel back to Normandy as it was "nice to think" that everybody who gave their life was "remembered properly".

Mr Dennett signed up to serve against his mother's wishes at the age of 17 in 1941

Mr Dennett recalled the "unbelievable" sight of the ships sailing to Normandy on D-Day and remembered thinking "nothing can happen to us, we have got that much might here".

It was one of the most decisive military campaigns of World War Two.

"When they'd gone and opened their fire and they did realise there was trouble and your feelings was 'well this one is a bit different than the last one'," he said.

'Wonderful feeling'

He said after seeing "what had gone on" you thought, "I'm still here", adding: "It's a wonderful feeling.

"It will live with me forever."

Mr Dennett previously told the BBC he signed up to serve against his mother's wishes at the age of 17 in 1941 and was accepted without anyone seeing his birth certificate.

He served at every major Allied landing: North Africa, Italy and Normandy.

Just before the D-Day landings, Mr Dennett's ship docked in Birkenhead, and whilst ashore, he met his future wife Joyce.

Together, they formed Ashville Football Club in 1949, naming it after the street where they lived in Ashville Road.

It now has its own grounds and 20 youth teams.

A mural was painted on the clubhouse by artist Paul Curtis last year to celebrate Mr Dennett's 99th birthday.

He was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2022 for voluntary services to veterans.

He has returned to Normandy for the commemorations nearly every year since the early 1990s.

"We must remember those lads - and there were thousands of them - who gave their life for our freedom which we all enjoy," he said.

"I never thought I would have 80 years of freedom when I came back.

"But when I think of it - it is wonderful."