Gillingham D-Day veteran celebrates 100th birthday

D-Day veteran Raymond Grose celebrated his 100th birthday at his nursing home in Gillingham, Kent

A World War Two veteran who took part in the D-Day landings has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Raymond Grose, who lives at Pembroke House nursing home in Gillingham, was only 18 when he was called into service as part of the Royal Ordnance Corps.

He was among tens of thousands of Allied troops involved in simultaneous landings on five Normandy beaches.

Mr Grose's milestone on Tuesday will be followed by the 80th anniversary of the military operation later this year.

• What were the D-Day landings?

D-Day is a military term for the first day of an operation and is the name by which Operation Neptune is more commonly known.

On 6 June 1944, troops from the UK, the US, Canada, and France attacked German forces on the coast of northern France.

It was the largest military naval, air and land operation ever attempted and marked the start of the campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied north-west Europe.

Raymond Grose was part of the Royal Ordnance Corps

Mr Grose said they set sail from Tilbury in Essex and went past Sheerness in Kent, where he lived.

"When we got to France we were hoisted out by rope," he said.

"They lifted it up and dropped me onto the side. That was the artificial harbour, just the start of it".

He added: "You ain't got time to be scared. No, we were so interested in what was going on.

"And we were told there's only one thing to be worried about: self-preservation!"

Years later, Mr Grose was awarded with the Legion of Honour.

At his 100th birthday event, he was presented with a card from the King.

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