Wakefield veteran describes 'very emotional' Normandy commemorations, including meeting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, King Charles and Princess Anne
A Wakefield D-Day veteran has described his visit to Normandy to join the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the landings.
Harry Birdsall, 98, who grew up in Sandal, said: “They made us feel like royalty.
"I met King Charles; he shook my hand and said thank you, I thought that was nice.
"I was talking to Princess Anne, I made her laugh a little – during 1944 I was in London and I waved my hand to the Queen and she waved back.
"They took us to the graveyard. It was as big as two football pitches [and] has all been reconstructed. Thousands and thousands of names. What a marvellous sight.
"Big leaders were there [but] I felt as if we were the main people there.
"Everybody all saying thank you – that was very emotional.”
Harry received an invitation for the trip, organised by the Royal British Legion, about a month ago and was escorted down to Normandy by his friend Julie Atkinson.
Harry said: “She looked after me like her own father, I was so proud what she did.”
The veteran said the pair were taken to Portsmouth in a “top of the range” Range Rover, where they and over 20 other veterans were greeted by a reception and stayed the night in a hotel.
The following day, a luxury coach took the group onto the ferry, where they embarked on the six-hour journey across to France, where Harry was chosen to throw a wreath into the English Channel.