THE Daily Express stands with veterans today in urging Sir Keir Starmer not to abandon the few Second World War heroes left but to pay for them to honour lost comrades.
Our plea to the Prime Minister comes after funds from an earlier Government scheme dried up. The old soldiers fear they might miss events this summer — the 80th anniversary of VE Day falls on May 8.
D-Day veteran Ken Cooke is among those backing the Respect Our War Heroes crusade. The 99-year-old, who was seriously wounded in the Normandy landings, said it is a “very emotional experience” to visit the last resting place of friends who “didn’t come home”. Falklands hero Simon Weston, below, said simply: “These are extraordinary people, they must be helped.”
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583504377/1742608563/articles/MpMG5I9m4X3gBFdb9isys/7227997974.jpg]
During commemorations to mark 80 years since D-Day last year, Sir Keir said its veterans “represent the very best of us”.
Campaigners say that the PM would need to find just “tens of thousands of pounds” to help the heroes, most aged 98 or 99, travel to France and the Netherlands for memorlal events this summer.
Former Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer also backed the campaign. The ex-Tory MP, who served four tours in Afghanistan, declared: “For as long as these heroes from WW2 are around, the Government should be contributing what in context for the Government is a paltry sum to ensure these veterans can attend commemorations for as long as they wish.”
The previous scheme was set up to Spirit of Normandy Trust which has taken veterans to D-Day commemorations in France for 30 years.
He said: "The Libor funding was a helpful sum of money. We believe veterans have paid the price so we refuse to charge them for going back to Normandy.
"These trips cost a significant amount of money. We pay for travel and accommodation and take a full medical team with us.
For the veterans this is their opportu...
Our plea to the Prime Minister comes after funds from an earlier Government scheme dried up. The old soldiers fear they might miss events this summer — the 80th anniversary of VE Day falls on May 8.
D-Day veteran Ken Cooke is among those backing the Respect Our War Heroes crusade. The 99-year-old, who was seriously wounded in the Normandy landings, said it is a “very emotional experience” to visit the last resting place of friends who “didn’t come home”. Falklands hero Simon Weston, below, said simply: “These are extraordinary people, they must be helped.”
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583504377/1742608563/articles/MpMG5I9m4X3gBFdb9isys/7227997974.jpg]
During commemorations to mark 80 years since D-Day last year, Sir Keir said its veterans “represent the very best of us”.
Campaigners say that the PM would need to find just “tens of thousands of pounds” to help the heroes, most aged 98 or 99, travel to France and the Netherlands for memorlal events this summer.
Former Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer also backed the campaign. The ex-Tory MP, who served four tours in Afghanistan, declared: “For as long as these heroes from WW2 are around, the Government should be contributing what in context for the Government is a paltry sum to ensure these veterans can attend commemorations for as long as they wish.”
The previous scheme was set up to Spirit of Normandy Trust which has taken veterans to D-Day commemorations in France for 30 years.
He said: "The Libor funding was a helpful sum of money. We believe veterans have paid the price so we refuse to charge them for going back to Normandy.
"These trips cost a significant amount of money. We pay for travel and accommodation and take a full medical team with us.
For the veterans this is their opportu...
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Daily Express (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 22, 2025