To mark the 75th Anniversary Commemorations of VE Day, we spoke with a few of the veterans we know about their experiences on 8th May 1945 and hear their advice for future generations.

Len served with the 6th Airborne Division during the War. Initially gaining some experience with his local Home Guard unit, Len was called up in 1943 and was posted to the Royal Warwick’s camp of Budbrook Barracks for training, where as luck would have it a few Parachute Regiment recruitment team were also visiting. Fancying the challenge or as Len would say why not give it a go, he volunteered to join the Paras. And was whisked away to Hardwick Hall for 2 weeks of intense physical training before going on to Ringway / Tatton Park to do jump training and gain his wings following 8 successful practice jumps. Eventually Len was posted to 8th Battalion under the command of the renowned veteran CO Alistair ‘Jock’ Pearson. He joined the Mortar Platoon and arrived as a reinforcement in Normandy in August just in time to take part in the breakout towards the River Seine as part of Operation Paddle.

Following this, Len was involved in the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes with 8th Bn, then took part in Operation Varsity in the jump across the Rhine. It was in this that Len was wounded as he was advancing up a road they came under fire from a German anti-aircraft gun which was being used in a ground role and he was caught by a piece of Shrapnel from one of its shells just above the left eye and still has this memento from Krupp to this day. Following the end of the war Len went onto see service in Palestine as well as other parts of the Middle East. 

*Please note this episode may contain some explicit language / content, parental guidance advised.*