A man who suffers from infirmity due to advanced age elected to attend the most recent D-Day anniversary ceremonies despite his condition. Although a resident of a home providing assisted care for the elderly, he flew the coop in June and made his way to the beaches of Normandy. He was subsequently honored not only for his service, but also for his astounding dedication to attending the seventieth D-Day anniversary.
The veteran in question is named Bernard Jordan. Hailing from the city of Hove in East Sussex, the former mayor was once an officer of the Royal Navy when he served in the Normandy landings. For his dedication to attending the ceremonies at Normandy for the seventieth D-Day anniversary, he was dubbed an honorary alderman of Brighton. This ceremony took place in Brighton’s town hall, where Jordan was honored by over two dozen other aldermen. This made him part of an elite group, many of which have graced the pages of history. For instance, one of his fellow aldermen is Henry Allingham, a veteran of WWI. Allingham was the oldest man alive when he died at the ripe old age of 113.
Many wondered at Jordan’s dedication to attending the commemoration ceremonies in France. While to some it would appear to be a matter of pride, Jordan assured the public that his primary goal in attending the D-Day anniversary ceremonies was to give tribute to his fallen comrades. Even though his trek to Normandy was a long one, in the end he made it in one piece. He felt that it was the least he could do for those who gave their lives in the conflict.
His honorary alderman title is a tribute to his heroism, as well as his service to the town council when he served as Hove’s mayor. While Hove appreciates his service, he is certainly more well-known for his attendance of the D-Day anniversary, which garnered a police response due to his decision not to inform anyone at the care home of his departure. His safety was not confirmed until after he had already arrived at the event, The Telegraph reports.
The D-Day anniversary was certainly an important historical event, but few took as many measures as Jordan to ensure their attendance. If nothing else, few made as many headlines. Bernard Jordan is a prime example of the spirit and sense of duty which accompanied the Allied soldiers as they took the beaches of Normandy. As shown by his dedication to attending the D-Day anniversary, the spirit of camaraderie created during the Second World War does not fade easily.