Pembrokeshire D-Day veterans honoured on 80th anniversary

Operation Overlord, on June 6, 1944, brought together the land, air, and sea forces of the allied armies to deliver five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France.

Amongst those taking part were Tony Bird of Freshwater East, who recently turned 100; and the late Gordon Prime of Jameston, Ted Owens of Pembroke Dock and John Young of Crundale.

Tony Bird

Mr Bird is now Pembrokeshire's last surviving D-Day veteran.

Tony Bird, who recently reached his 100th birthday, is Pembrokeshire's last-surviving veteran of D-Day. (Image: Greg Lewis)

On June 6, 1944, he was a junior midshipman aboard the Royal Navy Corvette HMS Clematis which escorted the landing craft onto Sword Beach.

He distinctly recalls the ‘whizz’ of a German bullet flying past his ear and the bodies of many Allied serviceman floating in the water, with he and his fellow crew members unable to pick them up as his small ship gave covering fire to the landing craft. 

An information panel on Mr Bird is on display in Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre, which is currently staging the exhibition to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

Gordon Prime

Also remembered at the centre is Army motorcycle despatch rider Gordon Prime of Jameston, who died in January 2023 just days short of his 99th birthday. 

He had written a book about his wartime experiences, which included his D-Day recollection of driving on to Juno Beach in a three-ton truck, loaded with ammunition and petrol, with his Matchless 350cc motorcycle on the back.

John Young

Another Pembrokeshire D-Day veteran was John Young of Crundale, who joined the Royal Navy as an 18-year-old. 

He served across Europe as a coder until 1946, and on D-Day he was on board HMS Swift which was one of the first ships to arrive in Normandy.

Mr Young died at the age of 94 in 2020.

British Airborne troops were the first soldiers to drop into Normandy on D-Day – by parachute and glider – and visitors to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre come face-to face with a fully equipped Airborne soldier in the exhibition.

Andrew Ludlow is pictured with the Airborne soldier mannequin. (Image: Martin Cavaney Photography)

The soldier mannequin has been kitted out from the extensive personal collection of military historian Andrew Ludlow, who recently was appointed a Pembroke Dock Heritage Trustee. Dozens of other artefacts from Andrew’s collection are displayed, including uniforms and personal equipment, weapons and the famed maroon beret of the airborne forces.

A Lee Enfield rifle and a PIAT anti-tank weapon feature prominently, along with items from the defending German forces.

Andrew has a special connection with D-Day in June 1944 as his grandfather landed on the Normandy beachhead on June 8 – D-Day plus Two – with the 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles (2RUR).

Ted Owens

The first wave of 2RUR landed on Sword beach on June 6th, following 41 Royal Marines Commando in which well-remembered Pembroke Dock resident Ted Owens was serving. Ted – who died in August last year – also features in the exhibition, his medals, Royal Marines beret and dagger having been donated to the Centre by his family.

The D-Day 80th anniversary exhibition can be seen all year. (Image: Martin Cavaney Photography)

There is another connection with the Royal Ulster Rifles through Maurice Mullins, of Pembroke Dock, who landed by glider in the evening of D-Day, ready to defend the right flank of Sword beach against the German counterattack the following day. Artefacts loaned by his family are on display.

The Heritage Centre’s D-Day exhibition is on display for the rest of the year. The Centre is open Mondays to Fridays, 10 am to 4 pm.

For more information, see pdht.org