D-Day hero, 99, calls on public to clap for veterans on VE Day
D-Day hero, 99, calls on public to clap for veterans on VE Day

99-year-old who was one of thousands of brave men who landed on French beaches on D-Day is calling on the public to clap for veterans on VE Day.

Stanley Northeast was with the RAF, attached to 6074 Squadron (Tigers of the Middle East) during the Allied invasion in 1944, and served across Europe as British forces pushed towards Berlin.

He was stationed on the Belgian-German border when victory in Europe was announced on May 8 1945.

Looking back he said: “The news was met with cheering which was fairly low key because we still had an important job to do.” He was one of the first to be flown home 10 days later when his name was pulled out of a hat, flying out of Antwerp with others aboard a packed Dakota plane.