Stratford man, now 99, was in first wave of D-Day attacks on German positions

THE memories of D-Day are still vivid for Philip Sweet from Stratford who was 19 when he took part in the very first wave of attacks on German positions at the start of the liberation of Europe in 1944.

Now aged 99 and looking forward to his 100th birthday in October, Philip’s was second in command of a landing craft that was transporting tanks on Gold Beach at La Riviere on the Normandy coast during the world’s biggest amphibious invasion.

“It was an incredible occasion,” Philip told the Herald. “The sea was dreadfully rough. You had a job to do so you concentrate and get the job done. Later on you think, good God – did I do that? There was immense pride in our armed forces.