Modern Britain isn’t fit to honour the memory of D-Day

Throughout 2002 and 2003 I travelled the country, and further afield, interviewing wartime veterans of the Special Air Service for my book about the history of the regiment’s early years. This adventure coincided with Britain’s march to war against Iraq and, more often than not during my discussions with these old warriors, the question of the conflict arose. Only one veteran among the scores I spoke to was in favour of Britain’s participation. The rest gave their wholehearted support to the soldiers sent to fight Saddam Hussein’s forces, but distrusted the political reasons for their deployment.

Of these men only a handful remain. I had lunch with one at the end of 2017 and although in his late 90s he was still razor sharp. One of the subjects we broached was Brexit and he explained the reasons he’d voted Leave. The previous week I’d lunched with a Royal Navy veteran of D-Day and he explained why he’d voted Remain.