Paul Terry, a 100-year-old World War II veteran, returned to Normandy on Tuesday to mark the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, reflecting on the sacrifice and horror he witnessed as an 18-year-old soldier on Sword Beach. Accompanied by a group of fellow veterans, Terry made the journey with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, an organization dedicated to supporting former servicemen and women. The visit, likely one of his last, was a poignant reminder of the brutal conditions faced during the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France on June 6, 1944.

Terry, who grew up in Pevensey Bay, East Sussex, recalled the battlefield as "hell on Earth," describing the intense noise, relentless shelling, and the fear provoked even by the sight of German soldiers. Despite the terror he experienced, Terry emphasized the importance of remembrance, urging others not to forget the immense sacrifices made. “I was one of the lucky ones,” he said, underscoring the heavy toll the invasion took on his comrades.

Born in Ramsgate, Kent, in 1925, Terry was one of three brothers who served in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps during the war. His twin, Peter, served in the 2nd Battalion and was notable for participation in the North African campaign and the Battle of El Alamein before passing away in 2019 at age 94. Their older brother Victor, who fought alongside Terry in the 12th Battalion, died in 1999 at age 78. Terry himself was severely wounded in Holland during Operation Market Garden in 1944, suffering serious leg injuries from a German shell explosion. After being evacuated and medically discharged, he later rejoined the army as a reservist and was on duty during Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

During the commemoration, Terry returned to the beach at Hermanville-sur-Mer to lay a poppy wreath into the sea, a solitary gesture of remembrance. Wearing his late twin's medals, he spoke to the crowd about his hopes that younger generations will never endure the horrors of war. “God gave us life to love one another, not kill one another,” he said. Terry was awarded the Legion of Honour, France’s highest distinction, in recognition of his bravery and service.

The group of veterans making the pilgrimage collectively represent a generation that answered the call to arms during one of the most critical moments of the 20th century. Many would have been teenagers when the war began in 1939 and came of age in time for the D-Day landings, which marked a turning point in the Allied effort to liberate Europe from Nazi control. The commemorations in Normandy serve as an enduring tribute to their courage and the freedoms secured through their service.