A 99-year-old D-Day veteran bravely volunteered to land in Normandy early, after an advance party were annihilated, because he was an “agitator.”
Mervyn Kersh MBE, born in East London, was 14 when the war began in 1939. He was called up at the age of 18 to train for the Normandy invasion, going from a heatwave in London to “deep snow” in Scotland.
In the British Army’s Ordnance Corps Regiment, his job for D-Day was to get vehicles and ammunition onto the beaches.
Joining other D-Day survivors at the Union Jack Club in London, for an event organised by charities Spirit of Normandy Trust and British Normandy Memorial ahead of the 80th anniversary of the landings, he said: “I didn't feel scared I thought it was a great adventure.”
Mervyn’s unit were due to land at Normandy on D-Day +6, but when a reconnaissance unit was destroyed with a single survivor, he volunteered as replacement.
Some of those killed were his friends.
“They didn't get across,” he said. “They were torpedoed and all blown to pieces.
"Just the boss survived. He came back and asked for volunteers to take their place.
Mervyn Kersh lost friends during the D Day landings
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“I didn't realise it, but I was the only one who volunteered.”
The Jewish veteran was woken on the way to France at 5 o’clock by the sound of pounding guns.
“I couldn't see them, but I could hear big shells going overhead both ways,” he said.
“Then I began to feel nervous and realised it's not just an adventure, it’s an actual world war.”
Mervyn was tasked with finding a landing zone for 200 drivers and 1000 vehicles.
“I landed and got to the top of a cliff with a strange driver in a track vehicle and told him to drive down one of the roads.
Mervyn Kersh MBE, born in East London, was 14 when the war began in 1939
GB NEWS
Mervyn Kersh joined other D-Day survivors at the Union Jack Club in London
“I found a beautiful chateau with huge grounds and a long drive. Inside was a wooden board saying 21st Panzer Division HQ which made it even more interesting.’
He took a German map as a souvenir, but soon after a Brigadier came and commandeered the area for a regimental HQ.
He remembers being welcomed by thankful French women, children and old men who “greeted us with flowers, wine and kisses. I did not take the wine in case it was poisoned but I did take the flowers and the kisses.”
Mervyn, an ambassador for the British Normandy Memorial, is returning to France for the 80th anniversary.
The 99-year-old says he sees parallels between what happened in the 1930’s and what’s taking place in eastern Europe today.
“We’d allowed Germany to get strong,” he said.
“Instead of wagging our finger and saying ‘naughty naughty’ we should have taken action. It’s the same with Russia.”
He says he’s still a reserve and is ready to return to service if needed: “Every morning when the post comes, I look to see if I'm called back.
“I’m expecting to go to Ukraine any day.”