D-Day veteran Jack Mortimer from Leeds celebrates centenary milestone

One of the last veterans of D-Day, Jack Mortimer of Leeds, has been honoured with a tribute in his home city on his 100th birthday.

Jack, from Seacroft, received a Guard of Honour from Royal British Legion standard bearers at a reception inside Leeds Civic Hall.

Flanked by military representatives from around the region, the humble centenarian was serenaded with a verse of happy birthday before a warm greeting by the Lord Mayor and a host of close friends and family.

Jack said: "I had no idea. I started off this morning actually with some of my neighbours who gave me a little do. I have had such a nice day. There are some nice people in this world."

Despite losing his wife of many decades just days earlier, Jack spoke to the group with clear thought and trademark wit. He said: "Age is just a number. My only regret about all of this is that my wife couldn't be here."

The civic reception was hosted by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Al Garthwaite. She said: "He has such an optimistic outlook on life, especially given that his wife only died last Saturday.

"He's still here, able to joke and enjoy the company of family who've come from Canada.

"Of all the close to 200 engagements I've done since I became Lord Mayor, this really will stand out in my mind as one of the most significant and important."

One of those who made a transatlantic flight to welcome Jack to the Civic Hall was his niece Sandra Gulley.

She said: "Earlier this year my sister said it's his 100th this year we should go.

"This is a time he needs us all having his wife just pass away but he loves to visit anyone and loves to tell a story."

One of 130,000 troops that hit the Normandy beaches on the morning of June 6 1944, he retains vivid memories of the operation when, aged 20, he landed on Sword Beach as shells roared overhead.

The invasion secured for the Allies a foothold on mainland Europe for the first time since 1941.

He said: "There were thousands and thousands of ships on either side of us, loads of vehicles, tanks and artillery.

"It was dangerous, there were snipers all around. It was noisy, smoky, and smelly, and I saw lots of casualties."

Four years ago the Royal British Legion supported Jack by funding a visit back to Normandy.

He said: "When I go back there now, I cry. I saw bodies being brought off that beach.

"I'm proud to be a D-Day veteran. We were all trained to do a little job. We all did our job and we all did it well."

A successful operation that changed the course of the Second World War, D-Day was nonetheless costly: by the end of 6 June Allied forces had suffered nearly 10,000 casualties, of which 4,000 were fatalities.

And it is the dead that Jack remembers as he brushes off suggestions that he was a hero all those years ago. He says his fallen comrades deserve recognition.

He said: "I don’t think I’m a hero.

"The heroes are the ones who didn’t come home, and they should always be remembered - the only heroes in any war are the ones that don’t come back." 

After leaving the army, Jack became general manager of a clothing company in Halifax.He said: "I’ve been back to Normandy on various anniversaries, and I am hoping to return again one more time for D-Day 80 with the Royal British Legion.

"I will always be grateful to the RBL for giving me the opportunity to return to Normandy, and that’s why I always support their annual Poppy Appeal."

Frances Barber, poppy appeal manager for the RBL in Leeds, said the event presented an opportunity for the city of Leeds to thank Jack for his service.

She said: "He’s a very humble man, but without people like Jack we would not be able to enjoy the democratic freedoms and way of life that we have today.”

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